Southern Union Gas Company Building facts for kids
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Southern Union Gas Company Building
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Southern Union Gas Company Building
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| Location | 723 Silver Ave. SW, Albuquerque, New Mexico |
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| Built | 1951 |
| Architect | John Gaw Meem |
| NRHP reference No. | 04000252 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | March 31, 2004 |
The Southern Union Gas Company Building is a special old building in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is known for being one of the first buildings in the city designed in the International style. This style uses simple shapes, open spaces, and often lots of glass.
The building was finished in 1951. It was the biggest office for the Southern Union Gas Company in New Mexico. A famous architect named John Gaw Meem designed it.
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Designing a Modern Building
John Gaw Meem was an architect who mostly designed buildings in the Pueblo Revival style. This style looks like traditional Native American pueblos. However, Meem also designed a few modern buildings, like the Southern Union Gas Company Building.
He finished the plans for this building in 1949. Meem wanted the building to show that the company was modern and cared about the public.
Inside the Building
The Southern Union Gas Company Building has two floors. The first floor used to be a big showroom where they displayed appliances. The second floor had a "hospitality room" for different events.
The main showroom on the first floor is very tall, about 17 feet high. There is a grand staircase that leads up to the second floor. The building also has large glass windows on its south and west sides. These windows let in a lot of natural light.
A Building's New Life
The Southern Union Building is important because of its history and design. It was added to the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties in 2003. A year later, in 2004, it was also added to the National Register of Historic Places. These lists help protect important historical places.
From Restaurant to Offices
After being empty for some time, the building was updated in 2004 and 2005. It became a Flying Star restaurant. This renovation cost about $3.5 million.
The restaurant closed in October 2015 because the company had financial problems. But just two months later, new plans were announced. The building would become the Albuquerque offices for Rural Sourcing, Inc., a technology company. The building was renovated again to change it from a restaurant back into offices. This second renovation cost over $1 million.
Images for kids
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Southern Union Gas Company Building
