Developers advance plan to ‘redefine the heart’ of Meridian. See their vision
A long-stalled development in downtown Meridian is getting a new name — and a new life.
On Monday, developers unveiled new details about the future of a property once envisioned to bring hundreds of apartments and commercial space to a then-sleepy downtown corner. The project, called Union 93, hit the brakes in 2022 amid disputes over unpaid work, and the property ultimately went into foreclosure in early 2025.
Meridian’s Ahlquist and Eagle’s The Pacific Cos. teamed up to buy the site across from Meridian City Hall and turn it into “Heritage Square,” a large mixed-use development that the companies say will “redefine the heart” of the city’s downtown.
Heritage Square is anticipated to include premium office space, shops, housing and a “vibrant” public plaza, according to a news release from Ahlquist and previous Idaho Statesman reporting. In newly released illustrations, the developers are giving Meridian residents a fresh look at what’s in store for the key corner.
“We’ve spent a career taking on infill projects that others have walked away from,” including the so-called Boise Hole, now the site of an 18-story Eighth & Main tower, said Ahlquist CEO Tommy Ahlquist in the release. “That experience is exactly what a project like Heritage Square calls for. We look forward to turning these underutilized and blighted sites in downtown Meridian into something the community can be proud of.”
Heritage Square is at the northeast corner of Broadway Avenue and Main Street.
New plans show 100s of multifamily homes, public plaza
In the release, developers highlighted plans for public art, the plaza and open gathering spaces, and a “pedestrian-friendly design” intended to “honor the community’s heritage while fostering meaningful connections among residents, visitors and businesses.”
The residential component of the project is expected to include “two multifamily residential towers,” according to the release, which would sit atop the partially-built parking garage structures now looming at the site.
“Bringing new homes to the core of downtown Meridian gives us the chance to create quality places for people to live within walking distance of where they work, shop, and gather,” said Pacific Cos.’ president and CEO, Caleb Roope, in the release.
In an email to the Statesman, Ahlquist said he anticipates the development including roughly 250 multifamily units “with some potential variation in housing types and price points,” though the exact number of units could change.
Ahlquist said his goal is to break ground on Heritage Square in early 2027. It would take roughly two years to complete, he said.
Click through the gallery below to see what developers envision could go up in that time:
