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Steamboat Springs — The developers of One Steamboat Place say they are ready to come out of the starting gates Nov. 25 when they open their public plaza simultaneously with the first day of skiing at Steamboat Ski Area.

After two years of construction through two of the snowiest winters on record, Timbers Resorts has scheduled its first closings of condominium sales this week, Project Director Chris Burden said. They expect 100 closings during the next four weeks with more to follow on a more gradual pace. The developers expected to receive a temporary certificate of occupancy from the city for the west condominium wing Nov. 12.

The 465,000-square-foot resort building officially will open to guests Jan. 9, Burden said. Timbers expects to see 80 percent occupancy of the 80 condominiums during ski season.

“Our owners are already booking vacations,” Burden said. “We have a concierge on staff, and we’re already booking activities for our guests.”

However, the skiing public will get its first up close and personal experience with One Steamboat Place when the ski area opens for the 2009-10 season. That’s when the public plaza linking Mount Werner Circle to the Gondola Transit Center opens for business.

“It’s important for us that the plaza is open when the ski area opens,” Burden said. “This is a new entrance to the mountain.”

Workers had nearly completed installation of pavers in the heated plaza Thursday morning and were testing a membrane under the upper gondola bull wheel to ensure that it was waterproof.

Burden said that the Jan. 9 opening date puts the project right on schedule but that exterior work, including landscaping, is ahead of schedule.

“Because of the economy, Haselden (Construction) has been able to devote some of its best people to our project,” Burden said. “The foremen working here would typically be spread around a number of jobs. We’ve really benefited from that.”

The new Wildhorse Gondola isn’t expected to be operational until February; however, the Steamboat Ski & Snowboard School ticket office, the relocated Surefoot ski boot and fitting shop and a new independent ski shop will be open for business the day the ski area opens.

Olympic downhiller Chad Fleischer said fixtures are due to be installed this week in his ski shop, Fleischer Sport. He will take the roles of general and retail manager for the shop. Fleischer bought a commercial condominium right next to the gondola unloading area.

A new restaurant, Truffle Pig, is not expected to open until July.

Burden said he hopes the public will recognize One Steamboat Place as more than a new luxury condominium complex.

“It’s more than just condominiums at the base area; it’s an expansion of the base village,” he said.

Once the building is fully open in January, he encourages anyone who is curious about the new project to enter through the plaza level main entrance and ask for a guided tour. The office is immediately to the right of the entrance doors.

“We encourage Steamboat residents to stop in,” Burden said.

In the meantime, crews are working toward completion inside and outside the building.

Furniture installers from J. Banks Design have delivered furnishings into the residence club condominiums and some of the whole-ownership units in the west wing, Burden said. They will return Dec. 1 to furnish the amenity areas of the building.

The amenities include an owners’ lounge with a two-story fireplace and living room furniture, as well as beverage service.

Next door in the more intimate members gathering room is a large-screen TV with a glass-enclosed wine room in which owners may store their private collection. There’s ample space for 1,000 bottles.

The showpiece of the gathering room will be a fine-art replica of a traditional trophy deer mount fashioned of hand-blown glass and bronze.

The club members’ locker room is nearing completion, as is the space for the spa. Burden said Timbers Resorts has had to add additional spa treatment rooms at its other resorts, so One Steamboat Place has 10 rooms including couples’ rooms complete with large bathtubs.

This year’s occupancy is being driven by owners planning their own vacations, as well as members of the Timbers Residence Club, who have purchased fractional ownership of condos at other resorts such as The Residences at Esperanza in Cabo San Lucas. There will be some rentals to members of the public, as well as two-night stays enjoyed by 90 families who have expressed strong interest in making a purchase but want to experience One Steamboat Place first, Burden said.

One Steamboat Place expects to employ 40 to 50 people this winter, Burden said, and many of the hires have taken place.

“We’ve been thrilled with the quality of our interviews,” he said, “and we’re excited that we’ve been able to hire all but two here in Steamboat.”