High Life in the High-Rise: Arthur Apartments brings luxury living to downtown Boise

Luxury apartment living has risen to a whole new level in downtown Boise.

Arthur apartments, featuring unparalleled 360-degree views from its open-air 26th floor patio is a huge step up in innovation and design excellence for those seeking to elevate their living quarters in what is now the tallest residential structure in the state, and second tallest building in Idaho.

Standing proudly where a parking lot sat for decades on the corner of 12th and Idaho streets, the 298-unit, luxury residential high-rise spans 420,000 square feet, and includes an additional 8,800 square feet of ground-floor retail space with covered parking for 327 vehicles.

Jeremy Malone, vice president of Oppenheimer Development Corporation, which teamed with PCP Generational Partners to complete the project, called the structure “a new era of urban living” for Boise residents.

“Sometimes an office building gets built and someone will say, ‘we’re going to take the market from X to Y,’” Malone said. “But nobody had done that here in the residential sector, so we thought,

‘Let’s create a higher-level experience, give them amenities and to do it very thoughtfully.’”

Thoughtful indeed as the array of amenities offered reads like a lengthy wish list for those seeking to live the high life in the City of Trees. The light, bright lobby features a a24-hour concierge and barista, a mail room, a cooler for groceries delivered and delivery service of food and packages for those residing in a penthouse unit on the 24th floor.

“There is a demand for those who want higher-end luxury living options and we just didn’t have that here in Boise,” he said. “This gives a new range within the market for people to enjoy.”

Other benefits include a rooftop pool and hot tub, outdoor grills and sitting areas, a social lounge featuring a private indoor dining area, a media lounge with private office space, a full gym, a sports simulator, Xbox, pool table, old-school vinyl turntable, a loading dock with elevator access for getting furniture to higher level units, and even a pet spa to bathe dogs.

Malone calls it a “choose your adventure” set-up for residents.

Beginning March 1, roughly one-third of the apartments have been occupied. Units range from studios of 527 square feet to one-bedrooms covering 599 to 862 square feet, depending on the options; two-bedroom, two-bath units of just under 1,100 square feet; and nine penthouse apartments all situated on the same floor.

Units are designed to look and feel spacious, with operable floor-to-ceiling windows for natural air flow, tiled showers, backlit mirrors, full-size washer and dryers, gas ranges, hardwood floors, soft-close cabinets and even under-cabinet kitchen lighting.

The building was designed by internationally acclaimed architectural firm SCB, formerly known as Solomon Cordwell Buenz. All units are stacked top to bottom, with 17 on each floor between levels seven and 23, without a drop ceiling in sight.

“Most units typically have a drop ceiling, or what becomes wasted space,” Malone said. “From a constructability, timing and cost standpoint, it’s another methodology our partners out of Chicago have done many times but we’ve not done until now here in Boise.”

However, beyond the walls of the units, what truly stands out about the bonus list of amenities is that all options are fully available to every resident and located on the building’s top two floors, levels 25 and 26, a unique concept not often found in high-rise residential structures.

“Typically, a lot of developers will look at that backwards,” Malone said. “They’d suggest to put the penthouse units up there with the people paying the most rent getting the best view. But our developer partners were thoughtful and wanted all 298 units to have access to enjoy the amenities.”

The idea, Malone stressed, is to create a feeling of community and to build capacity among those residing at the Arthur. “What we have done is very intentional to help make the residents feel a part of the community. We want people to get to know each other and make it a community and not just a place to live.”

Malone credits the contractors, Power Construction, who have built similar buildings in Chicago and Cleveland, along with Boise-based McAlvain Construction for getting the work done in just under three years. “Our partners have done this. We’re traditional office developers, or retail. They anticipated what the stream would be, and they nailed it right on the mark with where we are at this time.

“That was the benefit of bringing in a contractor from Chicago who our partners had worked with before because they build high rise buildings all the time.”

Plus, he relishes the building’s overall quality and the pride that went into constructing every square inch of space.

“They all made sure it was done right, and I know there was a lot of personal pride that sometimes we don’t see in other aspects of construction,” Malone said. “But with this one, I really truly felt everyone stepped up and wanted this building to be great.”

Property Manager Arthur Anderton (yes, the building and manager are both Arthurs), a transplant from Seattle, where he managed high-rise facilities for several years, called the downtown’s newest addition the “crown jewel of his career.”

“This is resort-style living that is unparalleled here in Boise and many other places,” Anderton said. “It’s the best-in-class amenities. The attention to detail and level of quality on the finishes in this building is something I have not seen before.”

As for the building’s namesake, Arthur, the name comes from Arthur Oppenheimer, father of Skip and Doug Oppenheimer. For additional clarification, it should be noted that Skip’s given name is Arthur. Also, it might be more than serendipity or highly coincidental that Anderton’s father, you guessed it, is also named Arthur.

“The companies that build this gem are people-driven with a huge emphasis on humanity,” Anderton said. “Which would explain why the building is named after a person rather than a landmark.

They wanted to show their care for people and in the design of the building.”

For Malone, who was born at St. Luke’s downtown and grew up within walking distance of the new apartment building, and even attended Boise State University, developing Arthur was “right for the property and the site” for Oppenheimer, a company he has called home the past 34 years.

“From a development standpoint, we like to be first, in this case the first of its type,” he said. “The recent growth in Boise has been good as we’ve all benefited with restaurants, culture, theatre and all the big-city amenities our little city enjoys.”

Such unique living arrangements were a draw for Kaitlynn Jensen, who manages the concierge desk and serves as one of the site’s baristas. With previous hospitality experience at The Grove Hotel, Jensen feels her new home at the Arthur will help open doors for her future business plans.

“I saw this facility as an opportunity for advancement and growth for my future goals to own my own coffee shop,” Jensen said. “My favorite part of this job is being able to connect with the people.”

And because Arthur is not a hotel, Jensen’s position allows her to be an integral part of the entire residential community. “The difference between this facility and a hotel is the people I interact with actually live here. I get to know the residents and all the dogs. They’re not just passing through town.”

In fact, dogs currently outnumber children. And for those needing a bit of extra space to accommodate family and friends who may be visiting from out of town, a 517-square-foot guest suite that showcases the quality and finish of the residential units is available for short-term rental.

Malone, who maintains an office on site, sees Arthur as an “interesting approach” of how some people are now beginning to think about their housing needs and desires.

“The idea of renting like this is a little more foreign in Boise, but it happens in every other major market,” he said. “People want the flexibility, and they don’t want to have to worry about maintenance. Plus, with people coming in more and more from out of the market, Boise is getting that concept.”

A concept that Anderton, who is excited to have found his home in Boise, believes connects solidly with those who enjoy the high life associated with a residential apartment complex.

“The overall design and attention to detail really shows the emphasis on people and the thought put into the living use of the space,” he said.And as Malone knows well, people are willing to spend on what they feel will benefit their lives and living arrangements.

“I do think it’s different than anything else. The views, the quality, the amenities,” he said. “We intentionally tried to be a little bit different. If these are important to you, then paying a little bit more is worth it.”