The former Bob Ward and Sons Sporting Goods building at 3323 Dredge Drive will be converted into the new home of Buffalo Church, according to city of Helena records. Plans filed with the city show a remodel project valued at just under $1.5 million is underway at the site.

The building has sat vacant since the Helena Bob Ward's location closed at the end of 2025. The closure came after Utah-based Al's Sporting Goods acquired Bob Ward's Montana locations in 2022, then closed the Butte store in 2024 before shutting the Helena location. Bob Ward's had been a fixture for Helena outdoor and sporting goods shoppers for decades.

Buffalo Church currently holds Sunday services at the Great Northern Hotel in the Walking Mall area of Helena. The Dredge Drive building will give the congregation a dedicated, permanent facility for the first time. A timeline for the completion of the remodel and when services might begin at the new location was not included in city records.