Missoula’s Old Library would be a magnificent site for the Montana Museum of Art and Culture. Think Big. Be Bold. What do you think?

Missoula is thinking about the Old Library building Downtown.  As you probably know, the owner of the land the New Library is being built on swapped the New Library site for the Old Library which he subsequently gave to the City of Missoula.  The City is also looking at the Old Federal Building Downtown that apparently has been made available to it. Nothing is imminent since the New Library will not be opening for another year.  The City has a lot to look at in terms of Downtown real estate.

The Old Library would be a magnificent site for the Montana Museum of Art and Culture.  The obvious reason is that the MMAC needs to have a home worthy of its collection and its mission.  Moreover, it is a terrific opportunity for the UM community become more integrated into the Downtown.  It is literally a few blocks from the Campus so it is not like it is far distant.  Additionally, the MMAC would fit nicely in the “cultural” campus that is located Downtown:  The New Library, the MCT center for the performing arts, the Missoula Museum of Art.  What’s more, with the addition of a few hundred new hotel rooms during the current three year period, a new MMAC at this location would capture a great deal of recurring traffic from visitors to Missoula.

The Old Library could be utilized until funding is obtained and then razed and a new building worthy of the MMAC could be designed and built.  It could be a showplace with beautiful indoor AND outdoor space.  Many typical parts of such a building could be foregone if a suitable arrangement were made with the New Library that will have meeting rooms, commercial kitchen, MCAT, etc. that could support the MMAC.

As you know, opportunities arise and disappear because “stuff happens.”  If this idea has merit in your mind, please plant seeds that will keep the option open before some other need occurs to the City and precludes the possibility.  This is something that Mayor Engen and President Bodnar could put their heads together on.  The transfer of the land will be tricky, but no one should forget:  the City got this property as a gift.  There are no taxpayer obligations to consider—the City got it free and clear.  A fair and reasonable solution to sorting that stuff out exists, IF there is a will to do it.

Think Big. Be Bold.  What do you think?

Will you help champion this effort?

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