The city of Albuquerque has cracked down on the crime-infested Bow and Arrow Lodge along Route 66, giving the motel 120 days to improve conditions or it faces the possibility of a shutdown.
KRQE-TV in Albuquerque recently reported the city found a variety of code violations when it inspected the motel a few weeks ago.
On Feb. 8, the property owners were taken to court, which is when the city gave them a 120-day deadline to bring the property into compliance.
“The goal with code enforcement is to get property owners to take responsibility for their property,” Hart said. “And that’s exactly what’s happening right now.” […]
KRQE News 13 reached out to the owners, but they did not want to go on camera. However, they said they do plan to fix the place up and add a fence around the entire property.
If the place is not brought up to code, the city could shut it down.
Here’s the original KQRE report:
It’s not hyperbole to say the Bow and Arrow has lots of problems. KOB-TV in Albuquerque reported police were called to the motel 154 times in a one-year period. A woman was shot to death there in April. The motel has collected dozens of terrible online reviews from overnight travelers.
The KOB report indicates what might happen if the city intervenes and declares the Bow and Arrow a nuisance:
Earlier this year, the City of Albuquerque filed a lawsuit against the Sahara Motel – a property where police were called out roughly 500 times in a two-year period.
However, following new court-ordered changes, the Sahara Motel now has a new property manager and it operates more like an apartment, instead of a hotel. Since that change, Councilman Davis said the number of calls to police dropped by 50 percent.
RoadsideArchitecture.com reports the motel’s current sign was built in the 1950s or ’60s. Here’s a vintage postcard of the original neon sign, which featured a Native American shooting an arrow.
Albuquerque has managed to save a few vintage Route 66 motels such as El Vado Motel, Monterey Motel and the soon-to-reopen De Anza Motor Lodge. Others are hanging in there amid a glut of old motels along Central Avenue (aka Route 66) that find it difficult to compete against chain hotels near Interstate 40.
(Image of the Bow and Arrow Lodge’s neon sign by Tadson Bussey via Flickr)
Interesting old postcard. Appears the two wings were built at different times, in different styles. And while there are still two wings today, the one on the right certainly has had it’s appearance changed, if it’s still there under the remodel.
Do you think that neon would have been animated? Would there have been 3 or so steps of the bow and arrow being shot, appearing to be in motion?
That sign is awfully similar to the Lariat in Gallup. I guess the moteliers ordered from the same sign catalog 🙂
Yes it is animated
Crime at old US 66 motels hurts all 66 motels. If tourists have a bad experience at one of these old properties, they will go back to the chain motels on the freeways for safety. We should hope this motel is “cleaned up” and becomes one of the honorable members of old 66 lodges serving tourists.