Courtesy Great Gulf
Great Gulf and Safdie Architects envision a promenade around Snowshed Pond with luxury condos built in future phases.
By Polly Mikula
At the Killington Cup last weekend, Great Gulf the developer for the planned Killington Village at the base of Snowshed and Ramshead, unveiled renderings — it was the publics first look into the vision of the new developer.
Great Gulf bought the rights and permitted plans to develop a village at the base of Killington Resort in May from SP Land Co. The new village will at the base of the mountain on 1,095 acres of development land (the village portion will be on 45 of those acres). Permits for Phase 1 include about 32,000 square feet of commercial space and 225 new units of housing with a mix of condos (193 units), townhomes, and single-family homes.
Michael Sneyd, president of the Resort Residential Division of Great Gulf called the original permitted plans “a substantial foundation,” and “a very good plan” when speaking at a community meeting, Oct. 19, adding, “but we think Killington deserves something better than very good. We believe this ski village should be better than any other ski village.”
Great Gulf’s re-envisioned village design includes a pedestrian-only Main Street that leads to the base of the mountain, where a crystalline lodge will welcome visitors (replacing the current Snowshed and Ramshead lodges). The Crystal Mountain Lodge will be made of cladding and joined glass at various angles. It will be visible from both the slopes and the village, Sneyd explained. And its design will reflect the natural landscapes — picking up the colors of every season.
Plans also show Snowshed Pond ringed by a waterfront promenade.
There are “two significant gathering areas,” Sneyd explained. “The Main Town Square in the middle of the village and the Snowbeach Square that celebrates the biggest ski beach in the East.”
The ski beach connects the Snowshed lift and the Ramshead lift. “And it’s flat the whole way,” Sneyd explained. Killington Road will be depressed underneath it and the skiers will go over it on a wide flat bridge. Killington Road will then continue up to K-1 via Vale Road.
“The village will be a hub of activity,” said Killington Resort President and CEO Mike Solimano. “Whether it’s something like ice skating or concerts, this will give people in the area a great place to come together and hang out, not to mention improving the availability of real estate and infrastructure in the Killington region.”
Great Gulf (a company that has built more than 90,000 homes in 20 cities across the U.S.) has hired Safdie Architects to lead the redesign of the village in collaboration with PWP Landscape Architecture.
“We knew early on, only a world-class design team could realize our vision for the four-season mountain resort we believe is the future of Killington,” stated Elly Reisman, chairman of Great Gulf on LiveKillington.com.
Architect and founding partner Moshe Safdie said his “goal is to capture the spirit and character of a Vermont village in a contemporary rendition of vital public spaces for all seasons.”
Safdie Architects has collaborated with PWP Landscape Architecture on a number of projects internationally, including the Jewel Changi Airport in Singapore.
Courtesy Great Gulf
Great Gulf and Sadfie Architects have released a series of concept renderings for their newly proposed Killington Village.
Timing
Because Great Gulf is planning for a major change to the permitted village plan, the new plans will now have to be approved by Act 250 — Vermont’s land use/development law.
Sneyd expects to submit the new plans for review in January 2024. Timing from there is “hard to say… I mean, we would love it to take six to nine months.”
If the permitting process goes quickly, construction could start as early as spring 2025, Sneyd said. Once it gets started it will take two years to build out Phase 1. “Then, as soon as we get Phase 1 on its way, we’ll be working on the next phase,” he explained “We’re excited to begin; to build something absolutely iconic.”
Safdie and PWP got together and created a new village design “that is elegant in its simplicity,” said Sneyd, “We’re participating with the community, town, resort and state to make Killington the best ski village of the future,” he explained. “Right now Killington is the biggest ski mountain in the East, it’s got the best snowmaking, it’s got the best lifts, grooming equipment, etc … but it doesn’t have the best village — and that’s where we’re coming in to be part of the future of Killington.”
At the World Cup, Great Gulf representatives had a chance to chat with many in the VIP tent that their company sponsored.
“Our goal was to talk with people who may be interested and learn more about what it is they particularly are looking for. Is it two bedrooms? One bedroom? Studio? Townhome? Single-family home? We’re able to offer them all right now.”
“We got a lot of feedback and most of it was really really positive,” Sneyd concluded. “What an amazing event!”
For additional renderings visit: MountainTimes.info. For more information visit: LiveKillington.com.
There are always interest in comments here with regards to change. I think there’s some validity to making sure that the New England charm is included in the aesthetic in the details of this build. I also think, the Vermont has quite clear views on the environment as does Powder Corp, so it seems. I do believe environmental innovation, should be a major consideration with a build project of this magnitude. The amenities will certainly help cater to guest needs as they come to Ski Killington , please don’t let it overtake the landscape and reduce the granger of this special natural playground.
Sad to community “leaders” fawning over this late-stage atrocity. It’s not 1950 people, the oil is running out just as fast as the snow. This whole thing is a textbook definition of “unsustainable”. I expect to see the unraveling around the time they begin “phase 2”. Lets be real – no one should be living in Killington ever – it’s the top of a mountain, without cheap oil it doesn’t exist.
Nonsense! Go big or go home!! Build it bigger than the permits allow, build it WITHOUT permits, Act250 is nothing but bureaucratic NONSENSE that wastes money and time. Start building NOW! Design it like the Whistler village with a few pubs/bars/restaurants at the foot of the “snow beach” for apres ski! Bring it on, and HURRY up! ;-))
Ps, parking will be under the village, calm down “8 mile walker”.
Not sure who Great Gulf spoke to in their VIP tent at the World Cup event. All the above comments sound pretty off putting to me. I have had a particular affection for Killington for 40 years and agree with those comments. Visitors to VT don’t realize how very special it is to go there to enjoy the quiet, the serenity and natural beauty. I take deeper breaths when I’m there. My emotions calm down. Looking at this bunch of sexy sketches does nothing but make my skin crawl. Sure, Killington’s lodges need a facelift, but not turned into a commercial behemoth.
It certainly isn’t New England architecture which I feel is going to look like it doesn’t belong in Vermont.
Nice looking architecture. That oversized flaming globe will not only warm the guests, but it will also warm the planet, spew toxic fumes and greenhouse games into the environment. It never ceases to amaze me how ski areas claim to be partners with POW (Protect Our Winters) but insist on outdoor gas heaters,often flaming away with nobody sitting nearby or even stopping for a moment. If you talk the talk you should walk the walk.
Don’t over build don’t take away it’s charm I don’t want to have to park 8 miles away and take a bus through a million dollar village that I can’t afford to buy anything I hate Vail I hate Stratton don’t do that to Killington
I agree!!!!!