Without fail, as soon as a fence goes up or dirt moves, people start asking a lot, and we mean a lot, what is being built.

It’s often a project we’ve reported for awhile, but it gets forgotten until there’s activity on a site.

So, here’s a quick round up of the questions we’ve been getting multiple times a day lately.

…at the former Loading Zone?

It’s Discount Tire.

Business Bites: Take 5 oil change construction; Loading Zone demolition; Pizza Ranch update; Strunk selected for business program; new Honey Hippo location; Press Club move; art classes at The Square; leprechaun trap at GF Rec Center; Community Band concerts; Fire Within

The old Buffalo Saloon/Loading Zone building was demolished in March and had been vacant since those businesses closed in September 2022.

GFFR conducting training at former Loading Zone [2024]

City Commissioners approved an alley vacation for the Discount Tire project in December 2022.

City approves alley vacation for new tire shop [2022]

…in front of the mall?

Texas Roadhouse is being built at 1220 10th Ave. S., where Fiesta En Jalisco and Mi Rancho were previously located.

The lawsuit related to the project between Holiday Village Mall and Ross Dress for Less has been settled and the suit was dismissed this month.

The attorney for Ross told The Electric on July 31 that the settlement terms are confidential.

GFFR conducting training with soon to be demolished structures; working to get new training center

Texas Roadhouse files plans for new restaurant in Great Falls

…at the old JBs?

Panera Bread.

The city issued the demolition permit at the end of June and demo was completed at 1322 10th Ave. S.

Business Bites: Elevation closing; Panera files for building permit; Safety Town registration open; Clearwater planning downtown construction to start this summer

The property was purchased by Pan Montana, the Panera franchise in Montana that owns the other locations in Billings, Missoula, Kalispell and Helena.

11th Alley South between 13th and 14th Streets South will be closed Aug. 4 through Oct. 1 for Panera construction, according to the city.

Business Bites: Chik-fil-A files traffic study, Winco, Panera, Ocean Star Seafood, local wins Emmy Award, United Way surpasses fundraising goal, Christian bookstore opens in the mall

…at the old downtown Hardees?

Clearwater Credit Union.

Clearwater Credit Union is demolishing the old Hardee’s at 101 1st Ave. N. to build a new bank.

The company has requested $50,000 in downtown tax increment financing funds toward the demolition.

Construction is planned to begin this summer and take about 15 months for the estimated $3.8 million project, according to their TIF application to the city.

Business Bites: 100-acre mixed use project proposed; Buffalo Blanc opens second location; UP athletic director resigns; Clearwater, Baatz projects progressing; Benefis building senior health center

The Downtown Development Partnership is reviewing the application during their May 28 meeting and the request will go before the City Commission for final approval.

Clearwater is planning a building that will “hold the corner” of 1st Avenue North and Park Drive since “the city has expressed a desire for Clearwater’s building to hold the corner, because it matches the urban design model of the downtown area and Clearwater wishes to have their project be a benefit to the urban fabric of downtown Great Falls,” according to their TIF application.

Business Bites: downtown Hardee’s sold; Mrs. Wright’s Pastys closing; Honey Hippo has new owners; Hi-Line Climbing offering free climbing; Miss Linda’s, Montana Youth Symphony have upcoming events; Cascade 66 Race; Special Olympics Montana numbers; Korean War online exhibit; Safety Town; and more [2024]

The planned building is wrapped on both street sides with a low planter bed fully within Clearwater’s property, but on the Park Drive side, the planter encroaches on the Montana Department of Transportation right of way. MDT is requiring Clearwater to widen the sidewalk along Park Drive from five feet to eight feet, according to the TIF application. Clearwater has opted to widen it to 10 feet.

A significant portion of the alley will also be repaved as part of the project.

Clearwater also plans to apply for additional TIF funds toward the Park Drive sidewalk expansion, alley reconstruction, pedestrian downtown street lights and the planter bed in the right of way on Park Drive, according to the application.

…at the corner of 9th Street South and 7th?

Homegrown Dental is building a new clinic at 911 7th Ave. S.

Business Bites: Old Chicago opening; McDonald’s, Homegrown Dental building new location; wellness event; belly dancing class; disc golf tournament; Sunday Sampler; Fastsigns moves

…at Montana Lil’s?

Town Pump is building a new Great Northern Lounge at 3800 10th Ave. S. to replace their existing Montana Lil’s casino on the property.

The city issued a building permit for the project in the spring and the existing casino will remain open during construction, according to the city planning office, and will be demolished once the new building is complete.

Business Bites: Job Service, Epiphany Dermatology moving; student art exhibition; local yarn shop day; fundraising to save historic barn; block party; cold weather services; Give Great Falls, and more

…the old westside Best Wok?

Town Pump is demolishing the old Best Wok and building a new casino, liquor store and lounge, named Bridger Lounge at 1525 3rd St. N.W.

Last year, City Commissioners approved a rezone of the property from from M-2 mixed use transitional to C-2 general commercial.

City Commission set to consider former west side Best Wok rezone

The land use of a casino isn’t allowed in the M-2 zoning, which is why the company has requested the zone change for their planned project.

…at the old Ryan’s Cash and Carry?

A car wash.

The applicant on the city permit is Kerry Parker with TCW out of Lehi, Utah for the former Ryan’s Cash and Carry at 833 Smelter Ave.

We reported in April 2024 that plans were back on for a car wash that had originally been proposed in 2022.

Business Bites: Candy Masterpiece closing; Thrive Cycle moving; Bloom and Bean open in new spot; Tres65 closing; Project Noel, Clear Your Stash drives; Giving Tuesday; Cascade XCELL; Safety Town; Pirates of Penzance; pedal trolley

…When’s Pizza Ranch opening?

Sept. 22.

Construction is underway and Pizza Ranch management told The Electric earlier this year that they were hoping for sometime around September dependent on the remodel.

Business Bites: Great Clips, vintage shop, Pizza Ranch, wine tasting, GF Theatre Company season announcement; new L&C Foundation director; and more

…Are we getting a Chik-fil-A?

Maybe.

Chik-fil-A conducted a traffic study at 711 10th Ave. S., according to the city planning department and due diligence work was continuing at the same site this summer.

The city did not offer Chik-fil-A any land, as confirmed by the city planning department. Any sale, transfer or trade of city property requires a 4/5 affirmative commission vote through a public process.

Business Bites: KellerGeist event space opening; pilates, boutique trunk show; Kegs and Eggs; Chik-fil-A update; Hopper and Ro switch; and more

…what’s going on with Winco?

Also a holding pattern.

The Electric reported in January that Winco had purchased the old Shopko building, according to public documents.

In June, we updated the project with city planning staff continuing to get periodic due diligence questions on the Winco project, but no formal paperwork has been submitted to the city.

Business Bites: KellerGeist event space opening; pilates, boutique trunk show; Kegs and Eggs; Chik-fil-A update; Hopper and Ro switch; and more

…Is Best Wok going to reopen?

Yes.

As of July 24, Best Wok has reopened.

They’re open their regular hours, 11 a.m. 9 p.m. at 1800 10th Ave. S.

Business Bites: Best Wok reopen; Ramble Inn for sale; Peres Food Basket; summer sidewalk sale and more

Got a business bite? Email it to jenn@theelectricgf.com with ‘business bite’ in the subject line and the details in text form in the body of the email.