A modernistic motel that was once part of a growing Western chain of trendy 1960s-era inns is slated for a major renovation.
A bid to bring up to date what used to be called the Imperial 400 Motel, located at 707 Central Avenue NE, has taken an important step forward with a $700,000 loan from Albuquerque’s Metropolitan Development Agency.
The project is being developed by the Portland, Oregon-based Palindrome Communities, which has taken on several prominent development efforts in the city, including the 2018 upgrade of the El Vado Motel at 2500 Central Avenue SW.
At a price tag in excess of $7.6 million, the upgrade of the Imperial will see 52 modernized guest rooms, 16 residential rooms, just over 4,400 square feet of commercial space, and a micro restaurant.
Plans call for renovating the entire two-story structure, while also preserving a swimming pool.
According to city documents, the Imperial upgrading will transform a “blighted property into a vibrant hub that includes new spaces for commerce, hospitality, and residential living.”
The Albuquerque Imperial 400 Motel was built in 1964 at the same time that the Imperial 400 chain, launched 5 years earlier, had just under two hundred locations nationally.
The chain’s motels were visually distinguished by their butterfly roof designs.
The chain subsequently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy before being purchased by a company based in Luxembourg.
The motel in Albuquerque was subsequently called the Imperial Inn Motel.
Work is expected to begin on the Imperial project by June, with an estimated early summer 2022 completion date.
By Garry Boulard
