Laura Reynolds - A few points about the new parking garageHi there!
My name is Laura Reynolds. I live at 22 5th Avenue East, Kalispell.
I have four concerns about the new parking garage.
1) The historical value of the downtown buildings. Have we determined if the old Kalispell downtown is anything special? Is it a thing worth saving? Do we need to preserve the whole
thing in amber? Are we ok with having modern high rise buildings intermingled with the old buildings? Or resigned to replacing the whole thing? It seems to me we should examine what
the value is, and make a plan for managing it.
2) The process feels unfair and lacking public input. I had a chance to visit with a few downtown property owners and that was their gripe. I understand a desire in the council to stop
NIMBY obstructionism. I realize if we want more affordable housing we have to say YIMBY. But the downtown core might not be the best place. I think we need to make plans about what
housing we need where. We need a housing assessment. This process for this project just feels wrong.
3) No parking for the public. Parking for the Charles hotel plus parking for the apartments on top of the parking garage means no parking for the rest of us. This is a net loss to
the public interest. I would think that plenty of people want to drive in from the countryside to visit our beautiful historical downtown. But now they can't park here. Plus, now
the downtown core is made of modern high rise buildings so why bother to come at all?
4) TIF funding. Using TIF funds for this project feels like a boondoggle. These funds should advance the public interest like to make public parking or affordable work force housing.
This project does neither.
The gift of the land plus the TIF plus destroyed historical character plus outraged neighbors (and public?) sounds like too high a price to lure this kind of development. I would not
be opposed to a 5 story hotel plus a 5 story parking garage with no TIF.
Laura
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