The majority of buildings in any city fall into the latter category. The following brief survey of architectural styles in Albuquerque is concerned with commercial and public buildings that have an original association with a formal style. Residential structures, while rich in variety and idiosyncrasy, roughly mirror stylistic developments in public and commercial work. Much of the material for this survey comes from Edna Heatherington Bergman's master's thesis, The Fate of Architectural Theory in Albuquerque . . . Historic Albuquerque Today , and Ellen Threinen's report, Historic Architecture of Albuquerque's Central Corridor .
Regionalism here is a developed style.
Downtown Albuquerque's two 1920s Central Avenue skyscrapers, the old First National Bank Building and the Sunshine Building, with their medallions, swags and pilasters, are the major remaining examples of Renaissance style business architecture in the city. The old Albuquerque High School at Central and Broadway is the city's largest Gothic structure. Built in 1914 and added to until 1938, the old brick Bulldog City has characteristic arched doors and bay windows. Albuquerque architecture was greatly influenced by the California Mission style in the early part of the century. The demolished Alvarado Hotel was built in this style.