BUTTE — The Carpenters' Union Hall is over 100 years old and has two beautiful ballrooms available to the public, and now they’re starting work on a new elevator. This is a project that has been a long time in the works to make this historic building more accessible to the public.
“It’s hard for me to get up the stairs at 57 years old, I can’t wait for that elevator,” said Kim Leathers, who runs Fire Horse Woman Meditation out of the building.
For the past few years, the union hall’s board of directors has been trying to get an elevator built onto the three-story building to help an aging population get access to the upper floors. Through fundraising and donations, more than $400,000 was raised for the project. The elevator could be installed by this summer.
“A lot of people will be able to see the second and third floor that may not been able to get to them before, so it’ll be great,” said Jay Fortune of Jay Fortune Construction.
Jay Fortune Construction is doing in-kind services to install the elevator shaft.
“I’ve been a union carpenter for 40 years, so my passion is here to help these guys out and I just love helping the Butte community out,” said Fortune.
Volunteers have spent the past year restoring and cleaning the building, which was built in 1906, to make it usable once again.
“I can’t wait for the elevator. I think it’s great; it’s going to help me a lot with what I’m trying to do and anybody else in here,” said Leathers. “I’m here to bring life to this building and thank God for the elevator.”
