Steamboat Springs — A European-inspired terrace and umbrella bar is one of several new ski area improvements announced by Steamboat Ski and Resort Corp. on Wednesday.

The Bear River Bar & Grill’s deck will be torn down in the coming weeks to make room for the new terrace that will be completed in Gondola Square before the start of the ski season.

“This season, the resort continues the momentum built over the past several years to enhance the on-mountain experience and continue the revitalization of the base area,” Ski Corp. President Chris Diamond said in a news release.

Storm Mountain Services workers began removing railings and loosening screws on the deck Thursday afternoon after they received a permit for the demolition.

The new terrace and umbrella bar will be a heated, glass-enclosed facility that provides access to the promenade in Gondola Square.

The finished terrace will feature floor to ceiling windows, access to the ski area and outdoor seating.

“We saw this as an opportunity to create more space and a unique atmosphere in that location,” Ski Corp. spokeswoman Loryn Kasten said. “Visitors will be able to take in everything that’s going on outside on the mountain from inside the new terrace.”

Kasten said the terrace, which is in the final stages of planning, also would include an outdoor fire pit and walls that can be removed during warmer months. The terrace is part of a larger project to revitalize the promenade area before the winter season.

“There’s so much momentum right now with the promenade,” she said. “We wanted to integrate the terrace with the improvements that are already being made in the area.”

In addition to building the new terrace, the ski area also plans to make changes to its snow­­­-making pumps, increasing the quality of the runs at the beginning of the season.

Doug Allen, Ski Corp.’s vice president of mountain operations, said the new technology and hardware they will begin using this year will give skiers and snowboarders a better experience on Mount Werner this winter.

Other improvements announ­ced for the ski area this year include a hiking and biking master plan and new rails in the terrain parks.