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Good morning. I’m back from vacation and (mostly) caught up on what I missed, including the Poverello Center taking over the contract for the Temporary Safe Outdoor Space. Read more on that below.
Also in this edition, what we know about Whole Foods coming to town and how the city addressed a zoning loophole that would have allowed data centers throughout Missoula.
But first, a weather preview ☀️
After a week of crisp, sunny fall days, I hope you’re ready for a taste of winter. Friday will be mostly sunny, with a high near 75 degrees, according to the National Weather Service’s Missoula office. Saturday will be cooler and rainy with a high near 55 degrees, and the low dropping to about 30 degrees overnight with rain possibly turning to snow. Rain and snow are likely Sunday morning, with the high a brisk 45 degrees. Brrr.
Midtown Market project to include Whole Foods, displace taproom
It’s not surprising that Missoulians, at least those on social media, have a lot of opinions about the news of a Whole Foods Market coming to the Garden City.
If the development moves forward as planned, the store would be the second Whole Foods location in Montana, following the first opening in 2023 in Bozeman. Details about the project are still sparse, but here’s what I’ve been able to gather so far.
The first news reports of the development late last week stemmed from a listing on Sterling Commercial Real Estate Advisors’ website for 3333 Brooks St., the current address for the Brooks St. Motor Inn. The listing describes the Midtown Market project as a new mixed-use retail development anchored by a Whole Foods Market, with retail spaces available for lease. Delivery is anticipated for April 2028, the listing said.
Credit: Courtesy of SterlingCRE Advisors
The Missoula Midtown Association announced the project Oct. 2 in a Facebook post.
“Planning for a new commercial development known as ‘Midtown Market’ is underway,” the post said. “The project brings neighborhood retail, a public plaza, and street and infrastructure improvements to the area south of Midtown Commons. Whole Foods Market is expected to anchor the project, adding a new amenity close to housing and further achieving goals outlined in the 2023 Midtown Master Plan for the Southgate Triangle neighborhood.”
The property is just south of the Midtown Commons housing development near the Southgate Mall. The developer of that project, Chris Kemmerly, told the city council in May that a grocery store is being built a couple of blocks away.
In an email, an Amazon spokesperson confirmed that Whole Foods is one of the anchor tenants in the Midtown Market development but said there’s “no additional information to share at this time.” Amazon bought Whole Foods in 2017.
The project was officially announced during the Midtown Association’s monthly mixer Tuesday. The developer is Brook McDonald, and the project team includes engineering firm IMEG, Ecompess Design and Dick Anderson Construction, according to a press release from SterlingCRE Advisors. Construction is expected to begin next year, pending funding approval for “public enhancements,” the release said. The development is expected to support 150 permanent jobs across its tenants.
“This is an exciting step forward in the ongoing transformation of the Brooks Street Corridor and the vision we have been working toward for Midtown,” said Jessica Yandell, vice president of the association, in the press release. “We’re excited to welcome another new investment, another grocery option, and a mix of businesses that will complement the growth already happening in the area.”
Great Burn Brewing, which is next door to the Brooks St. Motor Inn, announced on social media last weekend that it lost its lease after 12 years.
“Our beloved taproom will be turned into a parking lot for the Midtown Market development,” the business wrote.
Great Burn is seeking a new location in the midtown/southside area but still has its existing space until the end of the year, the post said.
The city has not received any permit applications for the Midtown Market project, Ginny Merriam, the city’s communications director, told me in an email this week. If the project is a commercial building in a commercial zoning district (it is), it just needs a building permit to move forward, she said. Planning documents would be public once approved.
The developer has applied to the Missoula Redevelopment Agency for the use of tax increment financing for the project’s public infrastructure, according to the press release. That funding could be used for sidewalks, boulevard trees, water or sewer infrastructure, but not for commercial buildings. The board could consider the request at its Oct. 23 meeting, the press release said.
During Monday’s Missoula City Council meeting, Mayor Andrea Davis responded to a citizen comment opposing the project and its potential use of public money.
“We’ve received a lot of comments where people are saying, ‘You should just stop them, city, you should not allow the private property owner to sell to another private business,’” Davis said. “We literally cannot do that, and I don’t think you want government doing that.”
Davis said the property owner, listed online as Larsen Investments, has been looking to sell for “a long time now,” and the Missoula Economic Partnership reached out to Great Burn to help them find another location.
“I can’t tell you what the result of that is, but it is opposite, actually, of them going out and inviting Jeff Bezos in and not helping our local businesses,” Davis said.
Meeting Minutes 📝
City Council
The Missoula City Council Monday approved several amendments to its development code, including closing a loophole that would have allowed data centers in the city.
While the new code only allows data centers in heavy industrial areas — which are not included on the zoning map — the rules inadvertently allowed data centers citywide if they took up less than 50% of a facility, Lauren Stevens, a city planner, told the council. The proposed change closes that loophole by adjusting the definition of a data center and regulating the facilities based on how the equipment is used rather than how much floor space it occupies, she said.
The city is planning to explore further data center regulations following Missoula County’s update to its rules and the upcoming legislative session, Stevens said. Council Member Kristin Jordan said she plans to introduce a moratorium proposal to prevent any new data center proposals from moving forward in the meantime.
Much of the council’s discussion Monday centered around a proposal to allow wider driveways in certain neighborhoods after builders raised concerns that they couldn’t install three-car garages as planned under the new regulation limiting driveway widths to 25 feet.
Council Member Betsy Craske proposed keeping the 25-foot rule while the city takes more time to address driveway design. She said constituents voiced concerns that wider driveways would affect walkability and increase impervious surface and storm runoff. The proposal failed in a 10-2 vote with Craske and Jordan in favor.
Council Member Mike Nugent proposed an additional amendment exempting single-car or double-car garage driveways from yard coverage limits when alley access is not feasible. The city limits driveways to covering 40% of a yard. The proposal passed in a 9-3 vote with Craske, Jordan and Eric Melson opposed.
Following Up ↩️
The Poverello Center is gearing up to reopen the Temporary Safe Outdoor Space after taking over operations of the transitional housing program late last month.
The Missoula County commissioners last month approved an agreement with the Poverello Center to run the program, known as TSOS, after Hope Rescue Mission declined to renew its contract.
Even if the program operator didn’t switch, the county faced the task of finding new funding for TSOS, which was started and funded over the last six years using federal COVID relief money that has mostly run out. The new two-year contract for up to $840,515 is funded largely by the repayment of $750,000 that the county loaned to Western Montana Mental Health Center in 2023, another smaller loan repayment and by about $40,000 in remaining federal COVID-19 relief funds allocated to the program. The county, the Poverello Center and the United Way are working on long-term funding solutions for the program.
The county started the program, which houses about 35 to 40 people at a time in Pallet shelters, in 2020, and Hope Rescue Mission operated the program for the last six years. TSOS closed at the end of August following the religious nonprofit’s announcement in June that it would “transition from a government-supported ministry to a donor-supported ministry.”
Jill Bonny, the Poverello Center’s executive director, told me in an email that Hope Rescue Mission worked hard to help residents move into housing or another positive situation, like staying with family or friends, before closing. Bonny said she heard only a couple of residents remained at TSOS when it closed, but that they have temporary shelter.
When the Poverello reopens TSOS on Nov. 1, it will gradually enroll participants to allow staff time to help each person settle in and set housing goals, Bonny said. The organization is committed to re-enrolling the people who remained when TSOS closed if they want to come back, she said. While Bonny said she doesn’t know how long the previous waiting list for the program was, or how long people waited for a spot, it’s likely the Poverello will create a new list as the program fills up.
“The goal is to provide a safe, stable place where people experiencing homelessness can work toward permanent housing,” Bonny said. “That includes help with housing applications, identification, benefits, budgeting and other barriers that can make getting housed difficult. We want TSOS to be a place where people have both stability and consistent support as they take those next steps.”
The Poverello is hiring five positions to operate the site, build relationships with participants and help them work toward their housing goals, Bonny said. The organization is also reviewing Hope Rescue Mission’s policies and adapting them to its approach, she said. But many of the core expectations will be similar: treating others respectfully, helping keep the site clean and safe, meeting regularly with staff and actively working on a housing plan, Bonny added.
Public Notice 🧐
General election ballots mailed Friday
ℹ️ Registered absentee voters will receive their ballots in the mail in the coming days, according to the Missoula Elections Office. The office is hosting voter services events across the county throughout October where residents can register to vote, update their registration, request a replacement ballot or drop off their ballot.
📍 Seeley Lake Elementary School
🗓️ Tuesday, Oct. 13, from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
📍 Lolo School
🗓️ Tuesday, Oct. 20, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
📍 University of Montana, James E. Todd Building, room 203
🗓️ Tuesday, Oct. 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
📍 Gray Wolf Peak Casino, Evaro
🗓️ Thursday, Oct. 29, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 31, from noon to 4 p.m.
Missoula Public Health doorknocking for health needs survey
ℹ️ Missoula Public Health staff and volunteers are surveying residents about local health needs and priorities. The effort is part of the regular update to the Community Health Assessment, which helps the health department and partners secure funding, allocate resources and plan services. The health department, All Nations Health Center, Community Medical Center, Partnership Health Center, Providence St. Patrick Hospital and the University of Montana aim to publish the update in early 2027.
🗓️ Tuesday, Oct. 13 – Friday, Oct. 16
📍 Missoula, Seeley Lake, Frenchtown, Condon, Milltown, Clinton, Turah and Lolo
MPH holding vaccine clinics throughout October
ℹ️ The clinics are open on a first-come, first-served basis to families, individuals and children. Nurses will offer only COVID and flu vaccines. Patients must present a photo ID and, if available, an insurance card. The clinic offers a sliding fee scale for uninsured patients.
🗓️ Oct. 14 – Oct. 28
📍 Seeley Lake, Frenchtown, Potomac, Bonner, Missoula
🔗 The clinic schedule is available online.
Treasurer’s office offering services in Lolo, Clinton, Frenchtown, Seeley Lake
ℹ️ The Missoula County Treasurer’s office will offer vehicle titling and registration, issue license plates and accept property tax payments in multiple communities during the Missoula Public Library Bookmobile and the Missoula Food Bank’s regular stops there. The office is continuing its services in Seeley Lake with new hours.
📍 Lolo School and Community Center Library
🗓️ 2nd and 3rd Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
📍 Clinton Food Bank at the school annex
🗓️ 3rd Wednesday from 3:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
📍 Frenchtown School and Community Library
🗓️ 2nd and 3rd Thursday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
📍 Seeley Lake Foundation Building
🗓️ Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for walk-ins, Wednesdays and Thursdays 8 a.m. to noon by appointment.
Local Lineup 🚶
Missoula Parks and Recreation is holding the Parks Palooza Block Party Saturday to celebrate milestones for several facilities and programs, including the Fall Family Fest’s 26th year. The event also marks the 20th anniversaries of the Currents Aquatics Center and Mobash Skatepark, and the 10th anniversary of the Zootown Derailleurs bike program. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at McCormick Park. Along with the fall festival favorites — hayrides, games and cider pressing — the event will include food trucks, professional skateboarding demonstrations, bike decorating and parade, a mini skateboarding clinic and a beach ball party at Currents.
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are hosting the “Honoring Our Ancestors” celebration on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Monday, Oct. 12, at Caras Park. The event is free and open to the public. The grand entry is at 1 p.m. The event will include traditional dancing, drum groups, vendors and a meal starting at 11:30 a.m.
