MISSOULA — The firm hired to create a plan for city-owned property on Johnson Street plans to begin the design process and present a proposal later this year.
But between now and then, GGLO pledged to work closely with the Missoula Redevelopment Agency and keep the City Council appraised of the planning progress.
“As we get into this initial ramp-up and visioning, everything will build upon the Midtown Master Plan, so we're not reinventing that,” said Mark Sindell with GGLO. “We're going to be testing everything along the way so we know we're setting up something that can be developed and meet those final goals.”
The City Council passed a resolution in 2023 directing the city to contract a design firm within 12 months to visualize the future of eight acres owned by the city on Johnson Street.
It also set a goal of removing the temporary homeless shelter on site within three years and move the property toward redevelopment.
With those directives in mind, MRA contracted GGLO in December. The firm has worked throughout the Mountain West and in various Montana cities on projects that include housing and open space.
Sindell said the firm will check in with MRA and City Council at various points along the way, and it will conduct a number of public workshops. The process is expected to play out this year with a final plan likely by September.
“As we get to the right place and wrap it up, we'll be coming back to MRA specifically for approval of the plan, and a courtesy update to the council at that point,” said Sindell. “You'll have renderings, and you'll have a lot of numbers that support a vision that's not a false promise.”
The city purchased 12 acres from Montana Rail Link on Johnson Street in 2017 and developed four acres into a neighborhood park. The plan at the time was to redevelop the remaining eight acres into a mix of uses, including housing.
But that changed when the pandemic hit and a warehouse on the property began serving as an emergency shelter. Now, the city is planning the property's next use and will move toward eventual redevelopment.
“The idea is to come up with a visualized plan that's reflective of what the community is interested in seeing there,” MRA project manager Michael Hicks said last month.
According to officials, the city will eventually seek a private developer to carry out the plan's final vision.
