About 1st Neighbor

Mr. Woolsey Coombs completed the Casa Blanca Hotel in 1949. 

Managed by his wife, Mrs. Iva Lee Coombs, it featured 35 guest rooms and the Casbah Cocktail Lounge. 

The Chicago Defender recognized the Spanish Revival building as one of the finest in the state.

During the Jim Crow era, the Casa Blanca Hotel was listed in the Green Book from 1949 to 1964, providing a place where African Americans could find relaxation, entertainment, and social activities without facing prohibitions.

In 1979, the hotel was designated as part of the historical district of Idlewild Michigan by the 

Michigan State Preservation Historic Office and the National Register for its significance during the Civil Rights era. In 2024, it was acknowledged as an African American Civil Rights Network location by the United States Park Service. 

It is the oldest structure where African Americans could stay and exercise their rights, marking its importance in American history.

A 2015 USDA report proposed revitalizing Idlewild's downtown while preserving its historic value, identifying the Hotel Casa Blanca as a feasible but expensive redevelopment project. 

Renovating and reopening the Casa Blanca could contribute to Idlewild's economy.  

Preserving and reusing this resource will foster tourism, education, and enlightenment of the importance of this history in the growth and betterment of our society today. 

The reuse of this historical gem will also promote economic growth of the region. Lake County, Yates Township and Idlewild will benefit in the form of increased business taxes from local businesses and revenue from new customers bought in by additional space for lodgers. Additional tourism will help increase new job opportunities for residents.

Based on the recommendation within the 2015 USDA Redevelopment Strategy Report the Hotel Casa Blanca will be redeveloped into a bed and breakfast offering overnight lodging, breakfast service and conference-style rooms to host an average of 50 people for events and activities. As a 11-suite limited-service guest house, the Casa Blanca will increase Idlewild’s ability to attract seasonal and event driven visitors who need this type of accommodation.

Strategies for sustainability include preserving much of the original structure in a phased approach. It is important for the viability of this project investment be made to preserve this property from further deterioration or the resource / historic building may be lost. 

The architectural and site design team will review, analyze, and prescribe a preservation and restoration approach working in part with the State Historic Preservation Office utilizing preservation guidelines and briefs published by the National Park Service, Technical Preservation Services. Additionally, the design team will utilize The Secretary of Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic