Old Missoula

Mayor Says Island Not Up for Sale by Denn Curran

Mayor Richard G. Shoup announced late Tuesday that city land offered for sale to finance acquisition of land for a new city hall will not include the so-called island – the land underneath and east and west of the Higgins Avenue Bridge.

In a letter to Missoula realtors, the mayor said that he had made an error in listing the island property along with 10 others that were listed as salable by the city in an earlier letter to the realtors in December.

Shoup said that it had been brought to his attention that the plan for the development of the property calls for the entire area to remain under city ownership and to be developed primarily as park land.

“We will respect this plan and will not sell any part of the island,” Shoup said.

He added that while the city could legally sell part of the property (some parts were deeded to the city with reversion clauses if they were sold by the city or not used for parks), it would not act contrary to the plan. The City Council had also approved the development plan, he said.

The mayor also said the two other pieces of property near the Higgins Avenue Bridge would not be sold unless adequate provision is made for access to the so-called island. The two pieces, a 48.7 foot opening along the Star Garage on West Front Street and a 30-foot opening south and further west on Front Street, provide access to the island property.

The property was created from an island in the Clark Fork River and became part of the mainland on the north side of the river when the river’s north channel was closed in 1962 during construction of the new Higgins Avenue Bridge. It was formerly proposed as a site for a new city hall, and present plans call for its development as a park.

Actually Shoup’s second letter to the realtors was not as much a reversal as it appeared on the surface, because the mayor had indicated several weeks ago that the city probably would not sell the property.

At that time he mentioned the plan calling for predominantly park development and said that the city would not sell the property for any purpose not in accord with the plan.

However, he had not realized at that time that the plan also calls for continued city ownership he said. And he added Tuesday that the city had received neither interest in nor offers for the property anyway.

Ten other pieces of property were listed by the city Dec. 15 for possible sale or trade to purchase land in the 200 block of West Spruce Street for a site for a new city hall and a possible site for a new public library. The mayor said that while there is no plan or provision for continued city ownership for the other property, they, like the island, will be sold only in accordance with over-all development plans.

The above article appeared in The Missoulian on January 3, 1968.

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