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.”