The Stillwater Building in downtown Billings has been purchased by the City of Billings and will eventually house all of the city’s offices and various departments. (Jonathan McNiven Photo)
The City of Billings has closed on the purchase of the Stillwater Building, which was the former James F. Battin Federal Building. The city wants to move all the municipal offices, including police and courts into the five-story building at 316 N. 26th. The purchase was approved in 10-1 vote of the City Council.
The city paid $13.5 million for the five-story building located at 316 N. 26th in acquiring it from W.C. Commercial owned by Joe Holden. Holden purchased the vacant building after it stood empty for several years and removed the asbestos in it.
The city negotiated Holden’s original asking price of $17.1 million down to $13.5 million, following inspections in which engineers said that there was $7 million in updating and replacing of pipes, elevators and boiler. The city used $6 million in ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds from the federal government to make the purchase.
City officials say that they expect they will still pay another $16 million to refurbish and remodel the interior of the building, the floors of which are essentially shells.
In January, the City of Billings and Yellowstone County looked at co-purchasing the building, but when the appraisal of the building came in below the purchase price, the county bowed out explaining that they are not allowed by state law to purchase property at a cost above appraisal. Yellowstone County currently leases offices on the third floor of the Stillwater. When the lease expires, they will move offices to the Miller Building, which the county recently purchased.
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