The plaque recognizing the Armory as a historic WPA project was pried off and stolen recently. The plaque was located to the lower right-hand side of the main entrance at 801 Reserve. If you have information regarding this crime, please contact the Boise Police Department.
See photo
During the past several months, many suggestions have focused on the potential to develop the Armory into a center for local businesses to cultivate a cooperative of complementary activities with shared infrastructure and strategic use of energy and materials. The best analogy would be a functioning ecosystem, in which each niche is filled by a species (business) that makes efficient use of the energy within the system. “Waste” from one species or process becomes raw material or energy for others. This concept is well described in the book “Biomimicry” by Janine Benyus. This use would complement new construction of on-site workforce housing, which a recent study identified as a pressing need near Boise’s downtown.
Boise has seen rapid expansion of local ‘green’ businesses in the past 5-10 years. Many of these creative entrepreneurs are finding ways to share information and resources; they are in effect cultivating a subset of the local economy that generates good jobs and income, provides quality goods and services…all while using a sustainable business model that maximizes input and minimizes waste and negative environmental or social impacts. To get a sense of the scale of this growing community, visit www.idahogreenexpo.com.
Given the Armory’s size (40,000 sq ft), central location, and geothermal service, many feel there is enormous potential to repurpose the structure into a thriving economic engine and neighborhood/community resource with a negligible carbon footprint. The structure and site could become home to a small business incubator/cooperative with the common theme of sustainability; it could also become a research and development laboratory for students of sustainable business or economic theory. With support and direction, the site could attract additional ‘clean and green’ investment to the Boise economy.
This strategic outcome would require several things:
It should be noted that under the current city of Boise plan, the Armory site is scheduled for auction late in 2008. Proceeds from the sale have already been designated for the Boise’s library expansion. Unless other funding can be secured for libraries, the City is relying on equity from the Armory sale. While we are mindful of this need, there is a growing sense that from a strategic land-use perspective, the Armory site has value as a perpetual community asset that far exceeds any one-time net gain from sale in a sluggish market. Once the site is out of the community’s control, it would be difficult or impossible to reclaim.
Submit comments on this posting if you have suggestions or questions. If you are or know of a community minded Angel investor interested in an outstanding legacy opportunity, let us know that, too.
Click the link below to download the latest update and summary of the Armory Subcommitte’s work. Thanks to all who have been participating on the subcommittee, posting comments to the web site, and participating in the public process.
Read this first. The comments and concepts presented on this web site are just that. Neighbors are in the creative/brainstorming phase at this point; not all suggestions will be realistic in terms of zoning, economics, or broader community needs.
We want to give everyone a voice, find areas of common interest and concern, then create a set of realistic priorities and recommendations that take into account issues like financing, traffic, market conditions, and most importantly local priorities and values.
A note about traffic. With the Armory sitting vacant for the past several years, any new activity will change traffic patterns in the vicinity. As fellow neighbors, we are committed to evaluating these impacts, some positive and some negative; to better understand the net traffic effects of different scenarios.
Our aim is to propose pedestrian-friendly uses that tend to reduce existing car trips where possible to balance out increases elsewhere, and to explore the type, speed and timing of traffic generated at this site.
The Urban Research and Design Center presented several conceptual drawings to a hardy group of residents who braved a snowstorm the evening of Thursday, January 24 at Roosevelt Elementary School. The visuals represented neighbor-recommended adaptive reuses for the Armory structure, as well as showing a variety of potential new construction ideas adjacent to the Armory. We enjoyed a vigorous discussion among the approximately 50 participants in attendance, who had a chance to discuss the various concepts with the students who created them.
The concepts include a mix of affordable, workforce and market-rate residential construction to complement mixed use of the historic Armory structure. Concepts derived from our initial public discussion on December 1 (scroll down to see minutes). You can visit the links below to view the conceptual drawings.
Scheme A1 / Scheme A3 / Scheme A4
Scheme B
Scheme C
Scheme DScheme E
Scheme F
Scheme G
Scheme H
Scheme I
Scheme J
Scheme K
Preliminary Conceptual Plans Underway
Based on the discussions at the December 1 meeting, the Urban Research and Design Center is currently creating basic visual representations of the following basic schemes with variations:
The designs will be conceptual site plans and site sections showing building heights and massing – not building designs or architectural details. The basic idea is to help visualize overall site buildout and scale relative to neighboring structures and landforms. Check back the week of 12/24 to view the preliminary sketches.
Thanks to Advisory Committee member Diane Ronayne for providing detailed minutes of our initial public meeting. Diane made use of her court-reporting and journalistic skills to recreate much of the discussion verbatim, or at least do some faithful paraphrasing. Download the .pdf file to experience the conversation for yourself.
Not a day goes by without Committee members running into someone with an interest in the Armory site or a suggestion for creative uses for the space. Some even suggest actual tenants. We like the excitement generated by this project, and hope you do, too. Below are some sample ideas generated to date. Keep checking back to see the list grow and evolve.
Read this first. The comments and concepts presented on this web site are just that. Neighbors are in the creative/brainstorming phase at this point; not all suggestions will be realistic in terms of zoning, economics, or broader community needs.
We want to give everyone a voice, find areas of common interest and concern, then create a set of realistic priorities and recommendations that take into account issues like financing, traffic, market conditions, and most importantly local priorities and values.
A note about traffic. With the Armory sitting vacant for the past several years, any new activity will change traffic patterns in the vicinity. As fellow neighbors, we are committed to evaluating these impacts, some positive and some negative; to better understand the net traffic effects of different scenarios.
Our aim is to propose pedestrian-friendly uses that tend to reduce existing car trips where possible to balance out increases elsewhere, and to explore the type, speed and timing of traffic generated at this site.
Mixed-income / workforce housing. Boise’s downtown core has seen tremendous housing development in the past decade…virtually all of it high-end luxury condos and town homes starting at $250,000. There is currently a lack of housing affordable to key professionals (nurses, teachers, police officers, firefighters, etc.) that make our community safe and strong. The land around the Armory presents an opportunity to develop well-designed, owner-occupied housing that would serve as a recruitment and retention tool (read ‘wage subsidy’) for local public and private employers.
A perfect illustration of the need for workforce housing is available in the Workforce Housing Task Force Report for Downtown Boise, Idaho. Thanks to Katina Dutton and CCDC for sharing their final full report and a succint Powerpoint version here. This is an important read for employers, economic developers and anyone who cares about Boise’s ongoing vitality.
Workforce Housing Task Force (full) Report Workforce Housing Presentation
Sustainable design facility. The Armory site is already on Boise’s geothermal system, which presents interesting opportunities for limiting the carbon footprint of any development or tenants in the space. One suggestion would take this to another level, creating a center for education, research and applied technology in sustainable architecture, wastewater treatment, permaculture, etc. This could be a resource for policy makers, homeowners and those in the construction industry seeking products and processes to help “future proof” the built environment (i.e., protect against ever-increasing energy, health and maintenance costs through appropriate materials and technology).
Education. Several ideas have been recommended for locating a charter or other type of school in the space. One visitor proposed a Community Literacy Center and children’s museum. Another suggestion involves creating a first-rate arts and crafts school, with apprenticeships and studio space for those interested in a professional career move or simply developing a skill. Many in Boise’s arts community feel a need for additional studio and work space, from fine woodworking, metal, glass, ceramics or textiles to printmaking and painting.
Community center. Recent suggestions this week indicate a desire for a community events space with a commercial kitchen and performance and meeting facilities to accommodate various groups during evenings or weekends.
Recreational facilities. Some have suggested a need for a neighborhood-scale workout facility in part of the space, with room for yoga, dance or other fitness classes. We see the potential for this to become part of a distributed network of local health/recreational facilities that encourage neighbors to walk or bike rather than getting in a car and driving somewhere to get excercise.
Local grower’s cooperative. The Treasure Valley has seen a significant increase in the number and diversity of locally grown produce and other agricultural products. The Downtown Farmer’s Market is one outlet for these businesses; a year-round facility would cultivate support for Idaho products and the local economy.
Business incubator. several communities are investing in business incubators…affordable spaces with shared resources where local entrepreneurs can get a start in a supportive environment. These could be artists or craftspeople, web developers, or the next Micron or HP startup.
Retail and commercial. Restaraunts, coffee shops, books stores or other retail and entertainment services that appeal to residents and workers in the surrounding neighborhoods. Office space for administrative or professional services is another possibility.
See below for links that provide access to organizations and resources of interest to those seeking information on community and economic development, green building, workforce housing or projects involving “adaptive reuse,” a planning term roughly equivalent to “spinning straw into gold,” or “making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.” We’ve also included links to government and other entities as well. Feel free to post your own suggestions for links via the “contact us” page.
Please note. Listing does not imply endorsement.
Local Government
/ City of Boise
/ Department of Arts and History
/ Demographics from the US Census
/ Capital City Development Corporation
/ Ada County
Urban Planning and Community Development
/ U of I Urban Research and Design Center (URDC)
/ Idaho Smart Growth
/ Smart Growth in Action
/ Urban Open Space Foundation
/ American Planning Association
/ Creative Class Group
Workforce Housing, Transit and Community Resilience
/ Boise’s Downtown Housing Market Analysis
/ Urban Land Institute: Workforce and Affordable Housing
/ Homes for Working Families
/ Housing Boom Forces Mayors to Grapple with Affordability
/ DBA Speaker: Housing, transit could make Boise thrive
/ Federal cuts make affordable houses an unfilled niche
/ Seattle, Boulder leaders share growth strategies with Downtown Boise Association
Development Resources and Green Building
/ Windmill Developments
/ Building Green
Creative Community Development and Design Projects
/ Lowry (Denver’s repurposed airforce base)
/ McMenamin’s (historic repurposing)
/ BedZed (Britain’s largest carbon-neutral eco-community)
/ The Linen District
/ ArtSpace Utah
/ Bad Dog Rediscovers America
Sustainability, Urban Gardening and such like…
/ Intentional Communities
/ Terracycle (great example of green entrepreneurship)
/ Portland Office of Sustainable Development
/ Safe and Sustainable World: The Promise of Ecological Design
/ Ecosa Institute
/ Ocean Arks International
/ Wasatch Community Gardens
/ American Community Gardening Association
The Armory has appeared in the news in several different contexts and could potentially play a role as the City contemplates needs and priorities. We’re collecting a few articles about the site, and assembling information about community needs and goals or other factors that might have some bearing on the Armory’s future.
Boise aims to pay for branch libraries with land sale
Boise Geothermal Heat Expansion Moves Forward
Idaho Business Review-Mayor announces land-use plans
Idaho Business Review reports on Boise’s Land swap for downtown development
First Public Meeting a Success
Thanks to everyone who attended our December 1 public visioning meeting at the UI Integrated Design Lab. The meeting was facilitated by the Urban Research and Design Center and EENA representatives, and involved a brief discussion of the Armory site, the City’s budget needs and the current plans to auction the site next year. Local architect Charles Hummel (above) provided a unique glimpse into the Armory’s history and construction. Approximately two dozen participants explored the following questions from the Architecture students:
The next public meeting will take place in January of 2008, and will feature conceptual drawings illustrating various types of development and repurposing. Minutes of the meeting should be available soon, and will be posted at this location.
