By JOEL M. WILLIAMSWhile the leaders of the County profess a desire to make Los Alamos a more desirable “destination,” it strikes me that none of the places to stay have any ambience to make anyone want to spend even a single night here.
Low level shot: by csturgeo (Selected for Google Earth – ID: 68816205)
ONLY one location in the entire townsite would do in my opinion – the east side of Ashley Pond Pond. So the current Community Building would need to go “poof” and be replaced with a curved 4-story hotel with a 2-story restaurant (ground level on the east side) that has a balcony for overlooking the pond and viewing the Jemez Mountains.
West-facing hotel rooms would have balconies, too. Such a facility would provide peaceful ambience, a chance to relax with a margarita, wine, coffee, tea, etc., and soak in the natural surroundings of Los Alamos, a central location to amble through the historic region of town, and a place to think about exploring mother-nature. Ah, some would say, but it is County land.
So is Trinity Site where a 75-year lease has been granted. If the old Muni Building was deemed dispensable on the pond, what is so sacred about the Community Center? Along with a hotel, it might be desirable to put a large “concert” pavilion over on the west side of the pond to de-emphasize the presence of the “law.”
Is the current course of action placing the cart before the horse? Or would such an enterprise just be viewed as unwanted business competition? Just how much “foresight” (future-sight?) is going to go into branding Los Alamos?
