Many downtown buildings bought by single person

Several key buildings on Nucleus Avenue have a new owner. Developer Mick Ruis recently bought the former First Citizens Bank, the Davall building, the Park Merc building and two vacant lots behind the Merc. Ruis was apparently on a three-week vacation and could not be immediately reached for comment. The buildings have all been vacant, or used for storage, for years. City manager Susan Nicosia said Monday night that Ruis plans on meeting with city staff once he returns from vacation on his plans for the properties, which will reportedly be a blend of housing and retail. Ruis is in the large-scale scaffolding business. He has lived in Columbia Falls in the past and owned commercial property here, but moved away and has since returned.

Karen Davall Huston sold the Davall building. She said it went through many transformations over the last 60 years. Her grandfather H. H. Moe Davall opened it as Davall Mercantile in the 1940s. The building closed for the last time in 2006 when her father, Don Davall, died.

RE/MAX Mountain View Realtor Bill Dakin coordinated the sale of the former bank.

"Mr. Ruis has deep connections with this community. He has been a pleasure to work for in his acquisition efforts. These uptown core properties have been sitting there a while waiting for someone with a vision for new uses and purposes. The city has made it reasonably attractive to do so ... it was just a matter of time, and finding that person with the confidence, means and vision to accomplish what is so logical to do. He has all those things. This is a change we have all been hoping for," Dakin said.

The other sales were done independently through various outlets.