Nob Hill Business Center facts for kids
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Nob Hill Business Center
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Nob Hill Business Center, 2010
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 Location in New Mexico
Location in the United States
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| Location | 3500 Central Avenue SE, Albuquerque, New Mexico |
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| Built | 1947 |
| Architect | Louis Hesselden |
| Architectural style | Streamline Moderne, Territorial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 84004143 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | March 18, 1994 |
The Nob Hill Business Center is a special historic shopping area in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was built in 1946 and 1947. This center was the very first modern shopping area outside of the main city downtown in New Mexico.
Its creation changed how cities grew. Before, people walked to shops. But the Nob Hill Business Center was designed for cars. It helped start the idea of cities spreading out, with shops farther from the center. This important building is located on Central Avenue, which used to be part of the famous U.S. Route 66. It is a main part of the Nob Hill neighborhood.
What is the Nob Hill Business Center?
The Nob Hill Business Center is a historic place where people can shop and find businesses. It was built a long time ago, in the mid-1940s. This center was very important because it was the first of its kind in New Mexico. It showed how new shopping areas could be built away from busy city centers.
A New Kind of Shopping
A man named Robert Waggoman built the shopping center. It was on the edge of the city, quite far from downtown Albuquerque. Many people thought it was a bad idea. They even called it "Waggoman's Folly," meaning "Waggoman's big mistake."
But they were wrong! The shopping center became very popular and successful. It showed other builders how to create new shopping areas in Albuquerque. Because of its importance, the building was added to the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties in 1983. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. These lists recognize places that are important to history and culture.
Design and Style
The Nob Hill Business Center is a one-story building. It is shaped like a "U" and has a parking lot inside, facing Central Avenue. The building was designed by an architect named Louis Hesselden.
It has a cool style called Streamline Moderne. This means it has smooth, rounded corners. It also has decorative towers. The walls are white stucco, with horizontal lines of terra cotta tile and brick. Some parts of the building also look like the local Territorial Revival style, which is common in New Mexico.
