Brundage purchases off-mountain site for employee housing

Brundage Mountain Resort is one step closer to expanding employee housing options. 

In early March, Brundage officially closed on the purchase of a 10,000 square foot stucco building at 520 Virginia Street in New Meadows. The building is off of Highway 55, east of the intersection with Highway 95, and has been as a school facility and a church.

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The resort plans to submit permits and applications this spring with the hope of adding housing for up to 20 employees by the 2022-23 winter season. 

“We are attracted to this site for several reasons,” Brundage Mountain General Manager, Ken Rider said. “It’s set up nicely for a conversion to dorm-style housing units, but also has large spaces to use as common areas and for other uses and provides easy access to amenities in New Meadows for employees.” 

The news release said during the permit application process the resort will look at the “potential” for a park and ride shuttle parking to Brundage and a “small number” of tiny homes behind the main building.

“Our employee base consists of many different types of people,” Rider said. “Some are single and well suited for dorm-style housing, many have spouses, and children, and some have their own RVs but need a secure place to hook up. Our short- and long-term housing plans seek to address all these different housing needs.”

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New Meadows Mayor Julie Good commented she was “looking forward” to the resort’s employee housing proposal.

“I am very excited about seeing more housing opportunities in the local community to help meet employee and workforce housing needs,” Good said. “I’m looking forward to seeing the proposal from Brundage.”

In 2017, Brundage first began providing employee housing with Shore Lodge and onsite at Creekside RV Park & Campground. Now the resort houses about 40 of its employees each winter. The release said the resort wants to increase the number by 100 or more. 

“Brundage Mountain has always been a fun, engaging place to work,” Rider said. “As the local housing market continues to tighten, we are keenly aware that offering housing to our seasonal and full-time employees will be a critical step toward remaining one of the best employers in the region.”

As of recently, the resort has made a lot of major announcements. Just last year it was announced that Brundage planned to add a new ski lodge, update terrain, add houses on the mountain, and more.