Food for Thought: Be Mindful… and Grateful

Our North End history, how we’ve changed and the context for moving forward can be explained in detail if people are willing to drop their pre-conceived notions of how the North End and Boise have evolved over the past 50 years and what our “community” has achieved in the process. The North End’s evolution is a labor of love for those of us who set out to create a unique, progressive community.

Historical Context

Downtown Boise and the North End in 2015 compared to 1923.

“It’s a question of context,” said Arthur A. Hart, director of the Idaho State Historical museum back in the 1970’s and Idaho’s most loved historian. “A question of knowing who we are and where we come from.  A question of our human identity.”

Turning the Corner: Community Activism

Prior to the North End’s renaissance that began in the late 70’s, way back when it was first platted, the neighborhood went from being a dusty space poised for growth with a military installation, a commercial area dubbed Hyde Park and truck farms north of Resseguie before World War I to a thriving blue-collar, working class neighborhood by the end of World War II. And, as the nation changed, the North End became a virtually forgotten, run-down area with a couple of nice streets in the west side of the neighborhood in the early 1960’s. Families had “fled” to the suburbs so they could have two cars, supermarkets and large lots, and the North End slid into disrepair and despair.

Following World War II and continuing through the 1960s, the North End underwent the serious decline described above, eventually bordering on becoming a slum. I know it is hard to believe, but the fifties also saw increases in crime and gang activity. At one point North Jr. High School had one of the highest juvenile delinquency rates in the country. was the epicenter of the “Boys of Boise” homophobia scandal and we were still experiencing KKK style cross burnings.

Many other urban neighborhoods in the United States were undergoing the same kind fate. According to a history of the North End in 2008 by the American Planning Association, “the North End went into a sustained period of decline after World War II and into the 50’s and 60’s as more affluent residents fled to the suburbs. Home ownership was low and many single-family residences were converted into poorly planned and sometimes unsafe apartment houses.”

Even our now beloved Hyde Park had physically deteriorated and was uninviting. In fact Hyde Park had very little to offer neighbors outside of Stinker, a laundromat and Hyde Park Books, a couple of antique shops and our beloved Vince (Echevarria) the barber (RIP). There were no soda fountains, restaurants, coffee shops or other amenities. Even the Boise Co-op, which opened there in the mid 70’s, had a dirt floor in part of the space now occupied by North End Pizza. In general, many parents felt remiss allowing their kids to walk through Hyde Park for fear for their safety.

In 1976 a diverse group of progressive North End residents met to find ways to curb the loss of great North End single-family and historic homes and buildings and find ways to strengthen our community while maintaining our unique culture in the face of the change that was happening all around us. This lead to the creation of the North End Neighborhood Association, Boise’s first neighborhood association.

The neighborhood activism continued in an effort to save the area through historic designations. Harrison Boulevard was first along with several individual homes. Hyde Park followed in 1981 (see below) and the city designated most of the North End in the early 1990’s.

Even our great neighborhood schools suffered. Did you know Boise High’s third floor was condemned in the 1960’s? Washington, Longfellow and Lowell didn’t have air conditioning of any kind, and wiring for the “computer age” took creativity and lots of work by school patrons and the PTO.

At one point in the 1990’s the Boise Independent School District contemplated abandoning Boise High School and our smaller historic schools and move students to combined, larger, more “cost-effective” buildings. The neighborhood said NO and passed a major bond the second time around in 1995 to save and expand Boise High and then aggressively supported a $172.5 Million bond in 2017 that continued to improve and and improved virtually all of the schools in the district. The bond passed with a huge 86% YES vote. Boiseans love their public schools.

We can do this without knee-jerk reactionary attitudes. We can approach problems with the progressive pragmatism we’re famous for or succumb to abstract trivial ideologies.

The Corner Market: An Example of Context

The closure of Hollywood Market in 2011 marked the end of an era for the North End. When our neighborhood was at it’s pinnacle it was home to upwards of 40 corner grocery stores. We have established in citizen poll after citizen poll our common objectives include reduced driving, creating neighborhood meeting places, walkability and opportunities for people to live where they work. When the last of the neighborhood markets closed, Buckhorn and Hollywood Markets to name two, that “neighborhood feel” has been missed by many Northenders.

(Margaret and her husband purchased Hollywood Market in 1971. Here’s a glimpse into Margaret’s life through her 2011 obituary available by clicking here. Be sure to check out the memorials people posted. ) The building was eventually purchased in 2012 by Sallie Herrold and was preserved for use as a Yoga studio. (Photo by Michael Falvey @falveyphotography)

“Corner stores acted as little community centers where neighbors would meet and chat – kind of like coffee shops today.” ~ Barbara Perry Bauer, Boise Historian & Author

Access for All: The Neighborhood Cafe

Image from TAG Historical Research via Barbara Perry Bauer, MA. The booklet “Just Around the Corner: Historic North End Neighborhood Grocers” can be viewed by clicking here or you can email Barbara and request the printed version of the booklet at bpbauer@taghistory.com.

In the 70’s and 80’s neighborhood and community activists started historic preservation efforts, reinvigorated Hyde Park, etc. with the help of new zoning laws. We created the Boise Historic Commission, established Historic Districts and more. All of these efforts created “positive change” and improved our quality of life. But it came at a cost – popularity. The naysayers call it gentrification or Californication, but if you imply I am or most Northenders I know are any form of “gentry” you should expect a resounding “bullshit” in response, or worse.

As a result in 2023 the City of Boise adopted new zoning laws after an exhaustive 3+ year process that fairly reflects our priorities and objectives. Not everyone is happy about it, but not everyone supported restoring the Emmanuel M.E. Church (TRICA) or re-developing Hyde Park.

Having more than 4 or 5 cafes or coffee houses, if you prefer, in a neighborhood that was once home to upwards of 40 corner grocery stores seems like a bargain. We have established in poll after poll our common objectives include reduced driving, creating neighborhood meeting places, walkability and opportunities for people to live where they work. When the last of the neighborhood markets closed, Buckhorn and Hollywood Markets to name two, that “neighborhood feel” has been missed by many Northenders. Access is in part why Neighborhood Cafes were encouraged and provided for in the new zoning code. Affordable housing incentives were included… for access to housing closer to jobs.

Here are some of the positive effects of access, housing, services, and local employment that came up when I asked Artificial Intelligence what the importance of access in a community is. It’s pretty wonky as you can imagine but fairly characterizes why the new zoning code was passed and widely applauded.

Housing First Programs:

• Housing First programs, which provide housing assistance without preconditions, have been effective in addressing homelessness. They stabilize individuals’ lives by offering housing as a platform for rehabilitation. These programs have several positive effects:
• Rehabilitation: Housing First can be a rehabilitative means for homeless individuals, helping them regain stability and improve their overall well-being.
• Cost-Effectiveness: By reducing homelessness, these programs alleviate the administrative and financial burden on public agencies. The average cost of direct public services for a homeless person is approximately $83,000 per year, making Housing First a cost-effective solution.

Economic Impact of Social Housing

Affordable housing contributes significantly to local economies:

• Job Creation: Increased availability of affordable housing creates jobs in construction, maintenance, and property management.
• Spending Power: When housing costs are manageable, residents have more disposable income, leading to increased spending within the community.
• Tax Revenues: Affordable housing generates new tax revenues for local governments, supporting public services and infrastructure.

Health and Well-Being

Access to stable housing has positive effects on health and well-being:

• Improved Health: Having a home provides a foundation for better physical and mental health outcomes.
• Community Resilience: Social housing strengthens community bonds and resilience, contributing to successful placemaking.

Employment Opportunities

Local employment is closely tied to housing and services:

• Job Accessibility: Proximity to housing and services enhances access to employment opportunities.
• Reduced Commute Times: Affordable housing near workplaces reduces commute times, benefiting both employees and employers.
• Labor Market Participation: Stable housing positively impacts labor force participation and productivity.

In summary, ensuring access to housing, services, and local employment not only improves individual lives but also fosters stronger communities and economies. Improving access is only possible when we all work together from a shared context. In this case I am using “access for all“.

A Word About Design

As we all know, Boise is attracting more development projects citywide compared to previous decades as we move away from the dilemma and delays caused by the Boise Redevelopment Agency debacle of the 60’s and 70’s. In response to the recent, increased development activity, the City of Boise wants to ensure that new development achieves the quality and character reflective of the community’s values. Below is an excerpt (sic) and follow this link to the entire report prepared by Opticos Design out of Berkley.

“The resulting buildings under these guidelines are of mixed quality. The most beloved recent construction has been built under these design guidelines, there are also examples of new development that falls short of the city’s and community’s expectations in terms of design quality and building form. In order to ensure that the oncoming wave of new development in Boise meets the community’s expectations, the City of Boise initiated this review of the existing design guidelines and sought recommendations to be considered in any future revisions to the design guidelines.”

End Notes

If you’d like to learn more about our the neighborhood grocers, our unique North End culture and think about how neighborhoods can benefit from gathering places, check out the plaques at Camel’s Back, Gordon Bowen and Elm Grove Parks. These were created through a FINE grant from the North End Neighborhood Association.

For more about the North End’s neighborhood grocers click here.

The American Planning Association 2008 Great Places in America designation of the North End article and be found by clicking here.

Original Insurance map(s) from 1912 I rubber-sheeted together showing the area around the intersection at 13th and Heron St.