Business Improvement District (BID)

Mission Statement: The Helena Business Improvement District (BID) is a leader, facilitator, provider and advocate for a planned, creative program that results in the continual improvement of property values and properties in Helena.

The Helena Business Improvement District continues to be a leading force within the Helena business community. The BID strives to build a stronger and more efficient collaboration among the existing property and business owners through multi-media and electronic based communication and coordination; clean and safe projects; landscaping improvements and stronger promotions. Our mission is to create a vital avenue of support as the organization serving as the catalyst in economic development in the Heart of Helena. The role of the BID is essential for continued success in building the momentum in making Helena a great place to do business, invest, live, work and play.

View Larger Map

The BID board of trustees adopted their strategic plan to emulate the National MainStreet Model. The National MainStreet Model focuses on the four working principles of Organization, Design, Economic Restructuring and Promotion. Each board of trustee has made the commitment to serve on one or more of these working committees to ensure the stated goals and objectives proposed in the work plan and budget are kept on task.

Greening America’s Capitals

Greening America’s Capitals is a project of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities between EPA, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to help state capitals develop an implementable vision of distinctive, environmentally friendly neighborhoods that incorporate innovative green building and green infrastructure strategies.  This program assists three to five communities per year.

Helena was selected for the Greening America’s Capitals program in 2012 along with:

http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/greencapitals.htm 

Creating a Common Vision

Greening America’s Capitals helped the city and community stakeholders create a common vision for designing intersection improvements to improve traffic flow, create safer crossings for pedestrians and bicyclists, and improve the connection to downtown.

The project looked at the one-way/two-way question plus the challenges of a five-point intersection along Last Chance Gulch.

Focus Groups

Focus groups helped identify preliminary design concepts and implementation strategies for presentation at the second open house.

These focus groups included:

Open Houses

The City of Helena hosted public open houses on February 25 and 27 to present potential design concepts for the portion of Last Chance Gulch around the 5-way intersection of Last Chance Gulch/ Neill Avenue/11^th Avenue, and the Last Chance Gulch/6^th Avenue intersection.  Some of the first design concepts were revised for the second open house.

Power Point Presentations  (Large Files)

Implementation Concepts

What spurred the most interest and excitement:

• Improving the crossing of Neill at Front Street and connecting through alley along Women’s Park to historic core
• Expanding the mall into 6^th and Last Chance Gulch Intersection
• Slowing speeds in the downtown

Incremental and opportunistic implementation:

• Striping and sharrows on South Last Chance Gulch
• Infrastructure project programmed for Front Street
• Look for other public and private projects that can help implement the Sustainable Street Network

Public Comments

You are invited to comment about these proposals.  Please submit your comments by March 22, 2013 to kmacefield(at)helenamt.gov.

You may also mail comments to:

City of Helena Community Development Department Planning Division 316 N. Park Ave. Helena MT  59623

Montana Main Street Program

The Montana Department of Commerce is awarding a total of nearly $36,000 to five Montana Main Street (MMS) communities, one of which is a brand new member to the program. The previously enrolled communities of Glendive/Dawson County, Shelby, Terry and Whitehall will receive grants, along with the newest Affiliate Community Member, the City of Helena.  Click HERE for the full story.

Helena BID & HPC Board of Trustees