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Kalispell council opens path to transfer Central School property to museum, with conditions
Summary
City staff and museum board members discussed a proposed transfer of the Central School property to the Northwest Montana History Museum; council expressed general support but asked staff to draft restrictions addressing parking, public open space, reversionary language and loan limits.
Kalispell city staff and members of the Northwest Montana History Museum board discussed a proposed property transfer of the historic Central School building, with councilors indicating general support while asking staff to return with draft language addressing parking, public access and loan limits.
City staff presented background on the museum’s request, saying the museum currently leases the building and is responsible for maintenance under that lease. “State law does allow the city to transfer the property to a nonprofit if it’s a historical building, which this is the case,” City staff member Nygren said during the discussion.
The museum’s board—represented at the meeting by board members including a speaker identified as King—said the board is seeking ownership to pursue deferred maintenance, grant funding and foundation support. King told the council the building’s north handicap entrance and adjacent parking are critical for ADA access and said preserving that access would be a priority if ownership transfers.
Council members asked staff to draft a transfer that would: split off the north parking lot so the city can retain permit spaces used by downtown businesses; preserve the east-side on-street parking within the public right-of-way; record restrictions keeping the open green space on the south side available for public events; and include a reversionary clause that would return the property to the city if the building ceases museum use. Nygren said the museum board had indicated it would accept restrictions that keep the open space public.
Council also directed staff to consider limits on any loan the museum might secure against the property—such as a loan-to-value cap—and to draft language addressing guarantees and how a future loan would be treated if the board dissolved. Nygren provided a current insurance valuation figure: “it’s valued about 5,700,000,” which councilors used as a reference point while discussing a conservative loan-to-value cap.
No formal vote was recorded. Council gave consensus direction for staff to work with the museum board on deed restrictions, parking configuration, ADA accommodation and potential loan safeguards and to return to the council with proposed language and options within the coming weeks.
City staff said the transfer would be limited to museum use and that any disposition outside that use could trigger reversion to the city. Staff also noted that the building is listed on a historical register (not specified in the record) and that past grant conditions—if any—could impose additional restrictions on future uses.
The council’s next formal agenda will include the proposed transfer language after staff and the museum board finalize draft documents and options for council consideration.
