Whitefish print shop may convert to health club

A plan to relocate a health club in Whitefish will be considered by the Whitefish Planning Board following a public hearing on Thursday.

Stephanie Elm is asking the city for a conditional-use permit to operate a health club within the commercial building currently occupied by The Towne Printer at 237 Baker Ave. 

No expansion to the 3,880-square-foot building is planned.

The health club is an established membership-based fitness club and personal training studio currently located at Mountain Mall.

Elm also is proposing to dedicate 600 square feet of the building to retail space.

Shawn Tucker, owner of The Towne Printer, said if the project moves forward he will relocate the printing business to a new location within Whitefish.

The Towne Printer has been a prominent Whitefish business for more than 50 years. When the business expanded its production processes to a larger facility in Kalispell, it freed up space at the Whitefish location that’s no longer needed, Tucker said.

Also on the board’s agenda is a public hearing for a proposed boutique hotel on the Block 46 site at the southeast corner of the intersection of Spokane Avenue and Second Street.

Sean Averill of the Whitefish Hotel Group is requesting a conditional-use permit to build an 89-room, three-story hotel. The project includes a parking lot with 67 spaces.

A conditional-use permit is required because the building footprint is greater than 7,500 square feet.

The board will hold a work session on the final draft of the U.S.. 93 West Corridor Land Use Plan.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at Whitefish City Hall.