Albuquerque Development Thread

[ABQalex]

Here's Chad Rennaker's opinion piece published in today's Albuquerque Journal, supporting his and Palindrome’s position in the Los Ranchos Village Center project and today's court hearing. I thought I'd post it while we await the outcome of the motions. Needless to say, I agree with it completely. The history, public engagement and planning steps leading up to the project are especially poignant, IMO. This project didn't come out of nowhere, nor get done in the dark.

I've also included five pics of the project that were taken yesterday by the Journal's photographer.

https://www.abqjournal.com/opinion/o...8ba9e113a.html

OPINION: Palindrome has acted in good faith on Village Center Project

By Chad Rennaker / CEO of Palindrome Communities

Despite claims to the contrary by the Friends of Los Ranchos, Palindrome has tried on multiple occasions to have productive meetings with the Friends to avoid going to court.

We have held two public meetings within the last month, held countless meetings with Friends members and other village citizens over the years, and have gone to mediation with the Friends and the Village of Los Ranchos, where the Friends walked out.

But the only solution the Friends seem willing to accept is tearing down the over $50 million affordable housing community, which would leave the residents of Los Ranchos potentially liable for tens of millions of dollars.

The Friends are using every opportunity to villainize Palindrome, calling our efforts illegal. This could not be farther from the truth. In 2002, more than 20 years ago, the village adopted a Village Center Zone, which was intended to create a commercial center, provide a place for public gatherings, encourage pedestrian activity, and provide a pleasurable destination for residents to gather and shop.

To support this commercial center, the zone encouraged higher density and a mix of uses, including residential development.

In 2007, the village’s board of trustees passed a resolution declaring the underperforming commercial area a blighted Metropolitan Redevelopment Area (MRA) due to its deteriorated buildings and large areas of vacant land. More than 10 years later, in March of 2018, the village adopted the Village Center MRA Plan with the goal of promoting economic activity along Fourth Street, providing a destination for residents and visitors, all while honoring the agricultural heritage of the village.

Immediately after adoption of the MRA Plan, the village issued a request for proposals to select an experienced developer with the adequate finances to consolidate, design, develop, operate, and eventually own the Village Center site. Palindrome’s plan was selected for the site.

At that time, we asked for and were given specific guidance from the village on the site development and approval process. We have followed everything that was laid out to us and have not violated any aspect of the agreement with the village.

Fast forward to today. The village leadership changed after last year’s election. All the newly elected village officials were supported by the Friends and ran their campaigns based on tearing down this affordable housing community.

Now, less than a year later, we find ourselves being challenged by not only the Friends, but in some cases, village officials as well. However, we cannot reverse course after construction is nearly complete on something that has been in the making for more than two decades.

You cannot have an over $50 million housing community torn down because the Friends and the newly elected village officials do not want affordable housing in their community.

The Friends also claim our development disrupts their rural lifestyle. The Fourth and Osuna intersection is already home to a strip mall and numerous small businesses — hardly a rural intersection.

I am proud of what the Palindrome team has designed and built to-date. This is a development that not only offers sorely needed affordable housing options, but also green spaces for people to recreate and micro-retail space for small businesses. Future planned phases will offer more dining and entertainment options as well.

Now is the time for everyone in the village to come together with Palindrome so we can work out viable solutions for the current and future phases of the Village Center.

We are willing to make compromises, but tearing down affordable housing that is so desperately needed in our community is not an option.

Chad Rennaker is chief executive officer of Palindrome Communities of Portland, Oregon.

A reminder of what else is planned for the Village Center project. It's not just affordable housing that these people are threatening to do away with.

[ABQalex]

Today's court hearing for the Los Ranchos Village Center project ended without any action or ruling. The hearing will be continued, but a date has yet to be set. Below is the Albuquerque Journal's coverage of today's hearing. To see these people described as "scrappy" makes me want to vomit. I can think of much better descriptive terms for them and what they are doing.

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/civi...2ecf816d8.html

Winston Churchill famously said, “To build may have to be the slow and laborious task of years. To destroy can be the thoughtless act of a single day.”

Attorney Marcus Rael echoed the quote in a court hearing Friday as a nearly finished development fights for survival against scrappy residents in the North Valley who want it gone.

But it was soon clear that neither Palindrome Communities nor the Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque would find resolution as 2nd Judicial District Judge Elaine P. Lujan ordered a continuation only halfway into the hourslong hearing in the civil case.

“Obviously, your honor, this keeps getting pushed and the more that this keeps getting pushed, there is a project that doesn’t currently have an approval that, just, more (building) is going on,” Vincent Ward, attorney for the village, said.

Both sides agreed that there was not enough time to settle the matter Friday. It was unclear when the next hearing date will be set.

Only Chad Rennaker, chief executive officer of Palindrome Communities, was able to testify Friday — detailing the losses his company would face should it delay or stop construction, betting against the risk that they would succeed in court.

“I can decide today that we can stop construction, and I got a whole bunch of problems. I mean, I have a great big financial problem, so I don’t really have a choice,” Rennaker said. “... Some would say the longer you build, the more risk you take, the bigger the damages. But if I stop today, I know I’m going to incur those damages.”

He added, “So, in a lot of ways, I have no choice. I have to fight.”

The hearing Friday afternoon was the latest chapter in a two-year saga as both the village and Palindrome, an Oregon company, requested temporary restraining orders against each other in the battle: one to stop construction on the project — 204 affordable apartments and micro-retail spaces at Fourth and Osuna — and the other to keep a village official from having any say in the project.

Palindrome has said the official, Los Ranchos Trustee Jennifer Kueffer, made statements that appeared to show bias in decisions related to Palindrome.

Construction of the development, also known as the Village Center Project, began in 2022 as some residents cried afoul at the idea of a high-density project in the village, which was incorporated for the purpose of staying as rural and agricultural as possible.

The project was approved by a previous Los Ranchos administration before the Friends of Los Ranchos, an organization that seeks to conserve open space, filed several lawsuits against the village in response.

One such lawsuit accused the village of violating the state Open Meetings Act, failing to discuss the project in public meetings before the village’s Planning and Zoning Commission and its Board of Trustees.

On May 2, District Judge Denise Barela-Shepherd ruled in favor of the Friends of Los Ranchos, finding the process used by the previous administration did breach the Open Meetings Act.

Palindrome then filed a motion for reconsideration, and Barela-Shepherd has given Friends of Los Ranchos until Monday to respond to Palindrome’s motion, setting July 30 as the deadline for Palindrome to submit a reply brief.

Meanwhile, Joe Craig, former village mayor and president of Friends of Los Ranchos, called for the project to be shut down on May 9. Craig, who was originally included along with Kueffer in Palindrome’s petition, died unexpectedly on May 21 — soon after taking office as mayor.

Meanwhile, the Palindrome development, now two years into construction, is almost completed. And the Village of Los Ranchos, once sued for approving the Palindrome development, is trying to stop it.

“We’re not here to decide if multi-family housing is allowed on this project. We’re not here because we’re trying to knock down the project,” Ward said during Friday’s hearing.

He said the matter revolves around Barela-Shepherd’s ruling that the Open Meetings Act was violated, which means there was no proper approval for the project and “no lawful authority” for it to continue.

“We’re merely here because there is a massive development project within the village and there’s presently not an approval for it,” Ward said. “What the village is obligated to do is to figure out, ‘How do we fix this problem?’”

He pointed out that the village cannot force Palindrome to resubmit its plans and is asking for the company to go through the public meetings process, before the village’s Planning and Zoning Commission and trustees.

At Friday’s hearing, Rennaker said the bottom line, he estimated, is losses in the tens of millions to stop the project altogether and $100,000 every week it is delayed.

Rennaker said the stoppage would also lose the village $16 million yearly in economic impact, outlined in an initial project study, and also “there’d be no affordable housing ... and that would be a travesty.”

Under Ward’s questioning, Rennaker said his understanding is that the company complied with all the village’s rules, adding that Palindrome relies on “consultants and experts” to make sure they are in code and following guidelines.

“We’ve seen it in this particular case, there’s a million opinions about what things should be, the code is meant to avoid that. You would never get anything accomplished if you let every decision be made by a public body and not have a code,” Rennaker said. “How could anything get accomplished?”

After Ward questioned Rennaker at length, through many objections, Rael, representing Palindrome, said, “I have extensive redirect.”

But, by then, it was 5 p.m. and would have to wait.

The village lawyer says they aren't here to "knock down" the project, yet that's exactly what the NIMBY group leader said that they wanted to happen last month. And the village trustees and late mayor ran on doing just that. Clearly these people have a pattern of denying and hiding their true intentions. They do so even when there's proof and record of their words which say otherwise.

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/now-...2e09e7704.html

Marsha Adams, who succeeded Craig as president of Friends, said the organization did not make any of those demands.

“There have been proposals for modification, but that’s not what we are advocating for,” she said. “We want it torn down. That’s basically it. We want it gone.

[ABQalex]

The Houston-based developer who is trying to renovate and convert the towers at San Mateo and Central has applied for a redevelopment tax abatement from the city's Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency for the project in the shorter tower. The Albuquerque Development Commission will review and vote on the application at its meeting for July that will take place next week.

https://www.cabq.gov/mra/documents/a...da-7-18-24.pdf

Below are a description of the project and an evaluation of its eligibility for the tax abatements from the supporting documents for the meeting. ADC staff is recommending approval. There is also another nice rendering of the project from the supporting documents.

An interesting thing revealed in the files is that the planned coffee shop in the former bank drive-through structure has been dropped from the project and the structure has apparently been demolished. However, the developer is trying to purchase the adjacent property directly on the corner of San Mateo and Copper to build a new coffee shop structure. It's also revealed that there will be a large mural on a wall next to the pool area. The project will also have a green roof surrounding the new top floor amenity space that will be built.

https://www.cabq.gov/mra/documents/c...-abatement.pdf

[ABQalex]

The hearing in the Los Ranchos Village Center project will be continued next week. Below is a story from Albuquerque Business First today about the next hearing.

Take note of the slimey and disingenuous tactic that the village is now trying to use, saying that the developer itself is in default for not completing the project in time.

Never mind that they were trying to stop construction two months before the construction end date/deadline. Clearly they are just trying to head off valid breach of contract claims against them. Construction delays are not breach of contract, so long as it's out of the developer's control and so long as a good faith effort is being made to finish construction as quickly as possible.

But the new village leadership and NIMBY group don't care, they'll say and do anything, as they've proven plenty of times before. This sort of sleazy, disgusting crap infuriates me and makes my blood boil.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquer...al-battle.html

The ongoing legal dispute between Palindrome Communities LLC and the Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque continues to unfold, with recent mediation efforts collapsing and more legal proceedings on the docket.

The issue centers on the Village Center project, which was intended to boost economic activity along Fourth Street and Osuna Road. Over the past few months, the development has been met with fierce opposition from local residents and legal challenges surrounding the Village’s approval process for the project.

Second Judicial District Court Judge Denise Barela-Shepherd overturned former Los Ranchos Mayor Donald T. Lopez's approval of the multi-use development plan on May 2, citing a violation of the state Open Meetings Act, which requires public policy decisions be made in meetings that are open to the public, according to the New Mexico Department of Justice.

“The issue that has to be addressed at some point is the fact that there's this decision that was made by Judge Shepherd,” said Chad Rennaker, CEO of Palindrome, the project's developer. “One path is that we appeal her decision and go to court, [which] could take a long time. The other approach is to voluntarily go back through the Village's approval process, even though the project's built, to approve the site development plan after the fact.”

In early June, Palindrome engaged in a three-party mediation with the Village and the Friends of Los Ranchos (FOLR), in hopes of avoiding future legal costs. However, the mediation was short-lived as FOLR members departed from the discussions early on, Rennaker said. However, FOLR President Marsha Adams said the residents departed the meeting "only when lawyers for both sides agreed that no progress was possible."

Subsequent settlement discussions between the Oregon-based developer and the Village also failed to yield a resolution, leading to a series of public meetings on June 22 and June 24 that ultimately did not sway public opinion in favor of the project, Rennaker said.

“It was a pretty raucous meeting,” Rennaker said. “I think at the end of that second meeting, [Mayor Pro Tem Franklin Reinow] felt that there was no path forward in getting the public to have a consensus on anything. So, we at that point decided to not continue with any of the settlement discussions and instead just proceed with the injunction hearings that were already being held off.”

Mayor Reinow said he had no comment when asked about the above statement from Rennaker.

Palindrome's Los Ranchos project heads to court

The conflict reached the courts via an injunction hearing on July 12 but did not conclude due to time constraints, a representative at the office of Second Judicial District Judge Elaine P. Lujan said. The hearing has been rescheduled to continue on July 23 at 9 a.m. with Lujan once again presiding.

“I don’t have any more information of any movement on Palindrome or FOLR positions, but for the Village, our main concern is ensuring that the required process is properly followed with a renewed application from Palindrome in order to address the May 2 ruling by District Judge Denise Barela-Shepherd,” Village Administrator John Avila said in an email statement. “The continued hearing on July 23 will hopefully get that process started.”

As the situation unfolds, Palindrome faces significant financial stakes, with around $45 million already invested in the project. The company estimates that damages could exceed this amount, taking into account lost potential profits. As of today, Palindrome has invested $11 million of its own money into the project, Rennaker said.

Despite the legal uncertainties, construction has continued, with the three-story development expected to finish within the next 30 to 45 days, he added.

“The first three phases of the Palindrome construction were supposed to have final certificates of occupancy by the end of June and that was missed, so the Village has given written notice to Palindrome that the deadline is not met,” Avila said.

When Albuquerque Business First asked Rennaker to respond to the statement from Avila, Rennker said he and his team were a "little perplexed."

"We all are a little bit confused," Rennker said. "On the one hand, we're going to court [on July 23] because the Village is trying to get a court order to have us stop construction. And at the same time, I received a letter from the Village saying that we're in default because we haven't completed construction."

Palindrome's New Mexico history

In 2002, the Village established the "Village Center Zone" for development along Fourth Street and Osuna Road that outlined permit uses and restrictions. Palindrome submitted a proposal in 2018 to undertake the multi-use project and a plan was approved by Lopez in 2020. Construction commenced in 2022.

In recent years, Palindrome has been involved with other projects in the Albuquerque area, including the renovation of the El Vado Motel at 2500 Central Ave. SW. Despite the current turmoil in Los Ranchos, Palindrome is not opposed to future work with the Village.

"I don't think my opinion has changed," Rennaker said. "We're still excited about the future phases of the project and remain excited about them. We're concerned about the recent actions by the Village. There's a real strain right now with these recent court hearings, but assuming those can be worked out, we'd still love to do future projects."

Today, Palindrome has developed across six states including Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico. If the company completes its project in Los Ranchos, it will add 204-apartment units to a state currently facing an affordable housing shortage.

[ABQalex]

The Environmental Planning Commission at its monthly meeting yesterday once again approved the zone change and site development plan for the proposed rehabilitation hospital at I-25 and Mountain Road. I'm sure this case isn't over, but I'm glad to see our leaders and decision makers standing firm against the ridiculous opposition to this project.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...ents-concerns/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – After months of delays, an Albuquerque planning department has given the green light to a rehab center that neighbors tried to block. Developers said the plot of land near Lomas and I-25 would fill a need for the community.

“What this allows, what this facility allows is it allows to free up bed space in these hospitals for more critical space and it’s a rehabilitation center. So this is where you go to get well, you’re not sitting in a hospital for one or twelve days,” said Ronald Bohanna, Tierra West LLC.

The Environmental Planning Commission originally approved a request for the center in February to change the zoning and allow for a building up to three stories. However, the Santa Barbara-Martineztown Neighborhood Association expressed concerns over traffic and safety. They appealed the approval and won.

On Thursday, those behind the project tried again. The president of the neighborhood association again spoke out against the request. “We live right next door, within the 330ft. We’re here we’re living here and we want something done and this is not a use that is compatible with this neighborhood,” said President Loretta Naranjo Lopez, Santa Barbara-Martineztown Association.

During the meeting, developers said they would alter their original plan and reduce the number of beds from 60 to 48. Despite residents calling for a deferral, commissioners voted in favor of the project.

Commissioners made additions to address residents’ safety concerns. Those additions include requiring a sidewalk and safety measures to be installed at the intersection where the center will be built.

Sorry Loretta, but this use is completely compatible with the neighborhood and is a use that has continually been developed in this area since the original St. Joseph Sanitarium opened its doors back in 1902. You have no leg to stand on in this case.



The Albuquerque Development Commission yesterday also approved the tax abatement rebate incentive for the Park Central redevelopment project at Central and San Mateo.

https://www.cabq.gov/mra/documents/a...8-24-draft.pdf

[ABQalex]

The hearing in the Los Ranchos Village Center project was continued today. The judge ruled in favor of the developer in both motions. Construction on the project can continue and the village trustee whom the developer sought a restraining order against cannot be involved in decisions relating to the project.

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/dist...6fa1451d6.html

A district court judge has dealt opponents of the controversial Palindrome Project a dispiriting one-two punch.

On Tuesday, 2nd Judicial District Judge Elaine P. Lujan denied a motion by the Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque requesting an injunction to stop construction on the project — 204 affordable living apartments and micro retail spaces on the southeast corner of Fourth and Osuna.

Then, Lujan granted developer Palindrome Communities' motion seeking an injunction preventing Los Ranchos Trustee Jennifer Kueffer from taking official actions related to the project.

The Portland, Oregon, company contended that prior to her election, Kueffer made vocal and written statements that appear to commit her to "a particular result" in decisions related to the Palindrome development, also known as the Village Center Project.

Lujan agreed.

"(Kueffer) has spoken against the project generally and specifically," Lujan said while explaining her decision. "In this case there is no doubt that Palindrome will not receive impartiality. Also clear she does not intend to recuse herself."

The village sought an injunction halting construction after state District Judge Denise Barela-Shepherd ruled in May that the process used by the previous village administration to approve the Village Center Project violated the Open Meetings Act.

Lujan says Barela-Shepherd's ruling is final at this point, even though Palindrome has filed a motion for reconsideration.

She said she ruled against halting construction because it was clear that the damage suffered by Palindrome if work stopped outweighed damages suffered by the village if it did not.

Lujan did, however, order Palindrome to work with the village to get project approvals required by village ordinances.

Open government

When work on the Village Center project started in the summer of 2022, some villagers were already trying to stop it, angry that a high-density project was muscling its way into a village incorporated in 1958 for the purpose of staying rural and agricultural.

A previous administration headed by Mayor Donald Lopez approved the project, prompting suits filed by the Friends of Los Ranchos, an organization that supports the conservation of open space.

One of those suits charged the village with violating the state Open Meetings Act by failing to discuss the project in public meetings before the village's Planning and Zoning Commission and its Board of Trustees. Barela-Shepherd's ruling on May 2 favored the plaintiffs.

In November, the village voted in two trustees, Kueffer and Frank Reinow, and a mayor, Joe Craig, who favored preservation of open space over high-density development. On May 21, Craig died following treatment for a medical condition diagnosed soon after he took office in January.

On May 29, village trustees voted 2-1 to seek a court injunction stopping the Palindrome development. Trustees Kueffer and Reinow, who is also mayor pro tem, voted in favor of the injunction. Trustee Gil Benavides, who served in the previous administration, voted against it. Trustee George Radnovich, who also served on the board during the previous administration, recused himself because his company did landscape architecture for the development.

In court on Tuesday, Kueffer said she was not against development but for open government.

"I ran on a platform to protect the village from the lies of the previous administration," she said. "What I am against is approving big, impactful projects by bypassing open-meeting laws."

Attorneys for Palindrome told the court that Kueffer spoke out at village meetings and wrote letters published in the Albuquerque Journal that attacked the Village Center Project, calling for it to be stopped and referring to it as a behemoth. Attorney Marcus Rael, representing Palindrome, said those statements and letters raised reasonable questions about her impartiality.

Kueffer noted she was a private citizen when she made those statements and wrote those letters, and had not done either since she announced she was a candidate for trustee.

"People who are running for office probably have pretty strong opinions," said Vincent J. Ward, the attorney representing the village and Kueffer. He said people who voted for Kueffer did so because of her opinions and that denying her the right to exercise her duties as a trustee in matters related to the Village Center Project was bad for good government and democracy.

Meltdown situation

Chad Rennaker, chief executive officer of Palindrome Communities, told the court his company proceeded with the Village Center Project, despite opposition by some villagers, because it had the overwhelming support of the village administration at the time, permits from Bernalillo County and contracts that would be in default if the project did not go forward.

He said delaying the project would have caused a meltdown situation and tens of millions of dollars in lawsuits. Rennaker also noted that stopping the construction would cost his company $100,000 a week.

Rael said stopping the Village Center Project would also cost the village millions of dollars in economic benefit as well as the loss of much-needed affordable housing. He said all this was at stake because "a small group of elitist villagers don't want poor people to live in their neighborhood."

Ward countered that the conflict is not about affordable housing.

"The village will be irreparably harmed because it will be deprived of exercising proper procedures for the welfare of the village," he said. "I don't think money outweighs following the law. I don't think there is an exception to the open meetings law. At the end of the day, there is no approval (for the project)."

No recourse

The bottom line Tuesday, however, is that Lujan ruled against stopping the project and denied Kueffer the right to vote on matters related to it.

Kueffer and Mayor Pro Tem Reinow, who attended the hearing, had no comment Tuesday.

Rennaker said the judge's rulings did not feel like a win.

"It's kind of sad," he said. "It's just a contentious situation. I wish there was a way we could get to a (place) people can be happy with."

He said there was a risk in completing the project if the village process Palindrome has agreed to take part in goes against the company.

Marsha Adams, president of Friends of Los Ranchos, also attended Tuesday's hearing.

"We are very disappointed," she said. "We think it had to do with money. Money talks. We felt like it was an injustice because the (previous administration) did not follow the law. We voted for (Kueffer) because of her stance on Palindrome. The voters expect her to act on that. I think she could vote her conscience."

Adams said she and her allies are getting to the point where they are resigned to the presence of the project in their village.

"What recourse do we have?" she said.

Hopefully this saga is over and the project will be completed soon. However, I'm sure the do-over of the approvals process for the project and the future phases, if they come about, will continue to be contentious. In particular, the NIMBYs took aim and objected to a very slight height variance that was being sought for the hotel/events center portion of the project. The top of the raised roof portion in the middle of the structure exceeds the height limit by something like three feet (I can't remember exactly how much). I'm sure they'll be spiteful and petty and will not let that variance be granted under this new village leadership.

[ABQalex]

Here's an interesting graphic that poster JimmyCrackedCorn posted over at SSC and my reply that I wanted to copy over here. It's a graphic showing all metro areas over 500,000 people and how many structures over ten stories tall that they currently have under construction. It originally was compiled and came from a user and post on Reddit, which I'll link to below.

https://www.reddit.com/r/skyscrapers...ty_have_under/

Originally Posted by JimmyCrackedCorn

Almost everywhere except for us.

Birmingham, Kansas City, New Orleans, Memphis and Louisville are other notable cities that pop out to me without any ten story buildings under construction. But this is a fairly subjective measure.

The new UNM Hospital tower under construction in Albuquerque is nine stories, but each story is about 15 feet tall. A city can have a ten story residential or hotel structure under construction and be included on this list, but those structures are usually only about ten feet per floor. So Albuquerque can actually have a taller structure under construction than some of those cities but because of the floor cutoff it's not included.

Remember though that the Presbyterian Hospital tower finished construction just last year. It would've qualified for this list based on floor count. As I've said previously in this thread (at SSC), cities don't always line up exactly when they have their building booms. If you want to be fair you should look at the totality and bigger picture of what's been built in a reasonably similar amount of time in order to compare.

I'll take this opportunity to post the most recent pics of the UNM Hospital expansion that have been posted by them to social media recently. I'll also include a snap taken from the construction cam just now.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...95.-2207520000















Here's some nice views from the roof of the new tower that UNM Hospital and the Journal have recently posted. It was recently reported in the media that the project cost now exceeds $700 million, making this both the most expensive, and at almost 700,000 sq ft, the largest public project ever undertaken in New Mexico. UNM Hospital will also be adding over 700 new jobs to support the operations in the new tower.

https://www.abqjournal.com/business/...a5fc8c5c9.html

[ABQalex]

516 Arts has named a new executive director. Below is a story from Albuquerque Business First. Unfortunately, they don't ask about or get an update about the status of the Sawmill Arts Center that 516 Arts and Outpost Performance Space were supposed to collaborate on and build. They do mention the new space that they are planning in Downtown Albuquerque.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquer...-downtown.html

516 ARTS, a local art museum, recently announced the appointment of its new executive director, following an extensive national search.

April Chalay, previously serving as the interim executive director since October 2023, was chosen by a committee of 516 ARTS board members and regional arts community leaders for her leadership capabilities and expertise in the arts nonprofit industry, according to a news release.

Her role will focus on driving expansion efforts, including the development of a new, larger Downtown Albuquerque facility. The project is expected to increase the museum’s contribution to the arts in Albuquerque and surrounding areas, according to the news release.

“[Chalay] did an amazing job carrying the organization through a transition period of the past year,” Tim Price, chair of the 516 ARTS Governing Board, said in the news release. “We are fortunate to have the depth of her operational skills and her passionate vision to help us grow our impact on the broader arts community and in making a new and expanded space a reality.”

Over the years, Chalay has gained extensive experience in the arts field, including a Bachelor of Fine Arts in fiber and material studies from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a certificate in human resources management from Cornell University. Her previous positions include director of operations at the Española Valley Fiber Arts Center and deputy director at the Center for Contemporary Arts in Santa Fe.

"I am thrilled to lead 516 ARTS at such a pivotal time," Chalay said in the news release. "Our mission deeply resonates with me, and I am committed to expanding our impact within and beyond Albuquerque."

Downtown Albuquerque News reported earlier this summer about the project to repurpose the former Warehouse 508 space for 516 Arts. However, DAN also failed to ask or report about what this means for the Sawmill project and whether it's still being planned. However, I'm gonna assume that it's not and either Outpost will seek a new partner or the project has completely fallen apart.

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

516 Arts to expand into former Warehouse 508

The arts group had this to say about it:

This partnership intends to bring vibrant and innovative arts programming to First Street, contributing to the area that is becoming a hub for the arts and community engagement ... The design process will begin this summer, and renovations are expected to begin in early 2025.

Another bit of news Downtown that I thought I'd take this opportunity to post about is that Bernalillo County is looking into the feasibility of converting Union Square into affordable housing. The structure used to house county offices until Alvarado Square was acquired and the county consolidated most of its employees there. It was reported awhile back that the Garcia family purchased Union Square, but that must've fallen through. Either way, I hope this structure can see new use as housing!

https://www.loopnet.com/property/111...5732939010823/



https://www.cabq.gov/health-housing-...03-12-2024.pdf



If you notice in the screenshot above that was taken from the minutes of the Homeless Coordinating Council's March meeting, it looks like they are also looking to build new structures on the site. This would be so awesome and incredible for the new Central Crossing to have some residences so close by on this side of the tracks. And also to see the hideous parking lot that currently surrounds the structure in a U shape to be built over.

That's always been my dream for this property and area across the tracks from the Alvarado Transportation Center. Imagine one day hopefully having structures right up against the tracks on both sides of the view below!

https://www.reddit.com/media?url=htt...yh16yofu91.jpg



Directly across the street from Union Square of course is the new home of Warehouse 508, which changed its name to Warehouse 505 as part of its move to the historic Hudson Hotel structure.

https://www.facebook.com/warehouseFiveOFive/



This whole area south of Central and directly east of the tracks has great potential to be redeveloped into a nice little neighborhood/quarter of Downtown proper. So many properties in the area can be developed and redeveloped into something much better than what currently exists.

The historic Broadway Market Building is currently for sale and that's another great opportunity to make something better than what it is currently. There is also plenty of unused or underutilized land nearby to develop a critical mass of people and places in the area!

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/421-...e-NM/31939384/

[ABQalex]

The local news media have been reporting that the former Walmart location on San Mateo and Zuni is under contract to be sold. The listing agents didn't have much to say about the possible sale and what may be coming for the structure. The city hasn't added much either, other than to say that it is not the buyer. This all makes me feel fairly uneasy and unsure, but hopefully something will get going there soon.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquer...foothills.html

A building which previously housed a Walmart Supercenter near Albuquerque's International District is under contract.

The property is located at 301 San Mateo Blvd. SE. CBRE brokers Jim Dountas and Yoni Zvi declined to share further details regarding the listing.

The 206,270-square-foot building was first listed in May 2023, however, prior to that, the City of Albuquerque and New Mexico State officials announced plans to acquire resources to purchase and repurpose the property, according to a news release by the City.

"It is our understanding that the Walmart property is still listed for sale," Terry Brunner, director of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency, said in an email statement to Albuquerque Business First on July 25. "The city received approximately $2 million from the state Legislature to utilize in that area for redevelopment of properties like the Walmart. But at this time, that will not cover the full asking price of the property.”

Walmart officially closed shop at its 17.6-acre site on San Mateo Boulevard in March 2023, according to the City's news release.

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/board...nder-contract/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – For more than a year, residents in the International District, who used to rely on the Walmart off San Mateo for groceries, have had to search far and wide for fresh produce.

KOB’s 4 Investigates team highlighted the food desert this caused for people who no longer have easy access to healthy food. But there may be light at the end of this very dark tunnel for people living in the area.

We learned that the property is currently under contract. We don’t know what is going up in that space, but it’s giving people hope.

“There are people because of disability would walk here, and obviously they can’t walk here anymore. The next closest thing was the Walgreens, that is closed now,” said Enrique Cardiel, executive director of the city’s Health Equity Council.

Cardiel says this part of town is a food desert.

“It is just not convenient or easy for folks to get to fresh food. There are a lot of places where you can buy processed food, super sugar enhanced type of food. But not fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh meat, those kinds of things,” said Cardiel.

But not all hope is lost, according to a real estate website, the property is under contract.

“People would like there to definitely to be a grocery of what was lost before. A pharmacy, maybe banking services, those were things inside the Walmart that disappeared with Walmart,” Cardiel said.

It’s still unclear what could be moving into this lot. Cardiel hopes it’s something helpful to nearby residents.

“It’s just a huge impact, and it hurts folks with less resources or with disabilities much harder than it hits everybody else. It is a health equity issue in that regard,” said Cardiel.

KOB 4 reached out to City Councilor Nichole Rogers who represents this district. She issued this statement:

“Our teams are reaching out make connections with whoever is purchasing the Walmart property. Our goal is to work with the developer to ensure the communities needs are taken into consideration. We’re hoping for housing, a grocery store, childcare and maybe even a clinic with the pharmacy!”

https://www.loopnet.com/property/301...5748609742010/



Unfortunately, it also was confirmed last week that the Downtown pharmacy will be moving to Uptown, at Winrock Town Center. I had hoped that the building permit that I came across last year for the tenant improvements for Albuquerque City Drug at Winrock would perhaps just be another location, but alas that wasn't the case. As part of its move they will be changing their name to FarmaKeio, to fully align with the pharmacy network that acquired them a couple of years ago.

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

Downtown core drugstore is relocating to Winrock

Albuquerque City Drug, one of the few pharmacies in Greater Downtown and the only one in the Downtown core, is moving to the Winrock Town Center in Uptown, according to a notice it has recently been distributing to customers.

The notice said the move "will happen in the mid-July to August timeframe" and that the new location would "better serve the needs of our patients."

It continued: "We are grateful for the support from our neighborhood patients and hope you will continue to use our pharmacy after the move either in person or with our delivery program."

The motive behind the move from the Imperial Building (Second and Silver) is not clear. The pharmacy didn't return messages seeking comment. As of Wednesday afternoon, it had yet to post news of the move, or a more expansive explanation, to either its website or Facebook page.

But whatever the reason, the departure looks to be a blow to the neighborhood.

"It's much like a grocery store. It's one of those basic pieces that's needed for people to live and not have to have a vehicle," ABQCore Neighborhood Association President Ken Sears said.

Albuquerque City Drug opened in 2017. As part of the move, it will also change its name to FarmaKeio.

Winrock Town Center has in recent months completed a park and artificial lake as part of broader redevelopment plans that include new office and retail space.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/albuq...84461824-9PMq/



Hopefully another pharmacy will eventually locate Downtown. I have high hopes for a CVS, just because there currently aren't any locations in and around the central area of the city. There's of course a Walgreens location at Rio Grande and Central in Old Town and another location at 12th and I-40 just northwest of Downtown, but curiously, no CVS locations anywhere nearby. I'd even settle for an auto-oriented one somewhere adjacent to Downtown proper, like Lomas and 6th or Lomas and Broadway, just so long as it's close enough to walk to fairly easily.

Downtown Albuquerque News this morning also reported on a positive development after another recent store closure. El Mezquite Market will be opening a new location in the former Sol Supermarket location at Broadway and Cesar Chavez. The grocery store closed at the end of last year.

The co-owner of the El Mezquite chain tells DAN that they've purchased the entire property and will be renovating the former grocery store and liquor store spaces for the new location. They plan to lease the former First Choice Community Healthcare space to another tenant. They plan to open the new store next summer.

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

New grocery store coming to South Broadway

El Mezquite Market, which operates a chain of five Latin American-themed grocery stores in Bernalillo and Valencia counties, is planning to open a new location at the northeast corner of Broadway and Avenida César Chávez, co-owner Sergio Bermudez told DAN.

The store will move into the former Sol Supermarket, the closure of which around the new year caused considerable concern in the neighborhood (DAN, 1/12/24). Bermudez said he is hoping to open in the summer of 2025, depending on how permitting and other hurdles go. The property isn't much more than a shell, he said, and will need extensive renovation.

Though he only recently concluded the purchase of the two parcels that make up the complex, Bermudez said that he has had his eye on the property for about ten years because of its proximity to the freeway, abundant traffic passing by, and a concentration of people in the area with an interest in Latin American foods.

"It has a lot of potential for us," he said. "We're really excited to be in the neighborhood."

In many ways, El Mezquite stores resemble mainstream grocery operations. But there are distinct differences, from the variety of cuts of meat available to some of the types of pantry staples on the shelves. Locations also typically include an array of Mexican bakery staples and a made-to-order food service operation with in-store seating. The South Broadway location will be no different, Bermudez said. Some 55 people will work there, he added.

South Broadway Neighborhood Association President Frances Armijo applauded the development. While concerned that crime will make operating there difficult, she also believes the store will attract plenty of customers from surrounding areas.

"The people in Barelas and San José will be using this store as well," she said. "The way [Bermudez is] describing it, it's going to be good for all three neighborhoods."

The city's Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency also pledged its support to the new operation.

"MRA has had prior discussions with El Mezquite about this property and the incentives we can provide," Director Terry Brunner said in a statement. "We stand by ready to help with anything they need to make their plans for the site successful."

Besides the former Sol Supermarket and the former Stadium Liquors - which also recently closed - the complex was home to a training facility operated by First Choice Community Healthcare. CEO Jeremiah Dye said First Choice had owned their building for about 30 years and that its activities would be dispersed to other locations. The sale opportunity came at a good time, he added, because it helps the clinic network confront some financial struggles that have cropped up in recent years.

The new El Mezquite will move into what was the former supermarket and liquor store, while the former First Choice will be leased out to a tenant that has not yet been selected, Bermudez said.

The Bermudez family is originally from Mesa, Arizona. What became El Mezquite originally started as a small butcher shop in the South Valley in 1998. The company is known in local philanthropic circles for putting on an annual charity golf tournament that happens to be coming up on Friday and funds scholarships for UNM students. Bermudez is also a past board member of the Hispano Chamber of Commerce (Fourth and Barelas Road).

El Mezquite's future home has played host to other grocery operations over the decades. Before roughly 2021, it was known as Stadium Super Market. Longtime South Broadway residents also remember it as a 1960s-era Piggly Wiggly.

https://www.loopnet.com/property/130...5636342813002/



This is really great news and I'm so happy to see this space snapped up fairly quickly! I grew up in South Broadway/San Jose and have so many fond memories of that entire small shopping center. We'd walk there in the summer as kids and I remember the owner and many of the longtime workers when it was Stadium Supermarket. I remember the roasting green chile in front of the store in late summer every year. I remember the old full-service things like the butcher, and the bagger walking out with us and loading the groceries into our car when we'd go as a family. It was our go-to place for groceries back then. My mom remembers it as Piggly Wiggly when she was growing up.

This will be so great to have it be another nice operation like El Mezquite. I hope the tenant space might be filled by DollarTree or something similar. We have the Family Dollar location further up Broadway, but I think DollarTree is different enough and would go well there. Perhaps even Five Below. I just want another affordable general merchandise store like that near Downtown, that would excite me!

Finally, here are some recent construction pics of the new La Montañita Co-Op location at Avanyu Plaza. They were posted by them a couple of weeks ago on their social media.

https://x.com/LaMontanitaCoop/status...58279232471123

[ABQalex]

Here are some pics of the Entrepreneur Complex at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. It was recently announced that a grand opening for the project will take place later this month. It is currently operating in a soft opening phase.

https://indianz.com/News/2024/07/26/...rcial-kitchen/

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center announces grand opening of commercial kitchen

Friday, July 26, 2024
Indianz.Com

The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (IPCC) is preparing for the grand opening of a new development on its campus in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The Indian Pueblo Entrepreneur Complex (IPEC) is community space aimed at boosting food sovereignty and entrepreneurship among Pueblo people. The centerpiece is a 7,500 square-foot commercial kitchen that will cater to entrepreneurs in the food and agriculture industries.

“I’m very proud that the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is opening the Entrepreneur Complex,” IPCC President and CEO Michael Canfield said in a news release on Friday. “This complex will support — through facilities and services — the vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem that exists locally, especially amongst our Pueblo people.”

The IPEC is currently enjoying a soft opening in anticipation of the grand opening and ribbon cutting of the commercial kitchen at 9am on August 23. The workspace features , cold storage and transportation, fresh produce processing and production areas and general business services, according to the IPCC news release.

“We envision this space as a hub for creativity and innovation, where entrepreneurs can unleash their culinary talents and create high-quality products for local and regional markets,” IPC Entrepreneurial Director Bill Stimmel said in May.

In addition to the commercial kitchen, the IPEC is set to feature a demonstration kitchen and a classroom that will offer educational programming. A garden is already in operation on site.

The IPCC is located at 2401 12th Street NW in Albuquerque, the most populous metropolitan area in New Mexico. The site is held in trust for the 19 Pueblos in the state.

[ABQalex]

July ended without the new Ex Novo Brewery location opening in the former Firestone structure Downtown. However, they are now aiming for an opening sometime this month, in the next couple of weeks. Below are some recent pics of the project, including an interior pic posted yesterday which shows that they may indeed be able to make this new target opening date. The exterior pics were taken early last month.

https://x.com/packedbags74/status/1811065414073602168



https://www.instagram.com/p/C9NhyllPLEr/



https://www.facebook.com/pancho.quin...CoPZNedBu5iAZl



The interior pic above and the first three below were taken during a demonstration by Ex Novo's executive chef, Marc Quiñones, for the recently-hired kitchen staff. Today Ex Novo has posted the menu of the new establishment which he will helm. Chef Quiñones was a semifinalist this year for Best Chef Southwest from the James Beard Foundation while he was with Hotel Chaco and helmed Level 5, its rooftop restaurant and bar. He has appeared on various Food Network shows and competitions as well.







https://www.instagram.com/p/C-K_5ieO-zg/











Here are screenshots and links to a couple of Instagram stories posted today by Mattophoto showing more of the new Ex Novo location. Watch them before they disappear!

https://www.instagram.com/stories/ma...7434154885480/









https://www.instagram.com/stories/ma...7654020773209/









Here's an up-close pic showing more of the interior from the architects on Instagram and another by a poster on Facebook showing the mural that's been painted at the back of the main gathering space.

https://www.instagram.com/stories/mo...2999038840629/



https://www.facebook.com/reel/1480967015882730



Here are some pics from last month showing the new mural that's being painted on the east side of the Arrive Hotel structure.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C80ny2AvOE1/



https://www.instagram.com/p/C9Wjoe8OE9r/



Here's an up-close pic of the mural that the artist herself posted to Instagram a few weeks back. The mural is an homage to local cruising and lowrider/custom car culture in Albuquerque. This stretch of Central Avenue of course plays host to a cruise every week on Sunday, so it's quite apropos.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C9G2fGzMXwJ/



Another mural is being painted on the west side of the north end of Alvarado Square. The county selected the artist after a design competition. They say the mural is over 120 feet tall and may be the tallest in New Mexico. Below are a few pics of the new mural that the county has posted on their social media accounts recently, as well as the renderings to compare.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C9OAEyKPyou/









https://www.instagram.com/p/C8fRAIgPLh6/







https://www.instagram.com/p/C9iumZGAg6P/




https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GSui0FeXMAA4J98.jpg:large





Here's another nice pic of the mural by a poster on Twitter.

https://x.com/mechvibrations/status/...5676785463687/



Lastly, here's a nice pic that I wanted to share of the rainbow yesterday over the city during another of our recent monsoon rains. So many people captured great pics of it and the slight double rainbow that varied in intensity and visibility. The pic was taken by KRQE meteorologist Josh Redwine and posted on his social media. I liked this pic best as it seems to show Downtown Albuquerque as the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Be sure to check out the short video at the link where he pans across to capture the entire rainbow!

https://x.com/RedwineWeather/status/1819191006451192173