BOISE, Idaho — This story originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
A mini pine tree sat atop the final beam of the new CapED downtown YMCA as it was hoisted into the air in a carryover from ancient Scandinavia that has become builders’ tradition. The Thursday “topping off” celebration marked the conclusion of vertical construction just under a year after ground broke on the $80 million facility.
Though about a year out from when construction is expected to be complete in late 2026, the gathering marked the downtown Boise community coming closer to seeing its adjacent, aging location getting a long-awaited replacement. Its current, 72,000-square-foot building dates back to 1968 and will be replaced with a 109,000-square-foot YMCA — located directly across from the current location, on the corner of State and 10th streets…