The ugly and the lonely…

You may have read a story in the Albuquerque Journal this week about the Roswell Municipal Court building being named one of the ugliest public buildings in the United States.

The survey, conducted by a New Jersey real estate group, said the bland Roswell court building was No. 16 on the list of the 100 ugliest public buildings in America.

“This small court building has a neat and tidy presence, but not much in the way of architectural personality,” the Robert Delkanski Team said of the building on the corner of North Richardson Avenue and West 5th Street in downtown Roswell. “Blink and you might mistake it for a business office.”

With its white painted brick, vast concrete front patio, lack of much landscaping, forgettable architectural style and general “blah” look, I can see where it got its high ranking on the list. The blue window frames and “NO LITTERING” sign are the only things that give it a bit of character.

As your always determined reporter, I decided to see if I could identify the ugliest public building in Las Cruces.

I had some ideas about what might qualify, so I drove around town looking at various public buildings. I saw some things that actually looked pretty nice, including the new Las Cruces City Hall and the Dona Ana County Administrative Building (once called the Taj Mahal by locals who seem to think that any public building should be no more than a Quonset hut or a portable school classroom.)

But then I had a flash of memory that I had recently been inside a public building that I thought might be eligible to be on that “ugliest” list.

It is the current New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division offices on the end of a once semi-vibrant strip shopping center in the now declining El Paseo corridor.

The front is a wall of unwelcoming mirrored windows (so you can’t really tell what’s going on inside or if it’s even open for business). It is coated with bland colored stucco and except for a red tile canopy and some fake folk art squiggles on the round columns supporting it, there are no distinctive architectural features.

Keep in mind that the first state agency that most newcomers to New Mexico will visit will be the Motor Vehicle Division to register their cars and trucks. Not only will visits be greeted by this off-putting and industrial looking facility, they’ll have to deal with what I’ve always felt was one of least welcoming agencies in the state.

The lobby is usually jammed with people sitting in silence or coughing while waiting for their number to show up on a digital sign directing them to a specific kiosk for service. There is often no one you can ask a simple question, such as “do I need an additional document or signature to complete this transaction?” Several times, I’ve waited many minutes for my number to show up on the queue, only to be told when I finally get to talk to a human that I don’t have the right documents, signature or even the right time of year to be conducting my transaction.

And although I’ve had a few helpful clerks at the agency, most of them seem to be more interested in their latest personal text on their cellphone or the clock when it’s getting time for lunch or a break.

And I want to be clear and say that most state employees I have dealt with have been helpful, friendly and professional. It just seems to me like the worst seem to land at the Motor Vehicle Division. Sorry if I have offended anyone, especially dedicated state employees.

But my reporting is not done. I also discovered what I believe is the loneliest public building in Las Cruces. It’s pictured below:

It sits in a large field by itself, with the. closest other buildings a car dealership about a block away and a veterinarian clinic near that. There are some homes in the distance behind it. The lot where it is situated is so large that I once was able to request its use for a hot air balloon rally. None of the balloons came close to the building when they launched.

I’m sure the land will eventually be developed, but for now, the Magistrate court building looks very lonely.