BUTTE — In the midst of a cityscape that is home to buildings that date back to the late 1800s, a brand-new building in Butte showcases the work of local builders and artists alike.
"I really think it shows a company’s commitment to a community when they support their local artists," says Christine Martin, the owner of Lost Ornithology, an art business based in Butte.
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Martin is a painter and printmaker and she is several weeks into a mural project that will be featured on the exterior of the brand-new Clearwater Credit Union building located on the corner of Granite and Main streets in the heart of Uptown Butte.
"Having public art really just celebrates Uptown and it’s just something beautiful that we all get to look at," says Martin. She glides her paintbrush dipped in blue over a warm orange base coat.
Martin's mural features a sweeping vista of the land around the Big M, an area that once contained a massive dumping site but hosts hiking and biking trails. Martin's includes 36 native birds like cedar wax wings, Rufous hummingbirds, and even the smallest owl in North America.
Martin says the mural celebrates the return of birds to the Mining City after decades of cleanup have brought green spaces and returned habitat to birds. The work will be featured on the exterior of Clearwater Credit Union. Inside the new building, customers are greeted with floor-to-ceiling light wooden paneling that evokes a cozy vibe.
"It feels good kinda, just walking in, you kinda just feel like really comforted," says Paige Carlson, a credit union employee.
Construction of the new credit union took nearly four years to complete and includes green features like solar panels, off-street parking, two drive-thru lanes, and ATM and Video Teller capabilities.
A press release from the company says the new building "reflects Clearwater’s dedication to minimizing environmental impact through the strategic use of solar panels and sustainable building practices to accomplish the long-term goal of a net-zero energy branch."
Not only is the building an asset to Butte but the use of local contractors and artists helps the company invest in the community. Throughout the building process, Clearwater met with local officials and community groups to ensure the new branch aligned with the Uptown Butte Master Plan, complemented Uptown’s unique character, and increased the economic value of our community.
"At the old building we were just leasing it and we really just wanted to invest in Butte. So, to be able to have, like, permanently, like, have a spot here where we can help the community grow and service our members better is just fantastic," says Carlson.
The public will be able to see the mural and the interior of the new building during the grand opening at the end of March.
