An Architect’s Open Letter Calls for Action to End La Junta’s Decline

Description: The Following Letter to the Editor was submitted to SECO News by Former La Junta Resident Robert Klob. (The opinions expressed in Letters to the Editor are not those of SECO News, Consulting With A Hart LLC, or our Marketing Partners)

Apathy Is Killing La Junta — Can Leadership Save It?

An Open Letter to the People and Leaders of La Junta

I started the Facebook group “Revitalize La Junta” 13 years ago after a difficult visit back home, prompted by what I saw as the community’s deteriorating condition. My intent was simple: to inspire awareness, create opportunity, and perhaps even stir a little constructive shame—a way to rekindle local pride by comparing La Junta to other small towns across the country that have found ways to adapt and thrive.

I write this today after another visit home—one that, sadly, revealed conditions even worse than those I saw years ago.

Many of us carry warm memories of the La Junta we grew up in—where nostalgia paints vivid images of what once was. I remember riding my bike down Colorado Avenue, past beautiful homes with manicured lawns and a sense of care everywhere you looked. The parks were clean and well-kept, and both residents and business owners took visible pride in their community.

Sadly, this latest trip showed very little of that nostalgic pride.

With nearly 40 years in the field of architecture and community development—a career that began while I was a student at La Junta High School—I’ve had the privilege of guiding property owners, private developers, and municipalities across the country. For the past 33 years, I have owned and operated my own design studio, and I currently serve as a Planning & Zoning Commissioner in two of the fastest-growing jurisdictions in America. I’ve also helped several municipalities craft development and design guidelines to promote responsible growth and community identity. In that time, I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly.

And unfortunately, La Junta embodies the last two far too clearly. As the saying goes: You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Imagine you’re a business owner scouting potential new locations. You’ve heard about the Arkansas Valley and decided to visit its county seat, La Junta.

Driving along Highway 50, you see promise at first: a thriving Walmart complex bustling with cars and people, followed by a clean, active Sutherlands. But then it changes. The old, abandoned Gibson’s building sits in decay, untouched for decades. You pass more neglected properties—crumbling facades, waist-high weeds—broken only by rare bright spots like Felicia’s restaurant, whose flowers and Southwest architecture show what pride can look like. But even that glimmer is quickly overshadowed by yet another unkempt lot.

The underpass has weeds that look like they’ve been there for quite some time. Several structures along the highway appear abandoned, and more are surely close. Even the once-vibrant Travel Inn now stands as a monument to neglect with its boarded-up doors and windows, while weeds and trash fill the parking lot. Soon, the old Safeway may join that sad list—another symbol of what used to be.

Drive in via 3rd Street, and the optics do not improve much with abandoned buildings and residential properties with more weeds than bushes to greet the visitor.

Drive the streets of La Junta and one will find historic homes that once showcased early 20th-century craftsmanship—beautiful bungalows, Victorians, and Craftsman designs, that are now hidden behind overgrown yards, peeling paint, and signs of disuse. For many of these homes, the charm is still there, but it’s buried under years of indifference. Block after block, the blight is not the exception; it’s the norm.

Even among local businesses, few show vitality. Sutherlands and The Barista stood out during my visit. But many others felt like they’re just existing, not thriving. That same lack of community enthusiasm has even reached some of your institutions—like the Catholic Church, which I remember as a beacon of community spirit and welcome embrace, now seemingly diminished by unnecessary overbearing control and authority at the event I attended. These conditions don’t say “Come build here.” They say, “We’ve given up.”

If I were scouting La Junta for a client, we wouldn’t even stop. The first impression says the city doesn’t care—and if the city doesn’t care, why would we expect it to care about a new business’s success?

Communities, much like families, reflect the guidance they receive. When pride and responsibility fade, it often begins with the example set at the top. Citizens share some responsibility, but the greater burden rests with leadership. It is the city’s duty to enforce the laws and uphold the standards that define its character. When those in charge stop caring, that indifference trickles down—every street, every business, every home starts to mirror it.

And perhaps, that lack of care isn’t entirely accidental. Maybe some city officials truly don’t want growth, new jobs, or outside investment. Maybe the goal really is to turn La Junta into a quiet retirement community—and let it fade away. But it’s not too late to change for those who want it.

It starts with enforcing the blight laws already on the books. Then, establish development corridors—Highway 50, 3rd, 5th, 10th, Colorado, and Santa Fe (for example) - where enhanced maintenance, landscaping, and design standards are mandatory. Property ownership comes with responsibility, and ALL property owners should be held accountable. For those who are facing difficult times, options for grants, loans, or other community support may be an alternative for assistance. However, fines, liens, and, if necessary, foreclosures should be on the table for chronic neglect.

Next, establish design and development standards that celebrate the area’s history and reinforce its identity. Require new and revitalized projects to meet criteria for architecture, landscaping, and materials that complement the region and history - not fight against it.

City leaders need to stop telling residents and prospective business owners how great La Junta is and start showing them. Words and slogans don’t build confidence—visible results do. Pride isn’t restored through press releases or ribbon cuttings, but through clean streets, thriving storefronts, and well-kept public spaces. In the twenty-first century, lip service no longer works. People and investors alike can see through it instantly. Real progress is measured not by what’s promised, but by what’s maintained, built, and cared for. Through this kind of leadership, new jobs and opportunities will emerge, and success will once again belong to future generations of La Junta.

There’s an election coming soon, and the city is at a crossroads – status quo or evolve into a thriving community - one where the residents can be proud and the young people want to stay and raise their families.  The citizens of La Junta need to ask hard questions—about where the city once was, where it’s going, and who is truly willing to lead it forward.

I left La Junta many years ago because there was no opportunity for my career path there. But I still care deeply.  The first building I ever designed was the H. L. Boyd Coach House at the Otero Museum – my original rendering of it still sits above my desk.  Although I have designed thousands of other, more elaborate structures, that one is the one I remember most.  I take pride in driving by it every time I visit.  My family has called the Arkansas Valley home for over 100 years. I have many friends and family still there. I care because I know what this town can be again—if only the people and their leaders care enough to make it happen.

Every city gets the future it earns. If La Junta continues to settle for neglect, then decay will be its legacy. But if its people demand better and its leaders finally lead, La Junta can once again become the proud, thriving community it was meant to be.

Sincerely,

Robert Klob

Bio: Robert Klob is a Certified Professional Building Designer with nearly 40 years of experience in architecture, design, community planning, and development consulting. He has guided projects across the United States and abroad & assisted municipalities in creating design standards that foster growth, character, and livability. Though he now resides in Arizona, Robert is a proud native of La Junta.

Tweet