HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-16-19 Public Comment - D. Smith - Medical Arts Building Zone Map Amendment S(att �vislM1-
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STATEMENT OF DEBBIE SMITH
STATE OF MONTANA )
ss.
COUNTY OF GALLATIN )
Debra ("Debbie") Smith hereby provides the following statement related to
the Medical Arts Building in Bozeman, Montana:
1. I am over the age of 18 years and this statement is based on my
personal knowledge based upon an involvement with the Medical Arts Building
located in Bozeman, Montana spanning more than 30 years.
2. I have worked in the Medical Arts Building since 1976. I started
working for an accounting firm that was renting space in the building in 1976. In
approximately 19911 took the job as the property manager for the Medical Arts
Building. I remained the property manager for approximately twenty-eight years.
3. My last day as the property manager was August 7, 2019. On or
about August 7, 2019, the property was sold to an entity that is owned or managed
by Andrew Holloran.
4. I chose to stop working as the property manager for the Medical Arts
Building once I learned that Mr. Holloran was going to be involved in owning or
managing the building.
5. In the 1970's I was working in the Medical Arts Building and the
owners at the time wanted to put up what is now the "high rise" portion of the
building. Because they did not have dedicated parking, the request to build the
high rise was initially denied. Eventually, the owners of the Medical Arts Building
purchased the block, West of the Medical Arts Building, that is bordered by Grand
Villard, Beall and Willson.
6. Once that land was purchased, some of the homes were moved so that
there would be vacant area that could be dedicated for parking to be used for the
high-rise building. Once there was adequate parking for the high-rise, the building
was approved by the City of Bozeman.
7. During my 28 years as the property manager, I knew that the parking
West of the Medical Arts Building was critical to the tenants and customers of the
tenants that use the building. This was not just for convenience of the tenants and
employees, but the proximity to the building was important for handicapped and
disabled customers as well as those that are post-surgery,
8. In the last several years the parking in and around downtown became
an even bigger problem than in the previous 25 years I was there. It was not
uncommon to hear complaints from both tenants and customers about the parking
shortage in and around the Medical Arts Building.
9. The second time I met with Andrew Holloran it was in April of 2019 in
the Homebase office on Tracy in Bozeman. During that meeting, Mr. Holloran
asked me who I thought he would have "problems" with—meaning who was he
going to have the hardest time getting rid of as tenants in the Medical Arts
Building. I was taken aback by the question because I have known many of the
tenants for a very long time. I decided to answer the question by telling him who
had the longest leases and I also mentioned that the Veteran Affairs leased space in
the building and that it was a unique tenant in its own right.
10. Mr. Holloran then told me that his plan was to put up a building where
the West parking lot is currently located. I questioned where tenants and
customers would be expected to park, to which he replied the city parking garage. I
informed him that I did not think this would be a workable alternative. In
response, Mr. Holloran slammed his fist on the desk and said, "I don't give a f'**
about the tenants," and told me he would make those tenants' lives (i.e. those that
were staying) "a living hell".
DATED this._'''day of September, 2019.
DEBRA ("DEBBIE") SMITH
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