Except for installing all the doors, the outer shell of the addition is largely completed. Over the next several months, much of the work will happen inside the structure.
Liquor Warehouse Expansion Project
Did you know the Department of Revenue’s Cannabis and Alcohol Regulation Division has expanded its liquor warehouse?
During the 2021 and 2023 Montana Legislative Sessions, the department was fortunate to receive funding to start an expansion project.
The warehouse is located in Helena and is the hub where all liquor products are shipped before being sold throughout the state of Montana. More than 1 million cases of liquor are shipped from the warehouse each year to 95 privately owned agency liquor stores located throughout the state of Montana.
The Expansion
The expansion includes a 30,000-square-foot addition to the south side of the facility (depicted in the darker brown color in the picture).
The addition is twice as tall as the former facility and equipped with an automated storage and retrieval system.
Pallets of liquor are placed on a conveyor system. The automated storage and retrieval system has two cranes that take the pallets of liquor and automatically store and recall products as needed.
By using an automated storage and retrieval system, the department can store a greater number of pallets of liquor than it could with other racking systems.
The project was completed in spring of 2025.
Past Updates
With the exterior of the new addition largely completed, the construction crew has focused much of the last two months working on the interior.
Many years ago, the department received alcoholic beverages via train cars. A large door in the southeast corner of the building would open and the train cars would enter the building on a set of tracks. That large doorway was reopened by the construction crew and will be one of the two forklift doorways used to get pallets of liquor to and from the existing facility into the addition.
A second opening was cut into the existing south exterior wall to allow for additional forklift use.
The first container of parts for the automated storage and retrieval system has arrived too. The picture below shows just a portion of the first container. Several more will be coming over the coming weeks.
The month of October was a busy one with lots happening on the job site. During early October, the second half of the concrete slab was poured in the new addition. Mid-to-late October, the concrete was poured for the curbing in the parking, a large portion of the asphalt was removed and resurfaced, a sidewalk was partially installed along Airport Road, and the wall panels continued to go up.
The construction crew continued its progress on the roof during the month of September and will continue into October. During the latter part of September, the construction crew started to hang the wall panels, prepped the parking lot for curbing, and poured the first half of the concrete floor.
Most of the noticeable work happened 60 plus feet up in the air for the month of August. The metal decking was installed, and the crew started to lay down much of the roofing material.
The warm month of July didn’t slow progress down at the liquor warehouse job site. The south masonry wall closest to the existing building was completed. Additionally, several trucks of steel arrived, and the construction crew made quick work erecting the structure.
Progress continues to be made on the liquor warehouse expansion project. Work on the footings and foundation walls continued and the first masonry wall along the southern wall of the existing building started to go up quickly.
The installation of several storm water tanks took place in the center of the truck circulation area. Despite the work, incoming and outgoing trucks were able successfully navigate the area with little to no impact. Below is a picture of the area being excavated, temporary pilings going in, the storm water tanks being installed, and recovering the area with dirt.
On the south side of the property, work continues on the footings and the start of the foundation walls.
Lots of work continues at the state liquor warehouse on its expansion project with the footings of the new building being the most noticeable.
In preparation for the installation of several large storm water tanks in the receiving area of the state liquor warehouse, the construction crew is building a temporary semi-truck approach on the property immediately to the west to enable the operations of the liquor warehouse to continue. Without this approach, semi-trucks would be unable to back up to our receiving doors.
On-site work has officially commenced on the liquor warehouse expansion project. The first stage involves rerouting a sewer pipe that crosses the job site. This work is estimated to take a few weeks.
Below are a few pictures of this portion of the project.
