The Teslow Project.‍ ‍

A Brief History.

The iconic Teslow grain elevator has stood as the defining symbol of the Livingston skyline for over 100 years. In 2016, a massive windstorm ripped the roof off of the historic building and it was subsequently slated for demolition.

A group of local citizens stepped in at the 11th hour to save the building from destruction. Over the course of one weekend, the tear down work was halted, the building was purchased and the Teslow Preservation Group (TPG) was established to raise funds for the repair and redevelopment of the structure. The amazing work of that dedicated group preserved this historic landmark for future generations.

The building is now ready for its next life and that’s what Project49 intends to create.

For a detailed history of the Teslow Preservation Group’s efforts, check out their website here: Home | The Teslow

The Plan.

Project49 is dedicated to creating a space with the Teslow that is useful for the entire community. We have spent the past few years talking to folks to find out what the community needs, building successful program models through our other project, Studio49, and devised some ideas on what would be an exciting and inspiring use for this iconic structure. Here’s what we’ve got:

Recreation:

Livingston is such a wonderful place to live. But, dang, it’s cold come winter. Our kids tend to climb the walls when they can’t be active - we bet yours do too. So let’s give them some fancy walls to climb. Adults can come too. We are planning a super-cool climbing gym with some of the most dedicated local climbing experts around.

Maker Space:

Creativity is a hallmark of the Livingston community. Let’s unleash that by having a full-service Maker Space. Table Saws, Welders, CNC, Frickin’ Lasers! And places for local artists to teach and call home.

Community Space:

Want to have a meeting? Get married? Have an exhibition for your bottle cap collection? Let’s figure out how to make that happen. The Teslow has some of the coolest rooms in the world- we are going to gussy them up and let you book them for whatever you want to do. Within reason and the law. No planning a heist with your gang, please.

What Else?

We need your ideas. What else does our community need space for? Send us an email, stop us at the dog park- let us know!!!

Current Status.

Project49 was awarded a Montana Historic Preservation Grant in 2023 totaling nearly $400,000. We have successfully gone under contract with that grant and worked through the initial engineering work necessary to shore up the existing structure.

In practical terms, this means we are finally done clearing out the old grain, removing damaged and unusable materials and doing a laser scan of the entire structure to inform the engineer. Now that the background work is completed, we have begun the process of stabilizing the foundation, shoring up the wooden shell and preparing the building for modern structural upgrades to make it safe and useable.

We are hoping to get people in to see the building fall of 2026 and garner some more insight into what our community wants to make out of this space!

Check out our blog for more up-to-date info and exciting news!