Boise council upholds planning commission approval for River House’s plan to restore Reserve Street Armory

Boise City Council on Tuesday denied an appeal of CUP 25-11 and upheld the Planning and Zoning Commission’s approval of a conditional use permit that would allow River House to adapt the historic Reserve Street Armory into a two-story religious facility with a publicly accessible cafe and outdoor green space.

The council’s decision affirms the commission’s finding that the application met the criteria required by Boise’s development code and that no procedural or legal error had been demonstrated in the appeal record.

The armory at 801 East Reserve Street has sat largely vacant for decades, and River House’s proposal calls for a rehabilitation of the listed historic structure, restoration of the exterior, sidewalk and streetscape improvements, a grassy public-facing amenity with seating, and interior renovations that would include worship space, classrooms and a lobby coffee service open to the public.

Associate planner Doug Exton told the council the planning team found the proposal met the five required findings for a conditional use permit and that the commission’s deliberations, including added conditions, were adequately documented. “The planning team recommends council deny the appeal,” Exton said during his presentation.

Appellant Javier Muriel told the council he filed the appeal to defend the city’s zoning policies and to preserve the intended purpose of the site’s Neighborhood Activity Center (NAC) designation under Blueprint Boise and the East End Neighborhood Plan. Muriel argued the proposal is a single-use religious facility with amenities that, in his view, do not function as genuinely public, street-facing commercial uses. “It is not enough to simply label something a cafe or a public use. The use must be real, visible, and integrated into the neighborhood,” Muriel said.

The applicant’s counsel, Elizabeth Pecoritz of Givens, Powderly, and Counsel (land-use counsel), said River House’s plan is an adaptive reuse that meets multiple comprehensive-plan goals, preserves a historic building, and will reactivate a long-dormant site. “This project does stand on its own on its own basis as it is presented and as it was approved by the planning and zoning commission,” Pecoritz said.

River House representatives described the cafe and outdoor space as community-facing elements. Lead pastor Jordan Verner said the lobby coffee model is intended to create an accessible, welcoming third place for nearby youth and other neighbors: “I have had conversations with people within city leadership that it's just a big need. The depression rates, the suicide rates — kids are looking for a place. We want this to be a space that becomes kind of a community reputation. This is welcoming. This is open.”

Multiple neighbors testified both for and against the project. Supporters said the church will invest in a building that has been blighted for decades, improve sidewalks and trees, add public seating and programming, and provide rooms that can be used by community groups. Gary Rogers, a commercial real-estate professional, said the armory has been a difficult financial proposition for private developers and described River House as a feasible steward who will preserve the building. “There is a reason that each of the previous attempts to develop or revitalize this property have not panned out,” Rogers said.

Opponents focused on the NAC designation and the degree to which River House’s plan provides visible, public-facing retail or civic functions. Neighbor Eric Papy said his primary concern was traffic and pedestrian safety near the site, given nearby bike park and school access points. “We are putting a lot more vehicles on the road,” Papy said.

Council members discussed the limited legal scope for imposing conditions on religious uses and the specific language of the city’s MX-1 zoning form standards, which allow a two-story building to contain a single use. Several council members said they were persuaded that the planning commission had applied the code correctly and that the project’s public-facing elements — the cafe, outdoor seating and the applicant’s stated willingness to make interior rooms available for community groups — supported the NAC intent in practice.

Councilmember Stead moved to deny the appeal and uphold the commission. After discussion the motion passed and the council affirmed the Planning and Zoning Commission’s decision to approve the conditional use permit. Councilmembers recorded their support in the roll call and the mayor declared the motion carried.

Next steps: the approval is tied to several site-specific conditions, including streetscape and frontage improvements and coordination with the Ada County Highway District on access and traffic matters. The project will return for design-review approvals that will specify building details, signage and final landscaping. The applicant and staff also discussed following up on traffic-calming conversations with ACHD to address pedestrian and cyclist safety concerns near the site.

The council’s decision preserves the planning commission’s approval and moves the River House rehabilitation project forward to the design-review stage, while leaving open follow-up on traffic safety and final design details.