Historic Borden's Building, Whitehall

The Borden’s building has been the center of Whitehall’s busy downtown since it was built in 1914.  The 10,000 square foot, two story brick building housed a café, bar and hotel and is located on the corner of Legion and Main Streets a block from the post office in the center of town.  Nearly every lifelong resident of Whitehall has a special memory of Borden’s.  It is a landmark and iconic symbol of Whitehall.

JLDC was able to purchase the building in 2009 in an effort to revitalize the downtown after the fire displaced some of the downtown businesses.  The building will soon be home to a new coffee shop and bakery in the old café portion of the building.  JLDC’s goal is to renovate the building so that it can once again be a source of pride for the town. 

Historic Preservation Planning Grant to Give New Life To Borden’s

Thanks to a grant from the Montana Historic Preservation Office, JLDC was able to hire High Plains Architects to do a feasibility study on the building.  High Plains’ specialty is historic renovation that includes energy efficient designs that will reduce the operating cost of old buildings.  With a reduced operating cost, JLDC hopes that the building will be sustainable into the future.

Included in the study are drawings for both floors and a cost estimate for renovation.  JLDC will be seeking funding for the renovation after the feasibility study is complete with the ultimate goal of selling the building so that it can again be in private hands and a positive source of revenue for the town of Whitehall.

Stay tuned for new developments with this exciting project.