Major Building Approved for Downtown Boise, Nearby Residents Mad

Downtown Boise is getting a new skyline. Changes are happening and local residents are not happy about it. Last year Boise Planning & Zoning unanimously denied building plans for a massive mixed-use tower. The proposal came from developer Tommy Ahlquist, Brighton Corporation, and Idaho Central Credit Union.

The area they are wanting to develop is on the corner of 4th Street and Idaho Street. Last year SO many complaints from locals came through that the request was denied. Well kind of. Technically they said, re-plan and try again.

On Tuesday an updated plan came in front of Boise City Council. After hours of negative testimony and pleading from nearby residents the City vote was tied. When this happens the Boise Mayor has to be the tie breaker. Mayor Lauren McLean voted for the project, breaking the tie and accepting the proposal to build. Boise Mayor McLean knows that the city is in need of more housing and fast. That is what caused her to vote the way she did.

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The approved project will have two adjoining towers. The tallest being 13 stories and the lower at 11 stories. The buildings will have 100 apartments with 5 floors of parking. It is also planned to include 6,000 square feet on the street level for retail and or restaurants.

There is a big backlash with nearby residents who call the plans a “big glass box” and says it will vastly interfere with the current park-like neighborhood and potentially make it easier for more developers to take out old buildings to make new 'big city' towers.  You can find out tons of details from floorplans to applications to renderings from the City of Boise website here.