These historic downtown Boise homes move one step closer to protection

Boise came one step closer to creating its first historic district in 16 years Monday night when the Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to protect nearly two square blocks of stately homes on the edge of Downtown.

During a speedy, 30-minute public hearing at the end of a very long meeting, 10 supporters of preservation talked about the importance of history to a city’s soul. They reminded commissioners that historic buildings draw tourist dollars.

And they congratulated city officials for protecting the storied Eoff-Brady house at the corner of Main and Second streets from demolition while a historic district could be considered. Now that Planning and Zoning has given its blessing, the proposal is set to go before the Historic Preservation Commission on Oct. 29 and the City Council on Dec. 11.

“As a community, Boise’s uniqueness and our value is embodied in the landscape, the people and our history,” East End resident Erik Kingston told the commissioners. “Without protecting those things, we risk losing our identity. … Go, history!”

No one spoke in opposition to the proposed preservation district at the Monday night hearing. More than 700 historic district supporters had sent emails and letters to the city in recent weeks, compared to only one resident who wrote to oppose the historic protection effort.

Commissioner Douglas Gibson put it most succinctly before the unanimous vote: “When it’s gone, it’s gone. What’s unbuilt can’t be rebuilt. … Tonight we can make a statement that maybe we don’t want a condo on every corner in Boise.”

Fears that the Eoff-Brady house would be demolished sparked the current rush to preserve. As Ted Vanegas, Boise’s senior historic preservation planner, recounted Monday night, city staffers began fielding phone calls in July that the building’s owner wanted to tear down the 1897 Queen Anne, with its wrap-around porch and mock gables.

“Staff had discovered the owner had hired a developer and planned to demolish the structure and build condos on the property,” Vanegas told the commissioners. After meeting, “the property owner notified staff that the city had two months” to come up with a plan or he would tear the red stone and shingle building down.

On Aug. 7, the City Council passed an emergency ordinance to prohibit the owner from altering or destroying the graceful house while the city considered how to protect the building, nine other grand homes and assorted outbuildings.

Bill Hon, who owns the Eoff-Brady house, did not attend the hearing. But he told the Statesman in September that demolition was only one possibility among several others that he presented to the city for the home, which has been in his family for decades.

City Councilman Scot Ludwig owns one of the historic houses included in the proposed district. Because of that, he says he will not vote on the issue. But he voiced his strong support in an email to the Statesman on Monday afternoon.

“Although I am a strong private property rights advocate, when a citizen owns one of these gems, they have a higher responsibility to maintain the rich history and architecture so long as that undertaking is feasible,” he wrote.

“Too often owners of historic homes and buildings believe being included in a Historic District creates a difficult set of obstacles in maintaining their building’s heritage,” Ludwig’s email said. “To the contrary, the perception should be that these structures are the most precious in the City of Boise.”

This story was originally published October 1, 2018 at 11:25 PM.