# RESEARCH BRIEF — 1316 Bozeman Avenue, Helena, MT 59601

> **Current as of Aug 23 night:** Live packet numbers are on the one-page board and the filled City form. Working priced exterior **$84,680.59** including handicap entrance **$5,000**. Downtown HURD / BID is **parked — not this filing**. Basement is **not a use**. This file is lineage; do not file from it if it disagrees with the board.


**Purpose:** City of Helena Railroad Urban Renewal District (RURD) TIF historic façade application  
**Applicant path:** Stephen Banker / Joshua Tree Cabinetry (**lessee**)  
**Owner of record:** John Horne  
**Research date:** 2026-08-11 / 2026-08-12  
**Rule used:** Null beats fake. Every claim labeled **VERIFIED**, **PARTIALLY VERIFIED**, or **UNVERIFIED**.

---

## 1. PROPERTY / OWNER

### 1.1 Identity (VERIFIED)

| Field | Value | Source |
|-------|--------|--------|
| Street address (common / mailing) | **1316 Bozeman Avenue**, Helena, MT 59601-2941 | Capital Transfer site; owner mailing on county/cadastral |
| Street address (assessor / cadastral) | **1316 BOZEMAN ST**, Helena, MT 59601 | Lewis & Clark iTax; Helena OpenData parcels |
| Tax ID / Assessment Code | **2852** | [Lewis & Clark iTax detail](https://itax.tylertech.com/LewisAndClarkMT/detail.aspx?taxid=2852) |
| Geo / Realware / ParcelID | 05-1888-29-2-32-15-0000 · `05188829232150000` | County card + Helena OpenData parcels |
| Property ID (cadastral) | 541659 | Helena OpenData `ODParcels` |
| Owner of record | **HORNE JOHN** | County iTax (2025); cadastral TaxYear **2026** |
| Owner mailing | 1316 BOZEMAN AVE, HELENA, MT 59601-2941 | Same sources |
| Legal description | NORTHERN PACIFIC ADDN, S29, T10 N, R03 W, **BLOCK 25, Lot 1–4**, 35' CLOSED COOKE ST | County / cadastral |
| Subdivision | Northern Pacific Addition (NP1) | Same |
| Acres | 0.65 (GIS ~0.677) | Same |
| Prop type | Improved Property | Cadastral |
| Market value (2025 card) | **$716,000** (building $403,122 + land $312,878 on cadastral) | iTax + OpenData |
| 2025 taxes | **$12,716.16** total; both halves **paid** | iTax (as of 2026-08-11) |
| Levy district | **01-1T, Tax Distr 01 TIF Rlrd URP** | iTax — **Railroad TIF on the tax card** |
| Deed (as listed on card) | Book M37, Page 7167, Instru# 3141282, **2007-12-31** | iTax |

**Portals to re-check live:**
- Montana Cadastral: https://svc.mt.gov/msl/cadastral/
- Property.MT.Gov search: https://svc.mt.gov/dor/oriondataportal/Public/PropertyMTGov/PropertySearch.aspx
- County iTax: https://itax.tylertech.com/LewisAndClarkMT/detail.aspx?taxid=2852
- Helena parcel GIS: https://helenamontanamaps.org/arcgisadp/rest/services/OpenData/ODParcels/MapServer/5

### 1.2 Railroad Urban Renewal District (VERIFIED — IN DISTRICT)

| Check | Result | Source |
|-------|--------|--------|
| Tax card levy | “TIF Rlrd URP” | iTax taxid=2852 |
| City GIS | Point at parcel intersects **Railroad District URD** layer (`Name: Railroad`, ~394 acres) | OpenData `ODCityAdminBoundaries` layer 9 |
| City program page | RURD roughly Last Chance Gulch east to I-15, land on either side of the railroad (est. 2016) | [Urban Renewal & TIF Districts](https://www.helenamt.gov/Departments/Community-Development/Planning/Urban-Renewal-and-TIF-Districts) |
| Boundary map PDF | Official map published by City | [Map of Boundary (PDF)](https://www.helenamt.gov/files/assets/helena/v/1/government/departments/community-development/documents/map_of_boundary.pdf) |
| Plan | Railroad Urban Renewal District Plan | [Plan PDF](https://www.helenamt.gov/files/assets/helena/v/1/government/departments/community-development/documents/railroad_urban_renewal_district_plan.pdf) |
| Creating ordinance | Ordinance 3214 | Linked from City URD page |

**StoryMaps overview (secondary):** https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/5a2ce3c8ecad4e14bcfe453fa3798c75

### 1.3 Zoning (VERIFIED)

| Field | Value | Source |
|-------|--------|--------|
| Zone code | **CLM** | Spatial query of City `HelenaZoning` MapServer at parcel |
| Zone name | **Commercial Light Manufacturing District** | Same |
| Interactive explorer | Helena Interactive Development Explorer | https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/b7b66b91a5af473dbaa95990c20c559b |

### 1.4 National Register / local historic district GIS (VERIFIED — NOT IN LISTED DISTRICT LAYER)

Spatial query of City **Historic Districts** layer at this parcel returned **0 hits**. City historic-district names in GIS include Helena, West Main, South-Central, Helena Railroad Depot, etc. — this warehouse parcel did **not** fall inside those polygons.

**Implication:** Building is **not automatically** a “certified historic structure” for federal HTC. It may still be **>50 years / locally significant** for MHPG and for RURD historic-façade scoring — but NR listing / eligibility determination is a **GAP** (ask SHPO / HPO).

### 1.5 Year built (UNVERIFIED — NULL)

No year-built field appeared on the OpenData parcel attributes pulled for this parcel. County iTax card (as summarized in project `PROPERTY_RECORD_VERIFIED.md`) also did not supply a construction year in the fields captured 2026-08-11.

**Next:** Open full iTax / DOR property record card characteristics; Sanborn sheets (LOC); building permit history via City Civic Access.

---

## 2. HISTORY

### 2.1 Capital Transfer & Storage / Horne family (VERIFIED)

| Fact | Status | Source |
|------|--------|--------|
| Business address = **1316 Bozeman Ave** | VERIFIED | [MapQuest listing](https://www.mapquest.com/us/montana/capital-transfer-storage-7423895); Yellow Pages; company site |
| Family business since **1949** | VERIFIED (self-published + news) | [capitaltransfer.net](https://capitaltransfer.net); [KTVH](https://www.ktvh.com/news/capital-transfer-and-storage-closes-after-76-years) |
| Closed **July 1** (2026 cycle) after ~76 years | VERIFIED | KTVH: “officially closed on July 1”; site: closed as John Horne retires |
| John Horne = last family operator / owner figure in coverage | VERIFIED | KTVH; company site (contact (406) 459-5708) |
| Auctions of equipment after close | VERIFIED | KTVH |
| Ownership of **real estate** = John Horne | VERIFIED | County tax card (separate from operating co. status) |

**Primary URLs:**
- https://www.ktvh.com/news/capital-transfer-and-storage-closes-after-76-years
- https://capitaltransfer.net
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aIZd4-FhPA (KTVH video)

**PARTIALLY VERIFIED:** “Three generations” narrative appears in company copy and news framing; genealogy of each generation not independently re-proven here.

### 2.2 Adjacent State Liquor Warehouse / 1935 earthquake (VERIFIED for *adjacent* story; NOT proven as *this* building)

| Fact | Status | Source |
|------|--------|--------|
| State Liquor ops on **Bozeman St.** (former Lindsay Fruit Co.) before/into 1935 | VERIFIED | [helenahistory.org — State Liquor Warehouse](http://helenahistory.org/state-liquor-warehouse.html) |
| Oct–Nov 1935 quakes **demolished the Bozeman St. liquor facility** | VERIFIED | Same |
| Photo: liquor warehouse rubble + Christie Transfer truck, **1935-10-19** | VERIFIED | [Montana History Portal / Memory node 89318](https://www.mtmemory.org/nodes/view/89318) |
| Adjacent parcel **1320 BOZEMAN ST** owned by **State of Montana Dept of Admin** | VERIFIED | Helena OpenData parcels (same block 25, lots 5–8) |
| “Our” building = the liquor warehouse that collapsed | **UNVERIFIED / LIKELY FALSE** | Liquor warehouse was demolished; current 1316 is a standing stone warehouse later used by Capital Transfer |

**Application-safe wording:** State Liquor Warehouse stood on Bozeman Street in the Sixth Ward / railroad area and was destroyed in the 1935 quakes; the State still owns the next-door 1320 Bozeman St parcel. Do **not** claim 1316 *is* the demolished liquor warehouse without a primary source tying that footprint to this tax parcel.

### 2.3 Nash-Finch warehouse at/near this address (PARTIALLY VERIFIED as Helena company; UNVERIFIED as *this parcel*)

| Finding | Status | Source |
|---------|--------|--------|
| Montana Magazine of Western History FB post: “loading area of the **Nash-Finch Company Warehouse in Helena**… liquor packed in boxes damaged during…” (earthquake context) | PARTIALLY VERIFIED (secondary social post; photo exists in MHS orbit) | [Facebook post](https://www.facebook.com/MontanaTheMagazineofWesternHistory/photos/view-of-the-loading-area-of-the-nash-finch-company-warehouse-in-helena-montana-s/3340369949351374) |
| Nash-Finch food & beverage distributor warehouse at **1316 Bozeman**, managed by Christie Transfer & Storage | **VERIFIED (S1510 correction)** | "Helena As She Was" history post (Aug 29, 2020), saved verbatim in Diane's folder (`SB Nash Finch Warehouse next to Liquor Store at Earthquake.docx`): *"adjacent to the Nash-Finch food and beverage distributor warehouse, 1316 Bozeman. The warehouse was managed by the Christie Transfer & Storage Co., hence the Christie pickup truck."* |
| Christie Transfer managed Nash-Finch building ~1935–36 | **VERIFIED** | Same Helena As She Was source |

**S1510 CORRECTION — an earlier pass wrongly marked this UNVERIFIED because an mtmemory keyword search did not surface it. The primary-source tie was sitting in Diane's own folder. It is now safe to state Nash-Finch occupancy of 1316 Bozeman as fact in the packet, citing Helena As She Was.**

### 2.4 Union Mercantile / Kleinschmidt warehouse (UNVERIFIED for this address)

Searches returned Kleinschmidt **houses** and general Helena mercantile correspondence (e.g. Union Mercantile Co. in other archival collections) — **no verified link** of Union Mercantile / Kleinschmidt warehouse operations to **1316 Bozeman**.

**Mark: UNVERIFIED — omit or footnote as “local oral/working hypothesis only.”**

### 2.5 Railroad district commercial context (VERIFIED at district scale)

RURD Plan / City narrative (verified themes):
- Northern Pacific arrives **1883**; warehouses, grain elevators, factories cluster on tracks.
- Sixth Ward / depot district hit hard in 1935 (see also Nabisco / Boulder Ave pages on helenahistory.org).
- District goals: revitalize economic vitality, jobs, investment near the rail corridor.

Useful district history essay cited in plan literature:
- Kate Hampton, “More than a Mile from City Center: Helena’s Northern Pacific Railroad District and Sixth Ward” (cited in RURD plan text extracted from City PDF).

**Sanborn maps (available, not yet sheet-read for this parcel):**
- LOC: [Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Helena…](https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn05017_007) (1930–1958 volume noted)
- UM guide: https://libguides.lib.umt.edu/c.php?g=275290&p=6868101

**Chronicling America / Newspapers.com:** Not exhaustively searched this pass for address-specific hits — **GAP**.

**helenaasshewas / helenahistory.org:** Liquor warehouse page is strong; no dedicated “1316 Bozeman / Capital Transfer building biography” page found this pass.

---

## 3. APPROVAL CHAIN (as of 2026)

### 3.1 Board that decides recommendations (VERIFIED)

| Item | Fact | Source |
|------|------|--------|
| Old separate RURD + Downtown TIF boards | **Repealed** | City Commission **Resolution 20970**, **Nov 4, 2024** |
| Replacement | **Helena Urban Renewal TIF Advisory Board (HURTIF)** | [URD page](https://www.helenamt.gov/Departments/Community-Development/Planning/Urban-Renewal-and-TIF-Districts); [HURTIF board page](https://www.helenamt.gov/Government/City-Commission/City-Boards-Committees/Helena-Urban-Renewal-TIF-Advisory-Board) |
| Role | Advises Commission on work plans, **TIF allocations**, plan amendments | Same |
| Voting seats | 9 (3 business / 3 property / 3 at-large — one each URD) | Same |
| Ex officio may include | **City/County Historic Preservation Officer**, MBAC ED, BID, Chamber, etc. | URD page |
| Railroad URD members (listed 2026) | Bob Goodwyn (property); Megan Malkin (business); Nicolas Sandau (at-large) | HURTIF board page |
| Final money vote | **Helena City Commission** | URD page + Pattern House coverage |

### 3.2 Meeting schedule (VERIFIED for HURTIF; legacy RURD language still on forms)

| Calendar | What it says | Treat as |
|----------|--------------|----------|
| **HURTIF board page (current)** | Meets **second Tuesday** of each month, **1:30 p.m.** | **CURRENT schedule** |
| 2026 agendas posted | Apr 14, May 12, Jun 9, Jul 14 (**canceled – no quorum**), Aug 11 | Board page |
| Legacy RURD website copy / older forms | Applications by **1st of month**; board ~**third Thursday** | **STALE cadence** — confirm with staff on eligibility call |

**Action:** Ask Community Development which submission deadline feeds which HURTIF agenda under the unified board.

### 3.3 Community Development contacts (VERIFIED)

| Role | Contact | Source |
|------|---------|--------|
| Community Development (TIF eligibility — **required first call**) | **(406) 447-8490** · citycommunitydevelopment@helenamt.gov · 316 N. Park Ave, Room 445 | City URD page |
| HURTIF department liaison | April Sparks, Community Development Administrative Assistant III · 406-447-8490 | HURTIF board page |
| Building Division | **(406) 447-8438** | [Codes & Design](https://www.helenamt.gov/Departments/Community-Development/Building/Codes-Design-Requirements) |

### 3.4 Historic Preservation Officer (VERIFIED)

| Field | Value | Source |
|-------|--------|--------|
| Name | **Pam Attardo** (Pamela Attardo) | [County Historic Preservation](https://www.lccountymt.gov/Government/Community-Development-and-Planning/Historic-Preservation); City Heritage council page |
| Title | Heritage / Historic Preservation Officer | Same |
| Phone | **406-447-8357** | Same |
| Email | **pattardo@lccountymt.gov** | [Heritage Preservation & Tourism Council](https://www.helenamt.gov/Government/City-Commission/City-Boards-Committees/Heritage-Preservation-Tourism-Council) |
| Address | City-County Building, 316 N. Park Ave, Helena | County page |

### 3.5 Building permits / commercial window work (VERIFIED process; site-specific permit type = confirm)

- Online system: **Civic Access** — https://www.helenamt.gov/Departments/Community-Development/Building (guides under Business / Civic Access).
- Commercial buildings: plan submittal + building permit application paths listed on [Permit Types](https://www.helenamt.gov/Departments/Community-Development/Building/Building-Permitting-Applications/Permit-Types).
- Window replacement is **not** listed in the commercial “work exempt from building permit” bullets (those exemptions are mostly accessory structures, finish work, etc.). Treat exterior window replacement / reopening concreted openings as **likely needing Building Division confirmation / permit** — do not assume “no permit.”
- Demolition of historic buildings has a separate HPO/HPC path; façade rehab is different, but **character advice** still routes usefully through HPO.

### 3.6 Does RURD façade work *require* HPO review? (PARTIALLY VERIFIED)

From [County Preservation Standards page](https://www.lccountymt.gov/Government/Community-Development-and-Planning/Historic-Preservation/Preservation-Standards-and-Requirements):

Secretary’s Standards / local guidelines apply when, among other triggers:
- Federal funds, tax credits, license/permit;
- Local rules (Helena demolition in NR district; NR demolition; scenic easements; tax abatement new construction);
- When HPC provides advice (binding only when a formal regulation applies).

**For RURD TIF alone:** No City page found stating “all RURD façade grants must pass a binding HPO certificate of appropriateness.”  
**However:** HPO is an **ex officio** HURTIF voice; Pattern House coverage shows Attardo advising on historic integrity for a Railroad TIF project.  
**Practical rule:** Invite HPO early; treat Standards as the scoring language for priority #5 — even if not a separate COA ordinance for this parcel.

### 3.7 RURD / TIF money rules (VERIFIED)

- Up to **50%** match (legacy RURD + FY23 work plan).
- **Must contact CD before applying.**
- Costs **cannot be incurred before funding approval** (printed on application form — project packet).
- Lessee needs **written owner permission** + lease.
- FY23 RURD Work Plan explicitly prioritizes **“Historic Façade & Site Improvement Program”** (restore/rehabilitate historic buildings and site features). Source PDF linked from City URD page: `2022_rurd_work_plan_08.18.22.pdf`.
- Note: The main City webpage’s short RURD priority list still shows older infrastructure/sidewalk/branding items; **cite the work plan** for historic façade priority.

**Application form:** https://www.helenamt.gov/files/assets/helena/v/1/government/departments/community-development/documents/planning/applications/rurd_tif_application_form.pdf

---

## 4. WINDOW / BASEMENT / EGRESS CODE

### 4.1 Adopted codes (VERIFIED)

City of Helena (effective **Oct 26, 2022** for permits filed on/after that date) enforces, per [Codes & Design Requirements](https://www.helenamt.gov/Departments/Community-Development/Building/Codes-Design-Requirements):

- **2021 IBC**
- **2021 IRC**
- **2021 IEBC** (Existing Building Code — critical for rehab)
- 2021 IMC / IFGC / IECC / IFC / ISPSC
- **2021 UPC**
- **2020 NEC**
- Plus ARM Title 24 Ch. 301 amendments and City Code Title 3

Design notes published by City: seismic typically D0 (or calculated); wind / snow / frost / ice barrier values listed on same page.

### 4.2 Secretary of the Interior — windows (summary; VERIFIED as national standard; apply via HPO)

Authoritative overview: NPS / SHPO tax-credit pages and [Preserve Montana HTC](https://preservemontana.org/historic-tax-credits); SOI Standards for Rehabilitation.

**Plain-English window rules for Rehabilitation treatment:**
1. **Repair** surviving historic windows whenever fabric remains.
2. Replace only units **beyond repair**; replacements should **match** historic design (configuration, light pattern, profiles; material matching is strongly preferred on character façades).
3. Missing features may be restored from **documentary / physical evidence** (photos, Sanborn, sibling openings).
4. Compatible new openings for a new use can be acceptable on secondary elevations — not a license to erase street-facing character.

Local design guidance PDFs (County site): Neighborhood / Downtown Historic Preservation Standards (linked from County Preservation Standards page).

### 4.3 Basement egress if workshop vs storage (PARTIALLY VERIFIED — code family; site interpretation = Building Division)

| Intended basement use | Likely code posture | Notes |
|----------------------|---------------------|-------|
| Remains **storage / non-habitable** | Full residential-style emergency escape windows may **not** be triggered | Still: structural weatherproofing, wells safe/drained, IEBC for alterations |
| Becomes **occupied workshop / habitable work area** | Means of egress, ventilation, occupancy classification under **IBC/IEBC** govern | “Egress window” residential handouts are not automatic commercial law |
| Sleeping / certain residential uses | Emergency escape & rescue openings + window-well geometry often apply | Helena publishes residential [Egress Window Information (PDF)](https://www.helenamt.gov/Departments/Community-Development/Building/Building-Permitting-Applications/Permit-Types) under dwelling permit types — **not** a substitute for commercial review |

**Decision gate (VERIFIED as project need):** Stephen must declare basement use in writing before final opening designs. Confirm with Building Division **(406) 447-8438**.

### 4.4 Window wells / lightwells (guidance — confirm on site)

- Wells between this building and the **state building** (Diane field note) need ownership / access / drainage clarity — **GAP**.
- Safety: covers/guards, ladder/steps if used for emergency escape, drainage away from foundation, fall protection where required by code path chosen.
- Reopening **concreted** openings is alteration work: structural header/lintel condition, waterproofing, and IEBC compliance — permit likely.

### 4.5 Vinyl vs wood on Helena TIF façade projects (PARTIALLY VERIFIED precedents; materials often unspecified)

| Precedent | What is verified | Window material |
|-----------|------------------|-----------------|
| **Caird Pattern House** — Railroad TIF ~**$75,000** toward ~$150,000 ADA/exterior package | VERIFIED via [KTVH](https://www.ktvh.com/news/helena-city-commission-considers-ada-improvements-to-historic-caird-pattern-house) — ramp, emergency exit stair, **siding** replacement; HPO Attardo advising integrity | **Not documented as vinyl vs wood windows** in that article |
| **YWCA Helena — ~$150K TIF for ~60 windows** | **UNVERIFIED in this research pass** (appears in project notes / IR claim; no primary City award PDF opened here) | Unknown |
| **This project quotes** | Custom Glass **Milgard V300 vinyl** office + front estimates | On file in application folder — **provisional**, not HPO-approved |

**Application posture:** Score better against Historic Façade priority + SOI if primary façades show **repair / wood replace-in-kind** (or documented compatible substitute) vs default vinyl. Run dual bids.

---

## 5. OTHER GRANTS / INCENTIVES

### 5.1 Montana Historic Preservation Grant Program (MHPG) (VERIFIED)

| Item | Detail | Source |
|------|--------|--------|
| Agency | Montana Dept of Commerce — Community MT | [2026 Guidelines PDF](https://commerce.mt.gov/_shared/comdev/Historic-Preservation/docs/MHPG-Guidelines-Application-2026.pdf) |
| 2029 biennium deadline | **February 28, 2026** | Same PDF |
| Funding available | After **July 1, 2027** | Same |
| Max request | Up to **$350,000** | Same |
| Match | **1:1** for for-profits; **20%** for other eligible entities | Same |
| Eligible applicants | Person (via fiscal agent / local gov), association (incl. for-profit business), governing unit | §22-3-1305 MCA as cited in PDF |
| If applicant ≠ owner | **Owner approval letter** required | PDF |
| Eligible work | Building envelope (walls, roof, doors, **windows**, foundation), utilities, etc. | PDF |
| Design bar | Adhere to **Secretary of the Interior’s Standards** | PDF |
| Staff | doccdd@mt.gov · 406-841-2770 | PDF |

**Timing note (as of Aug 2026):** The Feb 28, 2026 deadline for the 2029 biennium has **passed**. Treat MHPG as **next-cycle / calendar watch** unless Commerce announces an exception — do not promise current-cycle money.

### 5.2 Federal + Montana historic tax credits (VERIFIED framework; eligibility for *this* building = GAP)

| Credit | Amount | Gate | Source |
|--------|--------|------|--------|
| Federal HTC | **20%** of qualified rehab expenditures | Income-producing **certified historic structure** (NR listed or contributing); substantial rehab; SOI Standards; 5-year hold | [Montana SHPO Tax Incentives](https://mhs.mt.gov/Shpo/index3); NPS program |
| Montana Historic Buildings Preservation Credit | **25% of the federal credit amount** claimed (≈ additional **5%** of QRE) | Must first be federally certified | Same; [Preserve Montana](https://preservemontana.org/historic-tax-credits) |
| Lessee path | Possible if lessor elects to treat lessee as owner for credit purposes, or long-term lease meets IRS recovery-period tests | IRS Rehabilitation Credit FAQs | https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/rehabilitation-credit-historic-preservation-faqs |

**For Stephen as lessee today:** Credits are usually **owner-driven** unless lease/election is structured. Building is **not** in City NR historic-district GIS — Part 1 significance / nomination may be required. **Do not bank HTC dollars in the TIF worksheet until SHPO screens eligibility.**

Submit HTC drafts via Montana Cultural Resource Database portal (per SHPO page).

### 5.3 Preserve Montana (VERIFIED as resource org)

- https://preservemontana.org/historic-tax-credits
- Study of MT HTC program linked from SHPO / Preserve Montana pages
- Useful for navigation; not a façade check-writer by itself

### 5.4 MBAC / small business / Helena partners (VERIFIED org; façade mini-grant = soft)

| Resource | What | URL / contact |
|----------|------|----------------|
| **MBAC** | Economic development, counseling, financing navigation; City partners on revolving loan | https://www.mbac.biz · (406) 447-1511 · 225 Cruse Ave Ste D |
| MBAC ex officio seat | May sit on HURTIF | City URD page |
| City “Business” partner list | MBAC RLF; Helena Area Community Foundation nonprofit grants | https://www.helenamt.gov/Business |
| LinkedIn / outreach | MBAC has advertised **mini-grants up to $3,000** for East Helena / Broadwater community projects (murals, seating, lighting, signage) — **not verified as Helena RURD façade money** | Treat as **investigate**, not banked |

### 5.5 Manufacturing / woodworking / wood products (VERIFIED programs; fit may be weak)

| Program | Fit note | URL |
|---------|----------|-----|
| **Montana Wood Products Revolving Loan Program** | Aimed at **primary wood processing infrastructure** / wood products industry hardship — cabinetry shop **may not** fit “primary processing”; screen before hoping | https://commerce.mt.gov/Business/Business-Assistance/Montana-Wood-Products-Revolving-Loan-Program |
| Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (MMEC) | Technical assistance / resource directory for manufacturers | https://www.montana.edu/mmec/resources/index.html |
| MT Commerce Business Assistance suite | SBDC, Microbusiness Finance, Automation Financing, etc. | https://commerce.mt.gov/Business/Business-Assistance |
| SBA Montana District (Helena) | Counseling / lender ecosystem | https://legacy.sba.gov/district/montana |

**Façade restoration ≠ wood-products RLF.** Keep shop equipment financing **separate** from TIF-matched exterior invoices.

### 5.6 National Trust Preservation Funds (OPTIONAL)

Periodic grant rounds; Montana sometimes in set-aside states. Example next deadline noted in search results: **Oct 1, 2026** (verify live). https://savingplaces.org/preservation-funds — typically nonprofits / preservation orgs, not a simple lessee façade grant.

---

## 6. CROSS-WALK — WHAT IS SAFE TO SAY IN THE PACKET

| Claim | Packet use? |
|-------|-------------|
| John Horne owns 1316; taxes current; in Railroad TIF levy; CLM zoning | YES — cite county/GIS |
| Capital Transfer closed July 1, 2026 after decades of Horne family operation at this address | YES — cite KTVH + company site |
| Building sits in RURD / HURTIF recommends to Commission | YES |
| Adjacent State parcel / Bozeman St liquor warehouse destroyed 1935 | YES as **district context** |
| This building *is* the Nash-Finch food & beverage distributor warehouse (Christie Transfer managed, ~1935) | **YES** — cite Helena As She Was (2020), saved in Diane's folder |
| Kleinschmidt / Union Mercantile lineage of *this* address | **NO** |
| Year built = ____ | **NO** — null |
| MHPG money this biennium | **NO** — deadline passed |
| Federal/state HTC will fund Stephen’s windows | **NO** — owner/NR gates open |

---

## 7. GAPS STILL OPEN

1. **Year built** (and original builder/architect) — DOR characteristics, Sanborn, directories, newspapers.
2. **Deed chain / prior owners** before Horne (2007 deed on card) — Clerk & Recorder; prove or retire Nash-Finch occupancy.
3. **Sanborn sheet read** for Block 25 / Bozeman St labeling (LOC Helena set).
4. **Chronicling America / Independent Record** address-specific clippings (Nash-Finch, Christie Transfer, warehouse fires, permits).
5. **NR eligibility opinion** from SHPO / HPO (individual listing vs district contribution).
6. **Confirm HURTIF application deadline** under second-Tuesday calendar (vs legacy 1st / third-Thursday form language).
7. **Whether this façade project needs any formal HPC action** beyond advisory — ask CD + HPO in one call.
8. **Building permit path** for vinyl vs wood windows + concreted reopenings + wells (written determination).
9. **Basement occupancy declaration** from Stephen → egress path.
10. **Well between building and State property** — ownership, access easement, who maintains.
11. **YWCA window TIF precedent** — find City award minutes / IR article with dollar figure before citing.
12. **Pattern House final award amount & scope** — confirm Commission minutes vs KTVH “considering $75K.”
13. **Lease term / owner election** if anyone pursues HTC with Stephen as lessee.
14. **Next MHPG cycle** dates after missed Feb 28, 2026 deadline.
15. **Oral history** with John Horne (on-record) about Capital Transfer era — high value, not yet captured in this brief.

---

## 8. KEY SOURCE LIST (URLs)

**Property / GIS**
- https://itax.tylertech.com/LewisAndClarkMT/detail.aspx?taxid=2852
- https://svc.mt.gov/msl/cadastral/
- https://helenamontanamaps.org/arcgisadp/rest/services/OpenData/ODParcels/MapServer/5
- https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/b7b66b91a5af473dbaa95990c20c559b

**City TIF / board**
- https://www.helenamt.gov/Departments/Community-Development/Planning/Urban-Renewal-and-TIF-Districts
- https://www.helenamt.gov/Government/City-Commission/City-Boards-Committees/Helena-Urban-Renewal-TIF-Advisory-Board
- https://www.helenamt.gov/files/assets/helena/v/1/government/departments/community-development/documents/map_of_boundary.pdf
- https://www.helenamt.gov/files/assets/helena/v/1/government/departments/community-development/documents/railroad_urban_renewal_district_plan.pdf

**History**
- http://helenahistory.org/state-liquor-warehouse.html
- https://www.mtmemory.org/nodes/view/89318
- https://www.ktvh.com/news/capital-transfer-and-storage-closes-after-76-years
- https://capitaltransfer.net
- https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn05017_007

**HPO / codes**
- https://www.lccountymt.gov/Government/Community-Development-and-Planning/Historic-Preservation
- https://www.lccountymt.gov/Government/Community-Development-and-Planning/Historic-Preservation/Preservation-Standards-and-Requirements
- https://www.helenamt.gov/Departments/Community-Development/Building/Codes-Design-Requirements
- https://www.helenamt.gov/Departments/Community-Development/Building/Building-Permitting-Applications/Permit-Types

**Grants / credits**
- https://commerce.mt.gov/_shared/comdev/Historic-Preservation/docs/MHPG-Guidelines-Application-2026.pdf
- https://mhs.mt.gov/Shpo/index3
- https://preservemontana.org/historic-tax-credits
- https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/rehabilitation-credit-historic-preservation-faqs
- https://www.mbac.biz
- https://commerce.mt.gov/Business/Business-Assistance/Montana-Wood-Products-Revolving-Loan-Program

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*Compiled for Diane Anders / Stephen Banker packet support. Internal companions: `application/PROPERTY_RECORD_VERIFIED.md`, `application/WINDOW_STRATEGY_MEMO.md`, `grants/GRANT_STACK.md`, `THE_PLAN.md`.*