Council OKs purchase of Wells Fargo facility

Kalispell's newest office spaces will come with a $1.1million price tag.

The Kalispell City Council voted Monday night to purchase the Wells Fargo Bank building for the offices of a number of current staff members and to give the city room to expand in the future.

"I don't see a down side to it really," councilman Duane Larson said.

The negotiated price is less than the $1.4 million appraisal price, and that's a better deal than many options the city has considered in the past, such as buying or constructing other buildings, he said.

Kalispell would spend an additional $800,000 to remodel the building at 201 First Ave. E. and to relocate the staff.

Wells Fargo President Steve Clawson did not give details of the bank's relocation plans, but City Manager Jim Patrick has said the bank will move to near Lowe's on the Section 36 property owned by the state.

The city plans to use its new building for the Planning, Zoning, Building, Community Development, Public Works, and Finance departments and other administrative offices.

The police and fire departments, as well as the courts, likely would stay in City Hall. Parks and Recreation would move into the current Public Works location next to City Hall.

The bank is 20,000 square feet, which will meet the city's needs for at least the next decade, Patrick told the council. The building comes with 30 parking spaces.

Kalispell will finance the purchase and remodeling through a loan from the Montana Board of Investments as well as cash on hand.

The latest closing date for the sale is listed in city reports as Sept. 18.

The council voted 6-2 in favor of the purchase. Councilman Bob Hafferman voted against it, saying he prefers not to take private property off the tax rolls.

Councilman Hank Olson said he wanted to see a layout of the project and where the offices will go before he approved a purchase. Such a layout requires hiring an architect to do a drawing, which would be premature at this point, Patrick said.

Reporter Camden Easterling may be reached at 758-4429 or by e-mail at ceasterling@dailyinterlake.com.