BOISE, Idaho — A familiar downtown Boise building could soon get a new look, as the city reviews proposed changes to the former Rite Aid along State Street.
ALC Architecture has submitted plans for exterior changes to the building, according to the City of Boise. The proposal includes three shades of gray stucco, horizontal siding and black storefronts. The application states that the goal is to modernize the facade and make room for multiple tenants.
WATCH: Boise reviews plans to modernize former Rite Aid on State Street
For decades, the building's curved roof has been part of the landscape along State Street. The space was once a Safeway, then a Rite Aid, and right now, temporarily, a Spirit Halloween.
According to the Idaho Architecture Project, the building dates back to the 1960s. Its curved roofline, glass, wood and river rock are all part of its mid-century design.
The city tells Idaho News 6 the building has been surveyed and found to contribute to a potential historic district, though there isn't one there now. Because the proposed changes could alter that historic character, the city elevated the application to a public hearing, giving the neighborhood a chance to weigh in.
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Some longtime residents said they hope any changes preserve what makes the building distinctive. Patrick Cusick, a lifelong Boisean, has called Boise home for decades and said he's watched many of the city's familiar places change with it.
"It's not just that things are disappearing, for sort of the Boise OGs, it's that the things are being taken away from us," Cusick said.
Neighbor Michael Wilson agrees. He said buildings like this hold more than businesses. They hold memories.
"All of those elements speak to me,” Wilson said. “The connection to people where they shopped, where they worked, where they spent time with their kids.”
Wilson adds that updating the building and protecting its history don't have to be at odds.
"We can embrace revitalization and modernize without losing the history, without losing the architecture," Wilson said.
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Idaho News 6 has reached out to ALC Architecture for more details on the project and is waiting to hear back.
For now, the developer is revising its plans and has asked to push the design review to December 9, according to the city.
Neighbors who can't make that hearing can still testify before the Design Review Commission on November 18 at Boise City Hall, 150 N. Capitol Blvd., 3rd floor. The meeting starts at 6 p.m.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
