Boise deserves better than massive office towers in East Downtown
Editor’s note: This guest opinion piece has been updated to reflect that the Boise Planning and Zoning Commission meeting for this project has been rescheduled to Oct. 12.
Boise’s historic East Downtown neighborhood, along Bannock and Idaho streets east of North Fifth Street, is separated from the downtown central core by the Old Boise Historic District. Residents and visitors to this area enjoy its mature tree-lined narrower streets, generous lawns, ample setbacks, and residential scale. Other than two condominium buildings, surrounding structures are largely one to two stories. The current zoning for this district is residential-office, with a height limit of 65 feet.
Ball Ventures Ahlquist has proposed to replace the Idaho Central Credit Union building on the corner of Fourth and Bannock streets with a massive 16-story, 232-foot tower and a second, nine-story tower. The structures would dwarf surrounding buildings and effectively block the sun for adjacent small office and residential properties as well as diminishing their property values. Although only 182 parking spaces are required by the city, BVA proposes 460 spaces in five levels of above-ground parking, which would spill out onto Bannock Street, the designated bicycle corridor between Boise’s East End and downtown.
The proposed development would require “spot” rezoning by the city from residential-office to C-5, the same zoning as the downtown commercial core, with no height limit. According to Boise city code, in order to recommend this rezone, the Boise Planning and Zoning Commission must find that the rezone a.) is in compliance with the comprehensive plan (Blueprint Boise); b.) is in the best interests of the public convenience and general welfare; and c.) maintains and preserves compatibility of surrounding zoning and development. BVA’s project fails on all three counts!
Blueprint Boise stipulates that high-intensity structures should be in the Central Business District.; the unnecessary above-ground parking will be a visual and auditory disruption of the neighborhood; and the height of the project is grossly out of scale with the surrounding area.
The Boise Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled to hold a hearing to review this proposal at 6 p.m. on Oct. 12 on the third floor of City Hall. This will be a hybrid meeting with both in-person and virtual testimony. Written comments may be submitted to cacord@cityofboise.org or delivered to City Hall by 5 p.m. on Oct. 2. A week before the hearing, the city will post an electronic sign-up sheet for those wanting to provide testimony virtually or in person.
Better Change for East Downtown, LLC, is an organization formed by residents of the Eastside neighborhood to advocate for a more appropriate project for this site with no change in existing zoning. If you agree that this development belongs in the central downtown core, we urge you to get involved!
This story was originally published September 3, 2020 at 9:43 AM.