Former mayor proposes Hindu temple near Boise Airport. And here’s what else is planned

Paul Schwedelson

A longstanding hotel in South Boise near the Boise Airport could be torn down and replaced by apartments, a new hotel and a Hindu temple. And a well-known Boisean is proposing the development.

Former Mayor David Bieter met with city officials on July 28 to discuss Gardner Co.’s plans. Bieter now works at Gardner, the Utah development company with an Idaho office in Boise.

The site, 3300 S. Vista Ave., is just north of the Interstate 84 Vista Avenue exit. The Ramada by Wyndham Boise is there now and takes up most of the space. America’s Best Value Inn & Suites is smaller and just north of that. Lotus by Hotel Inn is southeast of both of those two other hotels and also smaller than the Ramada.

Plans are underway for demolition of the Ramada by Wyndham Boise at 3300 S. Vista Ave. In its place would go two five-story buildings, a four-story hotel and a Hindu temple.
Plans are underway for demolition of the Ramada by Wyndham Boise at 3300 S. Vista Ave. In its place would go two five-story buildings, a four-story hotel and a Hindu temple.

The Ramada by Wyndham Boise was built in 1966 as a Holiday Inn. In 2011 it became the Boise Hotel and Conference Center, and in 2015 the Wyndham Garden Boise Airport, before its Ramada branding.

Phase 1 of Gardner’s plan calls for two five-story apartment buildings on the southeast chunk of the property. There would be 105 apartments in one of those buildings and 80 in the other. In all, there would be five studio apartments, 115 one-bedroom apartments, 60 two-bedrooms and five three-bedrooms.

In a letter to the city, Bieter wrote that Gardner plans to rent 20% of the units to people earning 100% of the area median income. That would allow the company to build more units on the same amount of land than zoning normally allows. It also would allow the five-story height and a 20% reduction in the number of required parking spaces.

This floor plan shows the first floor of proposed new buildings at 3300 S. Vista Ave. in South Boise near the Boise Airport. It shows two apartment buildings in Phase 1 totaling 185 apartments. Phase 2 would add 154 hotel rooms in a four-story building, 68 hotel rooms in a four-story annex building and a Hindu temple.
This floor plan shows the first floor of proposed new buildings at 3300 S. Vista Ave. in South Boise near the Boise Airport. It shows two apartment buildings in Phase 1 totaling 185 apartments. Phase 2 would add 154 hotel rooms in a four-story building, 68 hotel rooms in a four-story annex building and a Hindu temple.

The Lotus by Hotel Inn would be demolished as part of the first phase.

The Ramada by Wyndham Boise would be demolished as part of Phase 2, along with America’s Best Value Inn & Suites.

Phase 2 calls for building a 222-room hotel on the northwest side of the property with a restaurant, pool, gym and meeting space. A Hindu temple would be built as part of the hotel structure, according to plans filed with the city.

The redevelopment wouldn’t include the convenience store next to the hotel property on the southeast corner of Vista Avenue and Sunrise Rim Road. Neither would it include houses on Apple Blossom Way immediately to the east and on Sunrise Rim Road to the north.

Ada County Highway District approved a developer’s traffic impact study with no required improvements to the street system, according to the developer’s letter to the city.
Ada County Highway District approved a developer’s traffic impact study with no required improvements to the street system, according to the developer’s letter to the city.

As of now, the property’s zoning is split between single-family residential and general commercial. Gardner’s proposal would apply the general commercial zoning to the entire property.

Bieter has requested to host a neighborhood meeting for the project. He declined an interview, saying he prefers to wait until the proposal comes before the Boise Planning and Zoning Commission, possibly in October.

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