New housing was built for staff at Saddleback Mountain to help alleviate the workforce housing shortage in the region. Submitted photo

RANGELEY — Another milestone project comes to fruition at Saddleback Mountain ski resort with Friday’s official opening on the Saddleback House project.

The $10 million housing project is intended to help solve the lack of housing for the greater Rangeley’s workforce, and the resort says it is part of the more comprehensive community development efforts that includes building a childcare center and increasing access to health and wellness care in the region.

Saddleback House is designed to offer ski-in, ski-out access that connects to the South Branch at the base of the mountain, along with a shared locker room for storing skis and equipment. The dormitory-style housing has 43 rooms, which, depending on the configuration of room sharing, can house 60 to 70 people.

Private spaces come in a variety of options, including a suite for two with a private bathroom; a flex unit with two separate bedrooms and a shared bath which could also be rented as a single room with a private bath; and dorm rooms which share common bathrooms and showers on the same floor.

Saddleback House, built to accommodate employees, can house between 60 to 70 people and will feature ski-in, ski-out access. Submitted photo

Laundry facilities are available on each floor in the staff house. The common kitchen will have seating for as many as 30 people at a time.

Saddleback expects to accommodate most employees in need of winter housing for the 2023-2024 season. Saddleback will open the staff housing to their own employees first, but if there are rooms available, they can be offered to employees at other businesses in the region. In addition, Saddleback intends to work with other employers during the off-season at the mountain to offer housing for those employees.

Saddleback also plans to set up shuttle transportation to the base lodge and into downtown Rangeley for staff house residents.

New workforce housing constructed at Saddleback Mountain offers kitchen and laundry facilities for staff who will live there. Submitted photo