4.13.2021

Anyone who knows me is aware of my ever-growing appreciation for and fascination with the desert. From Taos to Joshua Tree to Tucson to West Texas, I seem to have slowly become obsessed with the feeling of enchantment that these far out places bring about; my design aesthetic following suit, I am so very inspired by the desert lifestyle, the bold-yet-neutral color palettes, and the incredible juxtaposition of high design and barren landscapes.

This week I pulled together a list of my favorite desert destinations as a way to kill the time while awaiting jury duty (s'fun!), and am sharing a detailed motel update as well! It gets tougher and tougher to share the motel journey (read: saga) in a concise, digestible way, as the process becomes ever-more political and wind-y and rollercoaster-y every step of the way; however, I'll continue to try and am always open to – and love! – hearing from people who reach out with questions or general curiosity about the project. Don't hesitate to get in touch if you want to learn more, get involved, or just to say hello!

Here's to vaccines and warmer weather, ya'll. 

Cheers,

Lauren

Book a time to chat with me here: http://calendly.com/thesursy

WHAT IS THE SURSY?

We are an experiential design and development company based in Colorado.

THE SURSY STUDIO + THE SURSY SHOP

The Studio is our Interior Design team that works on residential and commercial projects of our own and for clients, and The Shop is our curated collection of artisan home furnishings and wares.

THE SURSY GROUP + THE WHITE SWAN MOTEL

The Group is our commercial development arm, currently buying The White Swan Motel in Lakewood, Colorado off of the storied West Colfax Avenue. Once we own the place, we have planned a phased approach to operating the motel as-is before eventually redeveloping the site into a boutique hospitality concept with a retail and F&B component.

The White Swan - PHASE I

Our first objective is to buy the property and fix it up. We are partnering with angel investors and a local bank to purchase and finance the motel, then going to rely on fundraising and volunteer efforts to repair and clean up the existing site and 24 guest rooms.  

The White Swan - PHASE II 

Once we get the place cleaned up, we will be partnering with community organizations to place very-low-income individuals and/or those experiencing homelessness at the motel as a temporary housing. The idea is to have The White Swan become a placement facility that will fill the void in Jefferson County for shelter for populations in transition or need.

The White Swan - PHASE III 

Within a few years, we will build a ground-up, mixed-use development with multifamily, hospitality, and retail components. The new development will be designed with input from The City of Lakewood and the 40 West Arts District, aligning with the artistic, community-oriented vision for the future of the West Colfax corridor.

THE COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION POTENTIAL

A 2019 Comprehensive Homeless Survey for Jefferson County identified 997 persons experiencing homelessness. Of those, 52 percent were unsheltered, and 21 percent were chronically homeless. The report also identified that one of the largest gaps in service was related to temporary housing assistance and shelter, with one of the top barriers being simply lack of availability in the area. During the same year's Housing Inventory Count (HIC), Jefferson County had only 324 beds available, which is enough to place roughly ⅓ of the persons experiencing homelessness at any given time.

The point? There's a big opportunity for The White Swan and The Sursy, as the new operator and developer team, to do some tangible good to fulfill a very real community need. 

How many design or hospitality companies do you know that own and operate a homeless shelter? Now, you know at least one…

Want to get involved or have questions? 

Find me at Lauren@thesursy.com or 704.576.9292