UM Seeks Public Comment on Missoula College Site

A draft environmental statement for the proposed Missoula College building on East Broadway has been completed, and public comment is now being sought.

University of Montana Vice President for Administration and Finance Michael Reid said on Friday, February 7, that the environmental assessment was released on Thursday.

"Right now, we're in the public comment period," Reid said. "We'll be seeking public comment through February 21. People can view the entire document on our website where they can just look for 'Build Missoula College."

Reid describes what the completed structure will look like.

"The building will have a river level, and then four floors above that, so it will be a five story building," Reid said. "There will be a lot of glass that will allow you to take advantage of the river view, and it will be a beautiful building to make an entrance into Missoula, as well as a great attraction for the University of Montana."

Reid said all the facilities currently housed between the Missoula County Fairgrounds and Sentinel High School would be moved into the new East Broadway facility.

"In the design that we have right now, we're looking at bringing everything that's there by Sentinel High School over, and that would include the Culinary Arts program. So, as it sits right now, that's the plan."

Reid describes what kind of comments the university is seeking from the public.

"There's a lot of things inside the environmental assessment to do with things like access and what's going to happen with the river way, and we're looking for people to give us their thoughts on those kinds of issues," Reid said.

The comment period is only two weeks.

"Anyone who has had contact with the university, or specifically with JBR Environmental Consultants, and asked to have that EA sent to them should already have received it by now," Reid said. "However, we would still love to have any comments from the public on our new Missoula College site."