Iconic Aloha Motel sign to get new life at Bellingham affordable housing site

The iconic 1960 Aloha Motel neon sign will soon be reinstalled in Bellingham’s Samish Commons Urban Village, which was the original site of the motel.

The sign was preserved and restored to its original colors and condition, using historic photos from the Whatcom County Historical Society, according to a release from the Bellingham and Whatcom County Housing Authorities.

“We intend to incorporate (the sign) into the site as a reminder of the site’s history on the highway from Canada to Mexico, as well as the remarkable transformation of Samish Way into a vibrant new urban village. After all, ‘Aloha’ means hello as well as goodbye,” said Housing Authority Executive Director Brien Thane in a statement.

In April 2017, the Housing Authority purchased the site of the Aloha Motel from the city of Bellingham with the goal of redevelopment.

After receiving concerns from community members about what would happen to the historic sign, the Housing Authority decided to incorporate it into the new housing development.

Once complete, Samish Commons will provide 171 apartments that will be “affordable to a broad range of incomes,” the release states. There will be 53 apartments set aside for seniors. The site will also house the Housing Authority’s offices as well as an early learning facility. The development is expected to be completed this summer.

The first phase of the project opened in the summer of 2021, which included 69 long-term rental units.

The Aloha Motel first opened in 1960 along Samish Way, which was known then as a busy car-oriented strip with motels, restaurants and gas stations, according to earlier reporting by The Bellingham Herald. In the years prior to the Aloha’s purchase by the Housing Authority, the site developed a poor reputation, becoming known for drug use and criminal activity.

The city of Bellingham acquired the property through condemnation proceedings in 2015 after at least 11 of the motel’s 28 rooms were condemned due to methamphetamine contamination.

Installation is expected to be completed by Tuesday. The sign will be installed near its original location on the Samish Commons property located at 333 North Samish Way.