Good morning, it’s JoVonne here with your dose of Helena This Week.
In this issue, we list a few opportunities for folks to learn about local county candidates and ballot initiatives, former mayor Wilmot Collins new biography is being released, and you’ve got a chance to play with some bunnies.
Our top story dives into the future of the historic Iron Front building on Last Chance Gulch, and if you have a cool million dollars lying around and need a place to live, maybe this is for you. Read more about that below.
But first, a look at the weather ☀️
This week, we are cooling down just a tad with a Monday high of 69 degrees, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Cody Moldan. Tuesday’s high will reach 70 with winds around 30 miles per hour picking up in the afternoon. Wednesday’s high will be 68 with mostly sunny skies. Overnight lows will remain in the mid-40s.
Glad You Asked 🙋
When a fire caused extensive damage to the historic Iron Front building in downtown Helena back in 2023, displacing its 30 residents, the future of the four-story building was in question.
And after receiving some questions from readers about a construction company’s sign that recently appeared in the window of the Iron Front, I asked around about what is to come of the property. Turns out, the building is being renovated into residential apartments and luxury condominiums.
Jackson Contractor Group and Dowling Architectsure, both with offices in Helena, are leading the design and construction of the renovations, which appear to have begun last week.
Logan Ferda, a superintendent with Jackson Contractor Group, told me last week that since the Iron Front is on the National Register of Historic Places, protecting the building’s historic integrity is a priority.
“We’re trying to keep it all looking the same,” Ferda said.
Early work will include plumbing, ADA improvements, new exterior paint and masonry projects.
The Iron Front, originally known as the Iron Front Hotel or the Windsor House, was built in 1888 by local architects Heinlein and Matthias. The front of the building, which faces Last Chance Gulch, had an iron facade intended to resemble structural trends seen in larger cities. The fourth floor’s ballroom was also known as “the best dance floor in the West,” according to the Montana Historical Society.
That ballroom space, along with the rest of the fourth floor, will be converted into luxury condos, Dowling Architects associate principal Lindsey Kamerzel told me.
Kamerzel explained that the ballroom’s renovations, including bringing the infrastructure up to code and ensuring electrical systems were no longer a fire hazard, played a part in the decision. Essentially, restoring the ballroom while maintaining a safe space capable of holding a large number of people was “not feasible.”
Instead, the top floor will include five condos, which are currently listed on Zillow for around $1.5 million.
“We’re trying to keep as much of the integrity as we can,” Kamerzel said, “[and] to continue to capture a moment in time, so people can still purchase a part of Helena history.”
The second and third floors will also be converted into residential apartments, with 10 units on each floor. Although those homes won’t be affordable housing or high-end condos, Kamerzel said that they will be “relatively affordable” for the downtown area and attainable for an average working-class consumer.
Eye on Helena 👀
Earlier this month, Helena Public Schools held the groundbreaking for the renovations and additions to Capital High School, part of the district’s endeavor to restore CHS and build a Helena High and a new Kessler Elementary.
Capital High’s construction will be the only one of the three projects to occur while school is in session.
“The huge undertaking of this complex project means a lot of patience and perseverance, not just from our architect/construction teams, but from our staff and students who are teaching and learning while construction is simultaneously going on,” the district’s Facebook post stated.
Kessler’s groundbreaking is scheduled for Oct. 7. All three school projects are expected to be completed and open for students in the fall of 2028.
Public Notice 🧐
City community listening session
ℹ️ The city is hosting another community listening session, and this month’s topic focuses on the city budget, titled “Where the Money Comes From & How It’s Spent.”
🗓️ Wednesday, Sept. 30
⏰ 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
📍 Headwaters Crafthouse, 2521 N. Last Chance Gulch
🔗 Additional information can be found here.
Ballot initiatives information session
ℹ️The League of Women Voters of the Helena Area will host “Your Vote, Your Constitution” informational discussion regarding ballot initiatives CI-132, CI-133 and I-194 that will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot. Lauren Caldwell, SK Rossi and Jeff Mangan will present on the initiatives, and the session will be moderated by retired Montana Supreme Court Justice Patricia Cotter.
🗓️ Wednesday, Sept. 30
⏰ 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
📍 Lewis & Clark Library
🔗Visit here for additional information on the initiatives
Candidate speed dating
ℹ️The Helena Chamber of Commerce and League of Women Voters of the Helena Area will host another round of “Speed Date Your Local Candidates.” The event will feature candidates for the Lewis and Clark County commission, sheriff, treasurer and clerk, county attorney, superintendent of schools and justice of the peace.
🗓️ Tuesday, Oct. 6
⏰ 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
📍 Great Northern Hotel
🔗 Those interested in going can RSVP here.
Family Promise hosts shelter ribbon-cutting
ℹ️ Local nonprofit Family Promise held a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week to celebrate the nearly finished 16-room family shelter. The shelter will house families and children in need and is set to open in January. In the meantime, it will house clients of the Friendship Center while the center undergoes renovation due to water damage sustained earlier this year.
🗓️ Set to open in January
📍 2814 N. Cooke St.
🔗 For the full report, read the IR’s story here.
Helena Happenings 🗓️
Lectures & learning: Former Helena Mayor Wilmot Collins and author Daniel Blake Smith will host the release of Collins’ biography, “RUN: The Wilmot Collins Story,” Tuesday, Oct. 6. The event will be at The Montana Book Company. The biography follows Collins’ story from his time as a refugee during the Liberian Civil War to becoming Montana’s first black mayor.
New in town: A new space, The Mill, is here in Helena, featuring retail and venue spots at 802 Front St. The Mill’s owner, Abigail Dolan, said the 10,500 square-foot building is meant to be a “third space” in town and offers a small business retail incubator program. Check out The Mill’s website for additional information.
Pet-friendly: The Perkins Call Canine Center at Carroll College is hosting an interactive pet adoption event, “Fun with the Buns,” Saturday, Oct. 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will offer waived adoption fees, fundraising, face painting, games and, of course, bunnies.
