Study looks at north side of downtown

The city of Kalispell wants to overhaul the north side of the downtown area.

But first, it has to figure out what to overhaul and how to do it.

The targeted area covers 60 blocks - surrounding most of Kalispell Center Mall and jutting several blocks east to straddle the BNSF railroad tracks.

"We don't know enough about the area to come up with a comprehensive list of priorities," said Lynn Moon, housing manager for the city's Community Development Department.

The city government recently hired Applied Communications of Whitefish for $27,550 to collect information and come up with recommendations on how to halt deterioration and to encourage investment in that area.

Then the city government will use that information to set priorities, Moon said.

A meeting will be scheduled in the fall to get public feedback for this study. The recommendations are expected to be ready by next spring.

Potential recommendations would likely address improvements in housing, transportation, land uses and business opportunities.

The future plan also likely would look at ways to fund those improvements. Funding options might include a tax-increment-financing district to set aside some property tax money for area fix-it work, seeking grants, or setting up public-private partnerships.

At the same time, Applied Communications expects to survey roughly 4,600 homes in Kalispell's core area to look at housing issues such as ownership, rentals and costs. These results are expected to be released by next spring.

In rough terms, the 60 blocks being studied are the segments of north-central Kalispell not already covered by the 100-block downtown tax-increment district that expired in 2002 and an existing tax-increment district that straddles Meridian Road for roughly two miles.

Many of the 60 blocks are in a proposed tax-increment district that stalled in late 2005.

It extends three blocks on northeast, north, west and southwest sides of Kalispell Center Mall - plus includes a quasi-rectangle bound by Meridian Road, Fifth Street West, Seventh Avenue West and First Street East.

It also extends three blocks east of U.S. 93 with East Washington Street, East Center Street and Third Avenue East North as boundaries, The designated area goes even farther east -somewhat straddling the railroad track until reaching the northeast portion of Woodland Park.