Sidebar by Marcia Darnell
Historic Renovation – March 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
Q: Why do you want to restore this old building?
A: Del Norte has a remarkably rich history, and a surprisingly large number of surviving significant buildings dating to the period before and just after 1900. The Windsor Hotel complex is the largest of them, and is the centerpiece of this important legacy. To quote Ruth Marie Colville: “Imagine the vision and audacity of the people who built this large, elegant hotel in a tiny, remote town in 1876”. We have an opportunity to show vision and audacity in our own time by restoring this landmark as a living history showplace for future generations in our community.
[The Windsor Hotel in its Glory Days]
Q: Is there an economic reason to restore the Windsor?
A: Absolutely. Well documented national data show that older towns which capitalize on their historic assets attract visitors and strengthen their economies. Towns which turn away from their history do not do as well economically. It’s that simple. We’re talking about more jobs and more money in our local economy.
Q: Will the Windsor Association operate the hotel and restaurant businesses?
A: No. These businesses will be owned and operated by private for-profit businesses that are separate from the Association. The Association will continue to own the building and will rent (lease) space to these businesses at market (non-subsidized) rent rates.
Q: Will these businesses compete with other local businesses?
A: No. The restaurant and hotel will offer specialty food and lodging experiences which are different in type and pricing from existing local businesses, and as such will not compete with existing businesses. In fact, the Association sees these new businesses as actually helping other local businesses, because they will draw affluent “destination” visitors who may now be passing through Del Norte en route to somewhere else. Once here, these visitors are likely to spend money at a variety of local businesses.
Excerpted from “Some Frequently Asked Questions about the Windsor Project,” issued by the Windsor Restoration and Historical Association, Inc., P.O. Box 713, Del Norte, Colo. 81132.