Phase 1 of new apartments, business space
By Emily Wolfe Explore Big Sky Managing Editor
BIG SKY – Perhaps you’ve noticed the mountain of dirt sitting just east of Lone Peak Cinema. By November, it will be 32 Town Center Avenue, a 9,000-square-foot, two-story building with three commercial spaces on the ground floor and four apartments above.
The approximately $2 million project, which will abut the east side of Lone Peak Cinema, is being developed and built in coordination with TNG Development and Rotherham Construction. It is phase 1 of a two-part project that will include a second building of the same size slated for construction next summer.
Designed by Bechtle Architects, in Bozeman, both buildings will have open-air walkways allowing foot traffic to pass through from Town Center Avenue to the parking lot on the south side.
“It’ll give it that city feel with the zero lot line, but then it allows foot traffic flow between the spaces,” said TNG President John Romney, meaning the two buildings will share a wall. Romney also developed the movie theater and owns neighboring Ousel and Spur Pizza Co.
“I think it will appeal to people who work in this area. You’ve got a lot of stuff at your doorstep, and you can walk to everything… the coffee shop, the pizza place, the movie theater, the bus stop, cross-country ski trails, concerts and farmers markets.”
The idea, he said, is to have retail shops or offices on the first floor of both buildings, and young professionals in the loft-style apartments, which will be pet friendly.
TNG bought the land from Simkins Holdings LLC, developer of the Big Sky Town Center. The first new construction there since 2011, the building will also be notable for its street address, said Ryan Hamilton, Town Center Project Manager.
“This is the first building with the Town Center Avenue address, which is the future main street for Big Sky. [Town Center Avenue] will be shopping, dining, hotels, bars, restaurants, entertainment, with condos up above. It’s going to be the hub, the center of town. ‘Where Big Sky comes together,’ that’s our tag line.”
Romney echoed that sentiment.
“I think we’re on the verge of a boom, and this is Main Street USA. Everything is going on here. I think Town Center is the place to be.”
