46,000

The De Anza Redevelopment transformed the former De Anza Hotel, a Route 66 landmark in Albuquerque’s Nob Hill District, into a modern, multi-use property that pays homage to the building’s rich history. The site now features an apartment complex styled to resemble the original motel, an iconic 1939 structure steeped in the history of tourism, art, and indigenous culture.

The project illustrates what can happen when the desire for bold revitalization is matched with respect and recognition of what came before. The finished product is a crossroads of people and culture, of ancestral and modern. It symbolizes the past—and the promise—of Albuquerque and the people who call it home.

In total, the new facility features 40 residential units, a clubhouse, and a property administration building. After multiple rounds of proposals to renovate the property, the building was bought from the City of Albuquerque under an agreement dictating renovation and use. Local developer Jim Trump led the effort to design, renovate, and rebuild the property.

The site is historically significant in many aspects. The De Anza building is on the NM State Register of Cultural Properties, National Register of Historic Places, and was designated a Historic Landmark by the City of Albuquerque. The original building was built in 1939 by Charles G. Wallace, a local trader of Zuni art and pottery. Once a prominent Zuni trading post and gathering place, the facility houses twelve religious murals painted by Zuni artist Tony Edaakie in the 1950s. De Anza was also listed in The Green Book, making it one of the few places that encouraged black travelers to stay during segregation. The building was even featured in an episode of Breaking Bad.