Parts of iconic Colorado foothills El Rancho restaurant will be preserved, with demolition likely ahead
Parts of Evergreen's history-rich El Rancho restaurant will be preserved, as a new filling station and convenience store moves ahead on the site.
Evergreen Park & Recreation District announced Thursday it will step in and preserve parts of the restaurant. The historic site is subject to demolition, as the new owner of the El Rancho property, QuikTrip, moves forward with development.
"We're very excited and very humbled. This starts something very big for us," said Cory Vander Veen, the park and recreation executive director.
Vander Veen said the district had looked at moving the building, but said, "Our engineers have advised us this is not able to be moved. We are now looking at how to preserve the essence of El Rancho."
Parts of the remaining building, like the signature sign and parts of the fireplace, would be part of a new performance pavilion the district is planning to construct at the edge of a baseball field in Evergreen's Buchanan Park. A permanent stage is already planned, and the new structure would connect with that. There is already construction at the site involving the district's plans for a new playground and skate park nearby. It's all part of a recent new master plan for Buchanan Park.
"This is not just about saving pieces of the building. It is about retaining the legacy of a place that will shape those memories for decades," said Craig Romrell, real estate manager for QuikTrip at a Thursday news conference in front of the old restaurant.
The rec district said the work will include, "salvaging, recycling, and repurposing elements of the physical building, landscaping, and hardscaping." It called the project a warm and welcoming tribute to El Rancho that would keep many of the memorable parts of the inside and outside of the building, while crediting QuikTrip for a desire to partner with the district on the project.
The 75-year-old building does not have historic designation, which is typically sought by a building's owners, but never has been. The Historical Preservation and Landmarks Committee of the Jefferson County Historical Commission wrote to Jefferson County Planning & Zoning, "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."
QuikTrip does not need a zoning change to build its planned development on the site that includes removal of a former bank building and the former restaurant. El Rancho closed in 2024 after a string of failed attempts to make the restaurant profitable.
It was purchased out of bankruptcy in 2022. 1948 Holdings sold the property to QuikTrip, and developer Jack Buchanan said he planned to move the restaurant across the road to a site with a view of the Continental Divide. It was to be incorporated into a development, including a new hotel. But the county rejected an attempt at creation of a metro district, citing numerous concerns. The future of El Rancho was in limbo.
Significant community opposition has risen since QuikTrip's plans went public, and some community members have opposed both a filling station and convenience store, as well as Buchanan's plans to move the building across the street.
"The site is still going to be just a gas station with a view -- pretty sad in my opinion, said Kim Teschke, one of the people involved in opposing the tearing down of El Rancho. Tescheke said she asked the QuikTrip representative Thursday why QuikTrip could not think outside of the box when dealing with a preservation issue.
