{"id":45780,"date":"2021-07-15T00:46:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-15T06:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/aztec-apartments-cater-to-single-women-60-or-older\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T03:27:20","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T09:27:20","slug":"aztec-apartments-cater-to-single-women-60-or-older","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/aztec-apartments-cater-to-single-women-60-or-older\/","title":{"rendered":"Aztec apartments cater to single women, 60 or older"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Tweeti
Tweeti Blancett sits on the front porch enjoying iced tea. Blancett owns the Step Back Inn, which is being transformed into an apartment building catering specifically to single women 60 and older. (Morgan Mitchell\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

FARMINGTON \u2013 Nestled along the side of Aztec Boulevard is the Step Back Inn, a former inn turned apartment building that will cater to a very specific demographic \u2013 single women 60 and older.<\/p>\n

People came from all over, said owner Tweeti Blancett, to see the Aztec Ruins, and for a quaint inn, people often booked their stay at the Step Back Inn.<\/p>\n

\u201cI built it from the ground up, and I\u2019ve loved it,\u201d Blancett said. \u201cYou meet the most wonderful people in the whole world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blancett, who was born in Hawaii before moving to New Mexico as a toddler, enjoyed the hospitality industry, but as an active member in her community, Blancett noticed a need for a certain type of housing for women of a certain age.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the demographic of people who are underrepresented, in my opinion,\u201d Blancett said. \u201cThere\u2019s availability for seniors, but it\u2019s not always the most secure environment.\u201d<\/p>\n

The hotel has one entrance and an emergency exit; otherwise, there is no way inside. There are also cameras installed all over the property, and residents are given keys to the building as well as separate keys to their own unit. The building is currently having some renovations done.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a small enclosed community that can interrelate with one another because their interests are much the same, and their lifestyles are much the same,\u201d Blancett said. \u201cI am hoping to build a community of women who can rely on each other and enjoy doing things with each other and just have fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Pieces
Pieces of history are framed in the parlor of the Step Back Inn. The inn is transforming into an apartment building catering specifically to single women 60 and older. (Morgan Mitchell\/Durango Herald)<\/span>Morgan Mitchell<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Blancett said she\u2019s not a man-hater, as is evident by her 56 years of marriage, but the rooms are outfitted for a single person, and Blancett said she thinks the residents will feel more secure if they are all women than if men and women mixed.<\/p>\n

Blancett said she simply saw a need for women-only housing. Two extended care centers also noted a need for more housing options before people transition to assisted living, she said.<\/p>\n

\"The
The living room of a unit at Step Back Inn. Each unit comes with a TV, cable, internet and all utilities included. (Morgan Mitchell\/Durango Herald)<\/span>Morgan Mitchell<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019ve been married for 56 years and I am still married,\u201d Blancett said. \u201cI just saw a need in the community, and I felt like if I was going to repurpose this hotel \u2026 and I thought if I had to repurpose it because of COVID, that I would do something that was unique and had a purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The
The bedroom portion of the unit features a queen-size bed in the furnished units. The Step Back Inn is transforming into an apartment building catering specifically to single women 60 and older. (Morgan Mitchell\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

The rooms are conjoined so that one original hotel room makes up the living area and a small kitchen with an air fryer counter-top oven and mid-size fridge, and the other room holds the bedroom and bathroom.<\/p>\n

\"The
The kitchen in a unit of the Step Back Inn apartments. The inn is transforming into an apartment building catering specifically to single women 60 older. (Morgan Mitchell\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

There are 17 units available in the building. There are also suites for rent where visiting family members can stay.<\/p>\n

\"Family
Family suites are available for residents to rent when visiting residents of the Step Back Inn. The inn is transforming into an apartment building catering specifically to single women 60 and older. (Morgan Mitchell\/Durango Herald)<\/span>Morgan Mitchell<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cThere were women perfectly independent well into their 80s who are independent and don\u2019t want to be in a care facility,\u201d Blancett said. \u201cThey want to live their own life, have their own place, they want to be independent. So I am trying to meet that need.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The
The front porch of the Step Back Inn is more like a garden with hundreds of flowers and plants. (Morgan Mitchell\/Durango Herald)<\/span>Morgan Mitchell<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Apart from the security features and all-inclusive utilities paid, Blancett said the apartments will have monthly birthday dinners to celebrate the residents who were born in each month. While the units do not have full-size kitchens, the building has a full kitchen with a stove and oven attached to the parlor\/dining area where residents are welcome to cook family meals.<\/p>\n

\"The
The parlor of the Step Back Inn will be used for monthly activities as well as a place for residents to gather with their visiting families. (Morgan Mitchell\/Durango Herald)<\/span>Morgan Mitchell<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Each door has a plaque featuring a name of historical significance. The names come from the first 40 names registered with the city clerk in Aztec, she said. She added the plaques back when the building was a hotel, but she plans to keep them now that it is apartments.<\/p>\n

\"The
The doors all have a plaque on them and represent one of the original 40 names written in the city of Aztec clerk\u2019s book. (Morgan Mitchell\/Durango Herald)<\/span>Morgan Mitchell<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Blancett did not disclose the pricing of the apartments, but described them as upscale.<\/p>\n

mmitchell@durangoherald.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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