Hollywood Man Builds Bachelor Pad & Legacy in Four Hills
In this vintage neighborhood full of family homes, we are proud to introduce a swinging bachelor pad. The Four Hills Village Project team had been curious about the house at 644 Running Water Circle ever since our scan of Albuquerque Journal of Home Living Articles from the 1950s-1970s. It's an unassuming 2432 square foot home that looks mid-century modest from street view, but as we combed vintage newspapers, we saw the address come up again and again in highlights for its spacious design and “bachelor pad” vibes. Our team got to work and learned about the home, its original features, and the intriguing social history behind its original owner, builder, and designer, Herb Hoffman.
Herb Hoffman led many lives. After serving in the Merchant Marines during WWII, he moved to Hollywood in 1944. MGM Studios initially hired Herb as a messenger, but he worked his way up to scriptwriter, producer, director, then editor. His job at the studio took him around the world, directing low-budget films in Brazil, Japan, Malaysia, and the Philippines before moving up to the editing department for larger production movies. While in California, he started to move into the construction business. He worked his way up the industry just as he did with the studio, starting as an investor, then partner of a firm, designing custom homes and finally creating his own construction business. In 1963 Herb moved his custom design and construction business (Hallmark Homes and Development Co) to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Once Herb Hoffman landed in Albuquerque, he set roots. Most of his business at the time was building custom houses in the Northeast Heights, along with other boom builders in that area like Mossman-Gladden and Bellamah. His portfolio included several commercial projects as well. Herb was the lead contractor for creating the New Mexico Film Center in 1968, a job he was picked for because of his prior film studio experience. The building became Santa Fe’s Center for Contemporary Arts.
Herb leaned on his experiences in Hollywood and construction when it came time to develop his own private “bachelor pad.” He bought a plot on Running Water Circle in the Four Hills Village neighborhood and broke ground in 1966. By this time, Herb had seen a lot and had plenty to draw inspiration from. He knew what he wanted; for the first time, he would be free from the frustration of having his grandiose visions of aesthetic forward homes dashed by clients to accommodate their young and expanding families. He incorporated several design and construction elements that created spacious environments in the modern luxury homes he had admired. Once Herb’s open floorplan bachelor pad was complete, it was a sight to admire. As a matter of fact, it caught the attention of several passersby and house-curious locals (and not just because his was one of the very few homes that filed for a sidewalk permit while the neighborhood was under a lot of scrutiny.)
Arial Photograph circa 1968, courtesy of UNM.
He says his custom-designed and built home was planned strictly for “ease of living and easy maintenance.” The entryway to the house contained a waterfall feature made of Siesta Canyon stone quarried from near Mountainair, NM. From there, the house opened into the vast “entertainment area,” a living room with a soaring 28-foot vaulted ceiling and walls entirely outfitted with high-quality elm and cedar paneling. Created to impress his guests, the living room focal point is a large 4 ½ foot fireplace made from the same local stone as the fountain. He said its 30-foot flue created “quite a roar and very cozy atmosphere.” Herb had a state-of-the-art hi-fi system built into the wall that provided booming sound with movie theater speakers acquired from a past life. Of course, the kitchen doubled as a bar, designed to face into the living room with pass-through serving areas for easy entertaining.
A shag-carpeted spiral staircase led to his second-floor guest area and living quarters. He had a fully tiled master bath with a 4x6 glass-enclosed sunken tub and hidden shelving behind walnut paneling. The home was built around Herb and his lifestyle as a bachelor with space to stretch. He could create more rooms when and if needed, but until then, open space was emphasized.
Albuquerque Journal; October 1967. “Club to Tour Four Hills Homes”
In October 1967, the Cosmopolitan Woman’s Club toured Hoffman’s estate along with three other homes in the neighborhood. (The other three houses were 632 Stagecoach owned by Mr. & Mrs. Willim Lancaster, 612 Wagon Train SE owned by Mr & Mrs. Arthur G. Fischer, and 704 Wagon Train SE owned by Mr & Mrs. John T Murray) The Albuquerque Journal published the tour itinerary and several details about each home. The article mentions that an aura of spaciousness and ease of living was at the heart of the design. They published a photo from the fireplace looking inward toward his living room, excellently showcasing the sky-high ceilings and spiral staircase.
Three months later, The Albuquerque Tribune ran a story about the Running Water estate in January 1968 titled “Four Hills Home Offers Lots of Space for Living,” which detailed several of his impressive design features and modern elements. The article is accompanied by a photo that peeks out from under the spiral staircase toward the stone fireplace. From this angle, you can see the wood paneling. Rightly stated, the caption is tagged “Bachelor’s Paradise.” When the article was printed, Herb would have been 45 years old. Incredibly groovy, to say the least.
The Albuquerque Tribune; January 1968. “Four Hills Home Offers Lots of Space for Living”
Aside from his Hollywood-style bachelor pad, Hoffman built two other (that we know of) custom homes for clients in Four Hills: 712 Stagecoach and 1020 Cuatro Cerros. The houses share hard geometrical shaped designs with blocky faces.
Herb retired from the construction business in 1988, which led him to the next life of the many he led. That same year he and his wife (yes, wife, it would seem the house worked its magic) took over a small computer business and renamed it Hallmark Computer Supplies. His computer business focused exclusively on selling cables which many people didn’t quite understand, but for those who depended on early computers of the 1980s, the business became a fundamental resource. The business grew substantially over the next 17 years and became the go-to spot for personal, enterprise, and government custom computer cable solutions.
The Albuquerque Tribune; January 1968.
The house at 644 Running Water Circle was well-loved and well-lived in. We can see through public records that Herb lived in this house until he died in 1997, after which his wife continued to live there until her passing in 2005 when it was sold to the current owners. Incredible but true, the house has had only two owners since 1966.
644 Running Water Circle still stands just a few doors down from Wagon Train Drive, but we are unsure how many of the original luxuries remain intact. Undoubtedly, over the decades, the construction hosted hundreds of guests over its lifetime, and several of them very likely remember it fondly.
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Resources;
Albuquerque Tribune December 9, 1966
Albuquerque Journal October 8, 1967
Albuquerque Tribune January 6, 1968
Albuquerque Tribune February 2, 1968
Albuquerque Journal August 27, 1996
Albuquerque Journal September 6, 1997