Business

What developer says now about plans to convert rooms at Boise hotel into apartments

By Sharon Fisher Idaho Business Review

The Seattle developer who bought part of the former Safari Inn in downtown Boise hopes to start construction in March on converting the building’s hotel rooms into upscale apartments.

John Schack, owner of Revolve Inc., told the Idaho Business Review that the 43 rooms in the three-story building at 11th and Main streets will be converted into 41 apartments – four one-bedrooms and the rest studios.

“The rooms are very large for hotel rooms, in the 400- to 450-square-foot range,” Schack said. “Each had a bathroom. We’re adding kitchens and making sure we can deliver a product we are satisfied with.”

The apartments will be across 11th Street from The Owyhee, another luxury apartment building created from the conversion of an old hotel.

Possible amenities include a sky garden, residential lounge and glass open-air atrium.

“We’re going to take off the mansard roof and belly band,” Schack said. “We’ll paint it all dark gray and cover the rest with a teak screen that evokes the window patterning of historic buildings in the area. Inside, we’ll update the flooring and fixtures and put in kitchens and new tile in the bathrooms.”

Seattle developer Revolve bought the Smith Block building on Main Street, far left, and the three-story building next it that contains 45 rooms of the Safari Inn. The remodeled Owyhee is across South 11th Street, far right. Revolve plans to convert the hotel rooms into apartments.
Seattle developer Revolve bought the Smith Block building on Main Street, far left, and the three-story building next it that contains 45 rooms of the Safari Inn. The remodeled Owyhee is across South 11th Street, far right. Revolve plans to convert the hotel rooms into apartments. John Sowell jsowell@idahostatesman.com

Construction likely will take nine to 10 months, Schack said. Prices aren’t being revealed. Design and permitting are still underway.

The project does not involve the 60 Safari hotel rooms in a separate building at 1070 W. Grove St., which has a different owner.

The main portion of the Safari Inn is the rectangular building at left center, along with the office next to the swimming pool. It also includes 45 rooms in the building above the rectangular one. That building and the smaller one to the right of it are under different ownership and were sold to Revolve Development of Seattle, which plans to turn those hotel rooms into apartments.
The main portion of the Safari Inn is the rectangular building at left center, along with the office next to the swimming pool. It also includes 45 rooms in the building above the rectangular one. That building and the smaller one to the right of it are under different ownership and were sold to Revolve Development of Seattle, which plans to turn those hotel rooms into apartments. Google Maps

Revolve also bought the two-story, 115-year-old Smith Block building next door to the building it will renovate on Main Street. Schack told the Idaho Statesman last June that ground-floor shops in both buildings would remain.

The Safari Inn closed in November.

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