Chamber looks for more space

The Kalispell Area Chamber of Commerce plans to build an addition to its present office in Depot Park.

Chamber officials briefed the Kalispell City Council Monday on the proposal, which is still being mapped out.

The Chamber leases its 4,500-square-foot, two-story building from the city. The current building has become crowded, and the Chamber wants to expand it to include a bigger visitor center and a significantly bigger multipurpose conference room.

"We're just outgrowing it," said Carol Nelson, the Chamber board's vice chairwoman.

The Chamber hopes to complete the expansion within two years with no cost to the city, Nelson said.

The Chamber is still calculating costs. However, expanding the building to the west will likely add 50 percent to 100 percent in its square footage and cost several hundred thousand dollars, Chamber President Joe Unterreiner said.

The Chamber would pay for an expansion with a building fund that it has been accumulating for years, he said.

A major feature of the proposed expansion would be increasing the conference room from 600 square feet to 2,000 square feet, enabling it to handle up to 100 people, or to be temporarily divided into smaller rooms if needed.

The expansion proposal will return to the City Council after more details have been ironed out.

Reporter John Stang may be reached at 758-4429 or by e-mail at jstang@dailyinterlake.com.