Renovations and expansions are underway to meet the growing demand for space at Blue Mountain Ski Area.
Renovations and expansions are underway to meet the growing demand for space at Blue Mountain Ski Area.
The $8 million lodge renovation and expansion is expected to be completed by Dec. 1, in time for the ski season and positioning the resort for growth.
Included is the first of what will be more efforts to make the Palmerton resort a year-round destination, as well as a $3 million children’s ski instruction area.
The first foray is its restaurant, which attracts big business in warmer months but, because of its outdoor seating, had extremely limited seating in bad weather.
“It will be my first year-round business,” said Barbara Green, president of Blue Mountain Ski Area. “We hired a really excellent chef who will be making everything from scratch.”
Serfass Construction of North Whitehall Township has about 100 workers on site who are expanding the Slopeside Pub & Grill at the Summit Lodge to include year-round, indoor dining for hundreds of guests. Also included are a large outdoor deck overlooking the Little Gap valley, multiple service kitchens, elevators, administration offices, new locker areas and retail space, said Matthias Fenstermacher, vice president of Serfass.
“It’s a huge expansion and renovation to the Summit Lodge,” Fenstermacher said. “It’s a new restaurant that will serve over 300 patrons.
“The real key to this project is the huge deck. The entire deck is heated. The observation deck is on the second floor.”
The panoramic views will be seen by patrons from nearly every seat in the renovated restaurant.
“It’s a huge project and it’s high profile,” Fenstermacher said.
