The Imperial puts up restored neon sign, to reopen Wednesday

Feb. 26—Travelers heading down the Mother Road in Albuquerque soon will get a chance stay at a renovated 1960s-era motel for a night or two while enjoying a meal and drink.

The Imperial — formerly known as the Imperial 400 Motel and Imperial Inn Motel— will reopen on Wednesday, Palindrome Communities Director of Development Westin Glass told the Journal Monday.

It will have a "very '60s fun vibe," Palindrome President Chad Rennaker said.

Palindrome Communities, the developer behind El Vado, bought the property in 2021. It partnered with the city on the multimillion-dollar development at 701 Central NE, which will include an area called the "Imperial Dive" that will feature local retail and food spaces and a cocktail lounge.

Across from the dive inside the main office is a coffee shop known as "MOJO Rising."

The cost of the project was over $7 million, about twice as much as projected ($3.5 million), Glass said.

The city of Albuquerque's Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency contributed $700,000 to the project's development, which Glass said was "not an insignificant amount."

Palindrome preserved and restored the original pool from the 1960s and a tribute to the building's butterfly roof, which was a motif of the original architecture firm, Palmer and Krisel.

There are 37 motel rooms, each one with artwork of various Route 66 places like the Cactus Inn Motel in McLean, Texas.

The rooms haven't been changed much, Rennaker said, adding that new floorings, bathrooms and fixtures have been added.

Additionally, there are 19 suites and eight apartments for visitors, Glass said.

One big change at the Imperial has been the restoration of its iconic neon sign, which was put back up over the weekend. The sign features "The Imperial" on top with "Motel" running vertically. The bottom of the sign states "Imperial Dive" and a picture of a cocktail next to it.

It was a collaborative effort between Palindrome, the National Park Service and Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency. The cost to fix the sign was about $60,000, of which $30,000 will come from a Route 66 sign improvement grant, Glass said.

"It's such a big structure," he said. "They had to rebuild it."

'Put us on the map'

The Imperial Inn was one of 14 Albuquerque businesses to be selected to receive the Route 66 sign improvement grant.

Other businesses to receive a grant are: 5501 Plaza, Americana Motel, Arrive Hotel, Central Grill and Coffee House, The Dog House, Loma Verde Apartments, Pickleballer, Route 66 Barber, Sandia Peak Inn, Tewa Lodge, Trade Winds Shopping Center, former Utility Shack and Westward Ho Motel, according to the city.

Central Grill owner George Griego said he was excited to hear about the grant, adding that he plans to use the money to add blue neon to his business' sign.

"I think it is going to put us on the map," he said.

City spokeswoman Tanya Lenti told the Journal there were more than 25 grant applicants.

A total of $432,000 was set aside for the project, though Lenti said she did not have a breakdown of how much each business will receive as contracts are still being negotiated.

"The vintage visual culture along Albuquerque's own iconic stretch of Route 66 is something we cherish as uniquely ours," Mayor Tim Keller said in a statement. "Restoration not only celebrates this city's history, it preserves it for our families and generations to come."

In August, the city's Department of Arts and Culture and the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency created the Revamp Route 66: Sign Improvement Grant Program. The program seeks to restore historic neon signs along the Mother Road in the city by granting restoration funds to property owners who are interested and able to complete sign restoration by fall 2025, according to the city.

The funding will assist property and business owners with renovating their signs. The program will cover costs such as for design, construction and permits, according to the city.

Signs were evaluated by a team consisting of DAC and MRA employees and local artists with Friends of the Orphan Signs. Criteria for the grant awards included a property's historic significance, ability to improve the streetscape and positive impact on economic vitality.