CONNECT DOWNTOWN - Missoula Downtown Association

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DOWNTOWN
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CONNECT • • •
Missoula, Montana
A vibrant downtown moves to its own beat.
In Missoula, Montana, that beat blends recreation
and entertainment with business and government.
© MDA / Dennis Burns
To get
CONNECTED,
get downtown.
A walk through any downtown connects you to a city’s true pulse —
its personality, potential and magnetism — in a way that demographics,
maps and real estate tables can’t.
Nowhere is that more true than in Downtown Missoula, Montana.
Here, small-town friendliness blends with urban buzz and historic charm,
conjuring a sense of community that’s rare today.
Take a walk down Higgins or catch a show at the Wilma. Close a business
deal while gazing at Mount Jumbo or wait in line for ice cream at the
Big Dipper. Soon enough, you’ll feel the attraction of connection.
1
Historic renovation and new
construction keep up with
the demand for space,
while preserving Missoula’s
eclectic heart.
© Athena
© Athena
As a thriving retail and entertainment
destination, downtown attracts employers of
all kinds — financial, insurance, engineering,
architecture, real estate and more.
© Chad Harder
Downtown sits at
the intersection of
Missoula life.
Missoula is the region’s center for commerce. Many of our largest employers
are located in and around downtown. Our county seat is here, as well
as the government offices that support it. And more than 400 retail shops,
bars, restaurants and theaters grace our streets, busy with customers.
We are serious about building community. We have developed
a comprehensive Missoula Downtown Master Plan. We created a
Business Improvement District specifically for cleaning, beautifying
and making downtown more livable. Our public transit system
continues to improve services and advance commuting options. We tackle
important issues like parking and bike safety head on, having recently
improved both for visitors and workers downtown.
We are an unabashed river town that has embraced the Clark Fork River
as our Central Park. We’ve built and improved walking and cycling
paths, concert venues, river accesses, amphitheaters, ballfields and more
along the riverfront. These parklands host farmers markets, kayak
competitions, craft fairs, concerts, festivals and other events people flock
to, year-round.
We have done the work to make Downtown Missoula a vibrant,
thriving asset to the region.
3
© Andy Kemmis
Continuous upgrades
have made Caras Park
a connection point
and gathering place.
The park hosts an average
of 80 events each year.
© Andy Kemmis
© Nelson Kenter
CONNECT TO
vision
We don’t just dream of
a more prosperous,
sustainable downtown.
We map it out.
“
The time and thought that local
residents put into the Downtown
Master Plan is a powerful testament
to our community’s vitality.”
— Linda McCarthy, Executive Director
Missoula Downtown Association
For more than 100 years, visitors and residents alike
have recognized that Downtown Missoula is a special
place. Born as a hub of the region’s resource extraction
industries, the city’s core has transformed with the times,
developing into a center for retail and professional
services. As the 21st century dawned, local leaders
embarked on an effort to plan for future development
and redevelopment of Downtown Missoula.
The result, in 2009, was the Missoula Downtown
Master Plan. Developed by a who’s who of local civic,
business, nonprofit and agency leaders, the Master
Plan serves as both a guiding philosophy and tactical
field manual for downtown development.
© Mark Mesenko
At a fundamental level, the plan aims to link housing,
employment and cultural districts to the core retail
hot spot that is downtown through what is known
as “balanced-center development.” By increasing public
transportation options and building out pedestrianand bicycle-friendly trails, lanes and sidewalks,
we aim to stimulate downtown development while
reducing auto travel downtown.
At the same time, our Downtown Master Plan designates
certain areas of downtown for development, with the
aim of maximizing long-term viability and community
balance. Broadly speaking, the development strategy
aims to strengthen Missoula’s historic character
2,000+: number of people
who provided input into the
Missoula Downtown Master Plan.
80: percent of the Front
Street Parking Garage’s
electricity provided by on-site
solar panels.
1,232,000: square feet
of new parks & open space
included in the Missoula
Downtown Master Plan.
and build on past successful developments, while
reflecting the community’s economic, sustainability
and cultural values.
Several catalyst initiatives mapped out in the Downtown
Master Plan have already come to fruition. For example,
the three-story Front Street Parking Structure was
completed in late 2012; and the North Higgins
Improvement Project is home to downtown’s newest
restaurants and stores.
Thanks to the Downtown Master Plan, we have
a clear vision of where we are going. To see for
yourself, download a copy of the plan at our website,
www.MissoulaDowntown.com, under “About.”
© Chuck Haney
more space, outside and in
The Downtown Master Plan calls for more than 1.5 million square feet of new interior
spaces. But with careful execution, the plan also would result in more than 1.2 million
square feet of new parks and open space.
Retail
Other Commercial
Art & Entertainment
220,000 sq. ft.
376,000 sq. ft.
178,000 sq. ft.
Office
Government
Parks & Open Space
677,000 sq. ft.
82,000 sq. ft.
1,232,000 sq. ft.
Source: Missoula Downtown Master Plan (August 2009).
© Bruce Costa
September, 2013
CONNECT TO
Commerce
Major employers put
people downtown.
Everything else keeps
them there.
Downtown Missoula is where Western Montana does
business. This is where companies across the region
look when they need to connect with development
agencies, government, banking and other services.
And this is where consumers come for unique retail,
entertainment and dining experiences.
Not surprisingly, employers want to be here where
the economic action is. After all, it’s a lot easier to
grow business when your clients are next door.
That fact was perhaps never more evident than during
a three-year period in the middle of the recent nationwide
economic recession. Between 2008 – 2010, Downtown
Missoula saw a net increase of 16 businesses, translating
to more than 2 percent growth in total businesses
— during a time when many other communities
watched their downtowns grow alarmingly vacant.
By early 2012, downtown was home to 617 private
companies and 79 government and nonprofit entities.
Among all those establishments, the single largest
category was consumer services firms — architects,
accountants, lawyers, medical providers and others.
That sector forms the economic bedrock of our region,
with 3,265 full-time equivalent employees producing
an average of $139,463 in annual revenues per employee.
Of course, visitors first notice our thriving mix of
retail and food & beverage businesses, which occupy
“
With a client base of 13,700 attorneys
nationwide, we could locate our
offices anywhere. Downtown
Missoula offers the perfect
intersection of commercial and
municipal services, and a real sense
of place that our employees value.”
— Robert W. Minto, Jr.
Executive Chairman of the Board, ALPS
© Cathrine Walters
77: percent of downtown
businesses located on the
ground floor.
617 million: annual
sales / revenues generated by
all downtown establishments,
in dollars.
$8.50: price to park in
the Central Parking Garage
for 10 hours.
80,000: anticipated total
square feet of new retail space
available after renovation of
the old Missoula Mercantile
building at Front and Higgins.
more than half of street-level storefronts. Those
businesses were drawn downtown by the constant
flow of pedestrian traffic, both during the day and
well into the evening.
Ultimately, employers aren’t just here for the direct
benefits. They also recognize that the best way to retain
loyal, engaged employees is to put them in an environment
that they love. Take an after-work walk along the river
trails or spend a summer Wednesday noon hour at
Out to Lunch in Caras Park, and you’ll understand.
For companies that choose to be here, downtown
is its own reward.
© Andy Kemmis
Downtown Draws Dollars
Missoula’s diverse mix of downtown businesses is
reflected in these sales / revenue totals, which add
up to a powerful force in the region’s economy.
$301.54
MILLION
© Athena
$182.22
MILLION
$85.09
MILLION
$31.28
MILLION
$17.86
MILLION
Food &
Beverage
Retail
Nonprofit
Government
Consumer
Services
Source: Downtown Building and Business Inventory (May 2012). Totals extrapolated from
self-reported data provided by downtown businesses.
© Andy Kemmis
September, 2013
CONNECT TO
Space
“
professional, Retail,
residential and parking.
All in one place.
When we outgrew our former
offices, there was never any question
of moving elsewhere. We chose to
rebuild at this location because of
our bank’s historical commitment
to our local community.”
You can find office space in any city in America.
You might even find a decent place to live nearby.
But what if you could find both in the same block,
within casting distance of one of Montana’s prime
trout rivers? You can find that in Downtown Missoula.
— Mike Hickey, Regional President
First Interstate Bank
You can also find retail space on high-foot-traffic,
well-maintained streets; hourly meeting spaces
for four to 400 people; prime developable land …
Whatever your need, Downtown Missoula can put
you in the right space.
In late 2010, the Missoula Downtown Association,
the Downtown Business Improvement District and
the Missoula Redevelopment Agency undertook
an ambitious and thorough inventory of Downtown
Missoula’s building and business inventory. That
study provided us with both a bird’s-eye view and
on-the-ground detail regarding Missoula’s downtown
commercial space.
We know, for example, that 49 percent of downtown’s
nearly 2.3 million square feet of commercial space
is occupied by consumer services such as medical
and legal offices. We know that at the 133 retail
establishments downtown, annual sales average
$123 per square foot — a critical metric for businesses
considering relocating or opening a store downtown.
And we know that many of Missoula’s nationally
respected nonprofit organizations find their home
© Andy Kemmis
12: percent of all downtown
employees who work in retail or
food and beverage businesses.
1866: year that Missoula’s
oldest remaining residence, the
Francis Worden House located
at 328 E. Pine St., was built.
$139,463: annual sales
per employee in Missoula’s
downtown consumer services
industry.
downtown — fostering a vibrant environment of
intellectual exchange and innovation.
While downtown is celebrated as Missoula’s historical
core, a number of higher-end Class A office buildings
have been constructed downtown within the past decade,
offering first-class, energy-efficient office space with
state-of-the-art amenities.
If you want to be where the action is in Western Montana,
you will be in Downtown Missoula. Get in touch and
let us connect you with the space you need.
© Pam Voth
$18.18/sq. ft.
Consumer /
Professional
services
$14.52/sq. ft.
Retail
$14.12/sq. ft.
$11.45/sq. ft.
slicing and dicing the pricing
Nonprofit
Food &
Beverage
A broad range of retail and
office space is typically
available downtown.
As of early 2011, 12.8
percent of total downtown
square footage was
available to rent.
Vacant units average 3,243
square feet each, and 66
percent of vacant units
were on the ground floor.
Source: Downtown Building and Business Inventory (May 2012). Price listed is average monthly rent.
Downtown goes pro
With 412 establishments, the consumer services sector dominates the downtown landscape
by most measures, including annual sales per employee, number of employees and sheer
distribution of space.
Consumer Services
Retail
Food & Beverage
Nonprofit
Government
Types of Businesses in Missoula
59%
19%
11%
7%
4%
Source: Downtown Building and Business Inventory (May 2012).
September, 2013
CONNECT TO
fun
An explosion of bars,
restaurants, galleries
and boutiques make
walking downtown a
stop-and-go adventure.
Montanans are renowned as hard workers. But when
the work day is over, we play hard, too. Take an
after-work stroll around downtown on any given
summer evening and you’ll see people fishing,
kayaking and inner-tubing on the river; dining and
drinking in packed restaurants; jogging, cycling
and skateboarding along the river trails; or playing
softball, Ultimate Frisbee, kickball and volleyball
in our downtown parks.
Whether it’s the dead of winter or the height of summer,
downtown nightclubs keep hopping with live music
performances throughout the week, covering every
conceivable genre and format — from bluegrass to
electronic dance music to karaoke.
For those who seek inner balance, a profusion of yoga
studios dot the downtown scene. Or, fill up your
insides at one of our many unique restaurants,
which cover the full range of culinary specialties,
price ranges and atmospheres. To work it off, you can
take a spinning class at one of our downtown fitness
centers; or take a spin on A Carousel for Missoula,
one of America’s finest handmade carousels.
Then comes the weekend, when community
calendars and flyer-boards are stuffed with event
notices covering everything from antique fairs to
Zumba classes. Every month, downtown streets teem
“
Missoula’s downtown is such a
special destination and centerpoint
to our community that we felt it
was essential that the Missoula
Osprey be located downtown.
Downtown is the place people think
of when they’re looking for fun and
entertainment in Missoula.”
— Matt Ellis, Executive Vice President
Missoula Osprey
© Pam Voth
50: number of beers on tap at
the Rhinoceros.
1: overall rank of the Missoula
Marathon among all marathons
nationally, according to
Runner’s World magazine, 2009.
80: average number of events
held in Caras Park annually.
20,000:
estimated
attendance at the 10-day Big
Sky Documentary Film Festival,
February 2013.
with folks enjoying the First Friday Gallery Night.
Each Saturday from late spring until midautumn,
the Missoula Farmers Market, Saturday Arts &
Crafts Market and Clark Fork River Market entice
thousands of locals to stock up on fresh vegetables
and meats, craft soaps and jewelry, and an array
of other locally produced goods.
From June through August, downtown workers join
their families for the Wednesday Out to Lunch and
Thursday Downtown ToNight festivals at Caras Park.
And for one weekend each summer, downtown streets
are blocked off for the River City Roots Festival, a
signature music, art and food festival that draws
tens of thousands of visitors.
No matter what your tastes, our downtown scene
provides year-round nourishment to those who
choose to call this place home.
© Nelson Kenter
Slicing the Missoula Food Pie
The square footage occupied by various types of restaurants
reflects the diversity of Missoula’s dining scene.
3.0%
2.7%
10.9%
40.0%
0.7%
4.1%
16.5%
Ice Cream / Sweets
Quick Service
Mexican Restaurant
Coffee Shop
Italian Restaurant
Cafe / Casual
Asian Restaurant
Bar
American Restaurant
Bakery / Deli
4.8%
13.3%
4.0%
© Bruce Costa
Source: Downtown Building and Business Inventory (May 2012).
© Nelson Kenter
September, 2013
CONNECT TO
Community
With several historic
neighborhoods,
sprawling public parks
and other gathering
places, downtown is
where Missoula lives.
“
We always planned to get back
to Missoula to start our business
because we love it here. The quality
of life is amazing for both
business and family.”
— Jenny Montgomery, Co-Owner
Montgomery Distillery
A few blocks south of the Clark Fork River, something
curious happens with the streets of Missoula.
West of Higgins Avenue, a swath of streets cuts off
diagonally from the east-west / north-south grid
that dominates the rest of town. These are the “slant
streets,” an artifact of a disagreement between developers
in the final years of the 19th century over whether
new streets south of the river should follow the cardinal
directions, or the lay of the Bitterroot Valley.
Today, the slant street grid-within-a-grid is a fitting
emblem of our downtown community. This is a place
of unexpected yet harmonious intersections. Here,
modern urbanity blooms side-by-side with old
Mountain West culture. Bankers in business suits
watch college students in wetsuits cartwheeling
kayaks in Brennan’s Wave; while at downtown
coffeehouses, the intellectual buzz of a university
town shares tables with the industrial pragmatism
of our proud blue-collar middle class.
This is not a place where people just talk about
community. It is where people live it.
© Missoula Parks & Rec / Jason Pignanelli
49: number of nonprofit
organizations headquartered
downtown.
6,530: number of utility
poles and tree grates cleaned by
the BID Clean Team annually.
15.8: mean travel time to
work for Missoula commuters,
in minutes.
3,000: average estimated
weekly attendance at Out to
Lunch in Caras Park.
The strength of our downtown fabric owes much
to its diverse and interwoven makeup. Within a
1-mile radius of Missoula’s downtown commercial
core, you will find some of Missoula’s greatest
opulence — the mansions of the University District.
Nearby, you will find student apartments and small
houses built by soldiers returning after World War II.
All told, eight National Register Historic districts
lie partly or entirely within the halo of downtown.
Meantime, cutting-edge developments bring green
living opportunities, LEED-certified commercial
buildings, new bike trails and lanes, and other
enhancements that help bind us as a community.
Thanks to smart planning and the proximity of
diverse housing to our commercial core, people who
live here largely stay here. As a result, Missoula’s
overall mean travel time to work is fifth-best
among all U.S. metro areas. Our city also ranks
fifth nationally for the percentage of workers who
commute by bicycle. And with more than 200 public
events taking place annually downtown, there is no
shortage of fun to be had after work.
© Athena
© MDA / Athena
September, 2013
CONNECT TO
CULTURE
However you define
culture, you will find
it downtown.
Many people outside Missoula know this city as the
setting for Norman Maclean’s famed novella, “A River
Runs Through It.” There’s something poetically
fitting about that. As Western Montana’s cultural
hub, our picturesque valley has inspired some of the
West’s great artists, who in turn have inspired a deep
commitment to art and culture in our community.
That commitment is evident at the stunning Missoula
Art Museum, which attracts throngs to its exhibits
of cutting-edge contemporary art. It is evident every
August, when thousands of people pack Caras Park
for the Missoula Symphony Orchestra’s annual
Concert in the Park ... and, later that same month,
when tens of thousands of people dance in the streets
during the River City Roots Festival. It is evident
at Missoula Community Theatre’s frequent soldout performances of musicals and plays, during
downtown’s teeming monthly First Friday Gallery
Night, and in the parade of nationally touring bands
that make a point to stop at the historic Wilma Theatre.
© Mark Bryant
“
Many larger cities would struggle
to support a museum dedicated
to showcasing contemporary
art and artists. But the Missoula
Art Museum is thriving thanks to
the generous support of a broad
range of local patrons and the
enthusiastic engagement of our
whole community.”
— Laura Millin, Executive Director
Missoula Art Museum
The diversity and quality of cultural opportunities
in Missoula is simply unmatched in Montana. This is
serious business for downtown, where visitors spend
an average of more than $50 on top of the cost of
tickets whenever they come to experience a concert
or performance.
And come they do. Two major multiday film festivals
© Pam Voth
— the International Wildlife Film Festival and the
Big Sky Documentary Film Festival — draw film
buffs and top professionals from across the country.
The triennial International Choral Festival — the
oldest festival of its kind in North America — brings
hundreds of singers from every corner of the globe
and choral music fans from near and far. The
monthly First Friday Gallery Night fills the streets
and downtown galleries, even during the coldest
months of the year.
Culture is a major driver of our local economy. But it
is more than that. In a world of creeping sameness,
our many local artists and galleries, performers and
writers define our identity, unite us as a community,
and inspire the ‘soul’ in Missoula.
© Cathrine Walters
© MDA / John Belobraidic
© MDA / Athena
connecting voices
The 2013 International Choral Festival attracted hundreds of singers from 14 countries
to Missoula for four days of concerts and cultural exchange.
Participating Choirs from: Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Democratic Republic of Congo, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, United States and Zimbabwe.
Culture quick facts:
15: the number of minutes it took to sell out
tickets to Pearl Jam’s September 2012 concert at
the Adams Center.
30,000: the number of people who visited the
Missoula Art Museum’s exhibit of photos by Ansel
Adams in 2011 – 2012.
20,000: estimated attendance at the 2013 Big
Sky Documentary Film Festival, held Feb. 15 – 24.
1: percent of all Missoula municipal construction
project budgets reserved for the purchase or
commission of public art.
4: number of sold-out live performances of “The
Rocky Horror Show” held in two days over Halloween
weekend in 2011.
72:
number of handmade, individually designed
iron flower baskets created and hung around downtown
by artist Russell Smith between 1981 – 1985.
© Cathrine Walters
© MDA / Tom Gallagher
“
With our numerous downtown art
galleries, regular community festivals,
and ongoing musical, theatre and
dance programming, we have as
much art and cultural offerings in
Missoula as a city two or three times
our size. And as citizens, we are both
in the audience and on the stage,
working in our studio and visiting the
museum, listening to a reading and
writing the story.”
— Tom Bensen, Executive Director
Missoula Cultural Council
Culture cash
In 2010, nonresidents spent an average of $52.64
in addition to the price of tickets at cultural events
in Missoula.
36%
Refreshments
and Meals
Souvenirs
and Gifts
Ground
Transportation
12%
9%
31%
Overnight
Lodging
12%
Other
Source: Americans for the Arts.
© MDA / Athena
© Bruce Costa
artful economics
1,293,992 people attended arts & culture events,
spending $26,286,497,
supporting 888 full-time equivalent jobs,
producing $2,278,000 in state and local tax revenues.
Culture is a powerful economic driver here. Even ignoring the grants and other revenues that arts
organizations bring to Missoula, event-related expenditures support 888 full-time equivalent jobs
and produce $2.278 million in local and state tax revenues every year.
Source: Americans for the Arts, 2012.
September, 2013
CONNECT TO
Knowledge
Downtown is where our
world-class educational
system meets the rest
of the world.
“
The people and culture of Downtown
Missoula and The University of
Montana are inseparable elements
in our community’s fabric.”
— Royce Engstrom, President
The University of Montana
Technically, a river separates Missoula’s downtown
from the campus of the University of Montana.
Metaphorically, that’s fitting. There is a constant
flow between the community and the campus —
of ideas, expertise and commerce. (It helps that
two walking bridges and two traffic bridges
connect town and gown.)
Downtown is the epicenter of much of UM’s
connection to Missoula, offering faculty, staff and
students ready access to the retail, commercial and
residential services they expect to find in a college
town located in one of the most stunning locations
in the West.
Conversely, UM serves as a vital resource for
downtown. Local companies benefit from the school’s
highly qualified, hard-working graduates. UM’s
engaged faculty regularly provides local businesses
and government with vital research information
and expertise. In fact, several Missoula companies
exist as the result of efforts by the school’s Office
of Technology Transfer, which serves as a bridge
between academic research and the private sector.
Downtown also benefits greatly from symbiosis
with Missoula College, the two-year college of the
University of Montana. Graduates in culinary arts,
© Cathrine Walters
1.5: walking miles between
UM’s Main Hall and downtown’s
Caras Park.
1: number of city crosswalks
that must be traversed along
that route.
3,438: total number of
students who earned degrees
from UM, 2012.
3: number of “blue ribbon”
elementary schools in Missoula.
energy technology, nursing and other programs
help make Missoula a hub of expertise for the
entire region.
The University of Montana and Missoula College
serve as capstones of a local educational system that
is vigorously preparing our next generation for the
challenges of the future. Missoula County Public
Schools has implemented a 21st Century Model
of Education, which aims to provide students with
the skills and knowledge needed to be successful
future leaders in their communities. Toward that
end, the school system built innovative programs and
partnerships including the Health Sciences Academy,
an International Baccalaureate Programme, dual-credit
classes that offer both high school and college credit,
and online classes through the Montana Digital Academy.
Given these rich resources within the community,
it’s no surprise that Downtown Missoula is a place
where intellectual stimulation and innovation blend
with our community’s relaxed, engaging vibe.
© Cathrine Walters
Higher (than average) ed
Missoula’s wealth of educational resources translates to a highly educated local populace.
U.S. Average
31.8%
30
28.5%
25.3%
25
23.5%
19.5%
20
15
21.3%
19.0%
14.4%
10.4%
10
5
Missoula
4.4%
Less than high
school diploma
High school diploma
or equivalent
Some college
Bachelor’s or
Associate degree
Graduate or
Professional degree
Source: U.S. Census 2010; American Community Survey, 2010, Missoula.
September, 2013
GET CONNECTED
HERE
Like what you see in
Missoula? Connect with
people who can help you.
One of the best things about Missoula is the easy access to
elected officials, planning specialists and others who can
help make things happen. That’s not just what we think. It’s
what business owners, developers and downtown residents
tell us all the time. Go ahead, give a call, or stop by one of
these offices. You’ll see.
© Pam Voth
1
Board of County Commissioners
199 West Pine Street • 258-4877
2
Destination Missoula
140 North Higgins Ave., Suite 202 • 532-3250
3
Mayor John Engen
435 Ryman Street • 552-6001
4
Missoula County Public Schools
215 South Sixth Street West • 728-2400
3
Missoula Development Services
435 Ryman Street • 552-6630
5
Missoula Downtown Association &
Business Improvement District
218 E. Main Street, Suite C • 543-4238
6
Missoula Economic Partnership
2801 Catlin Street • 541-6461
7
Missoula Fire Department
625 E. Pine Street • 552-6210
8
Missoula Job Service
539 South Third Street West • 728-7060
9
Missoula Parking Commission
128 West Main Street • 552-6250
3
Missoula Police Department
435 Ryman Street • 552-6300
10
Missoula Redevelopment Agency
140 West Pine Street • 552-6160
11
Montana Community Development Corp.
229 E. Main Street • 728-9234
12
University of Montana
32 Campus Drive • 243-0211
3
10
1
9
2
5
11
7
8
4
12
6
September, 2013
CONNECT TO
Government
Whatever your need,
access to government
officials is just a few
steps away downtown.
If you want to talk to Missoula Mayor John Engen
but feel hesitant to walk into his office, just hang
around downtown for awhile. You’ll see him out
and about soon enough, chatting with businesspeople
and townspeople as he makes the rounds of the city.
Of course, most locals know that Mayor Engen welcomes
visitors (at least when he is around the office), as do
all of Missoula’s elected, appointed and staff officials.
What’s more, with city and county government offices
concentrated largely in a four-block area downtown,
you could easily visit all of them in one morning —
and still have time to take a leisurely walk to the
federal offices clustered around East Broadway.
The most recognizable of Missoula’s government
buildings is also its oldest. Designed by famed Montana
architect A.J. Gibson and built in 1908, the Missoula
County Courthouse houses key county agencies,
departments and district courts under its gleaming
iron dome and in the adjacent annex. Other county
government workers, including our three county
commissioners, having recently taken up residence
just across the street at 199 W. Pine.
If you need to speak with city government officials,
you’ll need to head north — but not far. Most city
government offices, including the mayor’s office,
city council chambers and Development Services,
“
When companies that are thinking
about a relocation or expansion visit
Missoula, they are always surprised
by the fast and easy access to
government staff and elected officials.”
— James Grunke, President / CEO
Missoula Economic Partnership
© Bruce Costa
1,180: number of federal,
state and local government
employees who work in
Downtown Missoula.
8: number of murals painted
by famed Western artist Edgar
S. Paxson that hang in the
Missoula County Courthouse.
325,854: square footage
occupied by government offices
in downtown.
82,000: additional square
footage of government offices
projected within 25 years,
according to the Downtown
Master Plan.
are located immediately across Pine Street, in the two
blocks between Woody Street and Higgins Avenue.
Missoula also benefits from the downtown presence
of the U.S. Forest Service Northern Region Headquarters,
which oversees activity in a dozen national forests
spread across five states, plus the Dakota Prairie
Grasslands. And just across East Broadway is the
Russell Smith Courthouse, home to one of Montana’s
five U.S. District Courts.
Government offices mean much more to downtown
than just easy access to information, permits and
policymakers. They spell stability. Government workers
care about our community. They often view their
work not just as a job, but as a career to relish until
retirement. Having them in Downtown Missoula
makes this a better place.
© Pam Voth
© Pam Voth
September, 2013
Connect with
the best of
the Mountain West.
Missoula is where Western Montana comes for shopping, entertainment,
professional services, health care and more. It’s where vacationers come for
fishing, skiing, hiking and some of the best destination festivals in
the West. Here you can connect with your passions.
Glacier
Nat’l Park
Flathead
Lake
Missouri River
Fort Peck
Reservoir
ar
Cl
Great Falls
k
Flathead River
Fo
rk
Missoula
Bitterroot Ri
ver
r
ve
Ri
MONTANA
Blackfoot
River
Yellowstone River
Helena
Clark Fork River
Butte
Billings
Bozeman
Jefferson River
Yellowstone
Nat’l Park
• The nearest wilderness area is just minutes from the heart of downtown.
• Four destination trout rivers converge in or near the Missoula valley.
• You can be at the gate to Glacier or Yellowstone National Park in a few hours.
• The closest ski area is 20 minutes from downtown.
• Montana’s best-preserved ghost town, Garnet, lies just up Highway 200.
• The largest freshwater lake in the West is less than an hour from Missoula.
• Missoula International Airport connects travelers to 10 major U.S. hubs.
Downtown Missoula Partnership
218 East Main Street, Missoula, MT 59802
(406) 543-4238 • missouladowntown.com