Tuesday, February 22, 2005

The De Anza Motor Lodge: An Idea To Help Central Ave...And Fill Up Those Rolling Accordians At The Same Time


NOB HILL--It has been some time since the city bought the DE ANZA Motor Lodge. Nothing has happened and it doesn't look like they even have a plan for what to do with the property. Anytime the city tries to do something that private enterprise could do (like offer the motel space as small gallery rooms for artists) there are complaints of unfair competition from other property owners. So I have an idea.
Turn the DE ANZA into a Route 66 museum. Put signs up on edges of town telling people to get off the interstate and take a cruise down 66 on our new RapidRide Buses. There are plenty of vintage lodging opportunities. Plenty of local, non-franchise eating establishments. A not-to-be-matched collection of vintage neon. And now a Route 66 museum!
Well...that's my idea. If you look at the above postcard you can see that back in 1944 the De Anza was a pueblo style motor lodge. Also noticable are the carports tucked in between each unit. How it would be restored would be up to the city, but why not make a museum out of it? I think it would help out all the merchants and vintage motels along Central Ave. Maybe we would start getting a better, more affluent kind of customer. Maybe we could save a few more of these historical sites from being torn down by that city task force.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Marty and Dinelli haven't torn De Anza down yet? Matter of time.

Coco la Boca

Anonymous said...

There is a plan brewing. I will need all teh support I can get to make it work. A museum on the site is part of the plan. Can I get your support?