Flathead County Library continues negotiations on property for new Kalispell branch

Flathead County Library trustees fleshed out negotiations on May 28 to purchase property for the new Kalispell branch, with a lower down payment and inclusion of an unbuildable easement. 

The northwest corner of the Kalispell Center Mall property, adjacent to Fifth Avenue West and Parkline Trail, is eyed as the new location for the Kalispell library. Trustees have negotiated with SHOP Companies, the property owners, for more than a year on the property’s purchase.  

Last year, trustees made an offer of $2.5 million for up to 2 acres of property. The owners made a counteroffer and, in a draft buy/sell agreement released in May, the purchase price was $2.9 million with a $200,000 downpayment.  

Trustees updated their offer last week to $2.9 million for 2 buildable acres, plus the restricted easement, with an $80,000 downpayment. 

Approximately 20,500 square feet of the area is an unbuildable easement, and the exact size available for construction hasn’t been determined yet, trustees said. SHOP Companies is responsible for the land survey in an unsigned letter of intent, a nonbinding document used for negotiation between the two parties. 

Until trustees get a legal description of the parcel, price negotiations remain vague, said real estate agent Wendy Brown at the board meeting.  

“We can’t really define what it is we’re purchasing without that survey,” Brown said.  

Both the Parkline Trail, which runs along the north boundary of the property, and another triangular-shaped easement on the property, just south of the trail, are excluded from development, trustees and their realtor said at the meeting.  

“We need to take into account the entire acreage, the little easement strip and the little triangle,” said Vice Chair Carmen Cuthbertson. “We need a number for that, which will come from the survey, and then we’ll know how much we’re losing.” 

According to a proposed timeline, trustees hope to sign the letter of intent and a buy/sell purchase agreement by the end of June. Appraisal of the property is scheduled for September, and trustees intend to finalize the purchase by winter.  

Construction of a proposed 40,000-square-foot library is planned to begin in 2030 and be completed by 2033.  

Report for America Reporter Hannah Shields can be reached at 406-758-4439 or hshields@dailyinterlake.com. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.