we couldn’t do it without you.
Our project required and requires a lot of hard work, support, resources, and cooperation from many (many!) people. groups, organizations, fellow small and local businesses, government systems, and community members, to name a few. Thank you so very much for the collective dedication to our vision for White Swan Motel now and in the future, and for the belief in the power of humanitarian hospitality.
the white swan motel is a landmark destination on west colfax avenue that operates as a shelter for families experiencing homelessness.
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the white swan motel is a landmark destination on west colfax avenue that operates as a shelter for families experiencing homelessness. ❖
our partners.
press.
A historic Colfax motel is headed toward redevelopment. But first, its new owner has other plans. Coleman was forced to pivot. She began raising money again, this time for a community revitalization project in which she would refurbish the motel and work with various government agencies in Lakewood and Jefferson County to house people experiencing homelessness.
How a Pandemic Pivot Led a Local Hospitality Entrepreneur to a Truer Calling. Throughout the arduous process, Coleman has uncovered a passion for pursuing humanitarian work and providing lodging for those at both ends of the financial spectrum. “My original vision will come to life on this property, but now the ‘Yes, and...’ is that I also want to buy a shelter that our luxury hospitality concept funds,” she says.
Development Dream Deferred As New Owner Repairs Old Lakewood Motel. The Pandemic hit, and Coleman couldn’t find financing for her hospitality concept. So now, instead of building something new, Coleman is just fixing up the “very run down” White Swan Motel at 6060 W. Colfax Ave. and targeting “the opposite end of the spectrum” — the homeless. “It’s a massive pivot, but it’s what’s needed to get done,” she said.
White Swan Motel Gets Embarks on a New Path. Coleman almost had financing for the purchase and redevelopment of the White Swan in place — and then the pandemic hit. So, she made a pivot of epic proportions. Banks weren’t lending to “inexperienced” 30-year-olds for hospitality projects. They were, however, willing to discuss financing for creative community revitalization projects.