Goodale & Barbieri CompanyGooDALE
BAR.BIERI
COMPANY SINCE 1937
November 2, 2011
Jane Howington, City Manager
City of Kalispell
201 First Avenue East
Kalispell, MT 59901
RE: West Side Urban Renewal District
Dear Ms. Howington:
I want to take this opportunity to speak in strong support of the efforts of the City of
Kalispell to expand the West Side Urban Renewal District. As you know, the Kalispell
Center Mall has been a significant player, contributor, and taxpayer in the heart of
downtown Kalispell for 25 years. We owe our existence to a previous redevelopment
program initiated by the City of Kalispell and we see our future tied to the viability of
the downtown core area of Kalispell. I have witnessed first-hand what redevelopment
can do in downtown Spokane. In downtown Kalispell the time to act is now.
The railroad tracks have become a blighting influence and continue to pose a
significant barrier for development. Currently our own holdings are severed by the
tracks. With the closure of the crossings by BN, we can no longer efficiently plan to
use those properties in association with any development plans for the Kalispell
Center Mall. In addition, the very neighborhood we operate in contains vacant and
underutilized properties. For a community to be healthy, its downtown needs to be
healthy. We applaud your efforts to expand the West Side Urban Renewal District and
focus redevelopment efforts in the downtown. We support and urge your favorable
consideration.
Sincerely,
David Peterson
Vice President
PROFESSIONAL REAL ESTATE SERVICES
titS W Riverside Ave, Suite 300 • Spokane, WA 99201
Phone (509) 45"102 • Fax (509) 344.4W9 • www.g-b.com