MISSOULA — Citing high demand, a team of local developers are set to begin the first phase of a housing project in Hellgate Village, which will include roughly 43 townhomes.
Now years in the making, the project underwent a significant public review last year. It culminated with City Council approval to rezone 57 acres off Mullan Road and Flynn Lane last November.
The project will mark a contemporary continuation of the existing Hellgate Meadows subdivision, according to project representative Nick Kaufman of WGM Group.
“When we did Hellgate Meadows, we actually planned and zoned this entire property,” said Kaufman. “It was a very contemporary design when we did Hellgate Meadows for 2002. This is 18 years later, and so we have a new type of contemporary design for Hellgate Village.”
The first phase of Hellgate Village will cover roughly 8 acres and include the southern extension of Mary Jane Boulevard and Killarney Way. As conditioned, both streets must be installed in accordance with the city’s complete streets plan.
Edgell Homes and Hoyt Homes Inc. together comprise the development team, HEH LLC.
“I think it’s going to be as great a project as Hellgate Meadows was, but the streets will be wider according to newer city standards,” Kaufman said. “We’re just about to the finish line here.”
The initial phases of Hellgate Village will include 13 different building types ranging from cottages, townhouses and several single family homes. That portion of the development is proposed in five phases, and the City Council is set to consider the first four phases next week.
Those four phases will take place east of Mary Jane Boulevard.
Kaufman said Hellgate Village was initially planned and zoned as part of Hellgate Meadows in 2002. But in the years since, the need for housing and other conditions have changed in Missoula. The project won a rezone request to meet the need for housing “in the missing middle” during last year’s review.
“The demand picture in Missoula has changed significantly, just in the last nine months,” he said. “Their phones have literally been ringing off the hook with demand for this. They’re chomping at the bit to get started, but it takes steps, and this is one of the steps.”
Kaufmann said Hellgate Village will take two or three years to complete. HEH is expected to present Phase 5 in the coming weeks for that portion of the project located west of Mary Jane Boulevard.
