Beautifying an eyesore: Dilapidated Nob Hill motel going away, and plans for what's next are big

An eyesore property in Nob Hill will soon be transformed into a boutique hotel.

Albuquerque-based Titan Development announced Tuesday that it has purchased the vacant Hiway House Motel property, 3200 Central SE. The developer has been interested in acquiring the property for years.

“We’re always trying to find the next great thing or something that can improve the communities that we live in,” said Josh Rogers, partner at Titan. “And the Hiway House is always front and center. I think for every major developer in Albuquerque, it’s always been like, ‘OK, how do we do this? What’s the most appropriate thing? What’s the best use?’”

The Hiway House property is the newest hotel development for Titan, according to a news release. Its other assets in Albuquerque include the Journal Center Courtyard Marriott and the Highlands SpringHill Suites.

“I am truly excited for Titan to embark on our game-changing boutique hotel project in iconic Nob Hill,” Kurt Browning, partner at Titan, said in a statement. “Despite our ‘older’ ages, my wife and I frequent Nob Hill often, enjoying its fantastic restaurants, bars, nightlife entertainment, brunch spots and more, all of which contribute to Nob Hill’s eclectic urban vibe. Given the allure of Nob Hill, this site might be one of the best boutique hotel locations in the state and we’re thrilled to bring synergy to the area.”

Titan spoke with every major developer in Albuquerque to get their take on re-envisioning the Hiway House property.

“Everybody says the same thing, that it’s going to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and it’s the best site in Albuquerque,” Rogers said. “... From Titan’s perspective, we believe this is the catalytic amenity that the area has been missing.”

Rogers said bringing the boutique hotel to the heart of Nob Hill will stimulate more revenue in the area.

“If you can get 100-plus travelers, visitors, staycation people coming down to Nob Hill to spend money every night at the restaurants, at the bars, at the retail shops, whatever it is, that’s a lot different than the person who’s living a block off of Central Avenue in their house because they don’t go there every day,” he said. “They don’t go there every weekend. But the people who stay in the hotel, they’re there to spend money and they’re there to experience the greatness of Nob Hill and that hotel. It’s just such an amazing opportunity for Nob Hill and the city of Albuquerque.”

The boutique hotel will consist of about 100 rooms, a rooftop bar and meeting rooms, according to the news release. A proposed underground parking structure is also being considered.

The Hiway House’s historic neon sign will be revitalized as part of the redevelopment. However, it has not been determined where the neon sign will be placed or if the property will retain the name Hiway House.

“I have no idea how it fits into the development,” Rogers said of the sign. “We’re just not that far along yet. But it’s such an iconic sign. It’s just really important to us to keep it somewhere on-site. Whether it becomes part of the rooftop bar or it remains exactly where it is, I’m not sure. I just know it’s really cool, and I think everybody knows that neon sign and it needs to be a little updated.”

The Hiway House Motel, which was built in 1959, is now a dilapidated property that was the site of an explosion caused by a propane tank in 2019. It has attracted squatters and has been a nuisance for the Nob Hill neighborhood for years.

Titan closed on the land acquisition on April 19 and is expected to break ground on the boutique hotel in mid- to late-2025 after asbestos abatement, complete demolition of the old motel, city approvals and other required site preparation. Titan is currently receiving proposals from out-of-state architects on the design plans.

“We have a vision of what it is, and I’ve seen some renderings of the project,” Rogers said. “They’re so exciting, but I don’t know if that’s what we’re going to end up with. ... We’re going to work on that over the next couple of months. And as soon as we get a little bit further along, we’ll be releasing those renderings of the future project as we make progress on it.”

Titan has reached out to the Nob Hill community and has held a neighborhood meeting and met with businesses, including M’Tucci’s, which has its Bar Roma location next door to the Hiway House property.

“I’ve been meeting with some of the local restaurants, restaurant and bar owners in the area too, and we’re going to continue to do that,” Rogers said. “Our goal is to make this something that all of the Nob Hill businesses and residents can love and appreciate. But also, everybody in Albuquerque will want to come here. Our goal is to make it the best development for Nob Hill that we can. And we’re going to do that through local community outreach and getting that feedback because it’s really important to do this right.”