Editor’s note: The Summit Daily is counting down the top stories and trend of 2018.
Those on the Front Range or around the country may look on at Summit County from the outside and see the relatively sleepy mountain community they’ve always known, characterized by world-class recreation and a quiet western-slope lifestyle. But between new hotels, housing developments and medical buildings, it’s clear that a flurry of development has arrived, and Summit County is on the move.
This year saw one of the most active years for development in the county in recent memory, perhaps most notably in the lodging industry where investors, developers and towns alike began to brace for continued growth in Summit.
One of the biggest developments to come out of 2018 was the approval of the East Peak 8 Hotel project by the town of Breckenridge, an imminent luxury hotel and condo complex set to be built at the base of Peak 8. After more than eight months of negotiations, the Breckenridge Town Council approved the development agreement this July, ushering in the new hotel meant to accommodate 150 rooms, along with 50 condos.
The town of Dillon also green-lit a new hotel project this year in the Hilton Homewood Suites, a developer promised “hotel on steroids” set to be built on the corner of Lake Dillon Drive and U.S. Highway 6. The four-story structure was approved in June, and will feature more than 120-units along with a restaurant and myriad amenities as the hotel looks to compete with the condo rental market.
Down the road in Silverthorne, the town approved the preliminary site plan for a new Element Hotel that is tentatively planned to be built near the Hampton Inn & Suites off Exit 205, pending final approval. The current plans for the structure outline a 101,200-square-foot building with more than 100 units, and two subsurface parking garages.
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Additionally this year, Summit County saw the approval of The Pad in Silverthorne, a boutique hotel built out of prefabricated shipping containers, along with Frisco’s Foote’s Rest Hotel and Plaza.
There have also been a number of development approved and open this year in the arena of new apartments, workforce housing and condos. While the most notable project on the horizon — the massive Lake Hill development planned in unincorporated Summit County near Frisco — is still a ways off, other projects have made a splash over recent months.
In Breckenridge, the town began construction of the COTO Flats, a new workforce housing complex promising more than 90 units in cooperation with the county. The town is also in conversations for Breck 365, a set of planned workforce housing units, which may be built using modular construction methods.
The county broke ground on The Village of Wintergreen in Keystone in August, a new workforce-housing complex with more than 190 units. In Frisco, the town celebrated the opening of the Mary Ruth Place workforce housing complex, featuring nine units on the corner of Galena Street and Fourth Avenue.
In addition to workforce units, the county has been busy approving and erecting new apartment and condo complexes. This year saw ground break on The New Seasons at Keystone, a 32-unit condo complex, as well as Uptown 240, a new 80-unit complex. In Silverthorne, more than 90 new apartments are expected as part of The River West apartments.
But development wasn’t all related to housing and lodging this year. The town of Dillon approved two new medical facilities in 2018, including the Dillon Medical Building and the Dillon Urgent Care and Residences.
The Dillon Medical Building will bring new medical services to the east side of the county, including a new orthopedic surgery center, physical therapy clinic and more. The Dillon Urgent Care and Residences will bring extended-hours medical care to the town, as well as a handful of affordable housing units.
The county also saw major developments in the entertainment and recreation industry. After more than a year of renovation and construction, Dillon reopened the amphitheater this June, featuring a new concessions building, green rooms and a larger stage than ever.
Additionally, Frisco’s 10 Mile Music Hall opened in October after two years of development. The facility includes a massive dance floor, stage and wraparound balcony on the upper floor.
While even this list of new developments in Summit County isn’t comprehensive, it certainly shows a trend of growth, and without doubt, a departure from the minimalist days of old.