Real Estate

End of an Era for Novato's Oldest Motel

Former motel and low-income residence is being demolished

Updated 4:30pm Tuesday, Nov. 12

The Mission Lodge, a former motel on the corner of Redwood Boulevard and Diablo Avenue, has concluded its final chapter.

Last week, crews began demolishing the property, hanging yellow tape warning against trespassing.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

The 18-unit motel was built in 1951, the first motel in town. Over the years, it transformed into a long-term residence for low-income residents. In 2009, a plan surfaced to rebuild the property, but because of the small parcel size and odd location on Front Street, a buyer could not be found, according to the city.

But last year, following an inspection, code enforcement clamped down on the property owner, asking him to make upgrades like replacing the ground fault interrupters and properly mounting electric outlets.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Instead, Ron Ashley, a retired dentist who has owned the property since the '70s, decided to tear down the old motel, displacing the residents who lived there.

It's a decision that has confounded the city.

"It's very strange because these were minor issues," said Gary Beretta, a code enforcement officer for the city of Novato. "But the owner chose to tear it down. He had been trying to sell it for a long time and there was no willing buyer."

Ashley said he has had plenty of interest, including from Walgreen's, Rite Aid and several restaurants, but the city has rejected each plan. The Downtown Specific Plan calls for a landmark building at the spot and for a “village concept,” which the city has interpreted as multiple uses or businesses and not one large store.

"The city has this idea that they want to develop it into small little shops, but what they envision there is ridiculous, because the little mom and pop stores don’t survive," Ashley told Patch recently.

The city says it has more to do with the unique characteristics of the site, located near Redwood and Diablo, but facing a parallel street, adjacent single-family homes and mature trees.

"We’ve had some inquiries from potential developers for retail uses, but nothing has materialized in terms of an application," said Bob Brown, the Community Development Director for the city. 

Prior to becoming a motel, the Mission Lodge was the Novato Boys Club and prior to that a dance hall. In the city's earliest days, the area was a common rest spot along the busy Redwood Highway.

What would you like to see developed on the former Mission Lodge property?


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here