The nest at Saddleback
Sandy River Plantation, Vt.
BEST PROJECT
Sent by: PC construction
Owner: Saddleback Mountain
Main design company: Davies Toews Architecture DPC
General contractor: PC construction
Civil Engineer: Acorn engineering
Structural Engineer: Thorton Tomasetti
MEP Engineer: IEC; Maine wide plumbing and heating
Owner’s representative: Top-of-the-line construction services
Located at an elevation of 3,620 feet near the summit of Saddleback Mountain, the 2,500-square-foot restaurant complements the popular year-round resort offering a unique dining experience, plus a ski-in/ski-out window the winter The 80-seat dining area and 14-seat bar also easily transform into an open-concept event space.
According to the team, the Nest’s design is environmentally conscious and respectful of its picturesque surroundings, with locally sourced forest-based building materials, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, and the placement of large windows slides that show exceptional views.
Photo courtesy of PC Construction
A living roof that is covered with hay-scented ferns and native Maine blueberries reduces runoff, insulates the building and mitigates the heat island effect.
Building the nest presented a multifaceted planning and logistical challenge. While work crews could use the ski slopes to get to the site during the summer months, large delivery trucks could not navigate the steep slopes, even in the best of weather conditions.
Most material deliveries were towed up the mountain by bulldozer, requiring deliberate planning and coordination between suppliers, haulers and resort operations. Crews also had to coordinate activity around the early spring breeding season of the rare Bicknell’s thrush, further limiting an already shortened construction season.
Photo courtesy of PC Construction
The project’s biggest challenge came during excavation with the discovery that the upper several feet of the cornice were unsuitable for structural support. The need to remove the additional ledge and redesign the base extended construction into the winter, eliminating access to the ski slopes.
Working with the station operator, the project team used snowplows after hours to transport material, while project teams shuttled back and forth each day with the station’s chairlift.
Photo courtesy of PC Construction
The proximity of the construction site to snowmaking equipment, combined with other characteristics of the location, required near-constant maintenance to prevent snow and ice accumulation.
Emphasis on pre-planning and risk reduction strategies resulted in no lost time accidents or recordable incidents during nearly 14,000 man-hours. The nest was completed in time to hold a soft opening through the 2023-2024 ski season.
