The historic Rice House, originally owned by College of Idaho founding member and prominent Caldwell community member John C. Rice, has been under restoration for two years. The Caldwell Housing Authority is converting the building into five apartments for emergency responders and a public coffee shop.
The project sits at the corner of Kimball and Chicago in Caldwell. Caldwell Housing Authority Director Mike Dittenber said he hopes the project will revitalize the neighborhood adjacent to downtown by encouraging a walkable community space across the street from similarly historic buildings.
“What if we increase the value in a four- or five-block area by $20 million?” Dittenber said…