Harris Ranch Office Space Swapped for Housing
Boise commercial real estate operators should note that 500,000 square feet of planned office capacity is being replaced by apartments and retail.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Remote Work
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High Rhodes, a California developer, wants to replace 500,000 square feet of planned office space in the Harris Ranch town center with 309 apartments atop stores. The revised plan was presented to Barber Valley residents Monday night and would be submitted for city approvals within 30 to 45 days, with Boise as the approving city.
Why it matters
The developer says the shift reflects changed conditions in the 20 years since Barber Valley development began, and Barber Valley Development's president says there is no longer demand for 500,000 square feet of office space. For Boise operators, the change signals that large-scale office capacity in the area is being reconsidered in favor of residential and retail uses.
The revised plan swaps 500,000 square feet of office space for 309 apartments on a 20-acre parcel, compared with a prior plan of 316 apartments and 66 town homes. The mixed-use site spans three blocks between Warm Springs Avenue and Wolf Tree Street, and a possible 100-room hotel is proposed for the south end.
The players
High Rhodes
A California developer leading the Harris Ranch town center project, with six-plus years of involvement in the site.
Barber Valley Development
The developer and landowner behind the Barber Valley community, whose president says office demand has disappeared.
City of Boise
The municipal government that will review and approve the revised mixed-use plan for the Harris Ranch parcel.
The details
The revised plan keeps public space, retail, apartments and town homes while dropping the office component. A specialty grocery store is planned as the anchor tenant, which its developer hopes will draw other retailers. A pedestrian avenue would link the two ends of the development and their small public parks.
Timeline
Six-plus years: High Rhodes has been involved in the development.
May: High Rhodes described the prior apartment plan to the Statesman.
Monday night (November 2, 2026): Revised plans presented to Barber Valley residents.
Next 30 to 45 days: Plan to be submitted for city approvals.
Spring 2028: Targeted groundbreaking.
Market Landscape
The Harris Ranch revision follows a shift in which the original office component of a 20-year-old master plan is being replaced by apartments and retail. Barber Valley Development's president says there is no longer demand for 500,000 square feet of office space, which places the project's change in line with the developer's own reading of current market conditions.
Operators in commercial real estate, office leasing and construction should track whether the city approves the reduced office component, since it signals lower projected office supply on the site. Retail and food-service businesses may see new foot traffic if the grocery anchor and pedestrian avenue proceed as described.
The takeaway
Operators should watch for the city submission within 30 to 45 days and the grocery anchor announcement, since both will indicate whether the redesigned mixed-use project is moving forward. Businesses weighing office space in the Harris Ranch area should factor a reduced office supply into their lease planning.
What happens next
High Rhodes plans to submit the revised plans for city approvals within 30 to 45 days, and targets groundbreaking in spring 2028.
Further reading
For broader context on how office demand is reshaping local development, see Remote Work coverage in Boise.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Idaho Statesman.
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