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About Casa Lou Cardenas
Casa Lou Cardenas celebrates the life of Longmont trailblazer
A woman named Eloyeda "Lou" Cardenas embodied this Diane Luna quote during her 99 years of life. Lou was a Longmont resident of Hispanic ancestry who overcame barriers and radically altered the city’s landscape by pushing for diversity, equity, and inclusion when such issues weren’t at the forefront of conversation. To ensure her legacy remains intact, a local developer has chosen to memorialize Lou at Casa Lou Cardenas, a new, mixed-use building on the corner of 9th and Main Street in Longmont.
"Collaboration, creativity, and respect build lifelong connections that matter and make a difference, propelling us to work together across all boundaries.”
--Diane Luna
A Community Builder
Longmont’s population continues to increase and, as of 2020, nearly 100,000 people reside there. Of those residents, 23,800 are of Hispanic ancestry. However, when Lou moved to Longmont, she was a minority in a population that was primarily comprised of White people. Sadly, many business owners at that time posted “White Trade Only” signs in their storefront windows.
The Senior Services Manager at the current Longmont Senior Center, Michele Waite, considers Lou to be a pioneering community builder who reshaped the center and pushed it to become more diverse.
"Back then in 1981, we didn't have a lot of Latino participation,” said Waite, who met Lou when Lou was serving on the Senior Citizens' Advisory Board. “Lou was not afraid to use her voice to spur change, and she had a sense of what older Latino community members wanted in a senior center. She was really a trailblazer in that way. She really was courageous, and she used her voice and used her connections to provide guidance to city leaders. Lou was key in making the senior center embrace and take on being a welcoming place for all people." (Hammon, 2021)
Celebrating Lou’s legacy
Lou passed away in 2017 after a long life of 99 years. Although she is no longer a pillar of Longmont society, her legacy as a force for change and her efforts to inspire inclusivity have outlived her. When Jennifer Peterson, the owner and developer of JSY Properties, decided to construct a beautiful mixed-use building on the corner of 9th and Main, she was inspired by Lou’s story. After meeting and getting to know several of Lou’s descendants, Peterson decided, with their blessing, to honor Lou by naming the building Casa Lou Cardenas.
Peterson, a 30-year resident of Longmont, desires to continue Lou’s legacy of equity and inclusion by creating a place where residents, business owners, and customers can build social bridges across cultural boundaries that lead to meaningful community connections.
Information for Renters
Casa Lou Cardenas has six residential apartments and four commercial spaces for rent. If you’d like the opportunity to live or work in a place of beauty dedicated to experiencing the riches of a multicultural community, click here to contact us for information about leasing at Casa Lou Cardenas.
ReferencesDuncan, Oli Olivas. We, Too, Came to Stay: A History of the Longmont Hispanic Community. Longmont Hispanic Study and El Comite, 1988.
Hammon, Kelsey. “Two Longmont Women Built Foundations for Service Organizations Today.” Longmont Times-Call, Longmont Times-Call, 12 Mar. 2021, https://www.timescall.com/2021/03/11/two-longmont-womens-efforts-built-foundations-for-service-organizations-today/.
Love Where You Live & Work
Live and work in the newest, energy-efficient commercial and residential spaces in Longmont, Colorado.
● Commercial and Residential Spaces Available● Energy-Efficient Upgrades Save on Monthly Utility Bills● Electric Vehicle Parking● Purified Air Systems in Residences● Heating & AC Uses 50% Less Energy Than Traditional Systems
Want to live or work here?
Casa Lou apartments are fully leased, but you can join the wait list. Talk to us about leasing an apartment, a retail space, or both for the ultimate live/work convenience.