AN ADVISORY SERVICES PANEL REPORT Midtown Missoula Missoula, Montana Urban Land $ Institute Midtown Missoula Missoula, Montana A Redevelopment Plan October 12–17, 2003 An Advisory Services Panel Report ULI–the Urban Land Institute 1025 Thomas Jefferson Street, N.W. Suite 500 West Washington, D.C. 20007-5201 About ULI–the Urban Land Institute LI–the Urban Land Institute is a non- resented include developers, builders, property profit research and education organiza- owners, investors, architects, public officials, plan- tion that promotes responsible leadership ners, real estate brokers, appraisers, attorneys, U in the use of land in order to enhance engineers, financiers, academics, students, and the total environment. librarians. ULI relies heavily on the experience of its members. It is through member involvement The Institute maintains a membership represent- and information resources that ULI has been able ing a broad spectrum of interests and sponsors a to set standards of excellence in development wide variety of educational programs and forums practice. The Institute has long been recognized to encourage an open exchange of ideas and shar- as one of America’s most respected and widely ing of experience. ULI initiates research that quoted sources of objective information on urban anticipates emerging land use trends and issues planning, growth, and development. and proposes creative solutions based on that research; provides advisory services; and pub- This Advisory Services panel report is intended lishes a wide variety of materials to disseminate to further the objectives of the Institute and to information on land use and development. make authoritative information generally avail- able to those seeking knowledge in the field of Established in 1936, the Institute today has more urban land use. than 20,000 members and associates from 70 coun- tries, representing the entire spectrum of the land Richard M. Rosan use and development disciplines. Professionals rep- President ©2004 by ULI–the Urban Land Institute 1025 Thomas Jefferson Street, N.W. Suite 500 West Washington, D.C. 20007-5201 All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission of the copy- right holder is prohibited. ULI Catalog Number: ASM062 2 An Advisory Services Panel Report About ULI Advisory Services he goal of ULI’s Advisory Services Program able to make accurate assessments of a sponsor’s is to bring the finest expertise in the real issues and to provide recommendations in a com- estate field to bear on complex land use plan- pressed amount of time. T ning and development projects, programs, and policies. Since 1947, this program has assem- A major strength of the program is ULI’s unique bled well over 400 ULI-member teams to help ability to draw on the knowledge and expertise of sponsors find creative, practical solutions for its members, including land developers and own- issues such as downtown redevelopment, land ers, public officials, academicians, representatives management strategies, evaluation of develop- of financial institutions, and others. In fulfillment ment potential, growth management, community of the mission of the Urban Land Institute, this revitalization, brownfields redevelopment, military Advisory Services panel report is intended to pro- base reuse, provision of low-cost and affordable vide objective advice that will promote the re- housing, and asset management strategies, among sponsible use of land to enhance the environment. other matters. A wide variety of public, private, and nonprofit organizations have contracted for ULI’s Advisory Services. ULI Program Staff Each panel team is composed of highly qualified Rachelle L. Levitt professionals who volunteer their time to ULI. Executive Vice President, Policy and Practice They are chosen for their knowledge of the panel topic and screened to ensure their objectivity. Mary Beth Corrigan Vice President, Advisory Services ULI panel teams are interdisciplinary and typi- cally include several developers, a landscape Nancy Zivitz Sussman architect, a planner, a market analyst, a finance Senior Associate, Advisory Services expert, and others with the niche expertise needed to address a given project. ULI teams Jason Bell Panel Coordinator, Advisory Services provide a holistic look at development problems. Each panel is chaired by a respected ULI mem- Nicholas Gabel ber with previous panel experience. Associate, Advisory Services The agenda for a five-day panel assignment is in- Yvonne Stanton tensive. It includes an in-depth briefing day com- Administrative Assistant posed of a tour of the site and meetings with spon- Nancy H. Stewart sor representatives; a day of hour-long interviews Director, Book Program of typically 50 to 75 key community representa- tives; and two days of formulating recommenda- Julie D. Stern tions. There are many long nights of discussion. On JDS Communications the final day on site, the panel makes an oral pre- Manuscript Editor sentation of its findings and conclusions to the spon- Betsy VanBuskirk sor. A written report is prepared and published. Art Director Because the sponsoring entities are responsible Martha Loomis for significant preparation before the panel’s visit, Desktop Publishing Specialist/Graphics including sending extensive briefing materials to Kim Rusch each member and arranging for the panel to meet Graphics with key local community members and stake- holders in the project under consideration, partic- Diann Stanley-Austin ipants in ULI’s five-day panel assignments are Director, Publishing Operations Missoula, Montana, October 12–17, 2003 3 Acknowledgments he ULI Advisory Services Program staff and More than 40 members of the Missoula commu- panel members extend special thanks to the nity—including residents, government and busi- Missoula Redevelopment Agency (MRA) ness leaders, property owners, and representa- T board for initiating and sponsoring this panel tives of both the medical establishment and the in support of redevelopment in Missoula’s Urban University of Montana—volunteered their time Renewal District III. Further thanks are extended to meet and share their unique and valuable in- to the political establishment headed by Mayor sights with the panel. As a group, these commu- Mike Kadas and the following MRA board mem- nity members are a major asset in advancing the bers, who provided the panel with information and interests of Missoula. Their participation was of- insights: Rosalie Cates, Karl Englund, Hal Fraser, fered in a spirit crucial for the success of the plan- Dan Kemmis, and Nancy Moe. ning process envisioned by this panel. Of particular note was the outstanding support provided by the MRA staff under the leadership of Geoff Badenoch, director, and Kari Lei Nelson, redevelopment specialist. Their assistance through- out the course of the study was invaluable as they helped to ensure the success of the panel’s efforts. 4 An Advisory Services Panel Report Contents ULI Panel and Project Staff 6 Foreword: The Panel’s Assignment 7 Overview and Summary of Recommendations 9 Market Potential 11 Planning and Design 19 Transportation 30 Development Strategies 37 Implementation 47 Conclusion 54 About the Panel 55 Missoula, Montana, October 12–17, 2003 5 ULI Panel and Project Staff Panel Chair Jack L. Luft Consultant H. Pike Oliver Luft Consulting Principal Sanibel, Florida The Presidio Group/INTERRA Sacramento, California David Scheuer President Panel Members Retrovest Companies Burlington, Vermont Linda K. Cuadra Senior Associate Edward Starkie TDA, Inc. Principal Seattle, Washington Urban Advisors, Ltd. Portland, Oregon Bonny Hershberger Principal ULI Project Director Design Workshop, Inc. Jackson, Wyoming Nancy Zivitz Sussman Senior Associate Matthew Holbrook Advisory Services Senior Vice President First Management Group Washington, D.C. On-Site Coordinator Gerri Tennyson William C. Lawrence Consultant Principal Cityscope, Inc. Westwood, Massachusetts Gary H. London President The London Group Realty Advisors, Inc. San Diego, California 6 An Advisory Services Panel Report Foreword: The Panel’s Assignment he success of two existing urban renewal districts in downtown Missoula, Montana, BRITISH BRITISH COLUMBIA ALBERTA SASKATCHEWAN was the impetus for creating Urban Re- ALBERTA T newal District (URD)COLUMBIA III in the midtown area, which is the study area for this ULI Advi- sory Services panel study. Recognizing that ex- 89 Great Falls 95 HILL tensive growth to the south and west of Missoula GLACIER MONTANA Missoula TOOLE LIBERTY was making midtown the geographical center of 93 2 2 LINCOLN Helena 2 the city, the Missoula RedevelopmentBONNER Agency (MRA) asked the panel to help determine this 2 Butte PONDERABozeman Billings district’s redevelopment potential. 2 IDAHO FLATHEAD TETON 15 The panel envisions that the 555-acre study area WYOMING SANDERS eventually will become known as “Midtown Mis- 89 87 CHOUTEAU soula,” reflecting its central location within the LAKE Great Falls Above: Location map. city. When that happens, the panel’s objective90 to CASCADE LEWIS Left: Regional map.87 “create a place” will have been realized. This re- AND FERGUS SHOSHONE CLARK 287 MINERAL port outlines a plan to assist the city in achieving 93 MISSOULA JUDITH this goal. BASIN Missoula 15 MEAGHER Helena Background Information CLEARWATER 12 WHEATLAND POWELL 12 GRANITE 12 89 The city of Missoula is locatedLEWIS west of the Conti- BROADWATER nental Divide in the Rocky Mountain region. Al- 90