15 new food options in Boise’s West End. But trying the food comes with a caveat

Fifteen new food options could be coming to Boise. But only if you order delivery.

A new ghost kitchen is planning to open in the West End. The West End Food Hub would provide 200-to-300-square-foot spaces with kitchen equipment already installed, allowing tenants to cook food for delivery with lower costs than a conventional restaurant. There’s no on-site dining or takeout planned.

The kitchens are being built at the site of the former Creamer Heating & Air Conditioning at 1744 W. Main St., on the northwest corner of West Main and North 17th streets. It’d be northwest of the Cabana Inn. The building has been vacant for years.

“This is a great model and way to provide support to small businesses and food entrepreneurs that want to have a place in Boise where they can both grow their business while serving their food, albeit in a takeout manner,” Mayor and Capital City Development Corp. board member Lauren McLean said Monday during the urban renewal agency’s meeting. “It’s my hope that this will help those folks that are in these stalls grow the customer base, the loyalty and practice their trade in such a way they can then take off in other spaces.”

CloudKitchens, the Los Angeles company behind the project, has been working with Capital City Development Corp. on an agreement in which the urban renewal agency would reimburse the company an estimated $54,000 for public improvements like paving the front sidewalk, upgrading an electrical transformer that serves the whole block, and adding a streetlight.

CloudKitchens’ entire project would cost an estimated $2.3 million and support an estimated 50 permanent jobs.

Exterior work is planned to begin this fall. Construction is expected to be completed during the winter.

The food hub would have 6,000 square feet and have shared parking with New Life Apostolic Church. The ghost kitchen model is similar to Crave Delivery in Meridian.

“When you look at the block as a whole, it really is an important piece as the revitalization of this side of town continues,” Capital City Development Corp. Project Manager Kevin Holmes said during the meeting.

CloudKitchens plans to keep the Creamer Heating signs above the building, which sits directly behind a newly built bus stop on West Main Street. Holmes considers a new streetlight by that bus stop a big improvement, he told the Idaho Statesman. Upgrading utilities is another way to support future development nearby, because it eases the burden on future projects.

McLean said it’s unfortunate takeout won’t be an option at the food hub but called it a “good step” for the West End.