Looks like a taste of old Encinitas is going the way of Oly O's, Redsand, K5, and George's. The Motel Villa Mar, bought by Amado and Julia Quintanilla in 1985, is due for a makeover (i.e. demolition) based on the permit I saw recently posted on the building. If you're not familiar with the little old motel, it's next door to the Potato Shack and on the corner of I Street and South 101 (across the street from St. Germains restaurant). There was a good article about the hotel in the San Diego Union Tribune 6 years ago
(you can read it here). The age of the Quintanilla's back then was 79 which makes them around 85 today and well overdue for retirement.
Looks like the old building will be turned into "a mixed use development, consisting of first floor retail spaces and 7 residential dwelling units and associated improvements'. Most likely this means retail spaces below and condos above. HOPEFULLY this also means the new building will keep the original 2 story integrity AND the retail below blends in with the surrounding neighborhood. Kind of a bummer the motel is phased out as there aren't a lot of good motel/hotels in general for Encinitas. Carlsbad takes that distinction with La Costa/Hilton/Aviara resorts. Not that downtown Encinitas has the space for a resort, but maybe a little L'Auberge would be nice?...
Anyway, keep checking back on the North County Surf blog on updates to the plans for the old motel.
