BOZEMAN — Development in Bozeman seems to be everywhere these days — and now, another major project is in the works.
The Northern, a proposed seven-story mid-rise multifamily apartment complex, is slated to take the place of Eckroth Music.
“I do kind of feel like the last little shop. I’m like the house in ‘Up,’ you know? All of these high-rise buildings are going on, and I’m just kind of watching,” said Medellee Antonioli, owner of Isle of Books.
WATCH: Bozeman's multifamily vacancy rate jumped from 12.6% to 18.7% in just one year — yet new high-rise development continues
Antonioli has owned this large, independent new and used bookstore for years. Located off Mendenhall Street, the store holds about 100,000 used books inside a small building — now surrounded by construction.
“Right across the street from us, we have the hotel going up. Then we have the luxury apartment buildings kitty-corner to us, and then, of course, now down the street. So it has been constant construction,” Antonioli said.
Soon, Eckroth Music will be demolished to make way for the new complex, which will include 81 residential apartment units.
“I have a lot of mixed emotions about it. Obviously, we need housing. But I think we need to be very careful and conscientious. At this point, it seems like we’re more interested in speed than sustainability,” Antonioli said.
While apartment complexes continue to pop up across Bozeman, the question remains: Are people filling them?
“Really, over the last three years, technically we’ve been in a housing recession,” said Matt Ryan, a Bozeman real estate agent.
City data shows that in 2024, the overall multifamily vacancy rate in Bozeman was 12.6%. By the end of 2025, that number rose to 18.7%.
“That would not surprise me at all. A lot of that is really the apartment style,” Ryan said.
So why build more, such as The Northern, when vacancy rates are high?
“I think with Eckroth, or any other new development, we need inventory. The rental side is saturated right now, but if you look over the next three to five years, Bozeman will continue to be popular. People will continue to move here, and it will be needed,” Ryan said.
Bozeman’s population is now more than 61,000, growing about 3.7% each year. While people are arriving, many aren’t moving into these new apartment complexes — yet.
So how can developers afford to build if units sit vacant?
“I think there is some influx of out-of-state big money. They can technically sit vacant and be fine with it because they can, for tax purposes, depreciate that against other assets they have throughout the rest of the country,” Ryan said.
For Antonioli, that reality has been costly.
“This business has had to move three times already because somebody from out of state has purchased property and increased the rent by two or three times,” she said.
She hopes city leaders will take steps to protect small businesses.
“I definitely feel like the city could do some things to support small businesses. We could have better options for lease protections,” Antonioli said.
Still, she isn’t planning to leave.
“I really believe strongly that no matter what happens with Eckroth or whatever, we’re going to be here. I’m going to fight tooth and nail so that we are, and so there are inexpensive options for books in this community,” she said.
There is no confirmed timeline for the demolition of Eckroth Music at this time.
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