Family Medical Clinic Building Demolished
Author: Nancy Marks, MT43 News reporter
MT43 News Staff
The Family Medical Clinic Building on Broadway and Cedar Streets lived out its lifetime. The modular building saw its last day Wednesday, February 26 when Gruber Excavating of East Helena tore it down.
Dr. Nicholas Campbell, owner of Family Medical Clinic, now has his offices at 220 Broadway Street when he vacated the Cedar Street building three years ago. He said the demolished building was occupied by a dentist when he came to Townsend in 1984, so Campbell was one of the last doctors to work in a basement office in the “old” hospital before the existing hospital, Billings Clinic Broadwater, was built in 1986. Campbell moved his practice to the Clinic building that year and worked for the hospital also.
According to Commissioner Debi Randolph when Family Medical Clinic owner Dr. Nicholas Campbell moved out, the Commissioners laboriously went through the steps to have the building demolished. They first ordered an appraisal, then offered the building through auction. Eventually Great West Engineering, at the commissioners' request, did a use review only to report the building was not worth saving, because of “safety issues.” It was also an “eyesore.” Two contractors answered the request for bid. “Gruber Excavating company bid the least to remove the building. Now, 3 years later it is finally happening. Getting the building torn down is a case study in what government has to go through to get something done,” she said.
Randolph did not venture future plans for the empty lot, but said the commissioners might consider adding modular office space, should the money ever become available. Currently, there is no money available in the general fund for such an expenditure. However, crowded office space in the courthouse would warrant such an idea, she said.
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PhotoCredit: Photo Provided by Courthouse Maintenance Supervisor Bill Malone
Image 1 Caption: The former Family Medical Clinic building was demolished early Wednesday morning.
Photo Provided by Courthouse Maintenance Supervisor, Bill Malone
Image 2 Caption: Gruber Excavating finished cleanup near the courthouse on Broadway and Cedar Streets Thursday morning.
Photo Provided by Courthouse Maintenance Supervisor, Bill Malone
