MRA taps services of former deputy director as investment, development interest grows

Citing high investment interest and the current pace of development, the Missoula Redevelopment Agency's board of commissioners on Thursday agreed to bring back a former agency member on a contract basis to help carry the workload.

Chris Behan, who worked for MRA for several decades before retiring last year, will return to the agency as Behan Development Consulting LLC. In doing so, he'll bring his expertise back to the office as MRA grapples to keep pace with a number of large projects.

“The projects are mostly very familiar,” Behan said. “It won't take too much of a learning curve to jump in.”

MRA has been short an employee ever since Behan retired in June. It has hired a new deputy director to replace him, though she won't begin until later this year. And when she does, it will take her time to get familiar with the agency's current slate of projects.

MRA Director Ellen Buchanan said the list of projects is high and interest in investing in the city continues to grow. Help is needed now, she added.

“The amount of production in the office continues to increase as Missoula continues to attract investment,” Buchanan said. “We're working on some of the largest projects in the history of the agency and the experience and knowledge that Chris can bring to these projects is immeasurable.”

Buchanan noted a number of large projects under the agency's watch, including a sizable housing project on Scott Street, the conversion of Front and Main streets into two-way traffic, and the proposed redevelopment of the Brooks Street corridor.

She said interest in developing the Riverfront Triangle and specifically the old Fox theater site has also returned. That project was placed on hold in 2020 when the pandemic hit, though a new project has been rumored among city officials.

Behan worked on the Fox project for more than a decade and is familiar with it.

“He'll be available to assist with the development of the Fox site if a development proposal materializes, and it looks promising that it will,” Buchanan said. “No one has as much knowledge around the Riverfront Triangle and the Fox site as Chris.”

The contract will compensate Behan at $60 an hour and caps the number of hours in 2022 at 960.