Questions raised whether longtime Colorado El Rancho building can be saved, drawing controversy
It's iconic neon lights still shine into the night. But more than 75 years after the log style El Rancho restaurant was opened, the future of the building that housed the now-closed restaurant is the subject of debate and controversy.
On one side is a development group that says the way to save the structure is to move it across the road to a site more visible to I-70 traffic. Then, there is significant opposition that has formed to that plan, objecting first in the sale of the property to Quik Trip. This company has made an offer on the land and that of a closed bank building next door to build a convenience store/gas station for car and truck drivers who travel the I-70 corridor.
"The idea of tearing down El Rancho is sad to us as well. So that's why we've worked very hard the last few years to come up with a solution to save El Rancho," said Sherry Buchanan, one of the owners of the El Rancho property.
In a way, the restaurant's fate was sealed decades ago when Interstate 70 into the mountains was constructed. El Rancho was on the side of Highway 40, where, in the early days, there were culinary awards, and it was a destination spot. But when 70 was built, El Rancho slipped out of sight for many people traveling to and from the mountains. The Buchanans and their partners bought it out of bankruptcy in 2022. Sherry and her husband Jack claim they bought the restaurant when it was destined to be torn down by another buyer.
Since taking over, efforts to improve the restaurant and make it a destination again were not successful. Acclaimed Bonnano Concepts came and went. The restaurant closed earlier this year with the building's owners -- the Buchanans and their partners -- in the red.
"And losing as a partnership a whole lot of money, as did the partnership who ran El Rancho prior to us and prior to them. Unfortunately, El Rancho has not been profitable for decades," Sherry Buchanan said.
Now, the Buchanans and their partners have combined efforts with the owners of an empty former bank building next door to sell the property, saying there is a deal with the gas station convenience store chain Quik Trip. Preliminary plans show Quik Trip hopes to cite its store where El Rancho is currently located.
To accommodate the new Quik Trip, the Buchanans say they want to move El Rancho across the street to a site near where a long, empty bar called The Observatory once stood overlooking the Continental Divide.
"One of our partners did some analysis and what the cost of demolishing the ER would be. And they approached Quik Trip and said, instead of spending that money tearing down this community landmark, would you instead put those resources into helping us pay for the cost of moving the building across the street?"
"Of all the partners, Quick Trip wants to be an active partner in saving El Rancho," the Quick Trip spokesman said.
Moving the building even a short distance promises to be an expensive endeavor. The Buchanans are proposing that it be part of a development that would include a new hotel. Preliminary plans have been filed with the county.
The Historical Preservation and Landmarks Committee of the Jefferson County Historical Commission opposes the idea, writing to the Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Department, "It is a significant historic building that would be eligible for the County's historic designation, as well as, likely eligible for State and National designation," and "It is an irreplaceable and iconic historic landmark and a big part of Colorado and Evergreen's history with its location at the gateway to Evergreen and the mountains."
There is also significant community opposition. The "Save El Rancho" group has put a petition online opposing the Quik Trip as well as the move of El Rancho and development across the street.
"While the owners of El Rancho have said that they are investigating moving the "historic part" of the building to property on the north side of U.S. 40 as an alternative to demolition, there are essential considerations that have not been addressed by the applicants, agencies or at the county planning level," says their website.
"We welcome development, but it's got to be the right kind. You can't just put something in because you can," said Kim Teschke-Timm, a spokesperson for the group. "That is not going to serve any of the people of Evergreen. All it's going to serve is travelers coming up and down I-70, and that's it," she said of the plans for the Quik Trip, noting there is already a gas station on the other side of Highway 74.
"What we're against is taking the character of Evergreen and destroying just to make a buck," Teschke-Timm said.
The group is also mistrusting of the Buchanans. In the past 10 years since moving to the Evergeen area, the Buchanans and their LLCs have faced several lawsuits with judgments against them. They still owe for the sale of a home in Evergreen they were sued over, the non-payment of rent on property in Lakewood and entanglements with the Littleton Village project in which they were involved, where only a small portion of their plans for commercial development were completed. Court records show additional legal action has followed after some judgments against them have gone unpaid.
"I think you could ask nearly any commercial developer in the country if they've had hurdles they could not overcome, or they had difficult stumbling blocks, and I doubt you would find a single developer who would say, 'Nope, it's been smooth sailing my entire career.' It's par for the course unfortunately," Sherry Buchanan said.
"From all the homework that we have done are not credible," Teschke-Timm said, who fears that only a small portion of El Rancho, such as the neon sign and some facade, will be ultimately incorporated into a restaurant across the street.
In the meantime, the Buchanans take issue with what they say is misinformation being shared by opponents, pointing among other things to their characterization of the Quik Trip as a truck stop. The operation will have no showers or overnight facilities. But among 15 fueling points in the submitted proposal, there will be three truck bays for fueling. The Buchanans say interference in their plans from opponents threatens the very thing they want to protect.
"If the obstructionists cause too many delays with Jeffco, El Rancho will not be saved," Buchanan said. They are not a charity operation," she said of Quik Trip. "And if they are ready to start construction on their convenience store and there's an old building in the way, what do you think's going to happen to the old building?"
Opponents in the meantime say they are trying to put together their own offer for the El Rancho property. They suggest maybe a museum and smaller restaurant and gift shop in the current El Rancho location. But they have made no offer yet.
"We're not moving El Rancho for financial gain; we have other prospects who would like to acquire the new proposed site, which would be far more lucrative for the Observatory partnership," Jack Buchanan posted in a Facebook message.
There is little to stop the removal of El Rancho. The property is zoned commercial, and the sale to Quick Trip would not need a re-zoning, leading to a vote from the planning board. Demolition is a matter of applying for a county permit.
"We don't want to demolish the complexion of our mountain community," Sherry Buchanan said. She says she hopes that someday the new development with a relocated El Rancho will lead to a feeling of accomplishment and success, proving doubters wrong.
"It will be such redemption. I can see it already. I can visualize holiday events there and the people from the community and the travelers enjoying this new renewed space."
