Whitefish, Montana - Downtown Business District Master Plan
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Summary
Crandall Arambula developed the Downtown Business District Master Plan in conjunction with local citizens, business folks, and government officials. Project goals included building downtown business vitality, accommodating existing and future tourist industries, strengthening downtown retail, creating a pedestrian-friendly environment, improving parking and transportation, and identifying public improvements that will stimulate downtown development. Plan elements include connecting the downtown to the natural environment, identifying sites for high-density housing, enhancing an existing convention center facility, locating a boutique hotel on Central Avenue, and ensuring that roadway improvements enhance and support downtown businesses.
Outcomes
The plan, unanimously adopted by the City Council, has resulted in Whitefish receiving a $3.5 million TIGER grant for streetscape and transportation mobility improvements. This, coupled with Central Avenue streetscape improvements, has stimulated over $40.2 million of new investment.
A key implementation project was a new downtown City Hall that provides approximately 25,000 square feet of office space for city employees and visitors, consolidating city departments and City Council functions into one location. The building includes a new retail-serving parking structure that provides 212 parking spaces in three above-ground parking tiers and approximately 3,000 square feet of commercial tenant space at the first level of this parking structure.
OTHER DOWNTOWN PLANNING PROJECTS
