Boise: 8th & Main Tower/Zions Bank Idaho HQ: 323' and 18 Floors

[FutureNorthEnder]

Nice pictures, Sawtooth and Architecture Buff.

[EPdesign]

Wow. I didn't think I was going to like it but I do. Congrats Boise. The tower looks very nice in your skyline.

[BoiseAirport]

Originally Posted by EPdesign

Wow. I didn't think I was going to like it but I do. Congrats Boise. The tower looks very nice in your skyline.

Wow, no kidding! I was skeptical about the grey but they did a great job tastefully matching it with the glass.

So happy to see this building finally done. I could be wrong but those sidewalks surrounding the building haven't been open since 2001 I believe.

[Boisebro]

Originally Posted by BoiseAirport

I could be wrong but those sidewalks surrounding the building haven't been open since 2001 I believe.

the sidewalk was closed briefly when the original boise tower crane was installed, but it's been open since then. there were wooden panels and painted murals along the sidewalks covering "the hole" for about 10 years until this tower got underway.

the sidewalk was closed last year when construction began, so it's only been closed for about 15 months. i work close by and have needed to use detours around the construction site to get lunch, so it's a welcome sign that we can use that sidewalk again... and a much improved one, to boot.

[el conquistador]

I took this shot last night after the fog rolled in, corner of Bannock and 8th.

[Architecture Buff]

1-19-14
Sunday two sign companies putting new signs on Main and 8th. New sign will go up on top of the west side of building soon.









Jay and Mike putting Zions Bank sign on 8th street side


Jay




Lobby

[BoiseAirport]

It's amazing how the little details really enhance the overall appearance. The base looks 100x better with the new signage, lighting, furnishings and other metal fixtures.

[Architecture Buff]

1-21-14
Zions Bank is open on first floor, and some lobby photos:

[Sawtooth]

I have posted several photos in the 8th & Main thread in the Highrise Construction forum.


http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?p=6422881&posted=1#post6422881

[Architecture Buff]

8th&Main Facebook page photos of 8th&Main Tower Jan 2014

EDIT: Link to the Facebook page these photos were taken from:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/8th-and-Main-Boise/264122953606208

[ToysNoiz]

Originally Posted by Architecture Buff

]

Amazing!!!! I love this angle!! Congrats, city neighbors to the north!!!

[BoiseAirport]

Having digesting it for a few weeks, what a difference the new spire makes. I wasn't offended by the "religious controversy" of the previous one, but I just felt like old spire looked completely out of place and almost ruined it for me.

The new spire not only flows so much better, it makes the building feel taller to me. I'm impressed by Gardner Co. for investing in it and getting it right instead of taking the cheap way out.

[City Of Trees]

Originally Posted by BoiseAirport

Having digesting it for a few weeks, what a difference the new spire makes. I wasn't offended by the "religious controversy" of the previous one, but I just felt like old spire looked completely out of place and almost ruined it for me.

The truth of the matter is that people who want to make this connotation will be able to reach for plenty of ammo to do so, even with the remodeled spire. The best way to quiet it down for good? Just build a new tallest that will take over in prominence.

[Hawk]

Originally Posted by City Of Trees

The truth of the matter is that people who want to make this connotation will be able to reach for plenty of ammo to do so, even with the remodeled spire. The best way to quiet it down for good? Just build a new tallest that will take over in prominence.

Let's just hope that the new tower will be at least 100 feet taller then both 8th & Main, and USB.

[Architecture Buff]

Originally Posted by Hawk

Let's just hope that the new tower will be at least 100 feet taller then both 8th & Main, and USB.

25 to 30 stories would be a great addition to our skyline. Are we running out of banks to put up a highrise?

[Boisebro]

Originally Posted by Architecture Buff

25 to 30 stories would be a great addition to our skyline. Are we running out of banks to put up a highrise?

i agree 1000%.

however, where would it go? empty lots in the city core are slim right now, and the city seems to have mysterious height restrictions, especially where the current empty lots are west of 10th.

perhaps the only spot that makes sense is the small empty space between Hotel 43 and the Capital Center building.

personally, i'd like to see the city sell the convention center lot for a premium price, use that money to rebuild a larger one by the connector, and let a developer build boise's new 400-foot signature tower there.

but it won't happen in my lifetime.

[JustakidfromBoise]

[QUOTE=Boisebro;6428600]

personally, i'd like to see the city sell the convention center lot for a premium price, use that money to rebuild a larger one by the connector, and let a developer build boise's new 400-foot signature tower there.

I've always thought the same thing.

[kidboise]

Originally Posted by Boisebro

perhaps the only spot that makes sense is the small empty space between Hotel 43 and the Capital Center building.(

I think you and I are thinking of the same space. Where COLAB Architecture had dreamt up this creation:



For reasons I can't explain, I really, really like this potential project. It's like a modern take on an old building...put up right next to said old building. I wish so much that it were a go :/

[BoiseAirport]

Originally Posted by Boisebro

i agree 1000%.

however, where would it go? empty lots in the city core are slim right now, and the city seems to have mysterious height restrictions, especially where the current empty lots are west of 10th.

perhaps the only spot that makes sense is the small empty space between Hotel 43 and the Capital Center building.

personally, i'd like to see the city sell the convention center lot for a premium price, use that money to rebuild a larger one by the connector, and let a developer build boise's new 400-foot signature tower there.

but it won't happen in my lifetime.

I agree. Although, I have heard from developers who've tried to get larger buildings built on the spaces now occupied by WinCo and Trader Joe's and they seem to have difficulty attracting investors because of the Front/Myrtle couplet and how it kind of segregates those lots from the rest of the city.

And that's the thing that sucks about that lot for a convention center: Once folks are done attending a convention or whatever event is going on, they're kind of isolated on an island. Front and Myrtle are such awful pedestrian barriers, and there's just not a whole within comfortable friendly walking distance. Unfortunately there's also no planned streetcar access.

Instead, imagine if the new convention center were located in the two-block space currently occupied by the Flicks and that 3-story office building. https://maps.google.com/maps?q=The+Flick...-116.20464&sspn=0.005147,0.0103&t=k&z=18

Not only is it ideally situated on Front/Capitol for easy access both to the Connector and to Vista/Airport, but when visitors are done attending a conference BAM!: They're right there next to BoDo, Julia Davis Park, the Boise Art Museum, Idaho Historical Museum, CenturyLink Arena, Grove Hotel, Hampton Inn, etc. The circulator could connect to it. It's right in the center of all downtown activity, and it's also close to Boise State University. Plus there's ample room for expansion, and there's also ample room for new hotels across the street.

Has that space been considered by the city? I'm not aware that it has.

[Boisebro]

i'm not sure that area around flick's is big enough. if you look at the footprint of the current convention center, it'd just about fit that same area with just a little more room to the east.

if boise want's to really get serious about hosting conventions, it needs the kind of space that the JUMP/Simplot complex is being built on--at least. if you take a look at the footprint of convention centers in similar-sized cities, i think boise needs to build even bigger because of the appeal of the city, easy airport and interstate access, and hotel room availability and potential for growth.

in fact, i've always thought a great location would be the six blocks just south of JUMP between Myrtle, 9th, River and 11th.

those blocks would be large enough to handle delivery trucks. it's on two major downtown arteries with easy access to both the connector and vista to the airport. it'd be close to ample parking. and it's a big enough footprint to allow for future expansion.

one can dream, i suppose.