The Greening of El Chorro Lodge Sustaining the character of a Paradise Valley landmark BY DAVID M. BROWN
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More than eight decades of history are served at El Chorro Lodge, as well as great beverages and food—especially those legendary house-made sticky buns. Following a full renovation 12 years ago, the Paradise Valley dining and event landmark is serving the future, too, as the state’s first full-service restaurant to attain the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) Gold Certification.
As the Great Recession peaked in 2009, longtime Paradise Valley resident and philanthropist Jacquie Dorrance purchased the historic 11-acre property to ensure the continuing legacy of one of the town’s few historically significant commercial properties. She was joined in the venture by operating partners Kristy and Tim Moore.
is eventually developed—the land is super premium—the resulting campus would celebrate the property and the character of Paradise Valley. The location includes many of Phoenix area’s finest homes and resorts, such as the Camelback Inn which is a mile or so west on Lincoln Drive, and Mountain Shadows, which is just across the street.
The restaurant and event destination is sited on the north side of Paradise Valley’s most famous street, Lincoln Drive, between its most well-known landmarks, Camelback and Mummy Mountains. El Chorro, now with 4,800 square feet of dining and bar space and 7,500 square feet of patio areas, annually hosts 150-plus special events and 90 weddings and greets more than 10,000 guests. It offers dinner Wednesday through Sunday evenings, as well as Sunday brunch.
“We were pleased to have been able to work with Jacquie Dorrance on this purchase and are proud to have the opportunity to preserve and enhance El Chorro,” says Grossman Company Properties’ Matt Crow, a Paradise Valley resident for more than 30 years. The company owns and operates two properties in metro Phoenix, one in Flagstaff and several boutique hotels throughout southern and central California. In the 1990s, Grossman upgraded the world-famous Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa in Phoenix.
A distinguished design and construction group completed the sustainably focused restoration in 2009: architect Mark Candelaria, AIA (CDA); green builders Jerry and Jeremy Meek, Desert Star Construction (DSC); Jeff Berghoff, principal of landscape architect Berghoff Design Group; Walter Spitz, Creative Designs in Lighting; interior designer, Donna Vallone, ASID; and Green Ideas principal, Charlie Popeck. Dorrance says, “You have to know this was a dream team, which realized a multi-faceted renovation project with an aggressive timeline and a very big vision.” In late July 2021, she sold the property to Phoenix-based Grossman Company Properties, a real estate and hospitality development and management company with six decades of Arizona experience. Dorrance explains that she chose the company so that when the historic El Chorro Lodge
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“It was important to me to ensure that El Chorro is preserved for future generations and stewarded by owners who understand its importance to Paradise Valley,” Dorrance says. “This was an opportunity to pass on the El Chorro tradition to a great company that will ensure it is a part of the community for decades to come.”
EIGHTY-PLUS YEARS OF PARADISE VALLEY HISTORY In 1934, inventor, entrepreneur, philanthropist and 1924 presidential candidate John C. Lincoln opened the original building as the Judson School for Girls so his daughter Lillian could attend school. Minnesotans Mark and Jan
