LOLO — Missoula County Commissioners approved the development of the old Lolo School property in 2023.
If approved by Missoula County, 406 Engineering plans to build the Bell Tower Subdivision on the lot.
“With the abandonment of all the structures, we've been seeing a lot of vandalism and creating this new construction, getting people in here will help kind of deter that," Karl Treadwell with 406 Engineering said.
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406 Engineering plans to bring 56 single-family homes to Lolo.
“One-eighth-acre detached homes,” Treadwell noted.
Since the subdivision would sit right above U.S. Highway 93, many people throughout the initial public comment process expressed interest in getting new businesses along the road.
“There's a plan for future development to have some potential commercial opportunities, but the current plan right now with water and sewer restrictions, we're keeping it to just single-family residences," Treadwell explained.
The subdivision was submitted as a planned unit development which means developers need to go above and beyond state standards for parkland.
“We've been working with public works for road design. Parks, for parkland dedication and trail construction. We're dedicating about 16 to 17 acres of parkland to the county for public open space," Treadwell said.
Since another subdivision is located above the proposed Bell Tower Subdivision, the open space would include a trail to bring the two areas together.
"Creating connectivity between the upper subdivisions, the highway down below, and having public access to all of it is a big part of what makes this project special," Treadwell told MTN.
As this development is still in the early phases, the cost of the potential new homes has not been finalized.
“We've distributed the application to all the reviewing agencies, and we should be having all their comments back by April 11th," Treadwell said.
Development means that most of the buildings on site will be torn down.
If approved, 406 Engineering plans to break ground this year.
