http://www.bigskytowncenter.com/big-sky-montana/press-center.php Big Sky Town Center Press Releases en-us Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:55:57 MST Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:55:57 MST http://www.bigskytowncenter.com/big-sky-montana-press-center-articles/1/press-release-archive/10/big-sky-town-center-project.html Right in the heart of the Big Sky region lies the Big Sky Town Center, a remarkable master-planned commercial and residential development that has been designed to provide a sense of place for the area’s residents and visitors. The Town Center is a centrally-located, pedestrian-oriented village core that will serve as the hub of activity for the many year-round recreation opportunities that Big Sky has to offer. The businesses and residences being built in the Town Center are part of the “downtown” fabric of Big Sky. Let us share our vision for the future – you may find yourself wanting to be part of this incredible area and this incredible endeavor.The Town Center is a 165-acre, mixed-use project located at the intersection of all key development in Big Sky -- Ousel Falls Road and Lone Mountain Trail (Big Sky Spur Rd.). Approximately 50 acres is zoned for commercial uses, and 115 acres is zoned for homes and condos. The project has been approved for approximately 500 residences, including 120 condos above the commercial district. An estimated 375,000 square feet of commercial space has been approved, including 36,000 square feet for civic uses such as a performing arts center, emergency medical facilities, community center, and more. Finally, about 150 lodging rooms will be available in the Town Center. With about 25% open space, trails, and parkland, the Town Center’s development philosophy is sensitive and responsive to the outstanding natural values of the region. Reaching outward from town into the surrounding mountains, access to Ousel Falls Trail will invite exploration and will provide additional marketability for the residents and businesses of Town Center. The goal of creating a walkable community with sidewalks, tree-lined boulevards, trails, and services near the residences has been the defining feature of the plan from the beginning.In the early 1970’s after Chet Huntley announced that his plans for Big Sky included a Meadow Village and a Mountain Village, Bob Simkins and Jim Taylor bought the Sappington Ranch, which contains a part of the Town Center project. Master Developer Simkins Holdings, LLC has been actively working on securing the development rights for the project since the late 1990’s, and the first infrastructure projects were completed in 2001. The momentum for the project has continued to increase over the past few years, and now that the project is about 18% built out, it’s beginning to take on a life of its own, as many residents find it a very desirable place to live, and business owners find it a profitable place to open up shop.The heart of the plan is Town Center Avenue (“Main Street,” if you will) where most of the commercial lots are located. In the middle of Town Center Avenue is a Town Plaza that will likely feature an ice skating rink during the winter, and plenty of room for small festivals and performances in the summer months. The Plaza and Town Center Avenue will be the hub of activity currently absent in Big Sky and will be the destination attraction that draws visitors from around the country. The first projects along Town Center Avenue are in the design and permitting process and should start construction soon. Simkins Holdings, LLC has taken great care to ensure that the individual project developers in the Town Center will be able to move forward with their building projects in a relatively short time frame by having secured the necessary zoning and entitlement approvals in advance. The commercial core of Big Sky is as close as a few blocks away, accessible by sidewalks from the many residential units being offered. Restaurants, shopping, cafes, a movie theatre, grocery stores, and many other services are either available now or planned for the near future, and the Town Center amenity package will continue to expand every year. Town Center is probably the most desirable place to live because the lower elevation of the meadow receives about 60% less snowfall. The milder climate means Spring comes earlier, Fall stays later, and the Summer lasts longer than on properties on the Mountain. All of this creates more opportunities for year-round recreation right from your doorstep in Big Sky. Beautiful trails, fly-fishing, hiking, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, and, of course, the world famous winter experience, are only a few of the Big Sky opportunities immediately available in the Town Center!We invite you to learn more about the Big Sky Town Center at www.bigskytowncenter.com, or by phone at 406-586-9629. Tue, 27 Jan, 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.bigskytowncenter.com/big-sky-montana-press-center-articles/1/press-release-archive/10/big-sky-town-center-project.html http://www.bigskytowncenter.com/big-sky-montana-press-center-articles/1/press-release-archive/11/live-work-and-shop-in-town-center.html The core village of Big Sky is coming! Big Sky will improve on its rankings and comparisons with other similar resort areas when a dense downtown village with ample shopping and dining opportunities is finally constructed. So many other western resorts evolved after the mining boom had already built a downtown core, but Big Sky is different. Because Big Sky didn’t grow from the early mining boom/bust cycles, we now have the opportunity to build a town from the ground up – a downtown with a grocery store, coffee shops, a movie theatre, countless boutique shops, a wide variety of restaurants and bars, and of course a bustling nightlife.The businesses in the Town Center have greatly exceeded their expectations after opening their doors in the project. Ken Lancey, co-owner of Grizzly Outfitters, said recently, “Moving to the Town Center has brought us significantly more foot traffic. We feel this is definitely the place to be now and even more so in the future.” This praise for Town Center is shared by Jackie Robin, co-owner of the Hungry Moose Market and Deli, “We love our new location in the Town Center of Big Sky. It’s central, convenient for locals and visitors, and simply a great spot for our retail business in this growing community.”These businesses and more than 20 others make the Town Center a unique and desirable place to live. With services so close, residents can enjoy their morning walk to ”The Moose” to pick up a paper and a cup of coffee, or have breakfast while working on their computer in the deli. The Town Center is also approved for about 120 residential condos to be located above the shops along Town Center Avenue, the project’s “Main Street.” One of the first projects to propose this type of residential use above the commercial core in the Town Center is the Water Tower Place building offering whole ownership of their limited offering of four residential condos above Town Center Avenue. While this is one of the first projects to offer this type of property in Big Sky, it is very common among other resort towns and traditional downtowns. People are social beings and naturally want to be around other people and close to the services and amenities that give the area a sense of place.The condos in the residential district are located close to the commercial services to encourage walking along the sidewalks and trails. The Town Center has been designed as a very pedestrian-friendly community with tree-lined boulevards, slightly narrower streets to calm traffic, and pedestrian crosswalks. The project has a very ‘human scale’ to it that is unique to the area. The street/building interface along Town Center Avenue has been designed to function like an “outdoor room,” with canopies overhead, ample sidewalks with a heated paver surface to enhance the wintertime strolling experience, and trees along the edge of the street to help provide a comfortable and inviting setting for pedestrians.These thoughtful designs for the project have begun to show themselves in the first ”neighborhood commercial” phase around Lone Peak Drive, but will be more fully appreciated in the next ”commercial core” phase along Town Center Avenue. We encourage you to take a look at the Town Center for the value of the residential properties compared to similar mountain properties. Experienced buyers and investors recognize the value that the Town Center offers, and we invite you to learn more at www.bigskytowncenter.com. Tue, 27 Jan, 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.bigskytowncenter.com/big-sky-montana-press-center-articles/1/press-release-archive/11/live-work-and-shop-in-town-center.html