A potential change to Boise’s skyline? Why the council delayed a decision on two towers
If approved, the project would change Boise’s skyline.
But now, developer Tommy Ahlquist’s bid to bring two towers to downtown Boise is delayed at least until March, when it will go before the Boise City Council once again.
The council voted Tuesday to defer the project that would have brought a towering building with two towers — one 16 stories, the other 10 — to the city. It asked Ahlquist and his Meridian firm, Ball Ventures Ahlquist, to make several changes to the design before returning.
Some people and groups, including the Downtown Boise Neighborhood Association, favor of the project because it would bring housing. The developer also worked with the neighborhood association to address some of its most pressing concerns.
Others largely worried about what tall building would mean for the neighborhood’s character. Many of the buildings nearest to the project are only a few stories tall. Boise’s Planning and Zoning Commission recommended in November that the council deny the project.
“The intensity is too much. The massing is too much. The setbacks are nonexistent,” Commissioner Ashley Squyres said then.
But several council members said the project may still be workable with a few changes.
What was the project before the council?
Ahlquist — a gubernatorial candidate in 2018 who lost the Republican nomination to now-Gov. Brad Little — proposed tearing down a three-story Idaho Central Credit Union branch at 200 N. 4th St. In its place would be two towers.
The taller of the two would have a new ICCU branch on the ground floor, as well as a Saltzer medical clinical and space for two other businesses. The second through sixth floors would be a parking garage with 460 spaces. Floors seven through 14 would consist of two floors of office space for ICCU and six for medical offices. The top two floors would have condominiums.
The 10-story tower would have dozens of studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments. David Turnbull, founder of Brighton Corp. and a partner on the project, said the average apartment would be about 650 square feet and with rent starting at about $1,100 monthly.
The buildings would be two of the tallest in the city. The taller tower would be 232 feet. According to skyscraper-tracking database Emporis, it would be shorter than only the Eighth & Main building (also known as the Zions Bank building), which is 323 feet tall, and U.S. Bank Plaza, which is 267 feet.
The shorter tower would be 126 feet tall.
That’s different than the original design. Geoff Wardle, lawyer for the project, said that after meeting with neighbors, the developers made “significant” changes to the project. They included making the taller tower face Idaho Street instead of Bannock Street to help protect the view of the Capitol for residents of the nearby Imperial Plaza condominiums. The changes also added more apartments and moved a parking entrance.
Many residents told the council they still think the towers would violate the city’s comprehensive plan, with their height and the fact that the building would take up much of a block.
What is expected now?
In their voter, members of the council laid out some things they would like considered before the project comes back:
- A look at the height of the taller tower. Council President Elaine Clegg said she didn’t have a problem with the height, but others asked the developer to look into it.
- Less space for parking.
- More space dedicated to housing.
- An exploration of whether the developer would be able to accept vouchers, which help to make housing affordable for lower-income families.
- Whether the trees in the area could be maintained.
- Changes to setbacks.
- A new meeting with neighbors about the design.
Council Member Patrick Bageant said that while sending the project back for updates was a good idea, he didn’t think it would be a good way to do business in the future on “challenging projects.”
“We’re essentially designing a building from the dais on a without-objection basis as my colleagues throw out their good ideas,” he said. “The applicant is going to go back [and] rejigger their building based on what they’ve heard from us in this meeting while we’re kind of trying to do it on the fly.”
“Please, when you come back, come back with something very concrete that we can give you a clear up-or-down, yes-or-no answer,” Bageant said.
The project is scheduled to go before the council again at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 16, at Boise City Hall and virtually at cityofboise.org/virtual-meetings.
This story was originally published January 6, 2021 at 1:26 AM.
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