ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) - To the casual observer, Albuquerque’s newest acquisition appears to be just a random collection of commercial and residential buildings. There’s a spacious residence, a smaller house, an oversized automobile garage, and a prefab warehouse. The property may not look like anything special; however, if those walls could talk, they would tell quite a story. “This is a really important piece of property. It is culturally important. It is historically important,” said Shelle Sanchez, former Director of Albuquerque’s Arts and Culture. So important, in fact, that after the property owner passed away, Albuquerque officials jumped at an opportunity to purchase the estate.
Last year, City of Albuquerque leaders grabbed $2,700,000 and bought taxpayers a five-acre compound with four miscellaneous buildings on Albuquerque’s Southwest Mesa. Welcome to Unserville, home to the late Bobby Unser.
It’s a name that evokes images of lightning-fast race cars and legendary achievement. The Unser family ranks among the most accomplished motorsport dynasties of all time. It’s a legacy that stretches back to the late 30’s when patriarch Jerry Unser Sr. operated a Route 66 service station. From that humble beginning, Al Unser, Al Jr. and Bobby Unser made history after winning the Indianapolis 500 nine times. Bobby lived at Unser and Central until he died in 2021 at the age of 87.
Albuquerque purchased Bobby Unser’s property last year. “Owning these properties, I think, is incredibly important,” said the now-retired Arts and Culture Director Shelle Sanchez. But don’t bother lining up for a tour. Even though the city purchased the estate Bobby Unser called ‘Unserville’ a year and a half ago, the gate is still locked, and the property remains closed to the public. And if you’re looking for Albuquerque’s multi-million dollar purchase to provide insight into the Unser racing legacy, you won’t find it there. The one thing missing from Unserville is, well, anything associated with the Unsers. There’s no furnishings, race cars, trophies, or mementos. The only evidence Bobby Unser lived there is his living room bar.
So what did the city get for $2,700,000?…