Hope Building facts for kids
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Hope Building
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Hope Building, May 2010
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 Location in New Mexico
Location in the United States
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| Location | 220 Gold Ave. SW Albuquerque, New Mexico |
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| Built | 1894 |
| NRHP reference No. | 80002539 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | August 29, 1980 |
The Hope Building is a very old and important building in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was built way back in 1894. This makes it one of the few buildings from the 1800s still standing in Downtown Albuquerque. Because it's so special, it was added to the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties and the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
What is the History of the Hope Building?
The Hope Building was first built in 1894. It was made for a doctor named Walter G. Hope. He used the building for his medical office. His family also lived in the upstairs part.
In 1905, Dr. Hope and his family moved out of the upstairs. But he kept his office there until 1909. For many years after that, the building had lots of different businesses. It was a photography studio, a hat shop, and even a newspaper office.
Many other old buildings downtown were torn down in the 1960s and 1970s. This happened because of city plans to update the area. But the Hope Building managed to survive!
Around 1950, the upstairs living space became offices. The front of the building was also changed. Its original arches on the ground floor were made square.
In 1977, a group of people bought the building. They included a local architecture company. They worked hard to make the building look like it did when it was first built.
What Does the Hope Building Look Like?
The Hope Building is a good example of the small businesses built in Albuquerque in the 1890s. Almost all of these other buildings are gone now. It is a two-story building. It takes up its whole piece of land, which is about 25 feet wide and 142 feet long. This land was part of the original Albuquerque town plan from 1880.
The building was first about 70 feet deep. It had a wooden porch at the back. Later, more parts were added to make it its current size. The oldest part of the building has strong brick walls that are 12 inches thick.
The outside of the building is made of red brick. On the first floor, there are two arched openings. On the second floor, there are two sets of arched windows. These windows are separated by a column in the middle. The bottom parts of the windows and arches are made of special cast stone.
The Hope Building used to have eight windows on each side wall. Four were upstairs and four downstairs. But most of these have been covered up by other buildings built next to it. Only two upstairs windows on the west side can still be seen. The inside of the building has been changed many times. It does not have its original look anymore.
