What once stood as a historic spot for Lubbock tourists has been revitalized after decades of disuse, and will now serve as affordable housing after a $22.6 million renovation. Featuring 1960s decor elements and modern amenities, Inn Town Lofts at 1202 Main St. officially opened to the public this week.
Jordan Tolman, chief operating officer of Housing Trust Group, opened the ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday by recognizing the importance of the building.
“Standing in front of this building today, looking up at these walls that sat dark and silent for so many years, it is hard not to feel the weight of this moment, because what we are celebrating is not just the opening of a building, it is the return of one,” Tolman said. “Generations of people drove past it and accepted as part of the landscape a closed door on the corner that used to matter. Well, that door is open again in town.”
The Inn Town Lofts project is the second affordable housing community in Texas for the Housing Trust Group, and another is underway in Houston. It is also the group’s first adaptive reuse of a historic property.
“Adaptive reuse is a labor of love, and labors of love only succeed in communities that still love their own story,” Tolman said. “That is the kind of city this is.”
The adaptive reuse did have challenges during renovation, as the 1960s-era building had been abandoned in the 1990s. Mike Kleffner of Wallace Architects, LLC, said the most challenging part of the redesign came from the low ceilings.
“Mechanical systems selected were similar to the existing hotel style through wall P-TAC systems with upgraded, modern-day efficiency while still not requiring ductwork that would otherwise lower the already low ceiling heights,” Kleffner said in a release. “It was difficult to design in new MEP infrastructure items without interrupting the existing concrete superstructure. Electrical and plumbing infrastructure items were, in some cases, left exposed and painted to match the new wall and ceiling finishes.”
This article continues after the photo gallery.
What does Inn Town Lofts Lubbock offer?
The new renovation includes 56 apartments, from studios to three-bedroom units ranging in rental price from $428-$1696. Inn Town Lofts is available for people earning at or below 30%-80% of the area median income. Around 21 units were still available for rent as of Tuesday.
Additional amenities include:
“At Housing Trust Group, we believe affordable housing is more than just apartments,” Tolman said. “It is about dignity. It is about opportunity, and every so often, as we see here today, it is about restoring something that a community had quietly lost. Inn Town Lofts stands today as proof that preservation and progress are not opposites. That a city’s past and a city’s future can share the same address. And, that affordable housing done right is one of the most powerful tools we have to bring places back to life.”
People interested in getting one of the remaining units can call (833) 725-9189 or visit inntownlofts.com.
Christy Martinez-Garcia, District 1 councilmember and mayor pro tem, said the timing of this project is in line with downtown development.
“It is an exciting time for showing what an urban community can look like in Lubbock, Texas,” Martinez-Garcia said. “The entire city is growing, and downtown is growing right along with it. This area is going to look a whole lot different in a few years.”
Alonzo Mourning, NBA Hall of Famer and founder of AM Affordable Housing, is a 16-year business partner with Tolman. AM Affordable Housing is a nonprofit that focuses on the affordable housing crisis.
“Inn Town will provide families, regardless of their background, the opportunity to live in quality housing close to educational and economic opportunities,” Mourning said. “With this project, we are dedicated to ensuring that every family can find a place that they can proudly call home. We aim to foster a sense of community and belonging for all residents here in Lubbock.”
History of In Town Inn, Jim Kimmel Center Lubbock
Tolman, during the opening speech, told the audience to imagine what this place was like when it first opened.
“At the time, In Town Inn was a symbol of modernity and progress,” Tolman said. “It reflected a rapidly growing Lubbock, a booming post-war Texas economy and a changing America, an era defined by mobility, optimism, and rising primacy of the automobile.”
The property at 1202 Main St. had a grand opening on Jan. 25, 1964 as In Town Inn, a motor inn for travelers as vehicles became more accessible for people.
“Motor inns like this one were designed for a new generation of middle-class travelers, business people and families moving across the country with newfound freedom and speed,” Tolman said. “This property wasn’t simply a place to stay overnight, it was aspirational dining facilities and air conditioned rooms luxuries of that time, it felt exciting and sophisticated and brought visitors into the heart of downtown Lubbock during an important chapter in the city’s growth. It also reflected an emerging architectural movement and design sensibility.”
Some of the era’s design trademarks up through the 1970s included orange and aqua colored fencing, phone cubicles and wood paneling. It also had a heated swimming pool, which was filled in to make a garden in 1994.
The inn itself had 91 guest rooms throughout the five floors, plus a reception desk, waiting areas and a coffee shop on the first. The In Town Inn Coffee Shop had acoustical houndstooth pattern ceiling tiles, which was restored for the Inn Town Lofts renovation.
The top floor of the north wing included rooms for vendors, specifically designed for traveling salespeople to display their wares.
It also has a basement, which initially served as meeting rooms. In 1972, it was converted into a cocktail lounge, named The Executive Club. Other names included the Inn Zone Club in 1974 and The Underworld in 1975. It hosted performances by musicians, actors and comedians.
One of the historic events the inn survived was the May 1970 tornado that tore through downtown. Where other buildings were heavily damaged, In Town Inn’s reinforced concrete structure kept it standing.
The inn was renamed Civic Center Inn in 1975 and operated until about 1990. It was then acquired by Lubbock Regional MHMR and turned into the Jim Kimmel Center for rehabilitation. The center closed in 1997.
The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2022 for its architecture being “an excellent example of a postwar motor inn.” The Housing Trust Group acquired the property in 2023 and began the renovation project that completed on Tuesday, May 12.
Alana Edgin writes about business for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Got a news tip? Contact her via email at aedgin@lubbockonline.com.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Inn Town Lofts Lubbock turns historic motor inn to affordable housing
Reporting by Alana Edgin, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
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