State mulls ownership of historic Nob Hill church

An iconic church that has graced Albuquerque's Nob Hill neighborhood for three-quarters of a century may soon belong to the state of New Mexico.

The pastor of Immanuel Presbyterian Church posted a statement on the church's website this week announcing that the congregation voted in December to donate the historic building in lieu of paying for costly renovations.

"On December 14, 2025, the congregation voted unanimously to donate the building to the State of New Mexico, affirming a shared commitment to preserving this treasured site as a public asset for future generations," the Rev. Drew Henry said in the statement posted Monday.

"We expect the donation process to be completed in the first half of 2026," he wrote.

The decision was prompted by the high cost of needed renovations to the historic structure.

"Following a comprehensive professional architectural assessment, the congregation has arrived at the difficult conclusion that it does not have adequate resources to complete the extensive renovations required to preserve the historic structure," said Henry, who could not be reached for further comment this week.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and two state lawmakers said this week that the church's future has been under discussion for more than a year as the congregation has wrestled with the issue of renovations.

"We are in discussions about an acquisition of this church property, but the details are still being negotiated," Michael Coleman, a spokesman for Lujan Grisham, said in an email. He offered no additional details about the proposed donation.

The Territorial Revival structure in the heart of Albuquerque's historic Nob Hill neighborhood at 114 Carlisle SE, just south of Central, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.

The legendary New Mexico architect John Gaw Meem was hired in 1948 to design the church, which was built in three phases from 1949 to 1956, according to U.S. Department of the Interior records. The original 10,000-square-foot building was dedicated in 1950 and a 3,000-square-foot classroom addition was completed in 1951.

The 25,000-square-foot sanctuary and bell tower, dedicated in 1956, serve as a performance venue for musical groups. A 2,333-pipe Casavant Frères organ was installed in 1965.

State Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez and state Rep. Marianna Anaya, both Albuquerque Democrats, secured $200,000 in capital improvement funding in 2025 to study potential uses for the building.

"This is a highlight of my district," Sedillo Lopez said of the church. "I will do, personally, what I can as a state senator to preserve that building and to open it up to the community."

The state would need to identify a fiscal agent, likely Albuquerque or Bernalillo County, because the state can't provide funding to a church, she said. Sedillo Lopez said she has been aware for more than a year that Henry is seeking ways to preserve the building.

"He really wants the community to make use of this wonderful space, and so does the congregation," she said.

Anaya said the congregation wants the property to become a community space. Anaya and Sedillo Lopez jointly sought capital improvement funding, she said.

"We funded it with the understanding that it was to be developed into some sort of a community center," Anaya said.

A key decision facing the congregation is the future of its ministry, Henry said in the statement.

"The congregation is currently engaged in a thoughtful process to discern the future shape and location of its ministry, with additional details to be shared as decisions are finalized," Henry said. "While we leave our church building with certain sadness, we also do so with gratitude, hope, and joyful anticipation for the new life and purpose it will serve in the community."

Olivier Uyttebrouck covers the court system. You can reach him at olivier@abqjournal.com.