Connecting Major Entertainment Venue to Downtown

Redevelopment of a vacant industrial parcel kicks off revitalization of a district in
Billings, MT

Project Summary

The east side of Billings, Montana has long been the
industrial hub for the city and today, the area is being
revitalized into a mixed-use neighborhood that blends the
industrial past with new residential and commercial uses.
The target brownfield site is located between the
MetraPark entertainment venue on the east and the East
Billings Urban Renewal District (EBURD) to the west. This
location makes the site an interesting nexus for future
development that could spur additional redevelopment in
the post-industrial EBURD area and serve as a supporting
amenity for visitors to MetraPark.

The Community's Challenge

The EBURD sits adjacent to downtown Billings and while
momentum for development has been growing in West
Billings, little has occurred in the EBURD given its heavy
industrial past. The EBURD is between downtown and the
MetraPark entertainment venue, one of Billings greatest
assets, and has been seen as a barrier to connecting
these two areas and generating economic activity. At the
same time, the city is facing increasing housing pressure
as the population grows in the Mountain West. The
EBURD has been envisioned as a vibrant mixed use
neighborhood that once revitalized, could bring additional
jobs, economic growth, and needed housing. The EBURD
has potential to reintegrate this large industrial area into
the neighborhood fabric of Billings. The 700 4th Avenue
site is about 2.8 acres of vacant commercial property and
had previously been used for automobile storage.

EPA's Land Revitalization Technical Assistance
In 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Land
Revitalization Program provided contractor technical
assistance to complete a site design for the 700 4th
Avenue property. While the design focuses on the single
parcel, the final plan includes consideration of how this
parcel can influence and shape the redevelopment of the
entire East Billings District and strengthen the connection
between MetraPark and the District. The team held three
workshops with city planners and key community
stakeholders to inform the design process. The site plan
for the East Billings site includes a mix of commercial uses
on the ground floor, approximately 315 hotel rooms, a sky
bridge connecting pedestrians to MetraPark, and an
underground garage to accommodate additional parking in
the district. The plan for the district elevates the pedestrian
experience with restaurants and shops along an activated
3rd Avenue and expands access to green open space.

Rendering of hotel and future mixed use East Side Billings District.

For more information, contact Greg Davis, EPA Region 8
Brown fields Program, at davis.areaorv@epa.gov or
Stacey Eriksen at eriksen.stacev@epa.gov.

Community: Billings, Montana
Technical Assistance: Site Design
Former Use: Industrial and Gas Station
Future Use: Mixed Use and Hotel

United States
Environmental Protection
M % Agency

Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization
560-F-22-037

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