Engineering Inc. - January/February 2008 - (Page 18) mULti-Project FeAtUre Project: mill Site redevelopment P roject Firm: WGm Group, missoula, mont. T he historic sawmill on the bank of Montana’s Clark Fork River operated for more than a century before it was finally abandoned in the mid-1990s. In the years since, fires have claimed several of the remaining structures. For a time, sawdust, weeds and woodchips cluttered the neglected landscape, creating an eyesore in the heart of Missoula. Now, after more than two years of planning, neighborhood meetings, on-site evaluations and local government negotiations, the 46-acre site is being redeveloped to include mixed-use housing, common areas, commercial industry and access to the existing Riverfront Trail and Park system through the addition of a 14-acre park at the river’s edge. For WGM Group, Inc., the process involved working with officials, neighborhood groups and other stakeholders to create a vision—one that addressed the city’s important environmental concerns, along with commercial and residential needs. The Missoula-based engineering and design firm also was responsible for surveying the site, floodplain, traffic and parking analysis. “The goal of the redevelopment has always been to revitalize the site and weave it back into the fabric of the neighborhood and community,” says Nick Kaufman, WGM vice president and project manager. In addition to 520 housing units and 44 office and commercial spaces, WGM also incorporated open, natural spaces into its designs for people to enjoy. “Special care was taken to mitigate the impact on the floodplain and to pay particular attention to keeping the river clean,” explains Brent Campbell, a WGM project engineer. The magnitude of the redevelopment required the cooperation of a complex mix of private, municipal and federal agencies addressing a range of environmental and engineering challenges, from floodplain constraints and traffic circulation to accessibility and zoning. WGM sought to meet these challenges by finding common ground between private industry and the public trust. “Good design doesn’t happen in a vacuum, but requires the people of the community to embrace the concept,” says Kristin Smith, a WGM project planner. Persistence, patience and education paid off; environmental cleanup is ongoing, and infrastructure improvements get under way later this year. A digital rendering outlines plans for a new, environmentally friendly community to replace an abandoned saw mill in Missoula. From left, Kristin Smith, Brent Campbell, Nick Kaufman Cutting a New Path in Missoula
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