Wednesday, May 5, 2004

Sun Valley Lodge remodeling project is in full swing

Some facilities to be closed for month

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By GREGORY FOLEY
Express Staff Writer

Sun Valley Co. is aggressively moving forward with a project to remodel parts of the historic Sun Valley Lodge.

The project, which was commenced in earnest last month, has prompted the temporary closure of several public areas in the 1936 lodge.

Gretchen’s restaurant, the Duchin Lounge, the Lodge Dining Room and the lodge’s bowling alley will all be closed for the majority of May.

The most visible activity at the site is a full-scale remodel of the porte-cochere at the front entrance to the structure. The renovated carport and entry area is being fashioned to match the recently reconstructed porte-cochere at the Sun Valley Inn.

The modifications planned for the entrance to the lodge include the installation of new heated pavers around the entry and new landscaping around the entry’s decorative duck pond, which will be expanded.

However, the primary component of the project is a complete makeover of all 148 guest rooms in the lodge.

Sun Valley Co. spokesman Jack Sibbach said plans call for remodeling approximately half of the guest rooms this spring and half in the fall.

Guest rooms will be remodeled with new carpets, draperies, bedspreads and some new furniture. They will also be outfitted with new flat, plasma-screen televisions and linked to a new air-conditioning and heating system.

The work on the entry area is expected to terminate by the end of May. Until then, all visitors to the lodge will be required to use the rear entrance.

Sibbach noted that Gretchen’s, the Duchin Lounge and the bowling alley are scheduled to re-open Saturday, May 29. The Lodge Dining Room is set to re-open for business Sunday, May 30.

During construction, the resort’s beauty salon will remain open Monday through Friday. The Sun Valley Inn lobby-area lounge will provide breakfast, lunch and dinner—as well as entertainment—throughout May.

The last time Sun Valley Co. completed a substantial remodel of the lodge was in 1985.

The major remodel project this year follows a multi-million dollar makeover of the Sun Valley Inn and Limelight Room conference center, commenced in 2002 and completed in 2003.

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.