Friday, January 21, 2011

Skyscraper to be adapted

This may be the most beautiful building in Butte.  The Montana Standard reports:


Fresh off the renovation of the Sears Building, Nick Kujawa is tackling a taller, albeit much skinnier, project.  Kujawa purchased Hirbour Tower, located on the northeast corner of Broadway and Main, earlier this month with plans to turn it into seven upscale condominiums. The building, erected in 1901, is known as "Butte's first skyscraper" because of its internal construction of vertical steel girders. He had been talking with the Hirbour's previous owner, Jeff Francis, for more than three years about acquiring the 110-year-old building. Earlier this month they finally completed the transaction, and Kujawa said he hopes to get started with construction this summer and be finished by spring 2012. He said the cost of the renovation would be "in the millions." Plans call for one condominium on each floor of the building, approximately 1,500-square-feet with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Kujawa said prices will start "in the low 200s."

This news comes just as Butte becomes the home of the Montana Folk Festival after hosting the national event for the past three years.

It's about time.  I wept upon first seeing this building.

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