City Government
Progress To Some, Ruination To Others
July 17, 2023 
MORE APARTMENTS for Crescent Rim residents to view in the Lusk area.
DAVID R. FRAZIER, editor
We took a little tour of our downtown area recently and sadly realized it is nearly impossible to see the foothills or much of any horizon thanks to the big city apartments and other structures.
The state capitol used to be the centerpiece of the Boise skyline, but it is pretty much obscured today unless you happen to be in the middle of Capital Blvd looking north.
Our city fathers and mothers have carried on a love affair with developers to the point Front Street is a deep canyon with tall buildings crowding the street. They have given away several traffic lanes on both Capital and often on Front.
While the zoning ordinance is about to undergo wholesale changes, it is not an understatement to claim that nearly every development in the past ten years included “variances” for everything from parking requirements to building materials. So much for the rule of law. If it doesn’t fit, change the rule.
The upcoming election for councilors and mayor are of particular importance. We get to vote for only one of the six councilors. Here are some views of our fair city as it continues to grow like cancer.
FRONT STREET canyon looking east
NO VIEWS from street level, no horizon.
LONELY TREE downtown.
CAPITOL PEEKS from behind downtown apartments.
ORCHARD AND FRANKLIN apartments on city land partnering with developer.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Jul 17, 2023, 10:08 pm
How many city vehicles per employee are they up to now? Gotta pay for that bling somehow. It’s all about increasing tax revenue and enriching developer friends. All the other stuff they grind on for hours about is distracting fluff for the con game.
Jul 18, 2023, 5:02 am
Folks are moving to our area whether we like it or not. They need to live somewhere and there are only two options: density (as highlighted in this article) or sprawl. With density you lose views. With sprawl you lose open space. Both forms of development have their advantages and disadvantages. Hopefully the right balance will be found as no one wants to live underground.
Jul 18, 2023, 8:05 pm
Bob T: “There are only two options: density or sprawl. With density you lose views. With sprawl you lose open space.”
Why choose? We are losing our views AND our open space!
Bob is right, of course. But – is growth truly inevitable? And, does Boise grow until it reaches “critical mass” – so sprawling and big and impersonal and fraught with big-city blight, that it is no longer a desirable place to live, so growth stops?
-Bikeboy (born and raised in Boise – the Boise of almost 70 years ago… a nicer place)
Jul 18, 2023, 9:44 pm
Dave: You are soooo right! I moved here with my family in June 1970. Boise was an absolutely great place to live. We bought a four bedroom, two bathroom home with a den right off Mountain View for $30,000.00. Oh, it was on a half-acre irrigated lot. I worked at Albertson’s General Office for ten years and then moved on to the State. I just wish Boise was the same now — it was so nice back in the day…
Jul 20, 2023, 9:32 am
Native Idahoan. 50 years in Boise area. It’s over. No sense in complaining.
Jul 20, 2023, 3:32 pm
Bikeboy, yes growth is inevitable.
Unless you are opposed to capitalism and free markets. We you rather Boise fade?
All you OLD people might as well move to a different small town- that is what you want- no growth.
Fairfield comes to mind.
EDITOR NOTE–Polar Bear, you need to Google GROWTHOPHOBE. The official policy of the GUARDIAN and growthophobes is to welcome all people and businesses to our community as long as they pay their fair share of taxes, offer decent wages, and NOT ACCEPT ANY “INCENTIVES” to come here. It is insane to PAY a business to come here and increase the population and demand on services.
Jul 23, 2023, 6:44 pm
Front street, eastward from Capitol Blvd: except for a bit of color, each of those apt buildings look like Soviet-era ‘projects’ (and slightly shorter).
No, the rules don’t get changed, they get ‘excepted’, but the outcome is the same.