Brookdale Lodge
Reconstruction and remodeling of the motel portion of the Brookdale Inn and Spa in the Santa Cruz Mountains is nearly complete, awaiting only the delivery of furniture. Santa Cruz County officials are optimistic the hotel could finally open this summer.
Torrential winter rains hampered the reconstruction effort by Santa Cruz hotelier Pravin Patel to resurrect the historic Brookdale Lodge, but it is now in the home stretch, six to eight months behind schedule.
Zoning, planning, construction, environmental, fire and transportation permits all have been approved.
Furniture is to be delivered this month, and revised plans for the lobby, bar and office need to be resubmitted, according to county planners.
The owner, Pravin Patel, could not be reached for comment this week, but a Craiglist post indicated he is seeking a muralist to recreate the iconic three-story tall mural of James Dean on the 28-unit motel building that faces Highway 9 in Brookdale. A second 18-unit motel building also is near completion.
Work was continuing on a café site and multiple retail spaces on the first floor of the larger building.Work on the project began in April 2016.
Final inspections will have to occur before an occupancy permit is issued. Patel owns two motels in Santa Cruz.
The project has retained the rustic exterior look of the motel that for years stood as a reminder of more glamorous and notorious times for the mountain resort.
The oldest section of the lodge was built in 1890 on the site of a lumber mill, to house lumber mill workers. Patel couldn’t use the legendary Brookdale Lodge name because he couldn’t reach an agreement with the previous owner, who retained rights to the name.
Patel purchased the property in 2015.
The owner plans the return of a coffee shop, grocery store and other service-oriented businesses to the hotel, which had previously offered the few retail options available to Brookdale residents.
Building permits have not yet been for the second phase of the project, the restoration of the famous Brook Room restaurant, through which a moun
