Inside Denver's new retro La Vista Motel on Colfax
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Photo: Courtesy of La Vista Motel
For decades, the La Vista Motel embodied the plight of Denver's Colfax Avenue — a blighted, neon-signed relic that was home to prostitution and drug dealing.
The intrigue: Now, after a nearly four-year overhaul, the 23-room motel is reopening with a retro-cool reboot.
Why it matters: Owner Nathan Beal said the motel symbolizes the revitalization of Colfax Avenue, where the city is installing bus rapid transit and developers are adding housing units.
What he's saying: He's betting the corridor becomes a destination, not just a thoroughfare.
- "It's going to be a great asset for Colfax, just encouraging people to stay here and hang out, frequent the businesses," Beal told us on a tour of the property ahead of its grand opening last Saturday.
The big picture: Boutique motels have become trendy as cities repurpose aging travel infrastructure into community-centric spaces.
- La Vista joins that wave, but its Colfax address gives it extra cultural weight.
The vibe: The nostalgic yet modern motel — now listed on the National Register of Historic Places — will appeal to travelers and locals looking for an offbeat hangout.
The building features a colorful mural by Denver artist Emma Friday, while the rooms are decorated with local art and '60s-era antique furnishings, put together by Melissa Friday of Xan Creative, known for designing restaurants such as Snooze, Ginger Pig and Steuben's.
- Sopher Sparn Architects rebuilt the exterior while preserving the building's original character.
The anchor is El Piñon, a coffee, cocktail and wine bar with an outdoor patio and cozy basement lounge — dubbed "Grandma's Basement" — where you can enjoy a drink, listen to vinyl records or hold community meetings.
- Beal said what he loves most about the project is the intimacy of the spaces.
Between the lines: When we visited, a handful of retired Denver police officers were chatting in the basement, recalling the motel's former life, where drugs were sold drive-thru-style out the bathroom window and the front desk rented rooms by the hour.
- The remodel surprised them because it maintained the rich history without the nefarious elements.
What's next: Beal is trying to get the word out about the motel's makeover, but online reviews posted on Yelp and Google still reflect its 1-star ranking.