Tag Archives: Military Reserve

Armory in the News

Members of the armory advisory subcommittee of the East End Neighborhood Association sneak a peek inside the old armory, which has been sitting vacant for decades. The city sold the armory to a private California developer, who replaced the windows and painted the exterior. The committee was formed to help the city come up with ideas for the historic building, and the committee would like to work with the developer as well.

Photo credit: Katherine Jones, Idaho Statesman

Nice interview by the Statesman’s Maria La Ganga, with photos and video by Katherine Jones. The Idaho National Guard Armory is part of Boise’s history and a strategic location for a mixed-use development. Its 14,400 square foot drill hall would be ideal for a branch library, craft brewery, farmers market, or other use. With a total of 40,000 square feet and five acres at the base of Boise’s Military Reserve trails complex, the site is ripe for a mix of retail, commercial, residential and public use. Conversations with the Idaho National Guard have also indicate a willingness to provide interpretive materials documenting the Guard’s history in the Armory.

Several of us have been intimately involved with this architectural icon since the East End Neighborhood Association formed the Armory Subcommittee in 2007. Our primary goal was to preserve the building and its historic features. While the California owners have done great work stabilizing the structure and installing landscaping and flood control, it has remained vacant over the past six years, despite many local business owners hoping to strike a deal and our many offers to help market the property and locate ideal tenants.

The right mix of interest and vision can transform the Armory into a neighborhood activity center and asset.

Please note: It was the Statesman’s choice to contrast the Armory property with the Block 75 parcel with a focus on housing. The Armory subcommittee members—each invited in 2007 to represent various skill sets and perspectives—have always sought to accurately reflect the views expressed by neighbors during two well-attended community visioning sessions in December, 2007, first in Old Boise with a follow-up meeting at Roosevelt Elementary School, as well as comments received over the past decade (see more on this here). These views have consistently supported a mixed-use development that provides a range of services and amenities to the surrounding neighborhoods, including medium-density, mixed-income housing that complements the Armory and surrounding neighborhoods.

We realize not everyone wants the same things, but we’ve attempted to faithfully represent the views respectfully expressed throughout these information-gathering sessions.

https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/article217603010.html

Spring 2017 Update

The folks involved with Armory Subcommittee continue to get questions about the Armory’s status. Here’s a limited update as of March 15, 2017.

Armory after one of the many spring rains. —late April, 2017

The building exterior is in pretty nice shape and holding up well; the landscaping is established and continues to be maintained. We hear the interior lobby and stairwell are underway and should be complete later this spring. We will post pictures as available.

With ample space for parking and compatible development, the Armory presents great opportunities.

No word as yet on potential tenants, although subcommittee members stand ready to assist in any way possible in the quest for a tenant to complement the building and neighborhood zoning and character. As anyone who has seen this building and setting knows, the Armory is an exceptional property in a strategic location…ideal for a mixed-used neighborhood activity hub with a combination of retail, food and beverage, community space, workforce housing and commercial uses.

The Armory sits at the base of Boise’s Military Reserve trail system, with world-class, mixed-use hiking and biking.

Armory gets landscaping upgrade

The Armory’s ‘front yard’ has a new look, with sod, new landscaping and a few trees. New windows were installed this summer. Neighbors are for the most part very grateful for the upgrades. Now the challenge is to turn this historic gem once again into a neighborhood and community asset.

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What Makes the Armory Unique?

geothermal signOver time many people have expressed interest in Boise’s Armory. We’ve heard so many suggestions for possible uses of this site and structure that it’s tough to pick a favorite. Whether someone sees a multiple-use structure featuring retail, restaurant, commercial and residential, or a public asset like a YMCA, everyone agrees on three main aspects that make the Armory attractive:

Location. The site occupies a hub among multiple neighborhoods, and sits at the base of the Military Reserve Trail system, a gateway to an extensive trail system. This is attractive to food and beverage retailers interested in capturing local residents and recreationists, and those involved in business related to biking, hiking, running or pets.

Geothermal. This is probably the most unique aspect of the building and the one everyone sees as a huge selling point. The Armory is first in line for hot water from the City of Boise’s geothermal wells across the street. The current service to the building needs to be updated with newer insulated pipe technology, but provides enough volume to provide heat for something like the historic Natatorium on Warm Springs. Not only does the geothermal resource translate into a perpetual 30% savings on energy use for a tenant, it represent a green energy source and the ability to dramatically reduce the building’s carbon footprint. One interested party commented that ‘where else could you find this?’

Learn more at http://publicworks.cityofboise.org/services/geothermal

WPA plaque from 1937_1024History. The Armory is a Works Project Administration (WPA) project built as America was working our way out of the Great Depression. Add to that its legacy as the home of the Idaho National Guard, the potential to connect to Guard history, and the Art Deco design of Tourtelotte and Hummel Architects. Those familiar with architectural history and preservation find the building’s classic, efficient design a big selling point.

Application for additional to National Register

2015 Spring Work Begins on Armory

Lots of folks are curious about the status of the Armory. After months of inactivity, work began on a few general improvements about a month ago. I spoke with Mike with J&M earlier this year and he gave me a rundown on the goals of the current push:

  • Daylighting basement windows. The roughly 7,000 sq. ft. below-grade spaces facing Reserve Street will be getting slightly larger glazed openings.
  • Enlarging window wells. The old window wells were pretty small, so workers have excavated a large trench that will slope up toward ground level to create a berm that allows more light to reach the windows.
  • Retaining wall. The top of the berm will feature an 18″ retaining wall with deep footings. This will keep water and other unwanted things out of the window wells.
  • Drainage system. This will add to the protection of the below-grade space from potential flood events.
  • Seismic reinforcement. Due to the age of the structure, additional work will helped stabilize walls in the event of any seismic activity.

I got a tour from Gene, one of the workers on site. He mentioned how much everyone enjoys working in the space, surrounded by history and the amazing natural light. Here are a few photos showing the interior spaces and a few exterior details. Thanks to Mike and Gene for helping answer some questions; neighbors are understandably curious.

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2nd Floor NE space showing morning sunlight. This level, like the Main Floor and day-lit basement contains about 7,000 sq. ft.

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NE corner showing excavation for light well (against building) and retaining wall (trench at right adjacent to pavement). Forms are no in place and concrete should be poured in coming weeks.

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14,400 sq. ft. Drill Hall, roughly 80′ X 180′ of unobstructed space, showing the original bowstring trusses supporting the arched middle roof. The lower left wall shows openings into the rear section of the building, that originally housed the National Guard stables and horses.

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East wall looking toward the rear of the building. The front section contains approximately 21,000 sq. ft. on three levels, the middle section with 14,400 sq. ft., and the rear single-level section with approximately 5,000 sq. ft.

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Interior panorama of rear single-level space, originally housing the stables for the Idaho National Guard.

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Original bowstring trusses (above) and detail of the roof framing and structure, which includes repurposed dimensional-lumber concrete board forms used in the 1937 construction. The second floor wings were added in the 50s, when workers had access to plywood for forms. This is why the texture and original colors were different from early ours to later pours.

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Roof detail showing repurposed 1937 concrete board forms. This was the depression, so nothing was wasted.

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NE Corner showing board forms and concrete prep. Owner characterized finished retaining walls as “Eighteen inches above grade.”

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View SE from west corner of Armory showing footings for retaining wall.

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View west from NE corner showing forms for retaining wall.