Taos’ Old Martinez Hall to reopen under Heritage ownership

To many in the Taos community, the Old Martinez Hall in Ranchos de Taos is “almost like an old friend,” said Taos chef Cristina Martinez.

For centuries, the 15,000- square-foot property was a gathering place for weddings, parties, quinceañeras and music nights. The property’s operations hit a wall in recent years, and it has sat vacant since 2020.

Now, five years later, the community will have a chance to get reacquainted with that old friend, as New Mexico real estate giant Heritage Cos. purchased the property in early July and has plans to reopen the dance hall, restaurant and bar in the fall, Heritage Founder and CEO Jim Long said.

“It’s an iconic property,” Long said. “It’s a very prominent location and as you drive into Taos, you can’t help but notice (it).”

The purchase isn’t Heritage’s first in Taos. Heritage also owns two Taos hotels, the Palacio de Marquesa and El Monte Sagrado, which it acquired in 2013 and 2015, respectively.

The acquisition is also the latest in a series of historical and culturally significant properties Heritage bought in recent months, including Albuquerque’s Nob Hill Business Center and Plaza Hacienda in Old Town.

The Old Martinez Hall property resides at 4140 N.M. 68 in Ranchos de Taos, a village just south of Taos. It sits across the street from the historic San Francisco de Asís church.

The Old Martinez Hall, built in the Pueblo Revival style, is more than 200 years old, Long said. It doesn’t have any official historical designations, but the property is ripe with history and memories, Martinez said.

Martinez, a graduate of Pasadena, California’s Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and a professional cook of more than 25 years, will manage the hall as partner operator and executive chef. She’s lived in Taos and served as head chef for El Monte Sagrado for nine years.

In addition to hosting local families, the property, which can host up to 600 people, has welcomed several actors and filmmakers, including Jack Nicholson and the late Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper, whose former Taos home is just next door to the property, Martinez said.

A German investor named Martina Gebhardt purchased the property in 2010, invested significantly into its renovation in 2011 and reopened it as Old Martina’s Hall in 2012, according to reporting by the Taos News.

Long said Gebhardt was the most recent owner; he suspects the COVID-19 pandemic, Gebhardt moving back to Europe and “an unwillingness to reinvest further” is what led to the vacancy and eventual listing of the property.

Long said the time it takes for the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department to transfer the property’s liquor license from Gebhardt to Heritage will determine exactly when the property reopens. He said the process usually takes several months but he doesn’t foresee any issues with the license being transferred.

Long declined to share the cost of the acquisition. The property was most recently listed at $2.5 million in 2024 on Realty.com.

Despite the five-year vacancy, Gebhardt’s renovations and upkeep left the property in “superb condition,” Long said. The renovations Heritage has planned are minimal and could include minor improvements to the acoustics of the building and maximizing outdoor seating, Long said.

Heritage’s plans for restoration include traditional free music events on Sundays and special music events coordinated by Grammy-winning Taos Pueblo artist Robert Mirabal throughout the year. The property could also host dance performances and art shows, and it will be available for locals to reserve as in years past, Long said.

“I love working with the arts communities, performers and those that are really advancing our cultural heritage through their traditions and their passions,” Long said.

Martinez hopes to honor the community and the building’s history through the hall’s restaurant and bar offerings, which she said will include New Mexican food paired with local beers.

“I really want to bring a lot of that in so it feels like you’re definitely in Taos and it feels like a really warm, inviting, energetic Northern New Mexico spot,” Martinez said.