CALDWELL, Idaho — The historic Rice House, originally owned by College of Idaho founding member and prominent Caldwell community member John C. Rice, has been under restoration for two years. The Caldwell Housing Authority is converting the building into five apartments for emergency responders and a public coffee shop.
The project sits at the corner of Kimball and Chicago in Caldwell. Caldwell Housing Authority Director Mike Dittenber said he hopes the project will revitalize the neighborhood adjacent to downtown by encouraging a walkable community space across the street from similarly historic buildings.
"What if we increase the value in a four- or five-block area by $20 million?" Dittenber said.
The construction has been tedious work, with renovators focused on keeping original features of the house, including the floors and glass. Restoration, rather than modernization, has been the guiding principle of the project, fitting the older charm of the North End neighborhood.
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Neighbors have raised concerns about higher costs for the project than originally estimated.
Planning for the project began in 2022, but it did not break ground until 2024. In that time, costs for foundation work increased, ultimately costing over $300,000, much more than originally intended.
Dittenber said the timeline was driven by the complexity of the process.
"Getting the building permits, going through all the design review, getting the architects and the engineers to get everything together took a considerable amount of time," he said.
The new foundation added two more lower-level apartments and a sturdier base to ensure the house's old foundation fit firmly on the new one. That foundation work is already complete.
Funding for the foundation came from the Urban Renewal Agency, which is funded by taxpayer dollars. The remainder of the project is funded solely by donations of labor, materials, and money.
Many of those donations have come from volunteers who could only give a few hours a week to the project, which could make for a longer restoration process.
Despite community concerns, Dittenber said he remains excited about what a revitalized living and dining space will bring to an already historic neighborhood.
"And so, what a better thing to do than to put an historic house in a historic community, fix it up, make it appealing, and to put first responders here to just add that little additional safety in our area in a neighborhood that has been historically underserved."
The Rice House estimates completion in 9 to 10 months. The coffee shop, which will be run separately from the building, is expected to open to the public shortly after.
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