What’s planned along Idaho 16 in Meridian? Developer eyes ‘vibrant’ neighborhood
Another developer is eyeing land along the coming Idaho 16 extension in Northwest Meridian.
That farm field-dotted area near Owyhee High School is expected to explode over the next few years as the new elevated freeway takes shape. Already, developers have proposed building over 3,500 homes on hundreds of acres of land there.
The next development that could join the anticipated boom, according to application materials filed with the city: a “vibrant” residential, retail and employment center near the southwest corner of Idaho 16 and Chinden Boulevard, also known as U.S. 20/26.
Called North Meridian Fields, the 70-acre development would sit at 7007 W. Chinden Boulevard, just north of the planned Cole Valley Christian school, plans submitted by Eagle real estate agent Mark Bottles on Jan. 20 show. It would need to be annexed into the city.
Roughly 48 acres of the development would be reserved for at least 100 detached single-family homes. The exact number of homes is not yet determined, according to plans, but developers are requesting that the residential land be zoned with the city’s medium-density designation. That designation allows for three to eight units per acre, which could mean at most 382 homes.
The homes would be clustered on the south side of the development, centered around a park or other “community amenity,” according to a site plan.
An earlier plan included some denser housing, which was dropped, pre-application filings show.
Farther north along Chinden, developers plan to dedicate about 24 acres of land to retail and employment opportunities, according to the application’s narrative letter.
What kinds of stores or offices are planned there? Well, we know what’s not. The developer has requested that a number of “high-traffic” and vehicle-dependent uses be disallowed. These include gas stations, convenience stores, storage units and car washes.
Instead, developers seek uses that would “contribute to a cohesive, vibrant community” with a focus on pedestrians and “walkability,” the letter said.
Stores or offices would have to be “neighborhood-serving,” it said.
Bottles did not immediately respond to an email inquiry from the Idaho Statesman.
What else is planned along Idaho 16?
Across from North Meridian Fields, on the other side of Idaho 16, another developer is seeking to build a mix of homes, offices and industrial space by the new freeway interchange.
That development, called Chinden16, would encompass roughly 27 acres at the southeast corner of McDermott Road and Chinden Boulevard, according to preliminary plans filed with the city.
It would include 62 single-family homes with lots sizes ranging from 4,500 square feet to 11,000 square feet, as well as a park, early plans show.
Plans also show a 126,000-square-foot “light industrial” building, which is larger than two football fields, plus two office buildings and two “flex” buildings. Together, there would be about 15 acres of land for industrial and employment space.
David Dorrough of Meridian’s Franklin Sensors submitted the preliminary application. A formal application would need to be filed before the development could move forward.
Other developments slated for the northern reaches of the new Idaho 16 extension include:
- The 260,000-square foot, $110 million Cole Valley Christian school just south of North Meridian Fields. The private school was previously approved by the city but has not yet broken ground, according to a school spokesperson.
- A 412-home subdivision by Jim Conger’s Boise company, Conger Group, just east of the Cole Valley site. Called Rockwell Greens, the subdivision was approved by the city in August.
- Two Toll Brothers subdivisions with a combined 689 homes, straddling Ustick Road, farther south along Idaho 16. The sister subdivisions, Springday and Dayspring, were approved, and work on utilities and other site improvements is expected to begin this year.
This story was originally published January 26, 2026 at 2:23 PM.
