Boise State students will have to wait a little longer for the Riverfront Plaza.
After a multiple month-long review process, Campus Operations delayed the project until 2027 as the university moves forward with renovations to Albertsons Library. The delay comes after the Permanent Building Fund Advisory Council’s review took longer than expected.
“Many of the university’s public works projects, especially those of this magnitude, must go to the Permanent Building Fund Advisory Council for review and authorization,” wrote Drew Alexander, associate vice president of Campus Operations, in an email to The Arbiter. “With the final design and bidding process still remaining, we chose to postpone the anticipated start of construction to spring/summer of 2027.”
Despite the delay, Campus Operations believes the Riverfront Plaza is a vital piece for the future of Boise State’s campus.
“A key theme of the Master Plan is building a more student-centered campus,” said Alexander. “One that embraces its riverfront setting rather than turning away from it.”
The university’s location along the Boise River gives students access to the neighboring Greenbelt. According to Campus Operations, students felt that embracing the nature where the university resides would improve the environment of campus.
“Students have consistently told us they want more spaces to socialize, relax and decompress between classes,” said Alexander. The 10-year master plan is the culmination of the ideas brought to Campus Operations by students.
The master plan outlines the project in full, with the intentions of creating “a welcoming setting for informal gatherings and everyday campus life.” Other planned elements include an entrance to the north side of the Albersons Library, bike parking and flexible open areas to provide a “third-space” for students.
The plaza’s proposed location also offers some more safety along the Greenbelt according to Alexander’s email, “Beyond programming and placemaking, an activated riverfront space has a practical community benefit— improved safety along a well-traveled stretch of the Greenbelt.”
With the increase in activity near the plaza, visibility is a key part to ensuring safety according to the details laid out in the master plan.
The Riverfront Plaza is projected to cost $2 million, with the project funded through student facility fees. The facility fee is part of the tuition as full time students pay $694.80 per semester towards it.
Campus Operations will shift focus to remodel Albertsons Library. Most of the renovations will focus on the library’s first floor, with plans to update the carpeting, paint, and furniture, with a new north entry that “leverages the plaza and riverfront amenities.” The remodel is expected to be completed in spring 2027.
