Bishop Christensen leads tour of chancery construction site

Diocese of Boise employees recently toured the site where the new chancery building is under construction. They pose, above, at what will be the front of the three-story building. The building is scheduled for completion in early 2027. (Courtesy photo)

By ICR staff

BOISE — Bishop Peter F. Christensen led Diocese of Boise employees on Oct. 21 through the new chancery building construction site, located adjacent to St. John Cathedral at Eighth and Fort Streets in downtown Boise.

The tour gave diocesan staff a firsthand look at the project’s progress and how the building is taking shape. The new chancery will house offices for the bishop and approximately 32 full- and part-time employees.

“A significant advantage of the new location is its proximity to the Cathedral, which is where chanceries are typically located in dioceses worldwide,” Bishop Christensen told the Idaho Catholic Register before construction began in 2021.

The Diocese sold its current chancery in February 2021 and has since leased back space from the new owner, Your Health Idaho. The five-story building is shared, with a transportation company on the second and third floors, while diocesan offices occupy the fourth and fifth floors.

Bishop Christensen noted that the chancery’s design will complement the architecture of both St. John Cathedral and St. Joseph’s School.

The site was previously home to Baird’s Dry Cleaning, a longtime Boise business.

The diocese anticipates completion of the three-story building in early 2027.

A crane lifts heavy materials into place as the new chancery begins to take shape. (ICR photo/Philip A. Janquart)

Diocesan employees take a look at the underground parking garage beneath the chancery. (ICR photo/Philip A. Janquart)

Bishop Peter Christensen, left, asks a site supervisor a few questions about the building process as Marisela Baca, middle, and Bryan Taylor, right, listen in. (ICR photo/Philip A. Janquart)

Like coal miners at the end of a long shift, diocesan employees make their way out of the parking garage. (ICR photo/Philip A. Janquart)