Manitoids are tremendously adept at two things:
Coming together in hard times, like fires and floods, and protesting injustice by raising torches and pitchforks.
Many of us have been raising those torches and pitchforks in the past week about the gross injustice we’ve witnessed during the renovation of the Cliff House at Pikes Peak.
Gorgeous xeriscaped gardens, planted and designed by local gardeners, have been torn out and replaced by the big green monster:
Astroturf.
Okay, so it’s not actually Astroturf, which is a brand name for a particular synthetic grass. But it’s fake grass, and check out the accompanying story for more details.
“Oh, yeah. There’s always backlash against something new,” new Cliff House owner Mark Wyant, a Dallas developer, told me during a recent phone interview. “Let me get finished. Once everything is placed and done, then judge it.”
For now, I’m putting down my pitchfork, and I urge other ticked-off Manitoids to do the same. The City may force Wyant to remove the fake turf because it is not in code compliance, or he may recognize that in such a massive project like this one, maintaining the goodwill of locals is more important than what he sees as a “neat and clean look.”
I think this renovation work – a planned $6-7 million project over the course of the next year – may do more than restore the Cliff House to its former glory. It could make it more elegant and fun than it’s ever been.
“I always respect the history it has, but try to make it better,” Wyant said.
His impressive track record of restoring historic hotels in Florida, Texas and Louisiana gives me reason to believe him. He first saw the Cliff House about 20 years ago, and he was impressed by its potential, and of course he was charmed by Manitou.
Work is already well underway. I like the new exterior colors, kind of a peaches-and-cream combo that brings out the colors of the natural stones.
Pavers have replaced the concrete driveway, and it looks more stylish. On the sprawling veranda, one of the best parts of the hotel, he’s put rocking chairs up front, and they will soon be joined by seating and tables for dining and drinks.
Replacing the fountain, Wyant’s folks will install an authentic stagecoach, which is a great idea, as this was a regular stop for the stagecoaches in the late 1800s.
The Wheeler House, which was part of the $4 million Cliff House purchase, will remain employee housing for now, but Wyant has some ideas about transforming it into a mid-century modern motel, an idealized version of the ‘50s family road-trip destination.
As a local, it’s the bar and restaurant I’m most excited about.
I know I’m a sucker for sexy AI images, but Wyant’s renderings make the bar look like Gatsby meets the American West, with red-velvet booths, Western artifacts, roaring fireplace, and dark wood. He’s calling it the Buffalo Bar, and it promises to be the only upscale tavern in the area. (Hope he hires a great bartender or two.) Wyant’s also talking about featuring live music on a regular basis there.
A new doorway connecting the bar to the veranda will make the bar even more inviting.
The current dining room will transform into a new, more sophisticated steak house that he’s calling the Velvet Elk. It’ll be helmed by the current executive chef, Marcelo H. Baca, whose culinary career includes The Broadmoor, private clubs, and yachts.
On the east side of the hotel in that round extension that was a later addition to the Cliff House, the under-utilized Red Mountain Grill will become a breakfast cafe, tentatively called Rise. The first floor of that building will house a new full service exercise room and spa.
An actual lobby (yes, a few walls are being removed), instead of just a desk in a hallway, will enhance the check-in experience.
All of the rooms will get updated, some more than others.
“I’ll keep the main signature rooms [in the turrets] as close as possible to what they are now,” Wyant said. “They’re a great idea. We’re just going to modernize the bathrooms.”
He said all the rooms will get better technology and he’ll “enhance and spruce them up.” Rates will remain close to what they are now at $225-$300 a night.
He plans to decorate the hotel by adding to the historic photo collection, which tells the story of the Cliff House and the region.
The hotel will remain partially open during construction.
Along with all the exciting changes, there’s one thing that I hope remains the same: original paintings by the late beloved Manitou artist CH Rockey. Wyant told me that some of those are now in storage, and he hopes to use them.
If he doesn’t display those local masterpieces, fake turf or not, I’m digging out my old pitchfork.
