Archaeology was the last thing on Dr. Teresa Reed’s mind when she purchased a 2,300-square-foot house in the Sandia Mountains in 1995. But three years’ worth of trash removal (“They’d stuffed their garbage under the terrace,” she says), aggressive rodent eradication, and dismantling of inappropriately enclosed spaces revealed a classic “hippie house” built by Ivor Williams.

Those familiar with the bohemian roots of Sandia Heights may remember Williams, a Swedish architect who was a foothills fixture in the ’70s. At off times, the flamboyant Scandinavian could be seen tooling around town in his convertible wearing a Viking hat.

But Reed’s dig didn’t stop at 1979. Ambitious earthmoving and grand-scale renovation revealed and created a cozy lodge fit for an early 1900s adventure-seeker stepping off the train at the historic Alvarado Hotel. Here, it’s easy to imagine that a grizzled outdoorsman will be arriving soon to guide you on a trek through the wilderness. Dinner might be jack rabbit stew. Your olfactory imagination drools at the succulent prospect.

 

 

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