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8/29/2025
“Missoula This Week” is reported and written By Katie Fairbanks. Send your Missoula news and tips to [email protected].
Project plans include commercial space, 150 to 200 single-family, multifamily homes
The city of Missoula has selected a developer to purchase the Southgate Crossing property and build housing, commercial space and a park, less than a year after the city bought the land near the mall.
Miramonte Companies will work with the city in the next few months on a purchase and sale agreement and a development plan for the 13.5-acre site, located south and west of Bob Ward’s Sports and Outdoors, according to a press release. The initial concept includes single-family and multifamily housing for rent and purchase, commercial development and a 1.5-acre public park.
“The intention from the beginning when we acquired this property was not that we sit on it,” Mayor Andrea Davis said during a press conference Wednesday. “The whole idea was that we get this moving into the private sector, and eventually where folks will live and folks will play and folks will do business on this site.”
The city used $5.9 million in tax increment financing revenue to purchase the vacant property from two landowners last fall in an effort to spur redevelopment in the area. Davis said the city’s purchase allowed for the property to be developed under one plan that meets community goals and for city investment in the infrastructure using tax increment financing money.
“If the city had not stepped in for this transaction, this likely would not have happened because those individual parcels would have sold off,” she said. “They would have more or less kind of continued on how they have, but not necessarily in a connected way where we’re able to actually create some of the public streetscapes, sidewalks, public parks, those kinds of things.”
Under contract with the Missoula Redevelopment Agency, the Missoula Economic Partnership met with more than 30 interested developers, reviewed submissions from seven and created a shortlist for the city to interview, according to the press release. Rather than set out a list of parameters for the development, the city selected Miramonte Companies as a developer aligned with the community’s goals for the neighborhood, Davis said.
Miramonte Companies, based in Arizona with a Missoula office, has several past, current and future projects in and around Missoula, including the Missoula Lofts off Mary Jane Boulevard, according to its website. Chris Kemmerly, Miramonte’s CEO, said Wednesday the company’s vision for the Southgate Crossing property has “every item” in the Midtown Master Plan, including mixed use, walkability and a new public park.
“This project for us checks all the boxes,” he said. “It’s mixed use. I can hit the missing middle and maybe a little below the missing middle on the economic scale. We can do rentals, we can do housing and we can do commercial. … That’s why we’re so excited.”
Kemmerly described “missing middle” housing as something a nurse could afford. The term refers to a range of housing types — including duplexes, fourplexes, townhomes and cottage courts — that fall somewhere between detached houses and apartment buildings and are in short supply nationwide, according to the National League of Cities.
While project details are yet to be determined, the site will likely include 150 to 200 housing units, said Danny Oberweiser, with engineering firm IMEG. That includes a mix of single-family detached houses, duplexes and multifamily buildings, Kemmerly said. The project will not include income-restricted housing, he said.
Miramonte aims to break ground on the first phase of the project next spring, Kemmerly said. That phase will include 28 single-family homes on already platted lots, mostly behind Bob Wards, with the option to include an accessory dwelling unit over the garage, he said. Kemmerly said the goal is to price the homes for “well under” $600,000.
More infrastructure, including roads and utility lines, is needed for the other parts of the project. The amount of tax increment financing the city may invest in the project is to be determined, and there’s a chance Miramonte may not need any for the infrastructure, Kemmerly said. Any requests for TIF money will go to the MRA board for approval. If city investment is needed, it would be in the utilities, roads, sidewalks, trails and the public park, Davis said.
The public park will help fill a critical gap in parkland in the neighborhood, said Donna Gaukler, the city’s parks and recreation director. The city will announce a public process for planning the park, which will include open houses, design workshops and listening sessions, likely sometime in October, she said.
While negotiations are ongoing, the city will likely sell the property for around the same price that it paid for it, said Dale Bickell, the city’s chief administrative officer. There is not a set timeline for that process, he said. The sale and development agreements will require city council approval.
Melanie Brock, the Missoula Midtown Association’s executive director, said while the area around the Southgate Mall is a “bustling economic center,” all types of housing are needed.
“This is a catalyst project, and that walkability and connectivity that it brings is so exciting for Midtown, but especially Southgate Triangle that has been waiting for the housing density to come,” she said. “So we’re excited to say that Midtown is open for development of this scale, and we’re excited to see more of it.”
Public Notice
The Missoula Consolidated Planning Board on Tuesday, Sept. 2, will review plans to annex, rezone and subdivide 40 acres north of Mullan Road and west of the intersection of England Boulevard and George Elmer Drive. The developer of Paisley Park, OO Land Holding, LLC, is proposing up to 670 housing units, including single-family homes, duplexes, townhomes and apartments. The site would also include open space and trails. The property, currently vacant farmland, is located outside of the city limits. Following annexation and rezoning, the developer proposed building the subdivision in eight phases over 20 years.
The planning board meeting is at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Sophie Moiese Room in the Missoula County Courthouse. Members of the public can also join virtually via Microsoft Teams or by phone. The Missoula City Council will hear a presentation on the project on Sept. 24 and hold a public hearing on Oct. 6.
Photo Op
Surrounded by tropical plants and hundreds of butterflies, Ross Lindsey last week proposed to his girlfriend, Olivia Powers, the question spelled out with hundreds of faux monarchs. While it may sound like an island scene, the couple got engaged in the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium on Friday, Aug. 22.
Lindsey, a jeweler, was already crafting a butterfly necklace for Powers when a coworker told him about the butterfly house, he said. Lindsey said he was inspired by the butterfly pendants his father used to make for family members.
“And I love butterflies,” Powers told MTFP after the proposal.
Powers said she’d never heard of the butterfly house before Friday. To combat her internal map of Missoula, Lindsey drove Powers in circles before arriving at the butterfly house, she said. While she was confused after first opening her eyes, the proposal was an amazing surprise, Powers said.
“It’s the most beautiful thing ever,” she said.
Lindsey plans to donate the butterflies used for his proposal sign and the amount of money they cost to the butterfly house. Lindsey said he hopes to use his large social media following on his “Fishing Bloopers” pages to boost the butterfly house’s online presence.
“I’m just going to try to highlight the butterfly house because it’s really cool,” he said.
As of Thursday, Lindsey’s video about his proposal and the butterfly house had about 169,000 views on Instagram.
After about one-and-a-half years in its new building, the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium is exploring new opportunities and looking to expand its audience, said Misty Nelson, the nonprofit’s marketing and events coordinator. As it’s looking to promote the space for more after-hours events like small weddings, photoshoots and happy hours, Lindsey’s proposal came at a good time, she said.
“It’s just a nice thing to be a part of,” Nelson said. “It seems like a win-win for us in terms of getting a broader reach with some new people who may not know about us or think about us, or who think about us like a kids’ museum. It’s a neat place for adult things, too.”
The butterfly house is beginning to host art classes and has scheduled morning meditations for the fall, Nelson said. An activities calendar and information about event rentals are available on the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium’s website.
“Even people who have been here once, there’s new stuff to see,” Nelson said. “Don’t assume that just because you’ve seen it once, you’ve seen it all.”
5 Things to Know in Missoula
The Missoula City Council on Monday established a new speed zone of 15 mph on Phillips Street outside Lowell Elementary School. The zone, from Burton Street to Scott Street, will be in effect from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Public Works staff recommended a 20-mph speed limit “when children are present,” based on a traffic and engineering study required by state law to lower the speed limit, said Ryan Guelff, a city traffic engineer. Council Member Sierra Farmer, who lives in the neighborhood, proposed the 15-mph limit because of increased traffic in the area and three instances of children being hit by vehicles in recent years. City Attorney for Civil Services Ryan Sudbury said a 15-mph speed limit may leave the city open to a legal challenge because it is not backed by a study as outlined in state law. Council Member Sandra Vasecka proposed following the 20-mph recommendation and was the sole “yes” vote. Council Member Mirtha Becerra proposed changing from the recommended “when children are present” to a set time limit to make the rule easier to follow and enforce. The council unanimously approved the 15-mph zone with the time limits.
On Tuesday, the Missoula County commissioners OK’d the county’s participation in two opioid settlement agreements that could bring in about $1.2 million for the county and city over 15 years. Montana could receive about $16.6 million from the agreement with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family, Purdue’s owners, according to the attorney general’s office. Of that, the Missoula metro region, which includes the city and county, could receive about $1.06 million, said John Hart, a county civil attorney. The Missoula region could receive about $148,000 from the “G8” settlement with eight generic opioid manufacturers, and the state will receive $2.5 million. The money will be spent on opioid abatement, which can include prevention, treatment and recovery services. If enough governments participate in the agreements, the court will approve them and the money will be distributed, Hart said. Missoula’s abatement board is set to award the first round of previous opioid settlement funding on Thursday, Sept. 4.
The Missoula City Council on Wednesday approved a $119,250 contract with Williams Civil Construction to build a paved parking lot at the Duncan Drive Trailhead in the Rattlesnake. The project includes a 16-space parking lot with a bike rack, bear-resistant trash can and an interpretive sign kiosk, said Lucy Rummler, project manager with the city’s parks department. The expansion addresses inadequate parking at the site, improves safety and creates a more welcoming launch point for the trail system, she said. The work is part of the larger Rattlesnake Dam Phase 2 project that focuses on improving recreation access in the area of the former dam site. The project is mostly funded by a $100,000 grant from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, with a 20% match from the city. City staff are taking on multiple parts of the project, including constructing a one-mile loop trail connecting to the former dam site next spring. Construction will begin in late September or early October and continue through mid-November, said Jeff Gicklhorn, the city’s conservation lands program manager. Duncan Drive and adjacent trails will remain open, but parking will be limited, he said.
On Thursday, the Missoula County commissioners approved a letter to the owners of the Katoonah Lodges Mobile Home Park requesting they respond to residents’ concerns following a rent increase and lack of communication about long-term plans for the 55-plus community. Texas-based Axia Realty Partners purchased the mobile home park, located off Mullan Road west of Missoula, in early 2025. Residents voiced concerns ahead of the sale about potential rent increases and being evicted to make room for redevelopment. The letter says that the previous owner increased the rent by $50 to $650 in September 2024 and that Axia increased the rent by $100 in April. Requests for information from residents and local legislators have gone unanswered, according to the letter. The commissioners asked the company to respond to residents’ questions and invited them to meet with residents and local officials in Missoula.
The Missoula Montana Airport will be closed to commercial flights from Tuesday, Sept. 2, through Sunday, Sept. 7, for a runway upgrade. Airline websites show flights to and from Missoula as unavailable for Sept. 2 through Sept. 6, with some availability on Sept. 7. In a Facebook post on July 22, the airport asked travelers to plan around the closure. Crews will repave the runway and update lighting and electrical systems. The airport board in March awarded a $18.2 million bid for the project to Schellinger Construction. Federal funding will cover about $17.3 million, and the airport will pay $909,880. The airport’s terminal expansion project wrapped up earlier this summer.
By the Numbers
The number of season tickets for Griz football, according to the University of Montana. This is the first year the season tickets have sold out, according to the program. The season tickets account for about 80% of the Washington-Grizzly Stadium’s listed capacity. Season ticket sales have increased annually since 2021, the program’s website said. Single-game and student tickets are still available. The Griz will face Central Washington in the first game of the season Saturday, Sept. 6, in Missoula.