BOISE, ID — Monday afternoon, Tim Kreane of the City of Boise released information on why the Union Block building has been closed down to the public.
- The Union Block building is home to several businesses
- The building has been under construction for 5 years.
- The City of Boise closed the building due to structural flaws
- Building Management has 30 days to create a plan to fix the situations
- A few of the closed businesses are taking legal action against the owners of the building
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
A presser was held today in front of Boise City Hall releasing information regarding the closing of the Union Block building, as well as a portion of Idaho Street.
Last week, city officials made the decision to close the historic downtown building that several local businesses have called home for decades, saying the building was too unsafe to allow anyone inside.
Tim Keane, director of planning and development services for the city of Boise explained just what the building management was planning on doing in their five-year construction project as well as what caused city officials to shut the building down.
Keane said, “They were digging out the basement level to make it deeper. so there is some significant work being done to the building. Because of that, they had to install some temporary measures.”
Keane explained that these temporary measures were put in 5 years ago to keep up the building while it went through construction.
Two of the restaurants forced out of the building are pursuing legal action but for now, their doors will have to stay closed.
“This will move as fast as the owner is capable of moving. We can't have this building occupied if we feel it is unsafe. We won't,” said Keane.
Keane says that to start work on stabilizing this building, building management has to have a plan permitted within 30 days.
