An October 14 social media notice regarding a demolition at the historic Yuma building brought hundreds of residents to the site.
What was expected to be a demolition ceremony turned into a press conference focused on the site's redevelopment.
Hundreds of Yuma residents gathered after seeing the notice posted on social media. Mr. Spencer, a "snowbird" from Montana, found the post online and was expecting a different outcome. When asked about his attendance, he joked, “Because I’m from Montana and we like to see stuff blow up.”
Austin Bunton, a Yuma resident, said he would like the architecture of the historic Hotel Del Sol to be respected. “It’s sad that this building is going away now, because you know, this building has been around for like 100 years.”
For some, it meant more than just witnessing a demolition. Patty Spencer, a Yuma native who grew up in the area in the ’70s, shared that she remembered when the hotel was in operation and also witnessed its eventual shutdown.
“I just wanted to be here for this moment to see what they were going to do,” said Spencer. “But I’m excited about the transition and that they are keeping part of it. It’s a piece of Yuma, so it’s hard to see this happen. I thought they were going to tear down the whole building. I’m glad they aren't, and that they are keeping some of the actual building structure here.”
The project will transform the historic site into a centralized transportation hub, bringing rail, bus, and other transportation services together in Downtown Yuma. Once complete, the facility will improve transportation connections for residents, visitors, and the regional workforce.
“The redevelopment of Hotel Del Sol marks a major step, decades in the making,” said Mayor Douglas Nicholls.
Originally built in 1926 as the Hotel Del Ming, the hotel served travelers arriving in Yuma by train. Nearly a century later, the redevelopment will continue that connection to transportation while preserving key historic architectural elements within the new facility. These include portions of the north and east façades, historic signage, and wrought iron balconies.
Planned improvements include new pick-up and drop-off areas, improved traffic circulation, reconfigured parking to support bus operations, and dedicated spaces for ticketing, waiting areas, restrooms, and transit services. The center will serve Amtrak, Greyhound, Yuma County Area Transit (YCAT), paratransit, taxis, shuttles and rideshare users.
CORE Construction will complete the project, which is expected to take approximately 18 months.
