BUTTE - The crumbling, vacant yellow building on East Park Street was set to be demolished until a wall shared between the building and the thrift store next to it stopped the plan in its tracks.
Now, the plan has expanded to include all three buildings on East Park Street.
"I know it’s hard for us to lose Uptown buildings and it’s not the government’s intent or Butte-Silver Bow’s intent to ever take down any historic buildings unless we absolutely have to," said J.P. Gallagher, Butte-Silver Bow Chief Executive.
The building the thrift store resides in was determined unsafe after a study was done to see if the building could still stand after the wall was torn down from the building next to it.
"The construction of that wall would not do anything to really support that building," said Gallagher.
The reconstruction of the wall would have cost $150,000 and the repairs needed for the thrift would have cost even more.
The county gave the rescue mission over $35,000 to buy the building and another $12,000 to relocate.
Brayton Erikson, the Butte Rescue Mission Executive Director, says that for now thrift store operations will be suspended until a new building can be found to house it.
"Wherever we move, location is gonna be key to making sure that the families and individuals that we serve are within an easy distance," said Erikson.
All items in the Butte Rescue Mission thrift store will be heavily discounted now through their final day on April 9. Plans are in the works to develop the demolished block into an outdoor corridor.
The demolition will be discussed at the next council of commissioners meeting on April 6.
