The Aztec Motel, also known as the Aztec Auto Court or Aztec Lodge, was a historic motel located on former U.S. Route 66 in the Upper Nob Hill neighborhood of Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. Until its demolition in 2011 it was the oldest continuously-operating Route 66 motel in New Mexico[3] and "one of the five most important motels left" in Albuquerque.[4]
Aztec Auto Court | |
 Aztec Motel in 2010 | |
| Location | 3821 Central Avenue NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico |
|---|---|
| Built | 1932 |
| Demolished | 2011 |
| NRHP reference No. | 93001217[1] |
| NMSRCP No. | 1571 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | November 22, 1993 |
| Designated NMSRCP | September 17, 1993[2] |
History
editThe Aztec Motel was built in 1932 as the first of what would eventually be dozens of auto courts lining Central Avenue, which became U.S. Route 66 4 years later. During a remodeling of the building in the 1950s, the garages were walled in, bringin the number of units from 13 to 17, and a new neon sign replaced the original one.[5]
It was listed on the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties[6] and the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.[1] The building was well known locally for its exterior decorations, which consisted of hundreds of found objects assembled in the 1990s by a resident of the motel. The work was described in the Albuquerque Journal as a "beloved local folk art installation".[3]
In 2003, the Aztec Motel received a fund from the National Park Service Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program to restore its neon sign.[5]
The Aztec Motel was razed in early June 2011. The motel's owners cited its deteriorating condition and high maintenance costs as reasons for the demolition, estimating the building would cost $1 million to renovate.[4] The motel's neon sign was left standing and was intended to be part of future development on the site.[3] However, the sign ended up being removed in March 2015. The city declared its intention to restore and reinstall it at a to-be-determined location.[7]
See also
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References
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- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ "State and National Register Spreadsheet" (Excel). New Mexico Department of Historic Preservation. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
- ^ a b c Linthicum, Leslie (June 16, 2011). "History Takes a Lick on Route 66". Albuquerque Journal. NM. p. A1.
- ^ a b Tomlin, Alex (June 10, 2011). "Historic Route 66 motel demolished". KRQE News. NM. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
- ^ a b "Aztec Auto Court". US National Park Service.
- ^ "Properties by County" (PDF). New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
- ^ Zucco, Erica (March 27, 2015). "Removed Route 66 sign to get second life". KOB Eyewitness News 4. Archived from the original on March 30, 2015.