New Mexico Bank & Trust Building
| Industry | Office building |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1961 |
| Headquarters | Albuquerque , United States |
Key people | Willard C. Kruger (architect) |
| Products | Office space |
The New Mexico Bank & Trust Building is a 14-story office tower situated on Gold Avenue in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico. It holds the position of the sixth tallest structure in the city. Completed in 1961, this building overtook the Simms Building as the tallest in the state until the Bank of the West Tower surpassed it two years later.
The primary section consists of 12 floors featuring black tinted glass curtain walls on its northern and southern facades, while the east and west sides are clad in brick without windows. A brick-encased elevator shaft extends outward on the south elevation. This main block sits atop a broader single-story base, which includes a recessed second floor. The design was created by Willard C. Kruger.
History
Initially called the Bank of New Mexico Building, construction took place from 1959 to 1961 under the direction of the Bank Realty Company. One of its principal partners was Winthrop Rockefeller, known for his role in developing Winrock Center and later serving as Arkansas governor. The site, located at the corner of 4th Street and Gold Avenue, replaced several older buildings across five lots. The general contractor for the project was New York’s George A. Fuller Construction Company. The total cost approached $4 million, and the building was officially dedicated on January 16, 1961, with Rockefeller and local dignitaries attending.
Local architect Willard C. Kruger designed the structure, which surpassed the nearby Simms Building to become New Mexico’s tallest at that time. The exclusive Petroleum Club occupied the 14th floor, while the ground level served as headquarters for the Bank of New Mexico. In 1981, after a corporate rebranding by its parent company, the building was renamed for First Interstate Bank. A $5 million refurbishment in 1986 modernized mechanical systems and replaced the original curtain walls with black tinted glass; this renovation was overseen by Kruger & Associates following Kruger’s passing in 1984.
Later, Norwest Bank took over as headquarters but vacated in 1994 due to having offices nearby. In 1996, an unrelated entity named Bank of New Mexico moved into and rebranded the building; however, Norwest acquired this bank two years afterward. Since the early 2000s, it has served as headquarters for New Mexico Bank & Trust, a division of HTLF Bank. The building also makes an appearance in a scene from the television show Better Call Saul.
Architecture
Rising to a height of , the New Mexico Bank & Trust Building comprises 14 floors plus a mechanical penthouse. Designed by Willard C. Kruger, who also designed the New Mexico State Capitol, it is an example of the International Style and bears resemblance to the nearby Simms Building. Both buildings feature curtain walls on their north and south elevations, windowless brick facades on east and west sides, recessed second stories exposing structural columns, and larger one-story bases. Originally, their curtain walls combined clear glass with turquoise panels; these were replaced in 1986 by black tinted glass set within coral-colored frames. The south elevation includes a brick-faced elevator shaft extending outward.