Transformation at Hot Lake

 $10 million restoration nears completion, grand opening on horizon

Lee Manuel and her husband, sculptor David Manuel, bought Hot Lake in 2003 and have worked since then on its restoration. They plan a grand opening sometime in 2010. Observer photo

It’s been six years since Lee Manuel and her artist husband David bought the dilapidated three-story main building and its surrounding grounds and outbuildings, and set about transforming the property into a center for the arts and a world-class lodging facility.

Features were added one by one as the owners worked to realize their vision. Finally, the Manuels are satisfied. The time to unveil the new Hot Lake Springs is near.

Once touted as the “Mayo Clinic of the West,” Hot Lake in its heyday attracted visitors from all over the world.

Many came to “take the cure” for consumption and other ills. The drawing card was the water from the hot mineral springs and pools located on the property.

The main building was constructed in 1906, added to an already existing wood frame structure.

By all accounts, it was a plush, luxurious place. The first floor included an ornate lobby, a reception area, a ball room, kitchen and dining facilities and more.

An elevator, a modern convenience back then, took patients and guests to rooms on the second and third floors.

In its prime, the main building housed a fully-equipped hospital, complete with laboratories, an x-ray department and an operating room on the third floor.

After the hospital closed, the building was used variously as a resort, a hotel, a boarding house and a nursing home. For a time, a restaurant operated there.

But, as a succession of owners found out, Hot Lake had lost its allure. There came a time when it was abandoned altogether.

Over the years the old health resort fell into gloomy disrepair. Stories about Hot Lake ghosts began making the rounds.

Ghost hunters, curiosity seekers and kids throwing beer busts ignored prominently-displayed “No Trespassing’’ signs. They entered the isolated property at will and vandalized the building without mercy.

They broke windows — more than 300 of them — smashed holes in walls, scrawled graffiti everywhere.

Weather contributed to the deterioration. Moisture from a thousand storms seeped through the roof, permeated ceilings, ran down the walls.

Over time, the once-grand establishment became an eyesore. The local community gave up on Hot Lake, believing it would someday fall victim to a wrecking ball.

Then the Manuels, members of the Wallowa County arts and business community for many years, decided to move to La Grande from Joseph. Long fascinated with history-rich Hot Lake, in late 2003 they decided to buy it.

David is a nationally-known sculptor whose works reflect the history of the American West. Hot Lake would become his headquarters, and would include a foundry to turn out bronzes done by himself and others.

“Things have changed for me since I got here,” he said. “I thrive on Hot Lake, the history here. I’m creating better work than I ever have before.”

According to the soon-to-be-realized plan, Hot Lake will also feature a museum, a gallery and gift shop, a spa, a mineral springs bath-house, a theater, a restaurant, a drive-through coffee shop, a chapel, a veterans memorial, a 22-room bed-and-breakfast, and — very importantly, from Lee Manuel’s point of view — studio space for other artists.

“We weren’t pulling the arts out of Joseph when we moved here,” she said. “We were brining the arts to Eastern Oregon.”

Local artists including woodworker Duane Lee, painter and sketch artist Jon Hanley and others have had their work incorporated in the decor. Others have studios on the premises.

Watercolor artist Ann Yoder is one of those. She’s been working there the past four years and is more than happy with the arrangement.

Well ahead of the planned grand opening, Hot Lake has seen many visitors. Yoder said that for her, Hot Lake has been an excellent opportunity.

“People come here from all over,” she said. “Some of them come looking for history, but they leave inspired by the arts. There’s something for everybody here.”

Ceramic artist Nanda Van Houten, who works under the name Nanda Brazil, displays her wares at Hot Lake and plans eventually to do her work there.

“Next year I’ll have my own studio and demonstrate my work. I’m really excited to be here,” she said.

In addition to providing space for working artists, Hot Lake is a place of employment for many others. Lee Manuel said between 20 and 30 people, some temporary workers and others full-time permanent staffers who have been with the Manuels since Joseph days, work at Hot Lake at any given time.

“We’ll be adding more jobs when we’re fully functional,” she said.

According to Lee, Hot Lake restoration will cost about $10 million when all is said and done. She said very little of the final bill will be paid for with public money.

“I think we applied for every grant known to man, but we sure didn’t get very many,” she said.

Lee said proceeds from the sale of her husband’s art have been a financial mainstay, and she has found other ways to generate income as well. The gallery and gift shop is open for business, and so is the coffee stand.

But above all, the Manuels have received an outpouring of support from the community. People have sponsored the renovation of rooms, spent generously during fundraising events and volunteered countless hours of labor.

“This wouldn’t have been possible without the community backing it up,” Lee said. “Because of the volunteers, this story has stayed positive.”

She said she is especially appreciative of the many local companies, ranging from contractors to grocery stores, who have kept open a line of credit.

“If people hadn’t believed in us, we couldn’t have done it,” she said.

It helps also that Hot Lake Springs is a family affair.

The Manuels’ daughter, Lorena Overton, helps manage the place and will be in charge of the 11-room spa once it opens. Their son, Larry Braden Manuel, a sculptor in his own right, is instrumental in foundry operations, and his wife, Ashley, is manager of the gift shop. Another son, Landon Braden Manuel, is the company’s business manger.

Lee Manuel said all are putting in some long hours to make Hot Lake live up to the dream. It’s been that way from the very beginning.

“When I’m working a 50-hour week, I’ll feel like I’m on vacation,” she said.