The Manitou Spa Building has been a very popular discussion topic for years on the Manitou Springs Discussion Forum and I thought an update with current pictures would be in order.

I have good news! For those who long to see the Spa Building restored to its former glory, work is currently being done right now! Now I am far from the best news source (I don't even live in Manitou Springs anymore!), but the latest news I have heard is the Spa Building is under contract to be redeveloped and restored!

A bit about the Spa Building's past: The myth in Manitou Springs history is Native Americans "cursed" the site of the Spa Building approximately 100 years ago, when they learned the then-outdoor Soda Mineral Spring was planned to be enclosed by the structure. To this day, with the Soda Springs sitting in the front lobby of the Spa Building, many locals believe its bad fortune has been due to that curse. Personally, I think it's more related to poor site location, poor usage of the facility and poor business acumen of its numerous owners, but hey, what do I know? ;)

Originally, the building served as a spa to those who first came to Manitou Springs for the lure of the healing qualities of Manitou's mineral spring water and the fresh mountain air. However at some point, things went downhill and by the 1990's the building decayed to a semi-dilapidated but curiously interesting building with a restaurant and shops on the first floor and low-income apartment rentals above. In April 1999, the building was condemned and all businesses and tenants were forced to move out, and up until now (2006), it has stood as an ugly eyesore to the angst of many Manitou Springs merchants. There was even some discussion about demolishing the Spa Building not long ago.

Anyway, on an unusually cloudy late afternoon, I had some time to spare before dining at "The Loop" Mexican Restaurant and took pictures of the Spa Building from numerous angles. Enjoy!

-Steve :)

P.S. If you have better information about the Spa Building, you are more than welcome to share them on the Manitou Springs Discussion Forum. If I need to correct anything in my writing above, I will definitely do that. I don't live in Manitou Springs anymore, and I'll admit I'm a little out of touch with the latest news! ;)

Pictures of the Manitou Spa Building ... (Downtown Manitou Springs, Colorado)
(Janaury 28, 2006)

	The main enterance to the Manitou Spa Building. Soda Springs, one of the springs that provides drinkable mineral spring water, is located right in that lobby! ;)
	The view from Soda Springs Park. Notice the broken windows on the upper floors and fence surrounding it to keep people out.
	The view on Park Avenue, near the Wheeler Springs. I noticed one of the workers dumping junk out in that wheelbarrel!
	Now the Cliff House is an absolutely amazing place to dine and stay the night, but with this being their view of the Spa Building, imagine how much even better the downtown Manitou Springs experience will be with a restored Spa Building!
	There is actually a nice walkway that separates the Spa Building from the Navajo Gift Shop and the Manitou Arcade. I used to sit in this area frequently to relax and gaze at Red Mountain, the front left peak.
	The eastern side of the Spa Building. When I moved to Colorado in 1997, I made my first friends at the coffee shop on the bottom floor (the far right shop in the photo) - the Ward Family who ran Stanley Arbuckle's Cafe.
	Standing in front of the entrance, there's a bridge that goes over Fountain Creek. Also, there was a restaurant called the Blue Note that had a wonderful creekside outdoor patio.
	One more picture of the entrance. Here are some of my other Manitou Springs pages: Williams Canyon, Hippies In the Park, Manitou Lights Carnivale 2005, Carnivale 2004, Carnivale 2003 Olympic Torch In Manitou, Manitou City Hall Manitou Trolley, Ex-Mayor Bud Ford, Rainbow Falls Halloween 2002, Manitou Fireworks, Mountain Scenery
	I actually took this particular picture in May 2003 while on the summit of Red Mountain. I zoomed-in as much as I could and captured the view of the Spa Building and Cliff House.