Bonneville Commons is a 26-unit residential infill community developed by NeighborWorks® Pocatello that provides attainable, high-quality housing on a two-acre site formerly home to an abandoned elementary school.
Details
Location
Pocatello, ID
Partners
NeighborWorks Pocatello
Myers-Anderson Architects
Construction Solutions Company
A&E Engineering, Inc.
City of Pocatello
Year Completed
2023
Delivery Method
CMGC
Context
Context
NeighborWorks® Pocatello sought to transform the former Bonneville Elementary School block into a vibrant, community-oriented neighborhood. The site is located in the historic Pocatello Triangle Neighborhood, which became home to Black, Hispanic, Asian, and European immigrant families, including Italian, Greek, and French communities, who moved to the area seeking opportunity. Residents established thriving businesses and churches that served as anchors of community life. The historic connection presented an opportunity to revitalize the Bonneville neighborhood while honoring the history and striving to promote a diverse cross-section of home buyers. The vision for walkable design, varied housing types, and strong communal spaces conflicted with outdated zoning codes that had decimated the neighborhood in the 1950’s and 1960’s. With a severe housing shortage in the region this project represents a critical step toward meeting community needs and encouraging improvement in a once great neighborhood.
Process
Process
The Land Group led planning, analysis, entitlement, and design for the project. Work began with a demographic and market analysis that informed land use, site programming, and housing design. As the design process revealed conflicts with local code, the team conducted a review of successful national infill policies, prepared tailored code amendments, worked with city planning staff and elected officials to amend zoning language to ensure the proper density and character for the development. The team also engaged local media and educational groups to share the project’s vision and role of landscape architects in shaping policy and place.
Solution
Solution
The project team proposed and secured amendments to Pocatello’s outdated infill development regulations, enabling a more flexible and responsive planning framework. With unanimous city council support, the revised code allowed the Bonneville Commons subdivision to move forward as a model infill community with custom lot sizes, building setbacks, and reduced parking requirements. The final design integrates efficient lot layouts, pedestrian-friendly circulation, meaningful communal open space, and diverse housing products, creating a cohesive neighborhood aligned with community needs.
Impact
Impact
Bonneville Commons demonstrates how research-based planning and code reform can unlock new housing opportunities while strengthening neighborhoods. By delivering 26 attainable homes instead of the 20 permitted under historic platting, the project directly expanded housing supply and affordability. It also established a precedent for responsible infill development in rapidly urbanizing agricultural communities. Beyond housing, the project elevated the role of landscape architecture in public policy, with case study recognition from IMASLA and outreach to high school students to inspire future practitioners. Bonneville Commons now serves as both a livable neighborhood and a model of how design, policy, and community engagement intersect to create lasting impact.