Nestled in the Black Valley of south-central Bedford County along Sweet Root Creek, the 142-acre River Mountain Retreat is the first-ever “work play outpost” of personalized outdoor experiences with work amenities for those needing a connection to home or office. Minimalist luxury, stunning landscapes and thoughtful attention to work-life nicely sums up what River Mountain is all about.

Having just recently opened for guests, the road to completion of River Mountain wasn’t always a straight path. Founder Ryan Tyrrell and his team took an old farm property and converted it into a 21st-century hi-tech getaway. The Old Log Home on the property, ca. 1840-1860 and the Main Barn, built in the late 1800s needed a complete renovation. Plans also included constructing four new cabins in one of River Mountain’s back pastures to acclimate guests to the circadian rhythms that align with the body’s natural clock. Their vision was ambitious but needed the right construction team to bring it to fruition.

Construction with Quarry View Building Group

When it came time to begin the actual construction of River Mountain Retreat, Ryan and his team wanted a contractor that understood their vision and requirements of minimizing the environmental impact of the retreat center to its rural setting. They needed a firm that possessed the craftsmanship to tackle extensive renovation work of the nearly 200-year old barns yet could handle the modern construction of the new cabins.

After a lot of research and interviews, River Mountain chose Quarry View Building Group. Utilizing Amish craftsmanship in the restoration of agrarian structures along with state-of-the-art construction methods for the new cabins and other infrastructure, partnering with Quarry View was the best of all worlds.

The building process began in late 2019 and extended until its grand opening over the 2020 Labor Day weekend. According to Quarry View Project Manager Levi King, the project required barn renovation experience for the barns and modern modular building methods for the cabins: “the barns were challenging to modernize the structure while maintaining the original charm of the historical building. The cabins offered an opportunity to use energy-efficient materials and accessories that fit nicely with the vision of River Mountain as a whole.”

Original Artist Rendering

Final Pod Layout

River Mountain’s desire to bring nature into the facility wherever possible included using lots of wood and glass to create an inspiring space for guests to reconnect with their relationship to nature, yet still maintaining the creature comforts and amenities of home and office. The design, orientation and layout of each structure was designed purposefully to exude a sense of calm and serenity amongst the rural backdrop.

But the best part of the project, according to Levi, was working with Ryan, Brandon and Meg on the day-to-day aspects of the project: “working with the River Mountain team was such a pleasure.  Their passion for the vision and the property made its way into every inch of the construction. We’re proud to be a part of such a special place.”

Quarry View Building Group would like to thank the project managers and crew for their hard work and dedication to such a unique and rewarding project. If you’re thinking about your next residential or commercial building project and would like the skills and experience that Quarry View has to offer, please contact us for a project meeting.

If you’d like to experience River Mountain Retreat for yourself, reservations are available for individuals and groups in the luxury glamping cabins with unparalleled access to nature of 150 acres on campus and the 30,000 bordered by adjacent state parkland. Contact them at rivermountain.org or call (814) 281-6016.