The Great Balancing Act: Missoula's Housing Squeeze Meets a New Apartment Complex

You know, Missoula. It’s a city perpetually caught between its charming, small-town heart and the undeniable pulse of growth. And this past week, our City Council found itself squarely in that very tension, giving the final — and frankly, rather pivotal — green light to a substantial 135-unit apartment complex destined for the Two Rivers neighborhood. It was a vote, 9-2, that underscored not just a development decision, but a deeper narrative about where Missoula is heading, and how we grapple with the growing pains that inevitably come along for the ride.

The project, initially dubbed "The Reserve at Two Rivers" but now perhaps better known as “The Lodge at Two Rivers,” is slated for the bustling corner of Mount Avenue and Reserve Street. This isn’t just any corner; it’s a high-visibility, high-traffic spot, and that, my friends, was certainly part of the friction. For many, this decision wasn't merely about brick and mortar; it was about the character of a neighborhood, the ebb and flow of traffic, and, dare I say, the very soul of community life.

Honestly, the concerns from residents were palpable, deeply felt. They weren’t just murmurs, you could say, but rather a chorus of voices worried about what 135 new households would mean. Think about it: Mount Avenue already feels like a bit of a gauntlet during rush hour, especially near Hellgate Elementary. Adding potentially hundreds more cars to that mix? Well, that paints a vivid picture of gridlock, doesn’t it? Then there were the other pressing questions, the kind that keep neighbors up at night: the sheer density of units on that plot, the strain on existing infrastructure—sewer lines, water, emergency vehicle access—and the safety of pedestrians, particularly the little ones walking to school. It’s not an unreasonable ask for a city to consider these things, not in the least.

But here’s the rub, the complex layer beneath all that valid concern: Missoula is facing a housing crisis, a genuine, undeniable crunch. For what feels like ages, we've heard the pleas for more housing, more affordable options, more places for people to simply live without breaking the bank. Our city’s growth policy, its very blueprint for the future, pushes for higher density in areas like this one, specifically zoned as High-Density Residential. And the council, by and large, seems to genuinely believe that saying "yes" to projects like this—even with the inevitable trade-offs—is a necessary, perhaps even courageous, step towards easing that housing burden. Council members like Gwen Jones and Mirtha Becerra, for example, articulated a clear vision: density, however challenging, is a critical piece of the solution.

And yet, for all the worries, the developers, Blueline Development's Joe and Nick Blazina, have made commitments. They’ve engaged in the process, commissioned traffic studies, and, notably, offered some deed-restricted affordable units, though the exact number or proportion seemed to be a moving target throughout the discussions, a detail that surely added to the complexity of the debate. It’s never a clean-cut path, is it, when you're building something new within an established community.

In truth, the 9-2 vote, with Daniel Carlino and Kristen Jordan casting the dissenting votes—citing, quite understandably, the overwhelming community opposition and traffic issues—was a testament to the difficult choices facing our elected officials. It's a tricky tightrope, isn't it? On one side, the clamor of a growing population needing homes; on the other, the fierce loyalty and practical concerns of existing residents. For once, you could say, the council chose to lean into the future, hoping that the promise of more housing outweighs the immediate discomforts of increased density and traffic. Time, and perhaps a few more rush hours, will surely tell how that choice plays out on the streets of Missoula.