Big changes will come to Boise in 2021. Watch for these big buildings and major events
The coronavirus pandemic heaped a lot of misery on Southwest Idaho in 2020, and it left asterisks next to many events scheduled during the year, while altering lives.
Treefort Music Fest: postponed and then canceled. Jaialdi Basque festival: put on hold until 2021. Boise State football: games played at Albertsons Stadium without crowds.
Stores, restaurants and other businesses closed for a time, and companies sent employees home to work. Many of them are still there. At least 40 area restaurants closed after being forced to cut back on indoor dining or completely rely on takeout or delivery service.
The pandemic has yet to slow down, but with the recent release of two vaccines, there’s hope that 2021 will be a more normal year.
Several apartment buildings are scheduled to open during the year, as the Boise area continues to grow. A new high-rise office building will open in downtown Boise. And those festivals that had to postpone, and other events, will try a comeback. And as always, newcomers will take political office, including big shakeups in Ada County.
Here’s a quarter-by-quarter guide to what’s coming:
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JANUARY - FEBRUARY - MARCH
New Ada County commissioners: Two new Republican commissioners, Ryan Davidson and Rod Beck, will flip the commission red and almost certainly will try to start changing some policies enacted during the two years of Democratic control. Davidson, former chair of the Ada County GOP, defeated incumbent Commissioner Diana Lachiondo, while Beck beat Democrat Bill Rutherford in the race for an open seat. Kendra Kenyon is the only holdover member.
New ACHD commissioners: Four-term Ada County Highway District Commissioner Rebecca Arnold was narrowly defeated by political newcomer Alexis Pickering, a community health strategist with Central District Health. Pickering won by two votes on Election Day, a margin that widened to four votes after a recount. Arnold went to court to press the matter, but an Ada County judge dismissed the lawsuit.
Dave McKinney, a lawyer and civil engineer who serves on Meridian’s Transportation Commission, also joins the commission, replacing Sara Baker, who did not run for re-election. Jim Hansen retained his seat on the commission.
Legislature meets: Gov. Brad Little asked lawmakers to consider delaying the session because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic or to move to a remote setting. Those ideas were rejected by majority Republicans, and the Legislature is scheduled to convene at the Capitol on Monday, Jan. 11. No mandates have been established to require masks or social distancing. COVID-19, the governor’s emergency declaration power, schools, taxes and a budget surplus are among the issues that will take center stage.
11th and Idaho building: Rafanelli & Nahas began work in summer 2019 on a 10-story, 190,000-square-foot office building across Idaho Street from the Boise Plaza, which the Boise development company owns. The $40 million building, which will be finished in mid-January, will feature a ground-floor food court that opens to a 1-acre park. The park will be completed in April.
Kathryn Albertson Park: The park is receiving upgrades that began in September 2019. The first phase — which involved landscaping and irrigation modifications, and converting some open turf areas to meadows — has been completed. The second phase, currently under construction, includes improvements to the front entrance of the park off the parking lot, including a new plaza area with interpretive signage and demonstration plantings. The restroom will also be rebuilt and a picnic park will be developed in the front grassy area. Those improvements are scheduled to be completed early in the year.
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APRIL- MAY- JUNE
Boise Hawks baseball: For the first time since 1978, Boise will field an independent minor league baseball team when the Hawks start the season. The Hawks, who operated for 30 years as a member of the Class-A Northwest League, lost their affiliation with the Colorado Rockies after Major League Baseball cut ties with 25% of its minor league clubs. The Hawks will join the nine-team Pioneer League, an independent MLB “partner league.” The last local independent team was the Boise Buckskins, who played one season in the Northwest League at Borah High School.
Amity and Ten Mile Road roundabout: Another roundabout is on the way, Boise. Construction will include a lane in the center and two lanes approaching, as well as a truck apron. There will be gutter and curb upgrades. Sidewalks and street lighting will be added, and new storm-water systems will be put in. It’s scheduled to be finished in summer.
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JULY- AUGUST- SEPTEMBER
Basque Jaialdi: Every five years — usually — Boise’s Basque population holds a giant gathering that celebrates Basque culture, its unique cuisine, music, dancing and games. It was scheduled to take place in 2020 but was postponed because of the pandemic. It’s now scheduled for Tuesday, July 27, to Sunday, Aug. 1. Specific events have not been announced, but there’s usually a Saturday evening mass at St. Mark’s Catholic Church, 7960 Northview St., and a concluding Sunday night street dance at the Basque Block, 601 Grove St. An estimated 35,000 people are expected to attend.
Whitewater & Main development: Los Angeles developer Roundhouse is planning a 7-acre apartment and retail development on the corner of Whitewater Park Boulevard and Main Street, at the site where former Mayor David Bieter once hoped to build a sports stadium. The project, when fully complete, is planned to include around 400 apartments, a big-box retailer and several smaller shops. The first phase is expected to include 130 apartment units and 15,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, as well as “building amenity space.” The company hopes to break ground in mid-2021.
Boise Caddis apartments: River Caddis Development Corp. of East Lansing, Michigan, is building 173 apartments in an eight-story building at 3rd and Myrtle streets. The building will also have 3,000 square feet of ground-floor retail. The apartments will include a mix of studios and one- and two-bedroom units. The parking lot, which will be owned by Ada County, will include space for 400 cars and 192 bicycles. Residents will be able to rent parking spaces from the county. It’s expected to be finished in July.
Park Place Apartments: Developed by Gardner Co., with offices in Boise and Salt Lake City, Park Place, at 749 E. Park Blvd., will have 236 apartments. The six-story building will have apartments on the first five stories and 356 parking spaces spread over all six floors. The $40 million building will include studios, and one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, with studios starting at about $900 per month. It’s expected to be finished in July.
Professional golf tournament: The Albertsons Boise Open will take place Aug. 19-22. German-born Stephen Jaeger won the 2020 title on the Korn Ferry Tour with a two-shot win at Hillcrest Country Club — with no fans on hand. The 2021 event should see the return of spectators.
The Vanguard apartments: Visum Development Group, based in Ithaca, New York, is building 75 apartments in an eight-story building at 600 Front St., where BizPrint previously operated. The building will have 2,596 square feet of ground-floor retail and will include a rooftop terrace with a fire pit and grill, a resident lounge and co-working space. It’s expected to be completed in August.
Ada County Jail expansion: The county hopes to break ground in August on a new pod that would house nearly 300 inmates. That would add to the jail’s current 1,116 capacity. It will have three dorm-style areas and four traditional cell blocks with two- and four-person cells.
Boise State football returns: The Broncos are scheduled to open the season on the road Sept. 4 at the University of Central Florida — with a new head coach. The Knights lost to No. 16 BYU 49-23 in the Boca Raton Bowl on Dec. 22. Boise State, which opted not to go to a bowl game, ended its season with a 34-20 loss to San Jose State in the Mountain West Conference championship game. It will start the new season without Bryan Harsin, who left to coach Auburn University. BSU’s Sept. 11 home opener vs. UTEP could be the first time the team has played before a home crowd in two years.
Franklin-Orchard housing: Utah developer J. Fisher Cos. is expected to break ground in September on an affordable housing complex at the site of the former Franklin Elementary School. The company is planning to build 205 multifamily units — split between apartments and condominiums — along with 6,000 square feet of business space on the 4.7-acre parcel at 313 S. Orchard St., across the street from Fred Meyer. The development, divided among three four-story buildings and a two-story building, is proposed north and east of Franklin Park. One of the four-story buildings next to Franklin Park would have all residential units. The buildings along Orchard and Franklin would feature residences and businesses. Rents would be at least 25% below market rents.
Cole School housing: NeighborWorks plans to break ground over the summer on 39 affordable homes at the former school site at Cole and Fairview roads. ColeBluff Cottages will features homes with one to three stories, two to four bedrooms, and square footage between 816 and 1,998. Prices have not been set.
Treefort Music Fest: After eight straight years of downtown Boise entertainment showcasing hundreds of bands, Treefort pulled the plug on its 2020 festival because of the coronavirus pandemic. It initially moved the annual March festival to September 2020 in hopes of riding out the pandemic. But it was later canceled altogether. The 2021 show is now scheduled for Sept. 22-26. Passes for all five days are $250 for adults and $150 for those younger than 21. Treefort also showcases arts-related programs: Storyfort, Filmfort, Foodfort, Comedyfort, YogaFort and more.
Eagle Road widening: The road will be widened along the mile-long stretch between Amity and Victory roads. The completed road will have two lanes in each direction and a center turn lane. A single-lane roundabout will be built at the intersection of Eagle Road and Zaldia Drive, while the existing roundabout at the intersection of Eagle and Amity will be widened to two lanes, plus two lanes approaching the roundabout. The project is scheduled to be finished in early fall.
Maple Grove Road widening: This road is being widened between Overland and Victory roads and is also scheduled to be finished in early fall. It will include two lanes in each direction with a center turn lane, bike lanes, and curb and gutter improvements. There will be a pedestrian signal added at Targee Street.
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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER- DECEMBER
Idaho Steelheads: The Boise member of the ECHL canceled its 2020 season because of the pandemic. The team’s players became free agents, so the team will have to reorganize in the coming months before beginning the 2021-22 season in October.
Boise City Council elections: Three of the six council positions will be contested in the Nov. 2 election. T.J. Thomson, who has served on the council since 2010, announced that he will not seek another term. Lisa Sánchez, who is serving her first term, will run for re-election. Holli Woodings, who has served since 2018, has not said whether she’ll seek a four-year term. One issue for the council during the year will be to decide how to handle a new Idaho law requiring cities of more than 100,000 residents to create geographical districts for its council members.
Thomas Logan apartments: Built by a partnership between Boise developer Clay Carley, Chance Hobbs in McCall, Dean Pape of deChase Miksis in Boise, and Bill Truax of Boise’s Galena Opportunity Fund, Thomas Logan will have 60 apartments on seven stories. Forty-five of the apartments at 116 S. 6th St. will go to people making between 30% to 60% of Ada County’s median income. Rents in the low-income, subsidized apartments will go for $343 to $730 for a studio, $507 to $783 for a one-bedroom, and $606 to $937 for a two-bedroom.
The Lucy apartments: The same partnership as the Logan will build 114 apartments on six stories at 512 W. Grove St. The developers plan to rent 50 of the units at “workforce” rates — marketed to those earning close to the area median income. Rents will go for around $1,300 a month for a one-bedroom apartment. On the ground floor will be a food hall, with various restaurateurs operating small kiosks. Both buildings are expected to be completed by winter 2021.
The Cartee apartments: Roundhouse is building 161 apartments in an eight-story building at 4th and Broad streets. It will also have 5,400 square feet of ground-floor retail. Of the apartments, five will be ground level live-work units, which will include commercial and living spaces. Fifteen will be “micro” units, 27 will be studios, 60 will be one-bedroom units, and 54 will have two bedrooms. Three of the eight floors will be dedicated to a 170-space parking garage. It’s expected to be completed by late 2021.
NO SPECIFIED MONTHS
Amazon buildings: The online giant plans to build a sorting plant at 2155 Freight St., in southeast Boise, and is building a delivery station at Franklin and Ten Mile roads in western Meridian. In December, the Boise City Council approved an agreement with Amazon.com Services for the Boise building. Plans call for a 260,427-square-foot warehouse at the Boise Gateway Industrial Park. It would also have nearly 17,000 square feet of office space, loading docks, space for trailer storage, and more than 300 parking spaces. It’s not clear how many employees would work at the station, where workers gather packages to be boxed and shipped to customers. The Meridian building under construction is a 140,000-square-foot delivery station. Semitrailers will bring packages for delivery to homes and businesses by Amazon’s delivery fleet.
Idaho Wheat Commission: Last March, the commission announced plans to raze its single-story headquarters at 821 W. State St. and build a new three-story one. The commission is also planning to build a parking garage with an automated car-stacking system. Permitting and planning delays kept the commission from seeking approval in 2020 from the Idaho Legislature for a bond to pay a portion of the $5.5 million cost. That approval will determine the timeline moving forward. The commission hopes to demolish the existing building in the first half of 2021.
The River Club reconfiguration: The golf club previously known as Plantation Country Club had planned to revamp the course as part of the widening of State Street, which would have brought a new entrance at Pierce Park Lane. In April, because of virus-related budget concerns, the Ada County Highway District postponed the project indefinitely. Glass Creek, the golf club’s new owner, has had preliminary talks with ACHD to restart the work, but it’s unknown when that might happen. Meanwhile, Glass Creek is looking at potentially expanding to lease a state-owned island and working to develop three custom housing lots along the Boise River, fronting holes 5 and 6. It’s also working to complete installation of a splash pad in the swimming pool area.
Treasure Valley YMCA gift: Novelist and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott awarded the Treasure Valley Family YMCA $10 million in December, with no strings attached. The Boise-based YMCA’s board will decide how the money will be used to sustain the organization that has helped people meet their fitness and healthy living goals since 1891.
1982 murder case: Charles Fain sat on death row for 18 years for the Nampa rape and killing of 9-year-old Daralyn Johnson before he was exonerated in 2001. Last year, David Allen Dalrymple, previously convicted of violently abusing three women and sexually abusing one girl, was arrested in Johnson’s death. Dalrymple awaits trial.
New driver’s license office: Ada County plans to open a new driver’s license office in Meridian, at 736 S. Progress St. The building will have 11,000 square feet. It will relieve pressure on the county’s existing license bureau on North Benjamin Lane in Boise.
Murder of 12-year-old girl: Steve Pankey, a Twin Falls man who twice ran for Idaho governor, was arrested last year in the 1984 killing of Jonelle Matthews in Colorado. In December, a judge set Pankey’s bail at $5 million. A trial date has not been set. Matthews went missing from her parents’ Greeley home on Dec. 20, 1984. Her body wasn’t discovered until July 24, 2019, in a field near Greeley. Pankey lived in Greeley at the time of her disappearance.
ONGOING CONSTRUCTION
Surgery center: St. Luke’s Boise Medical Center is building a five-story surgery center, outpatient services clinic and programs for musculoskeletal care (muscles, bones and joints) at 27th and Fairview, west of downtown. The 230,000-square-foot building, which was originally planned as an orthopedic hospital, is expected to be completed in 2021. The project includes an adjacent parking garage.
The Statesman’s Hayley Harding, Chadd Cripe and Ruth Brown contributed.
This story was originally published December 27, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
