Albuquerque, NM – A new two-story east entrance to the 32-year-old Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (IPCC) will begin to emerge this month thanks to the state of New Mexico.
The $2 million project adds close to 19,000 sq. ft. to the main building including 15,000 for the interior and 3,893 square feet of covered patio and portales.
Laser-cut exposed vigas will extend out to each of the second floor support columns. There will be 19 exterior columns representing each of New Mexico’s Pueblos. An embossed reproduction of each respective Pueblos’ tribal seals will top all of the columns.
The new building will be situated closer to 12th Street providing a more prominent street frontage and will feature authentic Pueblo artwork and natural southwestern building materials. In addition to a new entryway and gallery area, needed office space, restrooms, storage and expanded dining in the restaurant are planned.
A two-story flagstone fireplace will be a central interior feature in the combined entrance main dining area and visitors will be able to enjoy year-round outdoor seating in a covered patio on the ground floor.
The restaurant at IPCC, called the Pueblo Harvest Café, is the only Native American Indian owned restaurant in Albuquerque and is a favorite eating place for north valley and downtown residents as well as tourists. The café’s dining areas will include a main dining room on the first floor and public and private dining room on the second floor with unobstructed views of the Sandia Mountains. The new dining areas will have seating for 300.
Two exterior Horno ovens will be used to prepare traditional (pueblo) oven bread daily and seasonal specialties throughout the year.
With the café’s expansion comes new hours of operation that will include dinner service and a Sunday brunch.
Besides the popular breakfast and lunch menu, dinners will include traditional Native American foods, and other dishes such as: Buffalo Tenderloin, Grilled Salmon, New Mexican Lamb and seasonal game. The Pueblo Harvest Café will also feature some of the best steaks and chops available in Albuquerque.
Weekend evenings will include live entertainment on the patio and flute players and other musicians will delight Sunday brunch patrons.
The intent of this entire project is to make IPCC more inviting to the public and provide needed renovation to the existing building. The project is expected to be completed in June. Rick Bennett Architects, an Albuquerque-based firm provided the project design.
The costs for the new east entrance building will be paid for primarily by capital outlay funding provided by the New Mexico legislature. Key supporters of the project include Governor Bill Richardson (D), state Senator Dede Feldman (D) and Representative Rick Miera, (D).
The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is owned and operated by the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico and is located at 2401 12th St. NW in Albuquerque.