Tudesqui West - A Story in Preservation

Tudesqui West is located at 129 E. DeVargas Street.

Several years ago, Historic Santa Fe Foundation’s Board of Directors and staff began the implementation of a long range plan, disposing of our owned properties in order to stabilize the financial condition of the foundation for the long term, and to protect those properties with preservation easements in perpetuity. That led us to focus on the El Zaguán Master Plan to better utilize, access, enhance public education, and facilitate the telling of history of and in this iconic building on Canyon Road. This process is well underway with capital funding nicely moving forward, and the first substantial changes planned for early 2022 when we will restore a portion of the Canyon Road Community Ditch in our garden, in order to tell the story of the acequia system in Santa Fe’s economic and cultural history. The Board Room renovations will also be started as soon as possible, most likely mid-2022 given city permitting processes, which will expand our use immediately of the building, allowing the public full-time access to our sala for exhibitions and lectures while meetings can be held in our new space (former apartment) across the zaguán.

During this process in mid-2021, we were notified by the owners of 129 E. DeVargas, Tudesqui West, that a portion of their property was for sale. HSFF held a right of first refusal on the entire property, granted in 1996 by the Betty R. Caldwell Revocable Trust. The Board of Directors immediately met to discuss if a purchase was possible, the intent being to place a preservation easement on the property, and then sell, protecting the building for the future.

129 E. DeVargas is contiguous with 135 E. DeVargas, which we call Tudesqui East, both sides sharing the history of Santa Fe Trail trade in the mid-1800s, and both designated on the HSFF Register of Properties Worthy of Preservation. When Tudesqui East was sold at the end of 2019, we placed a preservation easement on the house. We now had the opportunity to protect both sides with easements, our Register plaque likewise on both sides of this historically important Santa Fe House.

Given the right of first refusal, we expected this to be an easy, quick, and efficient transaction. It was anything but, and entailed a court case which was adjudicated in favor of HSFF on all points. The Court Order, dated October 26, 2021, states it clearly:

l.    The Property is of significant historical value;
2.     The mission of the Plaintiff Historic Santa Fe Foundation is the preservation of historic culture here in Santa Fe;
3.     In pursuit of that mission, Plaintiff obtained a valid right of first refusal on the Property ("Right of First Refusal");

The result was an order to sell the property to the Historic Santa Fe Foundation, which was accomplished on December 11, 2021.

On December 29, 2021, HSFF sold the property to Galisteo Street, Inc, the original buyer of Tudesqui East in 2019, ensuring that both sides of the historic structure were kept intact with one owner. Galisteo Street, Inc. is the owner of the Inn of the Five Graces, that maintains most of the entire block from Old Santa Fe Trail west to the New Mexico Supreme Court building on Don Gaspar, in quite elegant order. The Inn has won numerous awards over the years, most recently #2 top city hotel in the continental US, and #66 top hotel in the world, from Travel and Leisure Magazine. Also, the Inn is a strong supporter of sharing the history of the Barrio de Analco, and has commissioned an historical research study of the area and the buildings along E. DeVargas Street.

Although the documents were signed on December 29, it may be a misstatement to say it was sold on that date. Incredibly, the recording of the preservation easement and subsequent recording of the deed was delayed. The detailed photographs and drawings that comprise the baseline documentation for the easement created a file that was too large to electronically transfer to the County Clerk for recording. So, old-fashioned hand delivery was in order. However, the County Clerk offices were closed from Tuesday, December 28 to Monday, January 3. The sale of the property at 129 E. DeVargas was certainly not the only transaction that although physically sold in 2021 was not finally sold until 2022. Yet another unexpected and unfortunate roadblock in a six-month series of obstructions that accompanied this real estate transaction in 2021.

We at the Historic Santa Fe Foundation are proud to have been persistent with the purchase this historic property so that we may protect it with a preservation easement and turn it around to a business that cares about the integrity of the historic fabric of Santa Fe, as well as adds significant tax revenue and employment opportunities to the city. In spite of what seemed at times nonsensical obstacles in the real estate transactions, the foundation had another opportunity to fulfill its mission for the long term…a great way to end 2021 and begin the new year.