Missoula County elections center earmarked for ADA improvements, renovations

Martin Kidston/Missoula Current

Work to improve the new Missoula County elections office will continue with an interior remodel, including better handicap accessibility and services, the county said Tuesday.

Commissioners approved a $97,000 services agreement with A&E Architects to design the work and carry the project from construction documents to construction management.

“They're going to design on this,” said Jason Hauser, the county's facility's director. “We're just trying to get this up to snuff for ADA.”

The work will include an ADA lift and accessible bathrooms and an interior remodel to better serve the public. The county purchased the property, located at the corner of Russell and Wyoming street, two years ago for roughly $1.87 million.

The property formerly served as the home of the Western Montana Mental Health Center and includes a warehouse on site. Elections were held at the new facility during the pandemic in November 2020.

Last year, the Missoula Redevelopment Agency approved the county's request for roughly $670,000 in tax increment to renovate the property. The funding covers ADA improvements, landscaping and other public improvements.

Much of that work has taken place, but it's not yet finished, Hauser said.

“They'll have some cues where they can service the public a little more readily out of that building,” he said. “They'll upgrade bathrooms to ADA and they'll do some minor lifts to the building to get it suitable for the near future.”