Libby Lofts to hold grand opening event at old high school

Libby Lofts developers recently issued a press release about work going on at the grounds of the Historic Libby High School. 

"Libby Lofts extends heartfelt thanks to the Rotary Club of Kootenai Valley for their generous donation of a concrete picnic table to the park located on the grounds of the Historic Libby High School," said Tracy McNew. "This thoughtful contribution enhances the community space as the historic building undergoes restoration. Libby Lofts also thanks Noble Excavating for their excellent work in placing the picnic table, ensuring it is perfectly situated for Libby residents and visitors to enjoy."

In addition to the new picnic table, the park will soon feature a new outdoor water fountain equipped with a dog bowl and water bottle refill station, funded by a generous LOR grant. Installation is expected within the next few weeks. 

"These improvements reflect our ongoing commitment to creating a welcoming environment for everyone," McNew said.

McNew also announced that Libby Lofts will host a grand opening event at the park in August, coinciding with the annual Ignite the Nights Car Show. 

McNew said the celebration will mark a significant milestone in the group's restoration efforts and the revitalization of the historic Libby High School.

"We look forward to celebrating these developments with the community and express our sincere gratitude to the Rotary Club of Kootenai Valley, Noble Excavating, and the LOR grant program for their unwavering support," McNew said.

McNew has previously said that the group is seeking funding to do the repair work on the roof and walls where heavy snow collapsed part of the building, uninsured at the time, in 2017. 

The collapsed section of the roof and bowed-out wall on the Memorial Center side of the building are also scheduled for repair this year, ensuring that the building is structurally sound and visually appealing, according to the press release.

The building, which received its historic designation in 2008 when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, could benefit if Libby Lofts gets a National Historic Preservation Grant from the state of Montana.

The developers are seeking $500,000 to restore the exterior of the old building as well as replace and refurbish windows and fix the roof. If the grant is secured, the developers must supply a 20% match.

The money for the state preservation program comes from the state lodging tax. The state legislature approved the Montana Museums Act of 2020, which increased the bed tax from 3% to 4%.

McNew said a lot hinges on getting the state grant.

“The plan remains to build 26 apartments, with three as teacher-subsidized housing that would have a lower rent amount, but getting the grant is very important,” she said.

But the developers are in a waiting game on the grant. A decision won’t be made until state legislators reconvene next year. If they do get the grant, they’d receive the money in the fall of 2025.

The project, which is expected to take three to five years to complete, will include a community meeting room, historical displays indoors, a community park area and outdoor signage highlighting the building's rich history.

The large brick building on East Lincoln Boulevard next to the Memorial Center, built in 1917, served as the high school, then elementary school and finally the home of the Lincoln County Campus of Flathead Valley Community College before it moved out in 2000.

It has sat vacant since then. Prior to the collapse, the Libby School District sold the building to Eric Berry and Scott Curry of Libby Lofts in April 2008. Libby Lofts had one year to pay the district the remainder of the purchase price. The property was to be held in escrow in the meantime. The goal of the developers was to turn the building into condominiums and office space.

A month later, tragedy struck when Berry died following a motorcycle accident near Marion.