Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parking Structure Repair topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Missoula Parking Commission approves repair of Bank Street garage to address life‑safety issues
Summary
The Missoula Parking Commission voted to proceed with a targeted repair of the Bank Street parking structure, moving forward with schematic design and continuing toward a guaranteed maximum price. The repair estimate is roughly $3.9 million, with staff reporting about $430,000 in possible savings identified so far.
The Missoula Parking Commission voted to move forward with a targeted repair of the Bank Street parking structure, citing immediate life‑safety concerns and the goal of preserving existing parking inventory. The commission approved staff to continue design and price development for the repair option rather than pursuing full rebuild or demolition.
Jody Pilgrim, director of the Missoula Parking Commission, told the commission that a life‑safety issue has kept the north side of the Bank Street structure closed since March 2023 and that initial budget planning for repair was set at $6.5 million. Pilgrim said the rebuild estimate later came in near $8.8 million and that staff had instead refined a repair option with an initial schematic estimate of $3,900,000 and identified roughly $430,000 in savings so far, bringing the repair estimate nearer to $3,500,000.
Pilgrim said the repair scope focuses on the structural bearing elements and deck waterproofing needed to stop ongoing water intrusion and stabilize failing precast “double‑T” bearing support pads. Steven Dowd of DCI Engineers described the work: “The idea is we would be replacing those bearing pads to a more suitable product to avoid that in the future,” and noted deck topping, a waterproof membrane and replacement of damaged mechanical and electrical equipment as part of the scope.
Jackson Contractor Group, the construction manager at risk, said the $3.9 million figure reflects a schematic‑level estimate based on site visits and consultant narratives and that competitive bidding during the GMP (guaranteed maximum price) phase could change the final number. Steven Thomas of Jackson said the firm expects active competition among subcontractors to reduce, not increase, the estimate in the current market and explained that the commission would review a GMP before any work begins.
Commissioners discussed and eliminated demolition to a surface lot and full rebuild as primary options. The demolition option shown to the commission carried an estimated fee of about $2.7 million to remove the top deck and restripe as surface parking but would have removed 77 top‑deck spaces and still required 34 no‑charge spaces to be held through 2032 for adjacent owners. The rebuild option was estimated at about $8.8 million and would not have produced additional revenue or parking capacity under current easement constraints.
Board members and stakeholders stressed the importance of a maintenance plan to preserve the repair’s lifespan and reduce future deterioration. Pilgrim said the repair scope will include measures to reduce water intrusion, improve snow management and install a physical height restriction to limit oversized vehicle damage. Stakeholders representing the Millennium Building and First Interstate Bank explained that lowering the structure to surface parking would significantly affect building access and would require substantial remodeling of adjacent entrances.
The commission voted by roll call to advance the repair option; Peter Walker Kelleher, JR Casillas, Tiffany Brander and Joe Easton recorded “approve” votes. Staff will continue with design completion, permitting and procurement steps and return to the commission with a GMP for final approval.
