STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — As second homeowners and loyal vacationers enter the Steamboat Springs city limits from Rabbit Ears Pass, they might be surprised by the sight of the large construction project going up east of U.S. Highway 40 on the southern edge of town.

The new, four-story, 84-room Homewood Suites by Hilton is within one week either way of sticking to its construction schedule, project manager Mike Brown, of Bob Brown Contractors of Westminster, said Monday. The development permit for the hotel was unanimously approved May 2, 2017, by Steamboat Springs City Council.

“All of the concrete slabs (including the upper floors) are poured,” and his crew has begun installing roof trusses, Brown said. “Once the trusses are finished, we’ll get to work on the roof sheathing and asphalt shingles, and after that, we’ll be starting the interior finishes.”

The building is going up across U.S. Highway 40 from Dougherty Lane and the Steamboat Christian Center on a short stub of Stone Lane, and it’s being developed by Bob Amin, owner of the Fairfield Inn next door. The Homewood Suites represents a hotel property that is not in abundant supply in Steamboat, with one- and two-bedroom suites and full kitchens.

One of the newest Homewood Suites within a day’s drive of Steamboat is a two-year-old hotel in Moab, Utah.

The Homewood Suites in Moab offers separate living and sleeping areas, and kitchens with full-size refrigerators, microwaves and dishwashers. The hotel also has a 24-hour “pavilion pantry market.”

One of the units in Moab features sturdy, twin wooden bunk beds in a bedroom with its own TV.

There is a also a Homewood Suites in Durango.

Brown said this week he is supervising a fairly lean crew in the construction of the 73,000-square-foot building.

“Overall, we have a gang of 15 on the trusses, eight on drywall, four electrical and four plumbing, six HVA (heating ventilation and air conditioning) and another six-man crew handling ongoing issues,” Brown said. “It’s not a ton of people.”

The hotel developers were required by the city to add more windows to their plan in order to comply with architectural guidelines, as well as reducing the number of rooms by three from the original request.

To reach Tom Ross, call 970-871-4205, email tross@SteamboatToday.com or follow him on Twitter @ThomasSRoss1.