Pour it on: Concrete flows for new NWE office building

Construction crews poured the first of four concrete batches Tuesday at Park and Main where the new NorthWestern Energy office building will soon begin to rise.

Pioneer Concrete of Butte used about 600 yards of concrete to create the foundation footings. Traffic on Main Street was occasionally blocked.

Things are going very well, said company spokesman Butch Larcombe. Were trying to use as many local contractors for jobs as we can.

The other pourings will occur on July 21, 22 and 28, and will also block traffic. Larcombe said that thecompany is working to avoid disruptions, and appreciates the communitysunderstanding.

Work began on the space, which was previously occupied by a parking lot and Heritage Park, in June. The concrete work, which should account for much of the buildings shell, is scheduled to be finished by December, and the whole project should be completed by December 2015. Crews are slated to continue as much work as possible during the winter.

The project is estimated to cost more than $25 million and involve 200 jobs directlyrelated to the construction. Once completed, the five-story building will occupy 110,000 square feet and ring up almost a million dollars in annual tax revenue for Butte-Silver Bow County.

The sites most recent structure, the Medical Arts Building, burned and collapsed in 1973. During excavation of the NorthWestern site, they found old clothing and a sign for Weins Mens Store, which occupied the building. Weins is now located further east on West Park Street.

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Pour it on: Concrete flows for new NWE office building