DURANGO, Colo. – Feb. 22, 2008: a dreary, wet afternoon in Durango.

Many restaurants in town were prepping for Chocolate Fantasia, a Volunteers of America fundraiser, to take place that evening at Fort Lewis College, and Seasons Rotisserie & Grill was among them.

In the restaurant proper, the Seasons lunch crowd was waning, though a few patrons lingered, and preparations had begun for the traditionally busy Friday night.

And then the world changed. Fire erupted in the attic above Seasons, a conflagration that would in a matter of a few hours destroy the award-winning restaurant and two additional businesses.

“I don’t really know how I felt,” said Karen Barger, Seasons’ owner, whose image standing across the street watching her business burn, was broadcast throughout the world. “It was pretty shocking. But the whole staff rallied around… let’s just dig in and take care of what needs to be done.”

So it began, and Barger and her team haven’t really looked back. They’re keeping their eye on the prize, which is the reopening of a new and better Seasons, in the very same location at 764 Main Ave., on the anniversary of the restaurant’s original opening, Dec. 21, 2008.

Though Barger has had her naysayers, those who have warned of city and construction delays that would surely push reopening into 2009, the proverbial stars began to align as soon as the last ember was extinguished. The town rallied in spirit and in person. Even the traditional horror tales one hears of insurance adjusters didn’t manifest, as Jim Duresky and his Farmer’s Insurance representatives were on the scene immediately. Barger had checks-in-hand on the Wednesday following the fire to cover payroll and begin the clean-up.

Long-time Seasons patron R. Michael Bell also stepped up to handle the restaurant’s architectural design, and Jerry Pope and Emil Wanatka of Timberline Builders stood ready to build. Chuck Fredrick, of Fredrick, Zink, Elliot, offered an empty office suite in the firm’s building on 2^nd Ave., and Seasons’ rebirth was underway.

“It became very evident to us as we were sitting down, talking about it all, that we needed to incorporate as many people as we could who had been customers of the restaurant to continue to put it back together,” said Barger. “They supported us, so we support them. That’s been critical to keep everything as local as we can.”

The project has not been without its challenges. For weeks the 700 block remained scarred as the fire investigation and hazardous materials removal ensued. And getting the three building owners (not all of whom lived locally) and the three business owners to both come to the table and then agree, took time.

“Everybody had an emotional stake in putting the whole thing back together,” said Barger. “There were times that those negotiations went smoothly, and there were times that people were really upset…but I was excited how quickly it all came together with that many people involved.”

Barger lauds architect Dallas Reynolds, who was tasked with the overall design of the three connected buildings, including the façade facing Main Ave. As has been the mandate of the city of Durango for some years, new construction in the historic downtown is to retain the “flavor” of early Durango, but not imitate it – this in an attempt to keep Downtown Durango from evolving over time into a “Disneyland.”

The exterior facade, though currently still protected, was designed by Dallas Reynolds.

Reynolds’ final design for the front façade, which Kennebec Construction now has in place on Main, features primarily red brick with the large display windows and cornice accents. The Seasons building, owned by Paul Fidanque, will be the only one of the three that will include residential units on a new second and third floors. The remaining two have been designed to support additional floors at a later date, if desired. The original historic buildings were one-story with a basement.

Though the exterior façade of Seasons will appear different, with the use of red brick as opposed to the pale yellow, the restaurant’s interior won’t change appreciably to the untrained eye. Barger plans for the distinctive yellow and red walls to return, with focal points such as the large mahogany bar and exhibition kitchen to be located in the same general location.

“We had to make a few changes because we’re now new construction and not retrofitting,” explained Barger. “Some things we can put back exactly the same, some things we can’t.”

To meet ADA requirements, the front door is now larger, which will eliminate the small two-top table that had been to the right of the front door. Also, the bench to the left of the front door will not be replaced, though to accommodate those waiting for a table, a drink rail may be installed.

Where only one small restroom had been located on the main level, the new Seasons will feature full-sized facilities to the rear of the restaurant. As a result, the back of the building will be extended into the former patio area.

“We’re going to lose about 14 seats on the patio, but we’re going to gain eight in a new small room,” said Barger of the room that will accommodate private meetings and parties, and may be open for regular dining. “We’re going to make it a communal table instead of two small tables. We’ve actually had one designed. It’s being built for us.”

The round table will feature wood inlay of the Seasons logo and is intended as a focal point, not to be draped in linen, according to Barger. To facilitate small meetings in the new room, it will be wired for audiovisual presentations.

The Seasons management team, Chefs Dave Stewart and Scott Thompson, General Manager Alison Ivy and owner Karen Barger, review details of the restaurant's reopening in their temporary office.

The wine cellar, located downstairs in essentially the same part of the building as originally designed, will necessarily be reconfigured slightly to accommodate infrastructure changes in the building. The lower level will also contain offices, coolers, restrooms and the prep kitchen – which will for the first time enjoy direct stairway access to the alley for deliveries, and essentially avoid the patio dining area.

“Our patio will shrink because we’ve moved out the back of the restaurant, but what we gain is that it no longer will be tiered,” said Barger, noting that all the trees had been destroyed in the demolition and thus, re-landscaping will be required. “It will be one level, so it will give us the opportunity for some larger tables and the ability to move some things around.”

With the new second and third stories – featuring units that will set back from the edge of the building – Barger hopes the hot afternoon sun will be mitigated. The Seasons team is also exploring some type of awning.

“So you won’t necessarily see a lot of differences,” said Barger of the entire facility, noting that the dining chairs will likely remain wood, and the flooring hardwood with some carpet. “We’re sticking with the eclectic blend of historic and urban.”

One feature typically found in urban eateries and was part of the old Seasons, the “bistro buzz,” will be lessened in the new facility. Though the ceilings will remain high – 14 ft. in the main dining room – instead of the previous tongue-and-groove hard surface, the new ceiling will be designed with somewhat of a drop and include decorative acoustic panels.

“They trap and absorb the sound,” said Barger. “It will probably take about 20 percent off.”

Additional “hidden” improvements will include a new heating/air conditioning system, plus environmentally friendly features whenever possible, from low VOC paint and non-toxic insulation to compact fluorescent or halogen lighting. The team is currently seeking reclaimed flooring to use on the stairway.

An off-sight storage facility is steadily filling with the furnishings, fixtures and equipment that will be part of the new Seasons. Glassware, dishes, even steak knives with the Seasons logo have already been delivered. Barger has made repeated shopping trips to large restaurant supply cities including Denver, Phoenix and Albuquerque and will soon head to Las Vegas, Nev.

“All the big chefs are there, so I’m going to look at menus and get some ideas,” said Barger.

The last creation from the "old" Seasons kitchen - the 2008 entry for Chocolate Fantasia, which had a Mexican theme - a carved chocolate Madonna.

Seasons’ menu will continue to change quarterly, featuring the fresh foods and flavors of the seasons. As originally conceived, it will remain contemporary American cuisine, incorporating influences from throughout the world – and many of the signature dishes such as the calamari and rotisserie chicken will return. Chefs de Cuisine Dave Stewart and Scott Thompson have remained on the Seasons payroll throughout the rebuilding and prepared a fall menu.

“We submitted it to Wine Enthusiast (magazine) with our wine list so we can continue to keep our annual awards going,” said Barger, reminding that Seasons has been lauded repeatedly by the national publication. “They’re working on the winter menu now.”

Part of impetus for preparing the menus is to load them into the new point of sale computer system. All “pieces” of the restaurant’s operation can be programmed into the computer – from food items to expedite ordering, to staff scheduling.

“We can start training people before we even open the doors,” said Barger of ensuring servers can efficiently use the system to send dish requests to the kitchen, and that they’re received correctly in the kitchen. “Two of our lead servers, Rick and Tim, are going to help put the wine list in there. We have 500 labels that we’re trying to keep on hand, so programming that in is a big job.”

The management team will begin rehiring the full staff later in the fall. Barger hopes to retain about 70 percent of the 40 pre-fire full-time employees.

Calls continue to come in requesting reservations for the holidays, and while Dec. 21 remains the goal, Barger hesitates to commit until Seasons is closer to receiving the Certificate of Occupancy.

“Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to be able to do that,” she says. “I think when we get closer to November and see how the interiors are coming along and whether all our equipment has arrived, we’ll have a better idea.”

Watch the construction progress through the Durango Business Improvement District’s Eye on 700 web cam, http://66.118.200.223:8080/. To keep updated on Seasons’ opening date, check regularly at www.seasonsofdurango.com.

indiana@durangodowntown.com