UPDATED: Silver Moon Lodge closed

I found this LiveJournal item, via Duke City Fix, that passes on distressing news about an Albuquerque motel on Central Avenue (aka Route 66):

The Central Park Deli and Silver Moon Lodge, (aka “Grand Western Motor Inn”) Built in 1953 is closing Oct 15 2007.

This 1950’s era motel and restaurant is a prime example of the history that was a big part of the RT66 1950’s lifestyle.

It will be torn down and over the next 2 years some new hotel or motel will take its place.

You can see my tribute photoset here, https://www.flickr.com/photos/killbox/sets/72157602420993684/

The Silver Moon’s Web site is still up. But I called the motel’s two numbers, and no one is answering. Archive searches of the city’s two newspapers don’t reveal anything about the motel, either.

Anyone know anything?

UPDATE 10/17/07: Theo Barela, president of Peak Hospitality, confirmed that the Silver Moon Lodge will be razed to make way for combination hotel-retail-residential development.

Barela said concepts for the redevelopment are still on the drawing board, and Peak hopes to begin construction on it a year from now. He wants to take advantage of the Silver Moon’s location, which is near a growing downtown.

When asked whether Peak considered fixing up the Silver Moon Lodge, Barela replied: “We spent $1 million renovating it when we bought it seven years ago. The plumbing and water systems were starting to go. … The numbers didn’t work out (on a renovation).”