BOISE, Idaho — For the majority of its 123-year lifespan, the Union Block Building served as a vibrant part of downtown Boise, but today the historic building on Idaho Street stands idle as a major disagreement between City Hall and the owner of the building continues to play out.
For downtown pedestrians and a business located next door, the ongoing closure is causing problems.
"If you look at Old Boise, this building was a part of it; you can't get around it. It was a vital part of it," said a local pedestrian who's lived in Boise for decades. He went on to add that he thinks the lack of activity is a poor representation of downtown. "It's empty now; people are going elsewhere. To get people to come back will be quite a feat."
As Idaho News 6 reported in November of 2023, the City of Boise ordered the Union Block building to be vacated due to structural instability and deemed it a danger to public safety.
See what locals are saying about the ongoing closure
Moon's Kitchen and Café was among the tenants displaced.
I asked the owner, Gary Torrey, if he liked that location, to which he replied "[I] loved it." Torrey told me about the day he found out he had to shut down. "We were getting ready for the weekend, it was a Thursday, November 9th, and the City called me at home. I thought that was kind of weird, they said, 'Gary, you're not going to be able to open tomorrow."
Gary says it was a gut punch, but as luck would have it, a new space at 8th and Main opened up about two months later. The business then moved to its current location, a spot Gary says is three times busier.
But the closure has had the opposite effect for Phở Nouveau, a Vietnamese bistro, located right next door to the Union Block building.
General Manager Jorden Crystal Van Winkle put it this way: "Honestly, it's dramatically changed everything. We've looked at our numbers. Just seeing people walk down 8th street and they'll look over and see the closed barriers, and they just keep on walking, and I recognize half of these faces, and they just assume we're closed."
RELATED | Fire in vacant Union Block building in downtown Boise investigated as possible arson
So, when, or how, does this saga end?
A mayor's office spokesperson told me the City of Boise is waiting for the court to issue a decision.
An official with the Ada County Highway District who is responsible for the street closure said they, too, are awaiting a decision before they can remove the orange cones in the street.
The building owner, Ken Howell, appealed the city's decision to close the building, but the city council unanimously denied the appeal.
I asked Howell for comment, but he was reluctant to go on camera.
Idaho News 6 has covered this story from the beginning and will continue to provide updates as they become available.
