The city of Boise estimates it will cost a considerable amount to repair the historic Union Block building after it was condemned nearly a year ago.

Boise City Council members unanimously approved a $2.7 million fund to stabilize the building, as requested by city staff, after a audience on the subject Tuesday evening.

Shawn Wilson, director of planning and development services, gave a brief presentation that included a detailed report of expenses, with most of the money going toward construction to stabilize the building, repair its facade and secure the driveway behind him.

In response to a question, Wilson said questions about how the city would recover costs from the property owner would be a separate proceeding.

The Ada County Highway District closed part of the driveway behind the building, located at 730 W. Idaho St., in late August due to concerns about its “structural integrity” the Idaho Statesman reported.

“Once on site, our team recognized that there had been a significant change in the hole originally dug for a basement in the building,” the agency said. said in a statement at the time. “The hole had widened under part of the alley itself.”

The city sealed off the Union Block on Nov. 9 after city officials inspected the space and decided it was unsafe to occupy. An order to evacuate the building listed several subsections of the city code relating to dangerous buildings. ACHD also closed the adjacent sidewalk, on-street parking and the far right lane on Idaho Street.

The two-story building has been under construction for years and steel beams temporarily hold it together after its owner, Ken Howell, a Boise developer and owner of Parklane Management Co., won city approval in 2018 to create an additional floor below. land to rent to businesses or other tenants. The basement renovation was only expected to take about a year.

The city gave Howell about six months, or 180 days, including a 120-day extension, to make the necessary repairs to shore up the building and reopen it.

But the repairs were never fully completed, and in June the city decided to resume and continue the repairs at Howell’s expense under a facade easement, which allows the city to act to preserve buildings of historical or architectural significance, the statesman said. reported.

The building, completed in 1902, is located on National Register historic sites, and its sandstone facade forms an essential part of the downtown cityscape.

At Tuesday’s city council meeting, the city gave Howell 20 minutes to speak, but he did not attend the meeting in person or online.

Only one person spoke during the public comment portion of the audience. Ron Nahas, co-owner of the neighboring KeyBank building at 702 W. Idaho St., said pedestrian access to his building from Eighth Street has been blocked since the Union Block building was condemned at the end of the year last. The KeyBank building is across the street from the Union Block building.

Nahas said he had vacant space on the first floor of his building and the lack of pedestrian access along Idaho Street made it “very difficult” to find a tenant to lease it.

“I’ve worked in construction all my life and I know it can be a complicated business, and I think in general we’re very tolerant of neighbors who are trying to improve their property and creating inconveniences for us” , said Nahas. “But it just goes on for too long. It is scandalous not to have access to public pedestrian access around the building. This hurts us. I think it’s time to act.

He asked the city to set aside the funds and move quickly to make the repairs needed to shore up the Union Block building. Mayor Lauren McLean thanked Nahas for her comments.

Meanwhile, Howell filed a temporary restraining order against the city in U.S. District Court on Thursday. The ordinance was intended to prevent the city from entering the building without his permission, monitoring or making repairs to the building and holding the hearing.

Judge David Nye dismissed the emergency motion as moot.

Howell sued the city earlier this year due to the forced closure of the building. The suit seeks damages for the loss of tenants and damage to the reputation of Howell, his company and the building. She also requests payment of expenses incurred to defend any litigation brought by these tenants.

After fire at historic downtown Boise building this month, police identify suspects

“Downtown Boise alley closed for ‘structural integrity,’ big hole”. Here is the last