Mineral Wells- Baker hotel on track for restoration

http://mineralwellsi...-for-renovation

Exciting news for a Texas landmark. I really wish more of these small towns would embrace their historic and walkable downtown areas. 

Would love it if it happens, but it's one of those "I'll believe it when I see it" things, considering how many other Baker restoration projects never got off the ground, though.

The descriptions of their planned interior decor - "Palo Pinto Chic" - sound kinda terrible, though.  Like they're going to gussy up the interiors with lots of cheesy Texas star decorations and cow hides.  Just restore it to the original appearance and let it shine.  I hope my fear about that is proven wrong.

Mineral Well Voters approve funds to restore the Baker Hotel through sales tax increment:

http://www.star-tele...whelmingly.html

There's a website up now with some info. 

http://www.thebakerhotel.com/

Keeping fingers crossed it happens. 

Would love it if it happens, but it's one of those "I'll believe it when I see it" things, considering how many other Baker restoration projects never got off the ground, though.

 

The descriptions of their planned interior decor - "Palo Pinto Chic" - sound kinda terrible, though.  Like they're going to gussy up the interiors with lots of cheesy Texas star decorations and cow hides.  Just restore it to the original appearance and let it shine.  I hope my fear about that is proven wrong.

Count me in the skeptical group.  Even if this edifice were completely restored, what would compel visitors to go to and stay in Mineral Wells when the FW-D area already has more than ample attractions with more being added yearly?

Perhaps people who want to stay closer to Possum Kingdom Lake? I can't imagine much of a demand for rooms there, but it looks like a nice hotel, so hopefully they can keep it open.

I picture it being a destination for people from this area.  Maybe even an alternative to the Hill Country.  This could spur development that makes MW very similar to central Texas towns like Fredericksburg or Gruene.

I wonder if the business model sees a definite "season" for utilization of the hotel's facilities, or is demand projected as more spread out throughout the year. Besides the mineral baths perhaps there is something else people prone to staying in refurbished grand hotels would go out there for. If the railroad tracks from Weatherford were still intact an excursion train there might heave helped make up a tourist package. Ofd the old rails are now a bikeway, and the hotel is only about 4 blocks from the trailhead so provisions for bicycle tourists might be in the works. The bat refuge downtown is pretty cool but unlikely to draw the target demographic. An annual music festival might be the thing, but it would need to be stretched out to make up a "season". Perhaps an autumn Fort Worth Opera residency at an outdoor amphitheater in the close-by hills and buttes, or in a renovated theater like the Grand on Oak Street. There is the new State Park nearby, and Possum Kingdom a few miles to the northwest, but I don't know if that traffic, and that sort of traffic would be sufficient to keep the hotel booked to exceed break-even. Maybe a Three Stooges film festival, another Toadies fest... The hotel is a gem, a truly magnificent ruin now, but is in reasonably good enough condition that a full restoration could come off. That said, it is going to be a good trick to find the bookings necessary to renovate and maintain the facility to the standards it once enjoyed.

They ought to have a few tours before the restoration starts. I'd pay money to go inside that thing with a camera. Many others have illegally. 

Could get a world famous author to write a horror story based on it. Think Stanley Hotel. 

I think what Mineral wells needs to do is really fix up a few of the streets in the downtown, ala complete streets style we have here. There's no trees on a lot of those streets. The are crumbling concrete.  Turning around that downtown would really help turn it into a getaway destination like Fredricksburg is.

Check out Sulpher Spring's redown downtown, it looks very beautiful. Brick streets and sidwalks, flowers and planters, streetside parking, etc. Then they built a park/plaza in front of the old courthouse. Hopefully those historic buildings in Mineral Wells would fill up with mom and pop type shops. 

Sulpher Springs, with the famous glass bathroom behind the shot.

Maybe turn that big hill on 4th street into a public park with a lookout over the city and hotel. Postcard material right there. 

http://mw2.google.co...ium/4030217.jpg

Look at that old sign. Bring that thing back. 

http://texashistory....0/m1/1/med_res/

Trying to think of a unique event that they could go with. 

Restoration of the Baker Hotel may depend on foreign investments.  This is a new story published in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

http://www.star-tele...le17331029.html

I would love to see this hotel restored.  It's such a grand building.

Group is still trying to raise money to restore the Baker Hotel in Mineral Wells. Drone photos and now-and-then imagery:

http://www.star-tele...le71800882.html

I have to ask why people would want to go to Mineral Wells and stay in the hotel. It seems to me that there needs to be more of a "package" of things to do, maybe a (sorry) "dude ranch", horseback tours on a dedicated trail system, an arts scene with events year-round, gambling, cannabis availability, space tourism, aerial tramway, etc. something to make out-of-towners want to go out there. Public spas featuring the "crazy water" would be nice, a film festival, jazz festival, artist colony, an annual meeting of world leaders and intelligentsia, ... I suppose there a lot of ways a small town an hour and a half away from the closest major city could attract tourists, and I would think that the investors in a restored Baker Hotel would want to explore as many as possible.

More info about the EB-5 Visa Program which allows investors (as in the Baker Hotel) to "buy" visas by investing in a project that employs citizens. Toward the bottom of the article there is a reference to Fort Wolters, a military installation that dates back to 1925 but which served as the primary helicopter training center during the Vietnam War. Causal relationship between the active military facility and a successful Baker Hotel? The hotel opened in 1929; the fort closed in 1975 after a phased downsizing, and the hotel closed in 1972.

http://www.star-tele...le72337157.html

This seems like the "T&P Warehouse" of Mineral Wells haunted by the ghost of Cleopatra.  Yet another proposal:

https://www.dallasne...aker-hotel-redo

This seems like the "T&P Warehouse" of Mineral Wells haunted by the ghost of Cleopatra.  Yet another proposal:
 
https://www.dallasne...aker-hotel-redo

More info about the EB-5 Visa Program which allows investors (as in the Baker Hotel) to "buy" visas by investing in a project that employs citizens. Toward the bottom of the article there is a reference to Fort Wolters, a military installation that dates back to 1925 but which served as the primary helicopter training center during the Vietnam War. Causal relationship between the active military facility and a successful Baker Hotel? The hotel opened in 1929; the fort closed in 1975 after a phased downsizing, and the hotel closed in 1972.

 

http://www.star-tele...le72337157.html

I was a student pilot at Wolters in '68, then after Vietnam I was stationed there as an instructor pilot. A lot of the Baker hotel business was military-related, so yes, I think there's a cause-effect there.

Since Wolters closed, Mineral Wells has suffered and shrunk; peak population was in the 1970 census. I'd love to see the Baker succeed but I just don't see how they can pull it off. How many people are going to take a long drive out there to stay in a hotel? Mineral Wells has a lot of work to do to make it a destination.
 

Good luck to Mineral Wells, I wish them well. (Although back in my Army days we called it 'Miserable Wells.' We came to Ft. Worth for entertainment and shopping.)

I don't know if I would completely equate this with the T&P Warehouse since a good portion of the money is in place and there's actual construction start dates being touted.  There's a level of transparency in place with the Baker owners that we've never seen from Cleopatra.  I hope it succeeds.  Mineral Wells may not be a destination now, but it's town with a lot of potential and this could be the boost that it needs.

Considering a population of ~8 million in a 150 mile radius (All of DFW, Waco, Wichita Falls, Killeen and Abilene Metro areas) I think there's a big enough market for day or weekend trips, especially if they play up the resort aspect or host a lot of meetings. I don't think too many people will be going to Mineral Wells for leisure, especially not long enough to stay overnight.

Aren't these the same developers who have been successful with the redevelopment and marketing of the restored Hotel Settles in Big Spring?

Aren't these the same developers who have been successful with the redevelopment and marketing of the restored Hotel Settles in Big Spring?

Brint Ryan redeveloped the Settles and is one of the investors but Laird Fairchild who is leading the development. I heard an interview with the team last week and it was mentioned they expected to spend upwards of 65 mil but the value at the end would only be 45 mil .... definitely a labor of love. I was in Hot Springs a month ago, stayed at the Arlington, which is almost identical to the Baker, it would be interesting to see if they could replicate a lot of what they have there with the shops and restaurants and such. 

This is something I have desired to happen for many years.  My parents used to go to the Baker Hotel to dance in the Ballroom.

The facebook page has been posting some photos of progress. Some of the building will be open tomorrow. 

https://www.facebook...143334079015885

According to the Facebook page, all you will be able to do is to go up the stairs, look inside, and then go back down the stairs.  The page states that you will not be actually allowed to go inside or to wander the grounds.

The renovation has actually come quite a long way--things look much better now than I expected--and continues to move forward. The channel below posts great progress videos periodically, including this one that was just posted yesterday. I'm excited with where this is going and the vision they have for this beautiful building.

https://www.youtube....h?v=xYnFrr5mkY0

That’s for the post.  Very interesting video.

We just got back from a couple of days in Mineral Wells.  We stayed at the Crazy Water Hotel.  The restored hotel was very nice.  It had several upscale shops for men's and women's clothes lining the atrium, a 2nd Bar and Kitchen out of Austin, and a Brew Pub, all within the hotel.  I could kick myself for not taking the camera.  It's a very interesting town for architecture.

In addition to the Baker Hotel, there are a couple of large-ish buildings from yesteryear that are very noticeable, one of which was abandoned, and one that that is still a working factory/warehouse.  We actually went to look at an old house that had been flipped, which was in an old neighborhood full of both restored and abandoned mansions.  I you're familiar with Mineral Wells, the neighborhood is immediately north and west of the downtown area at the bottom of a couple of really beautiful hills.  If this works, here's a pic of one of the abandoned houses.

https://www.google.c...i8192?entry=ttu

The two buildings I mentioned above:

https://www.google.c...i8192?entry=ttu

https://www.google.c...i8192?entry=ttu

Mineral Wells must have a really interesting history.  I recommend the one hour trip from Fort Worth,  And take your camera!

Interesting buildings and photos, I definitely agree about Mineral Wells being an interesting place.. I, also, spent some time recently in Mineral Wells, with a friend visiting from California, to visit our old barracks and flight line at Fort Wolters. Most of the old Army buildings are still there (and without any architectural interest); people were actually living in our old pre-flight barracks! The huge flight line is quite a sight and it was fun remembering what it was like with hundreds of helicopters flying in and out.

I decided on the spur of the moment to drive out there in 2021, and I thought I had posted some of my photographs of the Baker Hotel back then.

Interesting buildings and photos, I definitely agree about Mineral Wells being an interesting place.. I, also, spent some time recently in Mineral Wells, with a friend visiting from California, to visit our old barracks and flight line at Fort Wolters. Most of the old Army buildings are still there (and without any architectural interest); people were actually living in our old pre-flight barracks! The huge flight line is quite a sight and it was fun remembering what it was like with hundreds of helicopters flying in and out.

Interestingly, Bud Kennedy published a review of 2nd Bar & Kitchen in Mineral Wells in today's Star-Telegram.

https://www.star-tel...0.html?tbref=hp