The Zootown Arts Community Center (ZACC) briefed the Missoula Committee of the Whole on its work and plans for the historic Studebaker Building it occupies. As part of this, ZACC has applied for a Montana Historic Preservation Grant to fund preservation of original materials, repair and replacement of deteriorated soft brick and repointing, gutter repair, careful removal of failing paint and mortar, parapet reinforcement, repainting of the front entrance, and public-safety improvements to ensure long-term sustainability of the building. The project is expected to employ Montana-based contractors and skilled workers specializing in historic preservation, with an estimated 8–10 jobs in masonry, carpentry, construction, painting, supervisory, and clerical roles. The work is positioned as protecting a community gathering space that serves roughly 30,000 people annually and complements the Downtown SAM Project. Vendors in historic masonry, building envelope restoration, scaffolding, specialty coatings, and preservation consulting should monitor the grant outcome and engage ZACC and the City as this grant-funded scope is refined and bid out.

Project explicitly calls for Montana-based contractors with historic preservation expertise; work wi...