Roberts-Banner Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1910 at 215 North Mesa Street in El Paso, this commercial and office building was designed by Trost and Trost as one of the firm's early experiments with reinforced concrete. A four-story, U-shaped office tower rises above a rectangular retail base. The concrete is left exposed, and ornament is limited to string courses, simplified plant motifs in recessed spandrels, stylized geometric forms above the fifth floor, a crowning cornice, and escutcheons at the bases of two flagpoles on the Mills Street side. Windows are one-over-one light. Street-level facades have been visually altered, though the changes appear mostly cosmetic. The El Paso Herald called it a skyscraper in 1910, and it was claimed to be the city's largest office building at completion. It is also thought to be the first built entirely of reinforced concrete. D. M. Roberts and W. M. Banner, described as New Mexico stock raisers, commissioned it. The building still serves commercial and office uses.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant as one of the first reinforced concrete structures in the United States and is thought to be the first in El Paso built entirely of reinforced concrete. It was claimed to be the largest office building in El Paso when completed. Its exposed concrete facades are described as bold and direct for the date.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 80004112, listed September 24, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 215 N. Mesa St., El Paso |
|---|---|
| County | El Paso County |
| Listed | September 24, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80004112 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Trost and Trost |
| Architectural style | Early 20th century commercial; stylized decoration |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is the same as the original use, commercial/office. The street-level facades have been altered, apparently largely cosmetically. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1 |
| Coordinates | 31.75929, -106.48791 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 80004112.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q65103953
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.