Established in 1949, Cascade Opticians hopped from storefront to storefront in Downtown Great Falls before finally settling at the corner of Fifth and Central in 1985. There it remained for more than thirty years, before finally closing its doors in 2017.

By fall 2020, David Saenz plans to have Cascade Opticians remodeled, repurposed, and reopened to the public. A construction manager by trade, Saenz doesn’t sell corrective eyeglasses or lenses, but he is nonetheless interested in helping to improve Downtown’s vision. The building will be the new home of Calvary Chapel of Cascade County, providing a place of worship and outreach for the diversity of peoples at the city’s center.

“There are a lot of different people that walk the streets down there,” says Saenz, pastor of Calvary Chapel. “We thought this was a good location to connect with the community. As an example, this location is directly across from a new business called Seeking Recovery that is an addiction treatment facility. Our proposed location is a great opportunity of hope for those clients and anyone else who might have addictions. The Bible talks about being a ‘light on the hill.’ That is exactly what we want to be—a positive light, a beacon in a dark environment.”

Currently, Calvary Chapel shares a building with The Bridge Church, which has been gracious enough to house their congregation. Saenz says they’re grateful but ready for a location to call their own. He believes this added resource will be good for the community, particularly in an area where economic class varies widely.

“There are a lot of folks in need of help,” says Saenz.

Calvary Chapel hopes to provide it.

For more information, visit calvarycasco.org.

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