The town of Silverthorne, usually known as a pit stop on the way to the ski slopes, has been aching for a downtown feel. Since 2017, the Sumit County town has been revitalizing the downtown area, with a $9 million performing arts center. Coming in early 2021, a new market hall dining and events center will be another step to bringing locals and visitors the downtown feel they’ve desired for years.
The Bluebird Market will be a 29,000 square-foot building combining new urban development with the historic Old Dillon Inn. It will feature a mix of grab-and-go groceries and prepared food items and restaurants from local chefs and entrepreneurs and is located next to the historic Mint.
Silverthorne has McDonald’s, Subway’s and other national chains, but in the Bluebird Market, the emphasis will be focused on local chefs and entrepreneurs. “For this particular space, the town and developer felt like this is a space where people will like to see the local flavor versus a brand name,” Ryan Hyland, Silverthorne Town Manager said.
The market, along with the other redevelopment of the block, will feature a more pedestrian-friendly downtown square. The Milender White developers and designers joked that they looked at radical elements such as sidewalks, Hyland said.
“Previously it has been an underutilized area with parking lots and it just begs for that traditional downtown feel,” he said.
The market is just one piece of a bigger story, but it’s an integral part of the 4th Street Crossing Project, which will completely redesign the area next to the Blue River. According to Hyland, the Bluebird Market and the newly renovated downtown area will serve as a community gathering space, once it is safe to do so.
With an anticipated opening of early 2021, many mountain towns are considering their options to safely space dining tables, while the outdoors will be snow-packed.
“Something the market hall has going for it is that it’s not a small space. I think within the building itself we have a good opportunity with the sheer size of it,” Hyland said.
The market hall also will feature cooking classes, live concerts and events and a local, dining experience. It will feature 10 to 12 food and beverage concepts, many local retailers and a unique co-working space in the old inn.
“Everything we are doing is to create a downtown in Silverthorne where there wasn’t one,” Hyland said. “Not a radical concept certainly, but just something we have been missing here in Silverthorne.”
To check out the floorplan of the Bluebird Market and to stay up-to-date with opening details, visit their website.