Two Albuquerque businesses with strong Route 66 roots recently received Awards of Excellence from the New Mexico chapter of the NAIOP.
In the hospitality division, M’Tucci’s Bar Roma at 3222 Centra Ave. (aka Route 66) won an award. The reason for the honor:
This 14,340-square-foot location consists of two buildings: the main building is the restaurant — which aims to provide visitors the full experience of Rome’s feel and flavor — and the rear garage, which has been converted to a production kitchen making the bread, pasta, sauces and some of the cured meats for all four M’tucci’s locations. M’tucci’s speakeasy Teddy Roe’s is also located on the property.
Originally called the Jones Motor Co. Building, the location was built in 1939 and designed by Tom Danahy in an Art Moderne style. This building was one of the first icons encountered by travelers heading Westbound on Route 66. In 1993, the property was added to the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties and the National Register of Historic Places. Later, in 2001, the property was designated as a protected city landmark. The building had fallen largely into disrepair before the project.
Longtime readers probably will recall the former tenant of that building: Kellys Brew Pub, which got into trouble two years ago for allegedly underpaying its employees.
The other is the Route 66 veterinary Emergency & Critical Care Center at 3601 Central Ave.:
This iconic Nob Hill location was previously a service station and “trading post” built in the 1930s. Before the veterinary clinic took over, it was left vacant for many years, bringing a variety of challenges, such as needed roof renovations and asbestos removal, dealing with copper wire vandalism and building infrastructure for a new sewer line. Contractors worked to update and expand the building, while still maintaining the mid-century architecture, mixing old and new with neon-inspired LED lighting and re-creating painted symbols from the Trading Post era.
The vet clinic originally was the Golden Eagle Trading Co., which closed in 2014 after 41 years.
Route 66 Veterinary earlier this year received a Heritage Award from the New Mexico Route 66 Association.
(Image of M’Tucci’s Bar Roma from its website; excerpted image of the Route 66 Veterinary clinic via Google Street View)