Getting in the building & “Building Common Ground”

This was a very exciting week here at Project49.

We booted up batteries, flicked on wire-strung lights, shimmied up scaffolding, and made our way to the top of the Teslow Grain Elevator covered in sawdust and grain. The view up there is incredible. Having grown up in Livingston, I’d only wondered what the train yard looked like from such a vantage, and getting to see it first hand was a childhood dream realized.

We didn’t go alone, either. Somehow, we convinced our new friends Omar and Natalya from D.C. to join us.

This past spring, Project49 was issued a project-based grant from “To Be Done” Studio through a larger program called “Fieldwork; Building Common Ground.” The scope of this grant provides us with architects who will support and build out designs for the interior of the Grain Elevator, at least at face value. 

In order to find out how to design this building, beyond an engineering standpoint, they want to establish what exactly our community needs. This is why Omar and Natalya were in town, shuttering their ways to the top of the Teslow - to experience who Project49 serves and how we show up in this community first-hand, while also connecting with the larger web with other stakeholders in town. We spend the day building a clear picture of all our community has to offer today, and the places where people still might fall through the cracks. 

So, of course, we spent the morning getting into the nitty gritty of the building itself, envisioning all the potential, and sitting with the reality of the scope of this build. Then we moved on to getting them acquainted with Livingston itself. 

Erika Adams, Executive Director of the Shane Center, Laurie Bishop, Community Health Specialist of LiveWell49, Tawnya Rupe and Abby Lawson from AMB West, and Grace Stephens, a Project49 board member and the development director of Park County Environmental Council all joined Josh Olsen, myself, and the TBD Studio crew for a group meeting in the afternoon. We chatted about what the point of this grant is, how this team can serve our shared vision, what our goals and plans are with Project49, and how it all fits together in the Teslow Grain Elevator. Mostly, we listened, batted around ideas, and generated excitement about the future of this massive project.  

After our meeting, Erika graciously took us all on a tour of the Shane Center so Omar and Natalya could get an idea of what a non-profit can do in this community given enough time, commitment, support, and mission-driven work. It was such a treat to reflect on the growth they’ve had as an organization, and witness how much work goes into juggling all the moving parts happening over there. It inspires us to keep moving this project forward, and look around at the amazing community we have that has already laid a helping hand.

We spent some time driving around relevant landmarks, exploring other community spaces like the soon-to-be Wellness Center, and getting to know these new friends who will have a personal stake in this community for at least the next few years. 

We also got the chance to chat with Kris King, head of Livingston’s tourism and downtown district, where we garnered insight about what this iconic landmark means to our town, and how best to engage everyone in the story of its future. 

Naturally, we wrapped up at Neptune’s Brewery with a pint and some Moshi Food, sharing our own stories, immediate ideas, and intentions for this build moving forward.

All that to say, this was an exciting week for us. An exciting, revealing, intimidating week. In front of us, we have a lot of grain and mouse poop to scoop, walls to patch, programs to continue running in our existing space, and a community to serve that is deeply rooted in the continued story and success of this iconic building. While it is daunting, we are also incredibly honored to be the current stewards the Teslow Grain Elevator’s restoration and revitalization, honoring its history and filling it with the vibrancy for the future. Stay tuned - we look forward to getting people inside sharing their stories, ideas, and excitement about this project soon!