A major milestone happened for College of Western Idaho (CWI) on June 23 as members of the community gathered to break ground on a new academic facility in Boise’s River District. The ceremony signaled the beginning of a multi-year vision to bring expanded educational opportunities to the heart of the Treasure Valley.
Several dignitaries were on hand to mark the event and deliver remarks, including CWI President Gordon Jones, Board of Trustees Secretary/Treasurer Molly Lenty, Tommy Ahlquist, CEO of AHLQUIST Development, Idaho State Lt. Governor Scott Bedke, and Boise Mayor Lauren McLean.
This event officially kicked off construction on the district’s first building — CWI's 101,000-square-foot facility, which will serve students in programs such as computer science, cybersecurity, and business.
Boise's River District is being developed adjacent to the Greenbelt and Boise River and will create a vibrant area on the west side of downtown. The project is a collaboration between CWI, AHLQUIST, Hummel Architects, Paradigm, and ESI Construction.
“This milestone is over a decade in the making,” said Gordon Jones, President of CWI. “We acquired this land in 2015 with a vision to expand our impact and serve the community in new and meaningful ways. The River District reflects our commitment to investing in Idaho’s future through education, opportunity, and innovation.”
In addition to CWI's facility, AHLQUIST will develop several key components within the district, including 220 residential units (town homes and apartments), a 640-stall parking structure, and 20,000 square feet of retail space.
“Located along the Boise River next to Quinn’s Pond and Whitewater Park — with direct access to the Connector — this is an ideal setting for a thriving, mixed-use development that enhances quality of life in Boise,” said Tommy Ahlquist, CEO of AHLQUIST.
Lt. Governor Scott Bedke praised President Jones and CWI’s positive impact in Idaho. “Enrollment in Idaho's community colleges is up 13%, where the rest of the United States, enrollment in higher ed is lagging… I take my hat off to the hard work that goes into these types of projects.”
“I hear so often from businesses that it is housing and transportation that are the constraints that we have to think about… the other piece of that is workforce development,” said Boise Mayor Lauren McLean, emphasizing the long-term impact the development will have on the Treasure Valley. “This project is all of those things. It's education, which is so key in partnership with businesses to address the needs that we have today.”
CWI’s Boise location is expected to open in the fall of 2027.
Learn more about CWI’s ongoing campus development projects and the Powering the Treasure Valley campaign.
