A cornerstone of the South Lake Tahoe visitor area adjacent to Heavenly Village, fence boards were removed Monday from the Chateau project at the corner of Highway 50 and Stateline, an area hit hard by the economic downturn but has since rebounded because of investor confidence.
Stalled in 2008 amidst the U.S. economic crisis, work resumed on the site after Owens Financial earned unanimous approval for building permits from the South Lake Tahoe City Council in August 2013.
"It's a great day for Tahoe to have the Chateau project unveiled and opened up so the public can see what's behind the fence," said South Lake Tahoe City Councilwoman Angela Swanson. "This sets the tone for economic revitalization."
The project area had been boarded up and the eyesore was referred to as "the hole" among South Lake Tahoe locals. Now with investor enthusiasm and the dollars to back up the development, the Chateau project will consist of street-level retail spaces with complete streetscape improvements along the Highway 50 frontage.
The commercial space will include an 8,988 square foot two-level nightclub at the comer of Highway 50 and Stateline Avenue. The remaining 18,880 square feet of single-level mixed use commercial space will be located along the highway frontage. SMC Contracting is the general contractor.
With the passage of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s Lake Tahoe Regional Plan Update in December 2012 the South Shore has been enjoying a redevelopment renaissance. One of the plan’s priorities is streamlining the permitting process with the underlying goal of encouraging thoughtful environmental redevelopment.