WEST END BOISE, Idaho — Construction is officially underway on the College of Western Idaho’s new downtown Boise campus.
The River District project, years in the making, will transform 10 acres near Main Street and Whitewater Park Boulevard into a mixed-use development with housing, education, retail, and wellness space.
WATCH: A first look at Boise’s new River District
The site will include a 101,000-square-foot academic facility for CWI, the college’s first presence in Ada County, as well as 220 residential units, a 640-stall parking garage, 20,000 square feet of retail, a hotel, and a state-of-the-art medical clinic.
“We're just so excited to finally be here and to be announcing everything that's gonna be on this 10-acre site,” said Tommy Ahlquist, CEO of AHLQUIST Development.
The new facility will host programs in business, computer science, and cybersecurity. It’s part of CWI’s “Powering the Treasure Valley” campaign aimed at meeting workforce demand and expanding access to affordable education.
As Idaho News 6 previously reported, the site has long served as a public parking lot for visitors to Quinn’s Pond and the Boise River Greenbelt. City officials say alternative parking will be available nearby.
“This is A+++. It doesn’t get any better than this,” Alqhuist said. “A lot of vision and foresight went into this for CWI, and we’re just trying to honor this land because it’s special.”
He added that coordinating such a large-scale project is no small feat.
“We always say if it was easy, everybody would do it," Alqhuist said. "By the time you mix uses and you figure out who needs what and meet everyone's needs, it's always a challenge.”
Boise Mayor Lauren McLean praised the project’s long-term value for the city.
“It's where residents that make lives here build their own lives,” McLean said. “And I'm so excited. They'll be right on the Greenbelt, able to enjoy all the things that we have to offer, but at the same time be right here on campus studying and creating opportunity for themselves.”
The River District is expected to open in fall 2027.
