Silver Mountain to add 110 condos

KELLOGG – Silver Mountain is adding 110 more condo units to the ski resort’s Morning Star Lodge.

The condos are the second phase of Silver Mountain’s ambitious expansion plans, which eventually call for hundreds of condos, a golf course, and second high-speed lift.

Last year, Morning Star’s first phase, which had 68 units, sold out in five days, said Stephen Lane, Silver Mountain’s marketing director. Since the first sale was so successful, Lane said the company is testing the market with a larger offering. The ski hill is owned by Eagle Crest Communities of Redmond, Ore.

Silver Mountain is benefiting from a national surge of investor interest in second homes and resort property, Lane said. “You can’t go on vacation with your stocks,” he said.

A lot of the interest comes from empty nesters, baby boomers getting ready to retire, and grandparents who want a place to stage family gatherings, Lane said. Many people put their condos into a rental pool when they’re not using them, he said.

The new condos range from 359-square-foot studio units to 1,430-square-foot penthouses. Prices start at $150,000 and top out around $650,000. Construction will take about eight months, Lane said.

The condos will be built at the base of the gondola.