The Como Hotel Is ‘No Mo’
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The legendary Como Motel is, well, no mo. After almost two years of efforts by local community members to find a way to keep this midcentury modern icon as a part of our architectural and cultural landscape, it’s being demolished as I write.
The Como Motel, for those new to the topic, was best known as the site of Candy Montgomery‘s infamous affair with Allen Gore. Montgomery was accused of murdering Gore’s wife, Betty, with 41 blows of an ax. She admitted it and got off. Not guilty.
Other lore is associated with the site, including the fact that Captain Sully Sullenberger, who safely landed US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River after birds struck both engines, stayed here frequently as a kid. We’ve also heard enough tales to believe it true that Townes Van Zandt wrote Pancho and Lefty while staying at the Como.
Those memories are all that’s left today, and it’s another unfortunate loss for historic preservation.
There are a handful of preservation torchbearers who shed light on the loss of our built heritage. No one did more to make us aware of the Como Motel’s cultural and architectural value than Lindsey Sherritt.
When Sherritt found out the Como was for sale in June of 2023, she was concerned and started to investigate. There were two offers. David Harrel, a visionary developer, with Harrel Group LLC, had an offer for over the asking price in the hands of the owners as soon as the sale signage went up.
The offer was matched by Pappas Restaurants Inc., a privately held restaurant chain headquartered in Houston, Texas, whom the owners had sworn they’d never sell to, as there had been bad blood between the neglected Como and the bright, shiny Pappas restaurants next door.
Guess what?
The sellers selected Pappas. To give you an idea, the Como sat at 721 S. Central Expy. Pappasitos Cantina is at 723, next door, and Papadeaux Seafood Kitchen is at 725, beside Pappasitos. Pappisitos parking lot backed up to the side of the Como Motel. It was pretty much a no-brainer that the company would want this land and also that they probably would not be interested in saving the Como.
Once in the Pappas hands, Sherritt stepped up her efforts to make the public aware of the need to save the midcentury motel. She and fellow Richardson resident and businessman Reid Robinson started a petition that received over 5,000 signatures and created a Facebook page. They reached out to media sources and gained statewide coverage. Robinson platted a plan to have retail and motel space, and their small team of Save the Como leaders met with Marek Architecture to draw up new plans to present to the Pappas corporate leaders.
Sherritt, Reid, and Harrel put together a packet on preservation in our proposal and all of our ideas, including how to use the restaurant next door. After an initial Zoom call, the team had reason for hope, but communication soon ceased, even when Sherrit applied to the TV series Motel Rescue in the fall of 2023. It was a long sho,t but they called Sherrit.
“Under owner, I put Papas Bros. in care of me,” Sherrit said. When they called, they said they thought the Como would be great for their second season. Casting from CA. We got your application. I gave them the contacts for the Papas and the attorney. She emailed them. I emailed them. They never responded.”
When you think of all the examples around America of refurbished motels that are now hip and highly sought-after lodging, like Bunkhouse Group’s Austin Motel and The Interstate Inn in Stephenville with Stephen Pyles on-site restaurant, The Seeker, this just accentuates the loss of so much potential.
“Every effort was made to save this historic motel,” Reid said. “Lindsey did everything humanly possible. She got the best people involved and it still could not happen.”
