Downtown Coeur d'Alene developers could construct buildings up to 75 feet tall – and in some cases go as high as 160 feet – if they agree to incorporate features that would benefit the public, an advisory committee recommended Thursday. The Downtown Regulations Committee also wants a temporary restriction on building heights in commercial areas outside the downtown core, such as along the Spokane River, until a study is done. No specific height was recommended for the temporary restriction, but the committee agreed that 75 feet, or about six stories, was a good target.Coeur d'Alene officials want to transform downtown into an urban core that mixes businesses with high-density living, such as condominiums and apartments. That means allowing towers with retail and office space on the lower levels and residences on top. Yet city leaders don't want to compromise the town's views of Lake Coeur d'Alene, Tubbs Hill and the surrounding hillsides.
