Planned plaza in Butte stirs optimism

The story took off on The Montana Standard's website. Blasted off might be a better way to put it.

The story outlined plans by developer Dave Leon to locate a Planet Fitness and 11 other “national tenants” at a “synergy plaza” he’s building off of South Harrison Avenue.

Site preparation is beginning for a new shopping plaza in Butte that will include a Planet Fitness and 11 "big national tenants," the developer says.
JOSEPH SCHELLER, The Montana Standard

He said he could not name the other stores and restaurants until he had leases locked up, but the story drew views on the Standard’s website at a fast-and-furious pace.

The Thursday story was posted to social media sites, too, and quickly drew dozens of comments confirming that shopping, or lack of it, has been a hot topic in Butte for years.

Comments on a Butte 411 Facebook group post, which numbered 176 by Friday, were mixed.

“I’ll believe it when it’s built,” one said.

People are also reading…

“And where are the employees coming from — half the businesses are still short staffed,” said another.

One person responded to such takes by writing, “OMG you all, what is wrong with this community. Any growth at all is better than no growth. Get over yourselves or move on.”

“You are exactly right,” another said. “So many posts complaining about not having anything and then complaining when stuff does come in. Can’t win.”

County officials are well aware of the public demand for more shopping and dining opportunities, and they, too, have seen a share of things fall through.

Commissioners Jim Fisher and Josh O’Neill mention retail a lot and frequently ask economic development officials if there’s been any progress.

They’re taking the optimistic route on this one, at least for now.

“The public wants more retail stores, clothing stores, supermarkets, stuff like that, and this deal here has been pretty hush-hush until they started clearing out trees there and burning stuff,” Fisher said.

“I don’t know how many years out we are on it but they’re working on it,” he said. “I’m very optimistic about it. It could be one of the biggest things that’s happened to Butte as far as retail growth in many, many years.”

O’Neill said it was great news.

“We definitely need more places to shop for our people so I think it’s good,” he said. “It’s nice seeing a developer out there … and it’s exciting to know something is happening there.”

Leon is CEO of New York-based PF Management Group and owner and operator of all Planet Fitness centers in Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota and Latin America. He says he’s not just a large Planet Fitness franchisee but a developer who owns most of his properties.

The Standard contacted him by phone Thursday, discussing his plans for a 17-acre area between two auto dealerships on the east side of South Harrison Avenue. Bulldozers and other heavy equipment are being used to clear the site and piles of limbs are being burned on the spot.

Leon said he could not disclose the planned businesses besides Planet Fitness until leases are finalized but called plans for the site the biggest influx of retail in Butte “in the last 30 or 40 years or so.”

The Airport Authority Board sold the land to Leon more than a year ago, county officials confirmed Thursday.

Construction for a new shopping plaza has begun with dirt work on the east side of Harrison Avenue in Butte on Thursday.
JOSEPH SCHELLER, The Montana Standard

J.P. Gallagher, Butte-Silver Bow’s chief executive, said the county has been working with Leon for a couple of years but deferred any comments about detailed plans to Leon.

But, Gallagher said, “We’re excited about the opportunity that this presents for our community. It’s what the community has been asking for.”

Leon opened a Planet Fitness in Helena in 2016 and told The Standard in April 2017 that he planned new locations in Butte and four other Montana cities. The store in Butte didn’t materialize in 2018 as hoped for but will be part of the new outdoor plaza, Leon said.

“There will be a bunch of high-end fast-food stores in the front and in the back there will be 11 national tenants,” he said.

Leon said he was opening a Planet Fitness in Bozeman and had plans for other Montana cities.

“So we’re doing a Planet Fitness in Butte along with a synergy plaza that has a lot of the stuff you see in Bozeman — some big national tenants you don’t have yet in Butte,” Leon said.

He said he had a major home improvement retailer lined up as part of his plans for Butte but the company “bailed” at the one-yard line.

“It was actually a godsend for us because we were able to get a much better tenant mix,” he said.

Planet Fitness is a franchiser and operator of fitness centers based in Hampton, New Hampshire, and now has around 2,400 locations in the United States, Latin America and Australia.

“I’m really happy to be part of this Planet Fitness brand,” Leon said. “It has given me the opportunity to basically be a developer and buy real estate and bring in things (stores) that support our brand. But our brand supports them, too.”

A lot of work remains to be done.

“We’ve got to bring $2 million worth of dirt in there just to fill up the hole that was there in that property and bring it up to ground level,” he said. “That’s going to take us to next May.”

He said an announcement of the stores could be made in the next few months, a traffic light will be installed in front of the location, and next spring, “We’re going to start going 100 miles an hour.”

O’Neill said most people he talks to are excited about new business activity on Harrison. There are some naysayers, he said, including those who dissed a new Town Pump car wash because “we don’t need another car wash.”

“I look at that in a total opposite way,” he said. “I think it’s nice that people are investing on that land and making it look good.”

O’Neill looks at Leon’s plans the same way.

“I think it’s a positive and anything we can get to help our town grow is great,” he said.

Fisher said many businesses these days are having a hard time finding people to work.

“So I hope a development like this will get some experience to come in and operate them so they’re not set up to fail in a small community,” he said.

But Fisher said a lot of younger people today are looking for the kinds of jobs Leon’s development could bring.

“They’re not into construction and labor and operations,” he said. “They’re more into wanting to dress nice and look nice and work in an environment where they’re not out in the cold.

“Hopefully the development will create a little bit of activity in the market for employment that way.”

Mike Smith is a reporter at the Montana Standard with an emphasis on government and politics.

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