A Loss in Las Cruces
A 100-year-old house in Las Cruces, New Mexico, was torn down in January, despite efforts to save it.
The “Pink House” earned its nickname due to its rosy adobe exterior. Developer Philip Philippou bought the place recently, aiming to build a boutique hotel on the site. The city gave him a demolition permit last December.
Local residents worked to get an emergency determination on the potential for listing the house on the National Register. Before the process could start, bulldozers razed the place. Ironically, the city has not yet approved the developer’s request to rezone the property for commercial use.
One potential good coming from this loss: Las Cruces has lacked a historic preservation ordinance, but now city officials are looking into such a measure. Just a little late for the “Pink House.”
505-827-6320 NMHistoricPreservation.org
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