A long-vacant midcentury motel that once symbolized downtown Lubbock's disinvestment is now providing affordable housing for local residents.
Developed by Housing Trust Group (HTG), AM Affordable Housing, and Thoman & Butler, the $22.6 million Inn Town Lofts transformed the historic Jim Kimmel Center into 56 affordable apartments while preserving many of the landmark property's defining architectural features.
The motel was originally constructed as the In Town Inn in 1964 by local firm Schmidt & Stuart Architects. Over the years, the motel underwent modifications and fell into disrepair. When a deadly tornado ripped through the downtown in the 1970s, investment shifted to the suburbs, and the property languished for decades. But now it has a second life and is contributing to the city’s broader downtown revitalization strategy.
“What stands out to me is the transformation. This building sat vacant for more than 30 years and had become a symbol of decline for many people,” says HTG president and CEO Matt Rieger. “Today, it’s not only on the National Register of Historic Places, it’s providing high-quality affordable housing and helping drive the revitalization of downtown. That’s the kind of project that reminds you why this work matters.”
Inn Town Lofts has been named the best historic rehab project in this year’s Readers’ Choice Awards.
The 91-unit motel was repurposed into 56 units serving residents earning at or below 30%, 50%, 60%, and 80% of the area median income.
Working with Wallace Architects, specialists in historic renovation, the development team preserved many of the building’s defining historic elements, including the lobby reception desk, a phone booth bank, a main metal staircase, and a coffee shop with a preserved diner-style counter that has been reimagined as a community space. Much of the original brickwork, ceramic tile, and wood paneling through the property remains intact.
“One of the biggest challenges was integrating modern building systems into a structure that was never designed for today’s residential standards. We had to find creative ways to upgrade the electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems without compromising the historic features that made the building special,” adds Rieger.
Inn Town Lofts leveraged local, state, and federal resources to become a reality, including 9% low-income housing tax credits and federal historic preservation tax credits.
DEVELOPERS: Housing Trust Group, AM Affordable Housing, and Thoman & Butler
ARCHITECT: Wallace Architects (restoration)
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Teinert Construction
MAJOR FUNDERS: Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs; Market Lubbock Economic Development Corp.; city of Lubbock; National Equity Fund; J.P Morgan