Nob Hill Business Center
National Register of Historic Places

Nob Hill Business Center

Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, New Mexico
Listed
March 18, 1994
Type
Building
Period
Modern
Ref No.
84004143

About this property

Nob Hill Business Center is a historic shopping center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Built in 1946–7, it was the first modern suburban shopping center in New Mexico, and its construction marked a shift away from pedestrian-oriented development in Albuquerque in favor of decentralized, auto-oriented sprawl. Located on Central Avenue (former U.S. Route 66) at Carlisle Boulevard, the building is the focal point of the Nob Hill district. The shopping center was developed by Robert Waggoman on what was then the eastern fringe of the city, more than two miles from the downtown commercial district. Local commentators dubbed the project "Waggoman's Folly" because it was so far from the center of town, but the shopping center turned out to be a major success and served as a model for future commercial development in Albuquerque. The building was added to the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties in 1983 and the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. Nob Hill Business Center is a one-story, U-shaped building with an interior parking lot facing Central Avenue. The building was designed by Louis Hesselden in a predominantly Streamline Moderne style with rounded corners, decorative towers, and white stucco walls with horizontal bands of terra cotta tile and brick. Some of the architectural features are also reminiscent of the local Territorial Revival style.

Location

3500 Central Ave. SE
Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, New Mexico
35.07956, -106.60506
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Immanuel Presbyterian Church
Modern
0.1 mi
Modern Auto Court
Industrial
0.1 mi
Aztec Auto Court
Industrial
0.2 mi
Monte Vista Fire Station
Industrial
0.3 mi
Monte Vista School
Industrial
0.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Chamuscado-Rodríguez Expedition 1581
1581Colonial
3.1 mi
Reconquest of New Mexico (de Cruzate's Campaign)
1689Colonial
3.8 mi
Pueblo Revolt – Otermín's Failed Reconquest 1681
1681Colonial
6.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Nob Hill Business Center listed on the National Register?

Nob Hill Business Center was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 18, 1994.

What type of historic resource is Nob Hill Business Center?

Nob Hill Business Center is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Nob Hill Business Center?

The period of significance for Nob Hill Business Center is recorded as the modern era, specifically around 1946.

Can I research the history near Nob Hill Business Center?

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