By KIRK SWAUGER
SEVEN SPRINGS — Through the years, Seven Springs Mountain Resort has concentrated exclusively on townhomes and condos, typically marketing to out-of-state visitors looking to escape to the Somerset County mountains.
Now, the resort is adding another dimension: Single-family cottages.
Seven Springs has unveiled plans for a new $75 million to $100 million development consisting of 118 townhomes and cottages at the top of Stowe Slope between the Villages and Southwind.
“We’re trying to attract our same customer base to a new variety of product,” said Greg Stearn, the resort’s director of real estate. “We have very few single-family homes here.”
Site preparation could begin later this fall, with construction tentatively scheduled to start in the spring.
What’s certain is the new development will maintain the scenic beauty of the mountains with winding, tree-lined roads.
“We’re looking at a comfortably upscale neighborhood,” Stearn said.
Last winter, the proposed expansion received considerable interest from visitors to the resort.
The townhomes and cottages, designed by renowned architect Jack Johnson Co. of Park City, Utah, will have 9-foot ceilings with vaulted family rooms, private patios and decks.
The development will provide close access to the resort’s amenities, including skiing and snowboarding, hiking and biking trails, golf, tennis, swimming, sporting clays, mountain bike trails and horseback riding.
Southwind at Lake Tahoe, which contains 154 units, is nearing capacity, just three years after plans were unveiled.
“We’re in the final stages of construction,” Stearn said. “We expect to deliver all of the homes before the end of the year.”
Plans were submitted to the Somerset County Planning Commission last week.
“Of course, it’s a tremendous boost to our tax base,” County Commissioner Jimmy Marker said. “Many times, these are second homes, so people don’t require services of the school or anything like that.
“It’s been good development.”
