Gold Building, Office skyscraper in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
The New Mexico Bank & Trust Building is a 14-story, 62 m (203 ft) office tower on Gold Avenue in downtown Albuquerque. Its main 12-story block has black tinted glass curtain walls on the north and south sides, while the windowless east and west sides and the protruding elevator shaft on the south are faced with brick. It sits on a larger one-story base with a recessed second story between.
Built in 1959–1961 as the Bank of New Mexico Building by the Bank Realty Company, with Winthrop Rockefeller among its main partners, it replaced several older structures including Wright's Trading Post. Dedicated on January 16, 1961, with Native American dancers and Rockefeller in a sombrero, it cost about $4 million. It surpassed the Simms Building as New Mexico's tallest, then was surpassed by the Bank of the West Tower two years later.
The building's name comes from Gold Avenue, not from gold itself; the tower was originally the Bank of New Mexico Building. Its 14th floor housed the private Petroleum Club, and the ground floor held the bank's headquarters. The building appears in a scene of Better Call Saul.
The building sits on Gold Avenue SW in the downtown area, accessible on foot with nearby parking and good street access. Since it functions as an office building, visitor access inside is limited, but the exterior facade can be viewed from the street.
The 14th floor held the private Petroleum Club, while the Bank of New Mexico kept its headquarters on the ground floor. The building appears in a scene of Better Call Saul. Its curtain walls were originally clear glass alternating with opaque turquoise panels, replaced by black tinted glass in a coral-colored frame during the 1986 remodeling.
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