The Neil Starr Shelter at the Middlebury College Snow Bowl was built in the summer and fall of 1962. Since that time, improvements and renovations have been few in number, and done mostly on an ad-hoc basis.
Recently, the College's facilities planning office hired Northern Architects from Burlington to draw up plans for an addition to and renovation of the lodge, plans that provide for more space and improved customer service, while recognizing and maintaining the unique character of the shelter and the Snow Bowl.
The primary goal of the project -- which began this summer and was completed on schedule in December -- has been to enlarge the space to permit the addition of about 75 additional seats, for a total of about 300. Most of the expansion took place on the first floor, in the area previously devoted to the deck; a new deck area extends further to the south.
An upper-level deck was built to relieve crowding in the second-floor dining area on busy weekends and during races and other major events. Two new exterior stairways connect the upper deck to lower deck.
Improvements have also taken place throughout the lodge, with particular attention given to the cafeteria, dining room, ski shop and rest rooms. And the dining room fireplace has been made operational again.
Staff spaces, including the ticket counter, work room and ski school desk, have also been expanded and improved.
A new race-timing room has an improved view, through full-length glass windows, of the base of the race hill on the Allen Trail, and accommodates four to five people with space for timing equipment and computer monitors.
In the cafeteria, additional storage space and refrigeration will reduce the number of daily deliveries, and enhance the capacity of the food service operation to handle special events. Also part of the plan is the transfer of additional kitchen equipment from the Chateau kitchen. And the cafeteria's layout has been reworked to ease the congestion during the heaviest customer traffic periods.
The ski shop has been expanded and a "shop window" added to make the location more easily identifiable to customers. An outdoor ticket sales window has been added, and should ease congestion at the inside ticket counter.
In addition, there have been general upgrades to the mechanical, plumbing, electrical, wastewater and sewer systems.
>> To support the project ...
To make a gift, you can go the the College's online giving page; be sure to designate your gift for the Neil Starr Shelter. For more information on supporting the Neil Starr Shelter renovations, contact Ann Crumb '71.
> Space Summary
Previous Building 7,560 square feet
Additions 3,330
Total 10,890
Upper Deck 1,420
Lower Deck 1,290
Total2,710