That’s what’s being discussed among city leaders as the Core Revitalization Plan is passed around. And, for good reason, it has provoked some excitement from residents who have seen it. To be sure, there are some who believe downtown Kalispell is just fine the way it is. I’m not one of them.
I love the Flathead Valley – more than Missoula and more than Bozeman and I’ve lived in both. Their landscapes can’t compete and their personalities never matched mine, at least not like here. But working in downtown Kalispell every day, I know it can improve and I think the majority of others who make their living in the city would agree.
Over the last few years, Kalispell has made headway. For one, it’s cleaner, thanks to the Kalispell Business Improvement District hiring someone to spruce up the place. There are fewer empty storefronts, although there are still too many. The remodeled Sykes looks great and provides more urban housing. And events such as Thursday!Fest and Picnic in the Park attract people downtown. But its potential has not been reached.
Now the Core Area Steering Committee has worked with Kalispell staff to “develop a vision statement for the core area and identify goals to be included in the plan document for the area,” according to a brochure from the city.
The plans are ambitious and the colorful renderings, produced by CTA Architects Engineers, are equally impressive. They show a vibrant, revitalized city with a mixture of commercial and residential buildings and more open spaces that creates “an environment which encourages more people to live, work and visit.”
It’s easy to be skeptical of all this. Not long ago, we were discussing building some sort of convention center and that plan, as with others like it, never got off the ground. And while Kalispell shares some characteristics with cities like Bozeman and Missoula, such as old building facades facing their main streets, the similarities largely end there.
When Montana’s two primary college towns began improving their downtown areas, they each had distinct advantages, mainly thousands of students to support retail shops and restaurants that help them survive. We don’t have that.
Instead, Kalispell will have to rely on tourists during peak seasons and convince locals that their downtown offers everything they need. That’s a tall order, especially when it’s competing with the growing north side.
But while reaching all the goals set forth in the Core Revitalization Plan is likely unattainable, that’s not really the point. Kalispell, at least, now has plans and it also has a variety of funding from grants and a TIF district to modestly begin implementing some of them.
The rarely used railroad tracks running through the city could be removed in the next few years to be replaced by a pedestrian path. That would be a good first step. This, too, has been discussed for some time and is not a sure thing. But simply having a clear vision has the potential to attract investors.
A senior living center apartment may break ground near downtown next year. The Loading Dock is turning into a pub. And there is talk of a brewery opening up. None of these will remake Kalispell, but it’s a start. And that’s where those on the Core Area Steering Committee deserve credit, for starting something even if the returns are small.
The group has hosted open houses soliciting public input and, if those aren’t convenient enough, Kalispell staff has offered to provide presentations in area homes and businesses. Planning and growth are consistently controversial in the Flathead and this committee is seeking to be as transparent as possible.
It has created a solid blueprint. After all, nothing can happen without one.