Carlsbad Architect Champions Historic Preservation

By R. Gabriel Villalobos

For architect Larry Mitchell, the landscape of Carlsbad is not just a collection of buildings, but a layered history book written in brick, tile, and terra cotta. Alongside his partner, Dean Cruse, Mitchell has spent over three decades weaving his professional life into the community’s fabric, with a growing passion for restoring the chapters that time has begun to fade.

Their firm, founded in 2013 after each spent over 20 years with a local practice, has become a go-to for historic renovation in southeastern New Mexico. Their most prominent project, an eight-year labor of love, was the meticulous restoration of the iconic Cavern Theater downtown, which reopened to acclaim.

“It came out beautifully,” Mitchell said of the theater. “What was important there was maintaining not just the character, but also the materials and the finishes.”

The project, shepherded by community advocate Ken Britt, required a delicate touch. The original lobby tile was preserved, needing only a deep clean and wax. A new concession stand was designed in the building’s 1951 Art Deco style. Even unique period features, like the “cry rooms” for mothers with infants, were kept intact.

“We need to keep these things,” Mitchell said, his voice taking on a note of advocacy. “I can get on my soapbox and be preachy about that.”

His preservation sermon is backed by a growing portfolio. His first major project in Carlsbad was renovating City Hall—a John Gaw Meem-designed Territorial-style landmark—back in 1995. His firm also led the transformative renovations of the Trinity Hotel and the building that now houses Milton’s Brewery, revitalizing the former Odd Fellows Lodge space with its original pressed tin ceiling.

Now, Mitchell has fixed his gaze on the next generation of historic structures waiting for a new purpose. He speaks enthusiastically about possibilities hidden in plain sight downtown.

He points to a two-story building across from his office at Canyon and Mermod streets. “That is the original Cavern Theater,” he revealed, noting it once showed Spanish-language films. He envisions its vacant second-floor offices, accessible by an original street-level staircase and featuring a skylit interior courtyard, converted into apartments or modern workspaces.

A few doors down, the old abstract company building sits empty, its intriguing facade a silent promise of potential. And the structure across from the Lucky Bull Restaurant, which he believed was the original JCPenney, also captures his imagination.

“Those would be fun projects,” Mitchell said. “I just like putting my stamp on local projects.”

A transplant from Midland who attended Texas Tech University, Mitchell, a Carlsbad resident for 32 years, has developed a deep affinity for the area’s history. He eagerly directs the curious to City Historian Jameson Lucas at the local museum. His own knowledge stretches from tales of outlaw kidnappings on 6th Street to the engineering marvel of the irrigation canal system and the pivotal role of developers like Charles B. Eddy in shaping the region.

His fascination with history informs his architectural philosophy. Working with smaller communities like Hagerman, Loving, and Ruidoso on projects such as a village office conversion is a point of pride. It’s about service and stewardship.

“We’ve always enjoyed just being a part of the community here,” Mitchell said. “I take pride in working in Carlsbad.”

While the firm has a full slate for 2026—including work on the historic Shuler Theater in Raton, the Hilco Theater in Silver City, a community center in Loving, and a judicial complex in De Baca County—Mitchell’s heart remains tuned to the local frequency. For him, each restored building is more than a contract; it’s an act of conservation, ensuring the physical soul of Carlsbad’s past remains a living part of its future.