Flathead County Library trustees inched closer to the construction of a new Kalispell branch on Thursday, signing a letter of intent for property near a downtown mall.  

Trustees had offered Parkline Properties, which owns the Kalispell Center Mall, $2.5 million for the less than two acres of land at 20 N. Main St. in February. Parkline Properties submitted a $3 million counteroffer in the intervening weeks.  

“I have been told this is absolutely their bottom line, so I don’t see value at this point on going back and forth on price,” Wendy Brown, real estate broker for the library system, told trustees during the March 27 meeting. 

While the letter of intent, brokered by PureWest Real Estate, does not specify an exact location on the mall site, Flathead County Library Director Teri Dugan said last month that the new building would go up in the northwest corner of the land. 

The updated letter of intent also removed restrictions on size and the type of building built, rather than the 40,000-square-foot, one-story building that the previous letter of intent described.  

“We are not going to be restricted as to what shape, size or how tall that building is going to be,” said Trustee Doug Adams. 

The board also set aside up to $5,000 for mock-up plans for the new library branch, necessary for fundraising, according to Sara Busse, executive director of the Flathead Library Foundation. 

“It was a good day, I hope everybody feels that way,” Busse said. “The ball’s rolling, folks.” 

Upon closing the deal, the library system must break ground on the property within 36 months and complete construction by 2033. Library officials are looking to close on the property around September.  

Officials estimated the cost of the construction project at about $30 million, though that could be on the low end. 

“With the flux of materials and the cost of the project, I've been floating even upwards of $30 million at this point just given the timeframe,” Busse said.  

Foundation members believe that the money can be raised, Busse said. A feasibility study for the purchase and creation of the new library will be completed in six to eight months, she said.  

The board also discussed the creation of a steering committee to assist in securing the property and funds as well as maintaining direction as the project unfolds but stopped short of approving its creation on Thursday. 

Trustees did approve edits to a capital campaign agreement between the library and the foundation for the first phase of the project, which covers the purchase of the land. Agreements include the presentation of an action plan and expense reports at each board meeting.  

The board also adopted Thursday a list of sidebar requests to take to the county for approval. Included is $27,000 in closing costs for the purchase of the property, which is roughly 1% of the property’s total cost, $20,000 for consulting fees and $2.5 million to purchase the property outright. 

The Kalispell branch of the library is currently located at 247 First Ave. E. and discussions about acquiring a new space have been ongoing for years. Trustees say that the First Avenue East location is difficult to monitor and needs regular repairs.  

The board suggested moving the library to the Gateway Community Center in 2022. They also considered the former Herberger’s in the Kalispell Center Mall and the National Flood Building at one point.  

The purchase of the land is dependent on the library and the foundation’s ability to secure funding upfront.  

“We wouldn't be signing an agreement if we didn't think we could do it,” Busse said. “But it’s gonna be hard, it’s gonna be a challenge.” 

Reporter Kate Heston may be reached at 758-4459 or [email protected].