ALC Architecture seeks redesign for former Rite Aid on State Street
City officials moved the project to a public hearing after the building was identified as contributing to a potential historic district.
By Samantha Reed ·
ALC Architecture submitted a proposal to the City of Boise to alter the exterior of the former Rite Aid building at its State Street location. The plans call for a modernized facade featuring three shades of gray stucco, horizontal siding, and black storefronts. The application states the design aims to update the structure and create space for multiple tenants.
The building has served various retailers over the decades, including Safeway and Rite Aid. It currently houses a Spirit Halloween store on a temporary basis. According to the Idaho Architecture Project, the structure dates to the 1960s and features a mid-century design with a curved roofline, glass, wood, and river rock elements.
City staff surveyed the property and determined it contributes to a potential historic district, although no such district is currently designated. Because the proposed changes could affect that historic character, the city elevated the application to a public hearing. This process allows neighbors to provide input before the Design Review Commission makes a decision.
Patrick Cusick, a longtime Boise resident, expressed concern about the loss of familiar local landmarks. He noted that for long-time residents, the changes feel like possessions being taken away. "It's not just that things are disappearing, for sort of the Boise OGs, it's that the things are being taken away from us," Cusick said.
Michael Wilson, another neighbor, emphasized the personal history embedded in such buildings. He said the structures hold memories of where people shopped, worked, and spent time with their children. "All of those elements speak to me," Wilson said. He added that modernization and preservation can coexist. "We can embrace revitalization and modernize without losing the history, without losing the architecture," Wilson said.
The developer is currently revising its plans and has requested to delay the design review to December 9. Neighbors who cannot attend that hearing have the option to testify before the Design Review Commission on November 18. That meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on the third floor of Boise City Hall at 150 N. Capitol Blvd. Idaho News 6 contacted ALC Architecture for additional details on the project but has not yet received a response.
