VA Redevelopment Project

Miles City Community Task Force

VA Redevelopment Project

Mission Overview Progress Report Meetings Project Coordinator

Mission

The Miles City Community Task Force formed as a result of citizens' concerns about the status of the VA Medical Center, which was no longer being fully utilized. The efforts quickly focused on identifying long-term tenants for the VA facility. The VA Redevelopment Project's ultimate goal is to transform the VA property into a community asset which meets the needs of the general public and area veterans alike, while at the same time saving and creating jobs. With plenty of space and state-of-the-art wiring, the facility has much to offer. The massive redevelopment project has been a cooperative effort among community members, Custer County Commissioners, Montana's congressional delegation, area businesses, and many others.

The project has attracted national interest and has become an umbrella for activities related to economic development, technology, education, and the sustenance of the way of life for small communities in eastern Montana.

Read the progress report below for more details on the task force's accomplishments.

Overview of the Project

The Miles City VA Medical Center opened in 1951 with 100 hospital beds. In 1972, nursing home beds were added. As health care shifted from inpatient to outpatient care, major changes began to take place. Inpatient surgery was discontinued in 1994 and inpatient care ceased in 1997, the same year that the new 30-bed nursing home opened.

At the present time, the VA Outpatient Clinic, the Nursing Home Care Unit, and support functions use between 32,000 and 40,000 square feet of the 110,100 square feet of space in the main building. Other tenants include the renters of the residential units, the Miles City Police Department, a catering service, Montana Food Bank Network, Custer County Food Bank, Action for Eastern Montana, Montana Child Care Licensing, Montana Legal Services, and a local church that uses the chapel on Sundays.

The Miles City Community Task Force rallied together in the summer of 1999 to begin looking for alternate uses of the building. Through the cooperation of Senator Max Baucus, Senator Conrad Burns, then Representative Rick Hill, and VA officials, a bill was passed that allowed conveyance of the property to Custer County, whose acceptance is contingent upon a solid business plan. As a result of this legislation being passed, a VA-HUD appropriation for $100,000 was approved to fund feasibility studies regarding future use of the building. No action has been taken yet on the conveyance.

The effort has been supported by many segments of the community including business, education, government agencies, and economic development entities. Grants have been funded by Montana Community Foundation, MDU, Montana State University-Billings, First Interstate BancSystem Foundation, and the Nibs & Edna Allen Foundation. A number of businesses and individuals have also made matching cash donations and in-kind contributions. Mid-Rivers donated services and supplies to complete a project that delivered fiber optic, copper, and coax cable to the VA. The building is already wired with Category 5 ethernet wiring capable of carrying 100 megabits of data.

The task force has been working since 1998 and is using the results of various assessments to focus their efforts. In addition to trying to find tenants for the VA complex, the task force and Miles Community College formed the Center for Technology and Learning (CTAL). Numerous technology classes have been successfully offered in Custer County and adjacent counties.

Progress Report

	Phase I of the feasibility study, which looked at possible uses for the facility, has been completed and reviewed by the executive committee of the Task Force.
	Phase II, a study of the heating and cooling plant, has also been completed and reviewed.
	Phase III, a classification of rental space in the VA complex and comparison of rental rates for comparable space, has been completed and reviewed.
	Phase IV, the development of a business plan and financial analysis, will be underway after a thorough marketability analysis is completed and reviewed.
	Phase V, a market analysis, is underway.
	The environmental assessment conducted by the VA showed the building to be in sound condition with some improvements needed.

Meeting Time

The task force meets quarterly from 12 PM - 2 PM. Interested individuals are invited to attend. Contact Cathy Bryon for meeting dates or check on the What's New page.

Project Coordinator

Catherine Byron
MCC - 2715 Dickinson
Miles City, MT 59301
Voice: 406.234.3532
Fax: 406.234.3598

This is an equal opportunity program. Discrimination is prohibited by Federal law. Complaints of discrimination may be filed with the USDA Director, Office of Civil Rights, Washington, DC 20250.

Miles City Community Task Force