Columbia Falls sees another surge in growth

Columbia Falls had another surge in growth and improvements to the Nucleus District over the past year, with more development on the horizon.

The former Bandit Bar-Sportsman’s Club was purchased by Whitefish restaurateur Pat Carloss and completely remodeled, with two bars, a bar food menu and an outdoor music venue. It opened in early June as the Gunsight Bar and Grill and has been doing well ever since.

Carloss is no stranger to the Flathead Valley restaurant business. He already owns the Tupelo Grille, one of the best fine dining restaurants in Whitefish and more recently started The Abruzzo Italian Kitchen, which is in the former Truby’s location in Whitefish.

Carloss bought the old bar from Mick Ruis.

Next door, Compass Construction owner Bill Goldberg is building more condos with retail space below.

Called “Columbia Crest” the project should be completed by late this summer.

All told, Golberg’s company has built more than $10 million in new real estate holdings on Nucleus alone, including condos and retail next to the Columbia Bar and condos in the former Davall Building location.

“Glacier Courtyard” which is 18 condos on Fifth Street, just off Nucleus, should be finished soon. Compass is building that project for Ruis.

The area has also seen several new businesses. Columbia Falls native Michael Hader opened Glacier Nutrition and Tanning next to the Columbia Bar earlier this year. Further down Nucleus, Peddler’s Post boasts an eclectic mix of fine Amish furniture, guns, ammo, and reloading supplies, by owner Kim Best.

The popular bakery Uptown Hearth has expanded its hours, with delicious baked goods, pastries, great coffee and a breakfast menu.

Across from city hall is the Odd Fellows Coffee House, is a laid-back joint popular with folks looking to lounge around, drink coffee, chat and surf the web.

More apartments are in the works for Columbia Falls, too. Greenway Capital out of Missouri is looking to build more than 200 apartments at the end of Bill’s Lane in the Mosquito Flats neighborhood. That project is still undergoing the necessary city approval process.

On the industrial front, the former Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. plant is all but torn down, though the company did keep some warehouses its hoping to sell or rent to other businesses. The Superfund cleanup is still in the investigation stages for the rest of the site.

The former Plum Creek sawmill and planer complex was sold to Columbia Rising, a company that include partners Ruis and Stargazer Land and Cattle Co. Stargazer is owned by Sherry Lesar. Her husband, Dave, is president and chief executive officer of Halliburton Energy Services.

SmartLam, which produces cross-laminated timbers, has leased the former planer building. The old sawmill is being torn down.

The former Plum Creek plywood plant, which is now owned by Weyerhaeuser, has also been torn down over the past year or so.

The former Cedar Palace was almost sold to Flathead County for a new jail complex, but that plan went over like a lead balloon and the county abandoned the plan. The property remains for sale.