STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — The Steamboat Pilot & Today newspaper is returning to the heart of downtown Steamboat Springs.

The Pilot started searching for a new home in August 2016 after it was purchased by Swift Communications. The building the Pilot has occupied since 1999 was not included in the sale of the newspaper and is being sold by the newspaper’s previous owners.

By early summer, the Pilot plans to move into about 4,000 square feet of office space on the second floor of the 910 Yampa Street building.

“We are excited to bring the local paper back to the heart of downtown,” Steamboat Pilot & Today publisher Suzanne Schlicht said. “Our new location is only a block from the two locations at 11th Street and Lincoln Avenue that housed us for most of our history.”

The 910 Yampa building was built in three phases and was the headquarters for Yampa Valley Electric Association, which moved to west Steamboat during the summer of 2015.

The first phase of the 910 Yampa building was designed by Denver architect Eugene D. Sternberg in 1955 and constructed in 1956. The next phase was in 1964, with the bulk of the building constructed in 1974.

The 1974 section of office space has been demolished and will be home to two penthouses, which are expected to be completed in about four months.

The building is being redeveloped by Blue Sage Ventures, which is led by Stephen Shelesky and David Wilson, who spent a majority of their careers in the Washington, D.C., real estate market.

Shelesky said the most historical part of the building was rehabilitated in line with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.

“The 910 Yampa project has sought out a mix of community-based businesses to retain the heritage of the Yampa Valley Electric Association,” Shelesky said. “While key features have been preserved to maintain the 1956 vision of Eugene Sternberg, enhancements have been made on the building to shape a vibrant and communal atmosphere. We are eager to be working with the Steamboat Pilot, a cornerstone of the community, in furthering that mission.”

The second floor of the building will hold the offices for the Pilot and as well as its current tenants, which include The Steamboat Group real estate firm and administrative office space for E3 Chophouse and Steamboat Emergency Center.

The ground-level floor of the building is occupied by Mountain Tap Brewery, the Steamboat-based Hala Gear paddleboard company, Yampy’s coffee shop and Blue Sage Ventures.

“We have three retail bays left for lease and are deep into conversations with tenants for each bay,” Shelesky said.

Schlicht said the Pilot’s new home will allow the newspaper to increase its visibility in the community and provide convenience for customers.

“I should mention how pleased I am to bring our team downtown where they’ll have access to fabulous restaurants, shopping and recreation on the Yampa River and Emerald Mountain,” Schlicht said. “You can’t do much better than an office with a coffee house and brew pub underneath you.”

To reach Matt Stensland, call 970-871-4247, email mstensland@SteamboatToday.com or follow him on Twitter @SBTStensland.