If you haven't noticed all the construction on Main Street, it's probably because you haven't been downtown in awhile, and perhaps it's time to take a look at all the great work going on. Set to become the biggest buildings on that block, the Old Town Lofts is a two part project that will undoubtedly change the fabric of downtown Meridian. Building A, at 703 N Main St. will consist of mainly apartments and retail spaces with the hopes of an anchor restaurant. As the first phase of this project, this building is set to be complete in the summer of 2021, but that may be delayed. Residents will be within walking distance of all the existing restaurants and shops, and more residential housing is expected to bring more culture and businesses to the downtown core.
Building B, located at 33 E Idaho Ave., will be adjacent to Building A with a parking lot in between. It will also feature retail space along with offices that will be available to lease. Similar to Building A, retail and office spaces will range in size from 1,000 to 5,700 square feet, and cost between $19.00 and $28.00 a square foot. In total, there is expected to be 102 apartments, offering both one- and two-bedroom units, along with 16,000 square feet of commercial space.
Meridian is known for it's sprawling suburbs, away from downtown, making the downtown area seem less lively or populated. The motive behind Old Town Lofts is to bring more residents and more workers downtown, which will hopefully offer opportunities for the businesses that are already there, not to mention the possibility of new businesses. With more and more people moving to Idaho from out of state, and 60% of those being people under the age of 50, the Old Town Lofts will offer modern living spaces to this younger demographic. Meridian is growing like crazy, and a project like this in the heart of downtown will move the "old town" into the future, making it a place where everyone wants to be. 
