Hundreds of volunteers turning abandoned motel into affordable housing unit

More than 300 Home Depot volunteers helped remake two buildings in Woodland Park Wednesday.

About 200 volunteers spent the morning working with Habitat for Humanity of Teller County to turn the Lofthouse Motel into an affordable housing condo building with nine units. Two of those units will be specifically for veteran families. The motel has been empty for a decade.

“Affordable housing is a crisis issue here in Teller County,” Habitat for Humanity of Teller County Executive Director Jamie Caperton said. “We just don’t have any workforce or low-to-moderate income housing here in Woodland Park or Teller County.”

Home Depot volunteers came from all over the country to help.

“For us, it’s really how we say thank you to our veterans,” Team Depot Senor Manager Joe Wimberley said. “Our focus and mission is on veterans’ housing, and Home Depot says thank you the best way we know how. That’s by giving of our sweat, by giving back. It’s the core value of Home Depot.”

Another 100 volunteers worked on renovating the American Legion/VFW Post 1980.