Under contract, MEP pushes forward with city redevelopment goals
Martin Kidston
(Missoula Current) The Missoula Economic Partnership will forge ahead with a number of city goals around redevelopment, housing and business growth as the remainder of the fiscal year plays out.
The Missoula Redevelopment Agency's board of commissioners last week approved $50,000 to cap it's $150,000 annual contract with MEP – a sum that helps fund MEP's work in serving as the city's economic arm.
“This contract allows the city to achieve some things that we otherwise could not do,” said City Council member Mike Nugent, who serves as the city's liaison on MRA's board.
Over the last six months, the Missoula Economic Partnership has spearheaded a number of city priority projects, including plans to redevelop 13 acres near the mall. MEP helped vet proposed developers and gave the city a shortlist of qualified candidates.
In the end, the city selected Miramonte Companies, which has successfully completed other projects in Missoula. The project remains in the planning phase.
“Our role in these last two months has been to help stakeholder engagement, partner engagement, help the city work communications and other public engagement aspects of the project,” said Julie Lacey, the economic development director at MEP. “It's really ensuring the goals of the project – that housing and the park – can be delivered.”
Lacey said MEP also has focused on the Downtown Safety, Access and Mobility project, which looks to transform the district's transportation grid into multi-modal system. MEP's participation will help the city better understand the needs and concerns of downtown businesses as the SAM project moves forward.
“The Downtown Partnership is also under contract with MEP to work on business retention and expansion,” said MRA Director Ellen Buchanan “It's helped piggyback those conversations about the Downtown SAM and some of the other redevelopment projects that MRA is doing. There's a lot of synergy that's going on right now.”
The city earlier this month annexed the first phase of land related to the former Roseburg property – a move that MEP helped negotiate. The annexation was slated for a year ago but put on hold due to legislative uncertainty.
Story House Montana has already purchased 47 acres, where it plans to launch a film and television production hub. The entire area is also undergoing a new master plan.
“As that came back around, we reengaged those conversations with the land owners and the city, and facilitated next steps,” said Lacey. “We continue to work with the landowners about what future development might look like.”
Missoula Mayor Andrea Davis has also launched a task force focused on the redevelopment of city land. The group has crafted a strategy and MEP will help implement the goals, Lacey said.
“With a strategy now in place, we can start to implement those strategies, and how they line up with the Urban Renewal Districts and their goals, particularly in housing,” Lacey said. “We're starting to see real advancements in these goals around the Urban Renewal Districts and for the community around housing redevelopment. We'll continue to implement the mayor's task force goals.”
MRA last year directed $100,000 toward the city's contract with MEP. The additional $50,000 rounds out the do-not-exceed value of the $150,000 contract.
“There was a clear recognition that the scope and complexity of the work that was ahead far exceeded, at that time, what we believed to be the $100,000,” said MRA board member Tasha Jones. “What we've seen in the last six months is the clear evidence of that happening, in a positive way. We're far from done.”