Here’s what’s happening to the old Rogers Hotel in downtown Idaho Falls
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IDAHO FALLS – The final phase of a renovation project on the old Hotel Rogers building in downtown Idaho Falls is nearing completion.
Since buying the four-story building at 360 B Street in October 2020, Chuck Faber has been heavily involved in renovating a portion of the building into an Airbnb and apartment space. On the top floor are two 3,500-square-foot penthouse suites with a large gourmet kitchen, a four-person sauna, a pinball machine, pool table, dartboard and other amenities.
There are a total of 16 apartments on the second and third floors.
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Faber tells EastIdahoNews.com the penthouse suites have been complete for almost a year and his team is finishing the construction on the apartments and the elevator. He anticipates being able to rent the space by May 1, barring any further delays.
“The response is great from everyone who has toured the building, and we’ve got waiting lists right now that — we could probably fill up the residential (space) overnight,” Faber says. “We’re just waiting on a final inspection from the city.”
The ground floor will become the home of a new upscale nightclub called Whatever.club. Faber says the name comes from the common response people give when asked what they want or where they want to go.
“We always say ‘Whatever,'” Faber explains.
The nightclub will include a stage and dance floor where live bands will perform, along with elevated DJ booths. It will also serve alcoholic beverages and bar food, like hamburgers, cheese sticks, potato skin french fries, onion rings and other items.
He’s hoping to have a grand opening on this part of the building on July 4.
“We’ll have a dress code. You can’t get in with sweats and work clothes,” says Faber. “The idea is to put some effort into your attire. So many people walk into these other bars and they look like they just got out of prison.”
Faber was inspired to open a nightclub after exploring the night scene in downtown. After looking into the current offering, he determined there was “a niche for something a little nicer.”
He wants this to be a place where patrons can have fun and feel safe.
“One of the things I’ve discovered is that there’s a lack of events. Clubs should host and sponsor events weekly,” he says.
He’s looking forward to unveiling the space to the community.
The building dates back to 1926 and was originally the home of The Virginia Hotel, according to the Museum of Idaho. The B Street building sat vacant for most of the 1940s before Idaho Falls Hardware took it over in the ’50s. It became an annex for the Bon Marche in the 1970s after it was empty for nearly a decade.
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It was a water bed retailer for several years before makeup and cosmetic supplier Beauty for All Seasons opened sometime in the 1980s. In 2021, Harris Publishing owner Jason Harris told us the makeup business operated in that location for about 20 years before the Harris family bought it in 2000.
Harris Publishing, which publishes several magazines such as Idaho Falls Magazine, Potato Grower and Sugar Producer, moved into the adjacent building at 520 Park Avenue in October 2020 after moving its commercial printing shop, Falls Printing, from that location to the old liquor store at 190 1st Street.
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The penthouse suites will be available for $500 a night, and the apartments will range from $1,200 to $1,600 a month. For a rental application or to learn more, visit the website.
