Built in 1937, the motel was closed when we came to Albuquerque ten years ago. A developer nearly bulldozed the place, but the City took over the property and then contributed 3 million to its restoration which was recently completed.
In addition to the motel rooms, the multi-use development also features a number of small restaurants, shop spaces, meeting rooms, a taproom and a large patio with a fountain. The restoration apparently stuck pretty closely to the original Spanish Pueblo Revival style, though the white stucco and blue trim buildings combined with the intense summer sun makes the place resemble a transplanted bit of Santorini without the views.
The outdoor seating in the big patio has some potential, but the shade umbrellas are mostly ineffective in the morning and afternoon hours when the place is most likely to be used. Unless some more substantial shade structures are installed the patio is likely to be more decorative than useful.
The motel is adjacent to the golf course and just across the street from the Botanic Garden. There is a lot of development going on in the area which is rapidly transforming the character of the place in mostly welcome ways.
Central Avenue carries a lot of traffic past the motel because of the bridge across the Rio Grande just down the street. Whether the currently stalled rapid transit project will contribute anything to ameliorating the rush-hour traffic jams is still an unknown.
Meanwhile, we are looking forward to more morning coffee opportunities, trying out the new eateries and the taproom, and hoping for the best.
5 comments:
That's some mighty white white to tussle with there on a full-sun day. It's a situation ripe for blowouts. Your VUWS managed it well.
Yes, I was surprised that some of the shots actually looked a little dark. My C-41 developer may be getting a little worn out. I may try giving the next roll a minute or two longer in the developer.
This is on the old stretch of US 66 right? Seem to remember this place from my Albuquerque days...although it did not look like this when I was there!
Yes, this is one of three old Route 66 motels near the Central Avenue bridge. There are a few more on the east end of Central, but most have been torn down.
Wow, it is nice to see the El Vado restored! I am glad the city or local residents recognized its cultural significance. Too many of these architectural icons in USA are just bulldozed with no concern for their history. I drove Route 66 in 2016, when the El Vado was closed. At that time, it was fate unknown.
https://worldofdecay.blogspot.com/2017/05/travels-on-mother-road-route-66-part-9.html
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