Downtown historic bar to be razed

One of the oldest commercial buildings

in Whitefish is coming down.

The infamous Casey’s Bar at the corner

of Central Avenue and First Street will be razed in August in

preparation for a complete rebuild. Owner Eric Payne says work on

the new 15,000-square-foot building will be finished by Memorial

Day 2012.

The original two-story structure went

up in 1903 as the Sprague Saloon and has operated primarily as a

bar ever since. Bill Murr bought the saloon in 1940 and renamed it

Club Bar. Pat Casey took over ownership in 1967 and renamed it

Casey’s. Richard Kramer bought the landmark in 2003 and sold the

property to Payne last January.

Payne, who owns Frontier Builders, said

he didn’t have plans to tear down Casey’s when he first purchased

the bar. He planned only to do some minor remodels, but kept

running into issues along the way.

“Structurally, the integrity of the

building is shot,” Payne said.

The building partially sits on

old-growth timbers and leans about 18 inches to the south. Since it

is not on the historical registry, it can be torn down.

“We have taken the process very

seriously,” Payne said. “We respect the history of the building,

but time has run its course.”

The new building, designed by Montana

Creative in Whitefish, will be three floors at the maximum 35-foot

height. The Architectural Review Committee approved the design at

the June 7 meeting.

The first floor will feature a bar,

dueling pianos, billiard tables, a casino and live poker tables.

The entrance will be off of First Street and a lounge area will

face Central Avenue through large window-pane doors

The second floor will have a dance

area, stage and another bar. Payne plans to make live music a major

emphasis of the business.

The top floor is planned to be a heated

roof-top bar that will be open all year. The area is a spacious

design that will allow for a multitude of sitting arrangements.

Payne expects to feature live music on the roof-top as well.

“Roof-top bars are very popular and a

lot of fun,” Payne said. “Whitefish is in need of one. I’ve gotten

some real positive feedback about the idea.”

The exterior of the building will

feature some reclaimed materials, possibly including wood siding

and bricks. The neon sign currently on the building will be saved,

but Payne isn’t sure where it will go as of now.

“We don’t want a structure that looks

brand new,” Payne said.

The sign is probably the only part of

the current building that will be kept.

With the new building, Casey’s

clientele will like change and expand, Payne noted.

“We don’t want to alienate the

clientele that supports us now,” he said. “The goal is to have

something for everyone. We’re doing what Casey’s has always done —

with something for everyone — but on a much larger scale.”

While this is the first bar Payne has

owned, he says he’s in it for the long term.

“I wouldn’t have considered buying it

without a long term goal,” he said. “It’s a prime piece of real

estate in Whitefish.”

He plans to remain the sole owner and

hopes the final product is considered a “cornerstone” of

downtown.

“I want it to be something that is

appreciated.”