What’s Happening with Nob Hill’s Iconic Immanuel Presbyterian Church?

By Ty Bannerman

The Immanuel Presbyterian near Central and Carlisle. (Photo: Lindsay Wood)

Recently, Alert Reader Jane wrote in with a question:

“Could you possibly do a story about the state purchase of the Presbyterian Church in Nob Hill and the plans for the building?”

State purchase of the Presbyterian Church in Nob Hill? Well, it wasn’t exactly the first I’d heard of something on the horizon for Nob Hill’s iconic Immanuel Presbyterian Church (114 Carlisle SE)—built in 1949 and designed by similarly iconic architect John Gaw Meem. Rumors had been swirling around the building’s fate for a while now, though little definite had emerged.

In fact, a little while earlier, I had received a group email from Scouts BSA Troop 3 stating that a “big change” was going to affect the troop. “Our church [Immanuel Presbyterian] is closing,” the email read. “We need to find a new home by the end of February.”

Similar messages also started popping up on the Nob Hill Neighborhood listserv with questions about the landmark. One concerned neighbor wrote, “I attend a group that meets there... And we have been asked to stop meeting in February as they are closing... :-( SO No real news of whats going on but the church is soon to be not occupied, apparently.”

The obvious starting point was the Presbyterian Church itself, so I called to speak with Reverend Drew Henry. Unfortunately, he wasn’t available for a conversation at the time, but he did send a statement via email.

“Thank you for reaching out. To your questions, the church is not closing. Immanuel is engaged in a thoughtful process to determine the future of both the building and the congregation. No final determinations have been made at this point. When that changes, we will let you know.”

With so many folks continuing to ask about the church, though, NHN decided we had to investigate further, even if Henry wasn’t yet ready to spill the tea.

We next reached out to Daniel Zillmann at the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs to see if he’d heard of any plans for the state to purchase and preserve the building.

Zillmann dug around and found that in a 2025 capital outlay bill (HB 450), there was an appropriation for “$200,000 for a feasibility study to develop a historic building near Central avenue in the southeast area of Albuquerque as an arts and cultural facility.” The outlay bill was sponsored by Senator Antoinette Sedillo Lopez and Representative Marianna Anaya and, after a little rewording, is scheduled to be authorized during the 2026 legislative session.

Senator Antoinette Sedillo Lopez confirmed with us that the appropriations were meant for the Immanuel Presbyterian Church. According to her, Reverend Drew Henry had reached out to her for help in deciding on the future of the building and its possible change from a religious to a secular community center. “[Reverend Henry] is looking for ways to fund the restoration and also make the church more accessible to the community,” she said. She also mentioned that Henry had met with county, city and state officials to discuss obtaining a grant to help with the process. “I committed to support it with capital outlay funds because it is a jewel in our community,” she said. “Of course, the state cannot provide capital outlay to a church but we can support a non-profit community center as long as it provides services to the community.”

Representative Anaya also confirmed that the plans currently call for the building to become a secular community center involving the Carlisle Center, a non-profit that shares an address with Immanuel Presbyterian.

I once again reached out to Reverend Henry but received no response except an out-of-office message stating that he’d be on vacation until Jan. 5. Frustrated, I prepared to publish an article about my attempts to sleuth out the answer without an explanation from the one person who could actually provide me with one.

And then, it happened. On Sunday, Dec. 28, as I was putting the final touches on this article, Reverend Henry sent the following statement, which we have reproduced in full:

With construction beginning in 1949, Immanuel Presbyterian Church was established to serve the rapidly growing neighborhood of Nob Hill in post–World War II Albuquerque. Designed by renowned architect John Gaw Meem, the building exemplifies New Mexico’s Territorial Revival style. Constructed with significant volunteer labor, the church has retained exceptional architectural integrity, with a sanctuary distinguished by Meem’s signature use of light, craftsmanship, and locally inspired artistic elements.

For 75 years, Immanuel Presbyterian Church has faithfully stewarded this landmark while serving as a spiritual home for generations of families and a center for community life in Albuquerque. 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.

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 congregation celebrates this historic gift and the alignment around ensuring the building’s continued use for public benefit. We expect the donation process to be completed in the first half of 2026.

Immanuel Presbyterian Church remains committed to continuing its ministry and community presence. 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.

Immanuel Presbyterian Church offers heartfelt thanks to the Nob Hill community for being home to our congregation for the past 75 years, and to the State of New Mexico for its partnership in preserving the architectural and historical character of this beloved neighborhood. 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.

NHN will provide updates as more information emerges.