Developer Eyes Mixed-Use Future for Helena's Vacant Albertsons Building

Seth Startup walked into a City of Helena pre-application meeting on March 16 with no signed tenants and no finalized plans, but with enough early interest to put the long-vacant Albertsons building at 600 N. Fee St. back on the city's radar.

Startup, who heads Startup Development Partners, said his team is currently working through the practical challenges of repurposing the former grocery store structure itself. The building's scale and layout, typical of big-box grocery retail, present conversion hurdles that have to be resolved before any tenant mix can be confirmed.

On the tenant front, Startup said he has heard from parties interested in occupying the entire building as a single user, while other scenarios would divide the space among up to three tenants. He has also received a proposal to place a drive-thru coffee stand on the northeast corner of the property, which would represent a separate smaller footprint use distinct from whatever occupies the main building.

Parking is a parallel concern. Developers are examining how to handle the site's parking demands under different occupancy configurations and what mitigation measures might be needed, though no specific solutions have been put forward publicly.

The project remains, by Startup's own characterization, in very early stages. No possible tenants have been announced, and the March 16 pre-application meeting represents the first formal step in what could be a lengthy planning and permitting process with the City of Helena. A formal application, if and when it is filed, would trigger a more public review.