Over 6000 Signatures on Petition to Keep Developer Out of Missoula

A few days ago, real estate developer Aaron Wagner posted a video on Instagram, announcing that he, along with his brother Jadon Wagner and business partner Cole Bergquist, had purchased the old Missoulian building and had plans to begin work on a new housing development with retail spaces and a plaza overlooking the Clark Fork River.

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A post shared by Aaron Wagner 🔥 (@aaronwags)

The announcement saw some negative reaction among local Missoulians, who expressed concern that this new development would only make Missoula's affordable housing crisis even worse than it already is.

Wagner ultimately responded to many of those comments and, in some cases, directly messaged people, implying that he would put local farmers out of business and telling people to "f--- off and get a life," among other things.

Wagner spoke to the Missoulian about his comments and apologized for them, saying they were "heinous" and that he doesn't expect for locals to forgive him easily.

Despite the apology, an online petition has been circulating throughout the Missoula community to stop the development of Wagner's project, which as of this writing, has accumulated about 6300 signatures. The petition recognizes that the project has already been approved by the City Council, but they're hoping that "it is not too late to make positive change."

You can read more about Wagner's comments at the Missoulian article linked above, and learn more about the comments that he was responding to - some of which included vague threats to his safety.

Is a new development where the old Missoulian building is located something you would want to see in Missoula?