A Story of Bats, Bugs, Bears, and Beauty

When Einhorn Yaffee Prescott got the job of rescuing the Montezuma Castle, they faced a building that had been abandoned for 30 years – by humans, that is. The bats had taken over, along with other wildlife, including raccoons, bees and mice. At the same time, the architects faced a tight timetable, a tighter budget, and a remote job site. However, it was easy to see that the rewards far outweighed the problems, as the 90,000-sq.ft. Queen Anne building, which was listed as one of the 11 Most Endangered and as one of America's Treasures, came back to life.

Located in Montezuma, a remote section of northern New Mexico, the building had gone through a number of owners and had been left vacant several times. Originally built in 1885 by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad as The Montezuma Hotel, a world-class railroad resort, the building was designed by the renowned Chicago architectural firm of Burnham & Root. It burned down the next year and was rebuilt as the Phoenix Hotel, only to be closed in 1904 when the hotel went bankrupt.

Its first vacant period lasted until 1920, when it was re-opened as the Montezuma Baptist College. After 10 years, the college moved, leaving the building vacant again. Its second period of vacancy lasted two years, until 1932, when the building became the home of the Montezuma Jesuit Seminary for the next 38 years. This time the building sat vacant until its next owner, the United World College, came along in 1982. However, this small international philanthropic college, which draws students from around the world, used only the other buildings on the site because it didn't have the resources to revive the main structure until 1999.

The restoration plan called for mixed-use, including the college facility and the Bartos Institute For Constructive Engagement Of Conflict, a location where diplomatic meetings could take place out of view of the press. The architectural firm, Einhorn Yaffee Prescott of Albany, N.Y., and the client, United World College, wanted to keep as much of the existing building as possible, preserving and restoring this national treasure, while also creating a student-friendly environment and updating the building to meet current building standards.

The budget was set at $10.5 million ($117 per sq.ft.) and the time frame at 15 months – both considered a bit restrictive but still possible. The remote location also made the job more difficult because materials and workmen had to be brought in. Montezuma Castle is located in a small town of only a few hundred residents. The closest town is Las Vegas, N.M., with a population of only 17,000; the nearest large city is Santa Fe, 70 miles away.

Before the restoration could begin, wildlife-control experts were called in to rid the building of hundreds of bats and clean up after them. They also had to get rid of raccoons, as well as numerous bee hives and wasp nests. A solution had to be applied to avoid the possibility of the deadly Hantavirus, which is present in mouse droppings in this part of the country. "During construction, bears would come down from the mountains and eat from the fruit trees," says Thaler. "The workers would often see bears on the front porch."

Einhorn Yaffee Prescott then tackled the building's severe structural problems. Having been left vacant for 30 years, water and time had taken their toll. The veranda roof had failed, and most of the veranda had rotted away. A section of bearing wall in the basement had collapsed, causing floors to slope and threatening collapse of the kitchen wing. Possibly one of the most serious structural problems was the failed trusses above the dining room. "It has a 60-ft. span," says Thaler. "When we opened the ceiling, we found that every truss had failed. The roof could have collapsed at any moment."

The building had also been robbed and vandalized, and the public spaces on the first and second floors were missing elements such as ornate fireplace mantels, intricately carved woodwork, benches, a lobby reception desk, beveled mirrors, gilded lincrusta panels, and handmade tiles. Ornamental andirons had to be re-created using historic photos. Also re-created were the reception desk and a built-in bench seat; this custom millwork was supplied by a local craftsman, Larry Franken.

Andy Domian, Einhorn Yaffee Prescott's construction administrator, moved to New Mexico and lived there for two years to work on the project. "We started work on the project in May of 1999 and construction started in May of 2000," says Thaler. The renovated building now houses 50 students, classroom space, administration offices, a dining hall, and student-recreation facilities, as well as guest rooms for teachers and visiting dignitaries. It also houses the Bartos Institute, an entity devoted to practical approaches to conflict resolution of real-world problems, says Dr. Philip O. Geier, president of United World College. "The end result is more than bricks and mortar," he states. "This restoration project puts us in a better position to contribute to peace in the next century." Working together, Einhorn Yaffee Prescott, the client, and the community were able to save an American treasure by restoring the Montezuma Castle to its original elegance and adapting it to its contemporary mixed-used needs.