De Anza Motor Lodge wins NAIOP award for mixed use/multifamily category

De Anza Motor Lodge redevelopment project in Albuquerque won the Eagle Award in the mixed-use/multi-family category in the NAIOP New Mexico Awards of Excellence. NAIOP, which stands for National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, has a chapter in New Mexico. This is what the organization said about its honor for De Anza, courtesy of … Continue reading De Anza Motor Lodge wins NAIOP award for mixed use/multifamily category

De Anza Motor Lodge in Albuquerque celebrates grand reopening

De Anza Motor Lodge in Albuquerque, previously closed along Route 66 for years, celebrated its grand reopening last week after years of reconstruction. Mayor Tim Keller, City Councilor Pat Davis and Deputy Cabinet Secretary Jon Clark attended the reopening, reported The Daily Lobo, a student-run newspaper for the University of New Mexico. “This is not … Continue reading De Anza Motor Lodge in Albuquerque celebrates grand reopening

De Anza Motor Lodge sign will be relighted Sunday

The neon sign for the De Anza Motor Lodge in Albuquerque will be relighted in a ceremony Sunday evening. The Route 66 motel at 4301 Central Ave., most of which has been converted into higher-end apartments, announced on Instagram and other social media the relighting will occur at 5 p.m. Sunday. De Anza also is … Continue reading De Anza Motor Lodge sign will be relighted Sunday

Neon sign relighted at De Anza Motor Lodge in Albuquerque

The historic and restored neon sign for De Anza Motor Lodge in Albuquerque was relighted during a ceremony Sunday evening. Here’s a countdown video of the relighting from the motel’s Facebook page: Here are more images Sunday evening from the New Mexico Route 66 Association: A few days ago, the Albuquerque Journal published a story … Continue reading Neon sign relighted at De Anza Motor Lodge in Albuquerque

De Anza Motor Lodge likely will be booking overnight guests in early October

The soon-to-reopen De Anza Motor Lodge in Albuquerque likely will begin booking overnight guests in the hotel part of the business by early October. An article in the Albuquerque Journal this week about De Anza and other developments in the Nob Hill neighborhood stated those who had reserved apartments at De Anza likely will be … Continue reading De Anza Motor Lodge likely will be booking overnight guests in early October

Neon restorer, New Mexico Route 66 Association board member dies of COVID-19

Johnny Plath, 68, a board member with the New Mexico Route 66 Association and a restorer of several historic neon signs along the route, died Friday after contracting the coronavirus. According to a news release Saturday from the association, Plath contracted the disease while tending to his father, who also died from it. Plath and … Continue reading Neon restorer, New Mexico Route 66 Association board member dies of COVID-19

Two neon signs reinstalled along Route 66 in Albuquerque

Thursday was a big day for neon signs along Route 66 in Albuquerque. One historic sign that was refurbished was reinstalled, and a reproduction of a badly damaged sign also was installed. First is the refurbished De Anza Motor Lodge sign at the historic Route 66 motel that’s largely being redeveloped as part of a … Continue reading Two neon signs reinstalled along Route 66 in Albuquerque

County awards grant to help with De Anza Motor Lodge project

Bernalillo County recently awarded a $350,000 grant to help build infrastructure for the redevelopment of the historic De Anza Motor Lodge in Albuquerque. The Associated Press reports county commissioners unanimously approved the grant to developers Anthea @ Nob Hill LLC to rebuild the Route 66 motel into a boutique motel. According to a document from … Continue reading County awards grant to help with De Anza Motor Lodge project

De Anza Motor Lodge scheduled to reopen by April

Redevelopment of the De Anza Motor Lodge in Albuquerque is scheduled to be finished by February with grand reopening tentatively set for April. Groundbreaking for the $9 million project began in November, and the Albuquerque Journal reports the site now looks drastically different. Construction project manager Jim Trump Nearly all of the buildings have come … Continue reading De Anza Motor Lodge scheduled to reopen by April

VIDEOS: De Anza Motor Lodge sign taken down for restoration

Workers on Wednesday took down the neon sign for the De Anza Motor Lodge in Albuquerque to be restored — one of many steps to rehabilitate the long-closed historic Route 66 property into a boutique motel. Melissa Lea Beasley, president of the New Mexico Route 66 Association, wrote in that group’s Facebook page: Today the … Continue reading VIDEOS: De Anza Motor Lodge sign taken down for restoration