Mitchell/McClure Architects Wool Warehouse Remodeling Drawings
Collection
Identifier: SWA Wool Warehouse Remodeling Drawings
Scope and Content
The Wool Warehouse Remodeling (Rehabilitation) Collection contains twenty-eight drawings by the architectural firm of Mitchell/McClure, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Dates
- 1982
Language of Materials
English
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Copy Restrictions
Limited duplication of CSWR material is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy, and libel law. Permission is required for publication or distribution.
Background
The Wool Warehouse, located at 502 1st Street NW, was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1978. Designed in 1928 by T. Charles Gaastra, architect of the Monte Vista and Eugene Field Elementary Schools, the Wool Warehouse is a two-story brick, 40,000 square foot building. Sheep rancher and entrepreneur Frank Bond built the warehouse in 1929 to headquarter his New Mexico business. According to historian V.B. Price, the warehouse interior was “wonderfully and eccentrically, endowed with thirty-six Egyptian-like columns around which, in the warehouse heyday, could be stacked with as much as five million pounds of wool." This building ceased operating in 1972 and became a repository for city of Albuquerque records until 1974. In 1982, the firm of Mitchell/McClure architects created detailed plans to remodel the building. Their office was located at 2018 Coal Place SE in Albuquerque.
The Wool Warehouse was completely renovated in 1985 by the architectural/planning firm of Boehning, Protz, Cook and Associates for a cost of 2.5 million dollars. The firm was given the 1985 Honor Award for renovating the former wool processing plant into the Wool Warehouse Theater and Restaurant. The interior of the Wool Warehouse reflected an art deco adaptation of the Egyptian-style columns that are part of the original 1926 structure. David Cook was the project and design architect. This project transformed a 1929 monument to New Mexico’s role in the wool industry. It houses a restaurant and a 425–seat theater. In order to accommodate the theater, a substantial portion of the roof structure was removed. This allowed a full height proscenium opening with a fly loft to be constructed.
In 2004, The Wool Warehouse Theater Restaurant building was bought by Double Tree Hotels. Today, it is used as a rental for a wide range of events in downtown Albuquerque. The second floor still houses The Wool Warehouse Theater. The building also has a reputation for being haunted. Both guests and employees have reported recurrent hot and cold spots and the appearance of spirits.
The Wool Warehouse was completely renovated in 1985 by the architectural/planning firm of Boehning, Protz, Cook and Associates for a cost of 2.5 million dollars. The firm was given the 1985 Honor Award for renovating the former wool processing plant into the Wool Warehouse Theater and Restaurant. The interior of the Wool Warehouse reflected an art deco adaptation of the Egyptian-style columns that are part of the original 1926 structure. David Cook was the project and design architect. This project transformed a 1929 monument to New Mexico’s role in the wool industry. It houses a restaurant and a 425–seat theater. In order to accommodate the theater, a substantial portion of the roof structure was removed. This allowed a full height proscenium opening with a fly loft to be constructed.
In 2004, The Wool Warehouse Theater Restaurant building was bought by Double Tree Hotels. Today, it is used as a rental for a wide range of events in downtown Albuquerque. The second floor still houses The Wool Warehouse Theater. The building also has a reputation for being haunted. Both guests and employees have reported recurrent hot and cold spots and the appearance of spirits.
Extent
1 drawer (.5 lin. ft.)
Abstract
This collection is composed of twenty eight architectural drawings/sketches that detail plans to convert the historic Wool Warehouse in Albuquerque, New Mexico to a theater and restaurant.
- Title
- Finding Aid of the Mitchell/McClure Architects Wool Warehouse Remodeling Drawings, 1982
- Status
- Edited Full Draft
- Author
- A. Bellmore
- Date
- © 2009
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
Revision Statements
- Monday, 20210524: Attribute normal is missing or blank.
Repository Details
Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository
Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu