Albuquerque Development Thread

[ABQalex]

Here are some more nice aerial pics, including views of Downtown Albuquerque, the Big I and the I-25 Improved project. They were posted this past weekend by the Rainbow Ryders pilot on Facebook.

(Click the links directly beneath the embedded images to see them in their original size)

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=27812115748385834&set=pb.100000423456416.-2207520000


https://images2.imgbox.com/d9/20/44tHZbPb_o.jpg

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=27824258567171552&set=pcb.27824265730504169


https://images2.imgbox.com/ae/4f/kOnT0NDu_o.jpg


https://images2.imgbox.com/f2/e1/DRCIWxU6_o.jpg


https://images2.imgbox.com/67/92/7Lsy6MJU_o.jpg

In the last two pics above you can see the new braided ramps that are beginning to be constructed. Below is another nice aerial pic showing this element of the project. It was posted on LinkedIn as part of an advertisement for a tour of the project that took place last week.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7471217555777462272/



Here are a few pics with views of the project and braided ramp construction from the ground that were taken during the tour and posted on LinkedIn as well.

https://www.linkedin.com/m/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7473489222549815296/













KRQE also recently had a story about the project that featured a few nice aerial views. It was recently announced that I-25 will be closed overnight for 5 days next week to demolish the old portion of the Montaño/Montgomery bridge across the freeway.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-me...nterchange-near-montgomery-and-comanche/





The state is also asking for ideas and submissions for what to call the new "Texas u-turns" that are being constructed as part of the project. They want to give them a unique New Mexico-inspired name instead.

https://www.dot.nm.gov/i-25-improved-name-a-u-turn/



My idea is to call them "Q-uey" as a play on one of Albuquerque’s nicknames as "The Q" and the sequence of letters in our city's name that appears twice, QUE, which also happens to spell the letter Q. I realize this only really works in Albuquerque itself as opposed to across the state, but there's my idea.

[ABQalex]

Here's a nice economic development announcement that was made late last week. Space startup BlackVe, Inc. will expand its existing satellite manufacturing operations in Albuquerque and plans to create over 100 new jobs here with the help of city and state incentives.

https://www.abqjournal.com/business/spac...ite-manufacturing-in-albuquerque/3066652

A space and defense startup is expanding its satellite manufacturing operations in Albuquerque, backed by new state and city incentives.

BlackVe Inc., formed in 2024, plans to manufacture satellites and other space-related technology at the former Northrop Grumman facility.

State officials estimate the expansion will create $228 million in total economic impact for New Mexico. The state will provide $1 million in Local Economic Development Act funds. The city is contributing $250,000 in funds through LEDA.

Touting the expansion, state Economic Development Secretary Rob Black said in a statement that New Mexico has a “long legacy in defense and aerospace is today’s launchpad for future-focused innovation and growth.”

“By expanding their spacecraft manufacturing and operations in Albuquerque, BlackVe is creating high-paying jobs while strengthening our state’s role in national security and space resilience,” he said.

Bradley Whittington, BlackVe’s chief operating officer, said in an interview that the company has two divisions: a space-craft division that will be based in Albuquerque and an intelligence division in Virginia.

The company is backed by private funding from Razor’s Edge, a Virginia-based venture capital firm focused on investments in the national security sector.

“We’re doing pretty well,” Whittington said about opening up a fundraising round. “We might do a raise in the future. But right now our needs are satisfied.”

The company employs about 60 employees in both states, he said. Whittington said the company hopes to have up to 150 Albuquerque employees soon.

Whittington said BlackVe already has 30,000 square feet of manufacturing space. It plans to expand to 50,000 square feet down the line. The facility will include 3-D printing of parts and robotics, he said.

“We’re looking at advanced tech that will allow us to put together spacecraft in less than a year,” he said.

The state also awarded BlackVe up to $295,000 through New Mexico’s Job Training Incentive Program, or JTIP, to train nine employees at an average hourly wage of $57. JTIP reimburses companies for at least 50% of wages during the training period, for up to six months.

The awards are a part of an effort by state and city officials to attract high-wage jobs in the space, defense and technology sectors.

In March, AeroVironment Inc., a Virginia-based defense contractor, announced a $30 million manufacturing project supported by $6 million in Local Economic Development Act funding. And Mantis, a space infrastructure startup, recently received $3 million in such funding for a new 20,000 square-foot headquarters in Albuquerque.

Earlier this year, Castelion Corp. held a groundbreaking for its 1,000-acre campus in Sandoval County to build out its hypersonic missile. That company received $10 million in economic development funds in addition to industrial revenue bonds.

Keller also touted BlackVe’s expansion, saying that “Albuquerque is built for space and defense innovation, and BlackVe is exactly the kind of company we want growing here.”

“This expansion …strengthens our city’s role in national security and the future of space tech,” Keller said.

[ABQalex]

Here's something that's been going around recently. New Mexico has had the second-greatest GDP growth post-pandemic, just behind Texas. Between 2021 and 2025 New Mexico’s state GDP has grown by 19.1 percent.

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-states-grew-the-fastest-since-2021-real-gdp/



People have been posting this on places such as LinkedIn and Facebook but inevitably somebody comes in with snarky comments wanting to clarify things, such as that this growth comes all from oil, etc.

While that may be true, other places in the state such as Albuquerque have also grown greatly and we still have a slightly greater GDP per capita ($69,385) than the state as a whole ($69,046). The rest of the state has caught up to us in this regard because of the rise in GDP in the Oil Patch, no doubt, but Albuquerque is holding its own as well and growing.

I remember just a few years ago when Albuquerque's metro GDP was at about $39 billion and now it's grown to over $65 billion (2024). Similarly, the state used to be at about $90 billion just a few years ago and now we're at $155 billion (2025), crossing that $150 billion milestone last year.

https://apps.bea.gov/itable/?ReqID=70&st...Z2luIiwiLTEiXSxbIlllYXJfRW5kIiwiLTEiXV19

https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gdp-by-county

Our city, metro area and state economies are clearly growing and getting more productive and valuable.

But I do love how people like to overlook, dismiss, question and poo-poo and be all nuanced with great news such as this for our state while every crappy bit of news or bad ranking gets spread far and wide and immediately accepted as gospel no questions asked.

[ABQalex]

Here's another economic development project which the city and state are helping along that was announced late last month. Eden Pharmacy will expand and improve its current Albuquerque facility and create 56 new jobs, 45 of which will be high-paying.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/...maceutical-compounder-set-to-expand.html

Eden Pharmacy recently announced it will use $2.7 million, including state and local funding, to expand its Albuquerque compounding pharmacy and create 56 new jobs.

The funding will modernize and expand the headquarters to meet federal standards for compounding pharmacies, adding advanced automation and specialized staff. Compounding pharmacies combine medications to tailor them to patients' unique needs.

“Delivering on our mission takes a team that cares about the work as much as we do, and Albuquerque has given us that,” Eden CEO Adam McBride said. “This expansion lets us develop more of those careers in New Mexico while continuing to serve the patients across the country who count on us.”

Eden received $300,000 in Local Economic Development Act funding from the state, and $100,000 in LEDA funding from the city of Albuquerque.

As part of its growth strategy, Eden purchased Contigo Compounding Pharmacy in August 2024. Contigo itself was also a recipient of LEDA funding in 2021.

“Eden is creating new jobs and strengthening Albuquerque’s part in healthcare innovation,” Mayor Tim Keller said. “Investments like this really help position our city for long-term growth.”

The state said that Eden also received approval for Job Training Incentive Program funding to support 31 positions.

Of the 56 jobs that the company reports will be created, 45 would be “high-paying jobs coming in the next two years.” The announcement said the new positions would average $69,197 in annual salary.

“Congratulations to the Eden team and our partners,” Chad Matheson, president and CEO of the Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance, said. “This investment is a strong example of the growth we’re building together across Greater Albuquerque, and we look forward to Eden’s continued success in the region.”

[ABQalex]

City Desk ABQ has a story about NIMBY opposition that is now forming against the section of the Rail Trail west of Old Town to the BioPark. It's the next piece of the trail in the area that's scheduled to get underway soon.

It will go on a long, thin stretch of empty land that the city purchased and which would be perfect for just such a thing as a trail. But some in the area aren't happy and are trotting out the familiar tropes that they had no idea about the plans and weren't given a say about them.

Never mind that the Rail Trail has been discussed everywhere and been in the news for the past few years and that public meetings and planning sessions were held for the project, including this section once the city purchased the property a couple of years ago. The city identified this property as a possible part of the trail even before it purchased it as well.

The one good thing is that the actual neighborhood association leadership seems to be for the project.

https://abq.news/2026/06/will-the-old-town-rail-trail-get-derailed/

A small group of West Old Town residents is challenging the City of Albuquerque over a segment of the ABQ Rail Trail, a multimillion-dollar marquee project. Although the group wants to halt the planned extension through their neighborhood, the city owns the property, forcing residents to navigate municipal bureaucracy to pause construction.

The seven-mile trail is intended to connect Downtown to Old Town in a pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly, heart-shaped loop. While the city hopes the project will spur $220 million in economic development, it is exactly what some residents in a historically quiet Old Town neighborhood don’t want.

According to the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency, the $3 million project would turn the former farm — now a weed-filled lot between homes on Hollywood and Edna avenues NW — into a paved, landscaped section of the ABQ Rail Trail. The segment would connect the existing trail to the Bosque Trail near the BioPark, attracting an estimated 20 to 50 users daily in its first year. As planning moves forward, author Debra Montoya has emerged as a chief opponent, speaking for an opposition group. City officials and the West Old Town Neighborhood Association say the trail would improve safety. The neighborhood association’s secretary, Neri Holguin, said the board is “excited to see it start to move forward.” However, Montoya — whose parents live in the area — told City Desk that poor outreach left neighbors unaware of a project that could alter streets, impact homes and create safety hazards.

As an aside, the city is going to have a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the completed section of the Central Crossing project of the Rail Trail in Downtown Albuquerque at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7474941879550173184/

Edit: Here's a story by KRQE about the Central Crossing and tomorrow's ribbon-cutting ceremony. It includes nice views of the project and information about what's planned for the other side of the tracks and the next section of the Rail Trail west of Old Town.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-me...completed-as-part-of-rail-trail-project/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – For the past three years, a problematic pedestrian crossing in downtown Albuquerque has been getting a revamp. Now, the city is unveiling the finished crossing.

At the corner of 1st St. and Central Ave. in downtown Albuquerque, people go to the Alvarado Transportation Center to take the bus or use the Railrunner. In order to make it easier and safer to access, the city started a construction project to renovate the old crossing. Now the project is complete, and includes a new pedestrian ramp.

“This makes Central and the railroad tracks a more interactive area for people and bikes. Folks getting from Edo to downtown, folks trying to get to the Railrunner, folks getting off the Railrunner, under the future Rail Trail. This ramp is going to make that transition a lot more smooth,” said Terry Brunner, Director for the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency.

The new ramp is about 24 feet wide, which will allow pedestrians and bicyclists to use the ramp at the same time. This ramp is the second segment of the Rail Trail to be completed, following the portion at Sawmill. It also has new landscaping and lighting. “They’ve put lights in the rail, so underneath here are little lights that will shine down, like this one right here, onto the surface and give you extra light,” said Brunner.

Director for the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency, Terry Brunner, said that the ramp was supposed to be done last fall, but fell behind schedule due to equipment and construction delays. A giant neon tumbleweed, currently at the Railyards, is also going to be moved to the crossing.

This upgrade was also needed because the old underpasses at Central posed a public safety issue. The city shut down that crossing last year, setting the stage for this new crossing over the tracks. “Instead of having an open crossing like this that will open and close as trains come or go, so that bike riders, pedestrians, can cross safely,” said Brunner.

Brunner said there are plans to build another ramp on the opposite side of the crossing, along with a new bridge. That will bring the total price tag to $17 million. A ribbon-cutting for the new crossing is set for Tuesday morning. Work on the next segment of the Rail Trail project, connecting the ABQ BioPark to Old Town, is expected to begin soon.

[ABQalex]

Here are some pics of the new Alo Yoga store that recently opened at the ABQ Uptown lifestyle center in Uptown Albuquerque. They were posted yesterday by the construction company on its LinkedIn account.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7475268965305384960/



















A new Ariat store also opened at ABQ Uptown late last year. Below are a few pics of the store posted by them to Google since it opened.



















It was also recently announced that local chain Satellite Coffee will be opening a new location at ABQ Uptown in the former Starbucks space.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/...offee-carrisa-rivera-jean-bernstein.html

One of New Mexico's established coffee chains is expanding into an Albuquerque shopping center, with a co-owner calling it a "too good to be true" opportunity.

Satellite Coffee, an Albuquerque-based coffee chain under the Flying Star Cafe ownership group's umbrella, will open a new location later this summer at ABQ Uptown, at the intersection of Louisiana Boulevard and Indian School Road, where a Starbucks once stood.

Flying Star opened its first restaurant and coffee shop location in 1987 in Nob Hill. The first Satellite Coffee location opened in 1988, according to the company's website. The chain last opened a location in March 2019 at 7600 Jefferson St. NE.

“(The ABQ Uptown space) was a perfect location, and we have been in place at our other locations across Albuquerque and the one in Corrales for a very long time,” CEO and co-owner Carrisa Rivera said. “This is just an up-and-coming area that has been growing with all types of new businesses. The whole area just seems really reenergized over the last several years, so it just was kind of perfect timing.”

[ABQalex]

Nob Hill News this morning continued its updates about projects in its coverage area along Central Avenue from Girard Boulevard west to I-25. They also announced that they will have a similar look at projects along Lomas Boulevard in their coverage area soon.

Like last week, I'll quote just a few of the projects that I found most interesting or which we haven't heard much about lately.

https://www.albuquerquenobhillnews.com/

Projects From Girard to I-25 Dominated by UNM, Titan

Last week we highlighted projects from San Mateo to Girard along the Central Avenue corridor that are in varying stages of progress. For our second installment in this series, we focused on Girard moving west to I-25—where the Nob Hill News coverage area ends.

There are two entities that dominate new and significant projects on the stretch: UNM and Titan Development. In addition to those, we included a handful of other projects that are more off the radar, but are important nonetheless. In a future installment, we’ll look at projects in the works along the Lomas corridor.

Center for Collaborative Arts & Technology (CCAT)

Anyone passing by UNM’s main campus would be hard-pressed not to notice the activity at 2601 Central Ave. NE, where two large construction cranes and scores of workers are busily working on the school’s new Center for Collaborative Arts & Technology. Major structural concrete and steel work is completed, and the $82 million, 60,000-square-foot facility is on track to achieve a phase-one completion by the end of the year. Below are three different views of the project.

Route 66 National Research Center

More than a year ago, well-known Albuquerque architect and entrepreneur Mark Baker—who owns Nob Hill’s Humble Coffee Co.—unveiled plans for a Route 66 National Research Center to be located in a building that was once a 1950s Cadillac dealership at the northwest corner of University and Central. Along with a group of partners, including UNM, the project was to serve as a home base for Route 66 scholars, among other uses. A February 2025 Albuquerque Journal story about the project is here (paywall).

However, since the announcement, the project hasn’t launched. When reached by Nob Hill News this week, without elaborating, Baker would only say: “There’s been no movement, unfortunately.” Below is the building’s east side.

Sycamore Square

A longtime eyesore on Central and Sycamore—the 22,000-square-foot Sycamore Square building—got our attention earlier this year when, after years of meetings and proposals, a redevelopment plan was announced to convert the former office building into apartments. Fritz Eberle and Avi Lahiani of F&A Development LLC acquired the property in 2024 for an undisclosed amount and were able to land some tax breaks with the city.

Crews were seen at the back of the building doing work on the building’s windows soon after the announcement, but lately, momentum appears to have stalled. The building is still boarded up and attracts trash, graffiti and various forms of vandalism. Efforts to reach the developers have been unsuccessful. Below are two views of the building and a public notice that’s posted at the site.

Titan Development

Along with UNM, Albuquerque’s Titan Development is moving ground on new projects unlike anyone along the corridor. Its focus for several years has been the north side of Central across from Presbyterian Hospital.

Projects in work—there are others that have been recently completed—include construction on an extended-stay hotel with a food hall to be located on the ground floor, called Highlands Central Market.

“We’re continuing with construction and everything is going really well,” Titan partner Josh Rogers said this week. “We anticipate opening both the Marriott Residence Inn and Highlands Central Market in 2027.”

Below, at left, is Presbyterian Hospital and its skybridge which extends to Titan’s hotel and food hall project, at right. Downtown Albuquerque can be seen in the distance.

I was thankful for and really glad to see the great pic of the construction progress at The Highlands!

I'm disappointed to see that the Route 66 study center seems to have stalled. It would've been great to see work get underway this year as part of the Route 66 Centennial celebrations. I hope it will still come to fruition eventually.

The Sycamore Square project update is also a bit disappointing and its awful to see the structure in such a state. A bit of news and optimism that I can add is that the developers recently applied for a building permit for the project, so I certainly don't think it's dead or anything. Hopefully it will be issued quickly and the project will really get going soon!

[ABQalex]

Lucky Goose has opened at its new location on Central Avenue and Elm Street near I-25 in East Downtown. Below is a short story with pic by Albuquerque Business First, along with a thumbnail and link to a short video by Lucky Goose on Instagram.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/news/2026/06/23/lucky-goose-dutch-bros-sweet-spot-abq.html

Plant-based eatery opens relocated spot

Lucky Goose, a 100% plant-based restaurant that serves items like burgers, hot dogs and more, announced June 19 that it had relocated and is now open at 725 Central Ave. NE.

The restaurant was previously located at 3503 Central Ave. NE before the move. In addition to the new location, the business has another location at 4416 Wyoming Blvd. NE.

Its hours are Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Expansions in Santa Fe and Rio Rancho are also in the works, according to previous Albuquerque Business First reporting.

https://www.instagram.com/luckygoose_nm/reel/DZz6QBIBU8S/



Here's another pic of the new location and its offerings that Lucky Goose has recently posted on Instagram announcing the opening of the restaurant in EDo.

https://www.instagram.com/luckygoose_nm/p/DZx1tdGO75U/

[TheABQJav]

RE: New Sawmill Hotel

You have a great take on this, ABQAlex (thanks for the username inspo...lol).

It's insane how hypocritical the Heritage group is being. They want to have a monopoly on Sawmill, and only make it a space exclusively for wealthy people.

Even in their Sawmill Market, they used all the tenants as stocking horses to generate popularity, and now they are replacing all the local businesses with their own restaurant concepts. It's a disgusting business practice.

What's worse is JJ Mancini (long time employee of Jim Long and Heritage & President of Old Town neighborhood association) was at the public hearings, representing himself as the President of Old Town, actively disagreeing with the development. There was no vote and NONE of the business in the association were consulted on the position. If he wanted to represent himself as an Old Town representative, they should have voted on their stance (a vote he should recuse himself from anyway due to his employment). He was doing Jim Longs dirty work at the expense of everyone he supposedly "represents". Every one of those businesses would see an uptick in volume with a new hotel bringing 50-100k tourists to the local economy annually.

Very eye opening to see how Jim Long and Heritage Hotels actually see competition and operate. They know they have a bad value proposition and will have their "lunch ate" by this new hotel.

I hear the businesses in Old Town are pissed at him. Have you heard anything about this?

This is my first post. I currently work for a local developer (small group), and have worked in development in ABQ/NM for a few firms at this point. Long time YIMBY. I have followed development news for years, but the "controversy" around this development really bugged me. Looking into it is how I found this forum, and I plan to be an active contributor.

[ABQalex]

Originally Posted by TheABQJav

RE: New Sawmill Hotel

You have a great take on this, ABQAlex (thanks for the username inspo...lol).

It's insane how hypocritical the Heritage group is being. They want to have a monopoly on Sawmill, and only make it a space exclusively for wealthy people.

Even in their Sawmill Market, they used all the tenants as stocking horses to generate popularity, and now they are replacing all the local businesses with their own restaurant concepts. It's a disgusting business practice.

What's worse is JJ Mancini (long time employee of Jim Long and Heritage & President of Old Town neighborhood association) was at the public hearings, representing himself as the President of Old Town, actively disagreeing with the development. There was no vote and NONE of the business in the association were consulted on the position. If he wanted to represent himself as an Old Town representative, they should have voted on their stance (a vote he should recuse himself from anyway due to his employment). He was doing Jim Longs dirty work at the expense of everyone he supposedly "represents". Every one of those businesses would see an uptick in volume with a new hotel bringing 50-100k tourists to the local economy annually.

Very eye opening to see how Jim Long and Heritage Hotels actually see competition and operate. They know they have a bad value proposition and will have their "lunch ate" by this new hotel.

I hear the businesses in Old Town are pissed at him. Have you heard anything about this?

This is my first post. I currently work for a local developer (small group), and have worked in development in ABQ/NM for a few firms at this point. Long time YIMBY. I have followed development news for years, but the "controversy" around this development really bugged me. Looking into it is how I found this forum, and I plan to be an active contributor.

Hello and welcome! Thanks very much, that's awesome!

To address the part that I bolded in your post, no, I haven't heard anything about that. But I hope the business owners in Old Town will be vocal in supporting the project! More visitors staying in the area can only be good for businesses in Old Town.

It just boggles my mind to see opposition such as this to the project. They are now really leaning into the supposed traffic concerns and the design of the structure.

I hardly think that a hotel with 135 rooms is going to cause heavy congestion or dangerous traffic conditions in the area.

And, as I've said before, the design absolutely fits with the industrial vibe and current structures in the Sawmill Area, especially in its immediate vicinity.

I see people saying that they want a more Southwestern vibe and style, but that would actually look more out of place in the immediate area, IMO. There are less examples of Southwestern/Pueblo Revival styles in the area than there are industrial, modern stucco and brick designs.

Southwestern/adobe styles in the middle of Old Town proper, yes, but the Sawmill Area itself has developed a more industrial design sense, which pays tribute to and goes along with its past.





For those who don't know, the city council deferred a vote on the industrial revenue bonds for the project until its next meeting in August. They say they want the developer to consult further with those opposed and the area associations to try to reach a consensus on the project.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-me...cision-on-hotel-development-in-old-town/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Should a pair of franchise hotels be built in a historic part of Albuquerque? That’s the question being debated in the Sawmill District, and now the community will have more time to share their thoughts before Albuquerque City Council makes a decision.

Residents expressed concerns about the idea of two franchise hotels taking the place of an empty office building in the Sawmill District. “We are paying the price with traffic and safe streets; this proposed hotel is going to add a lot more traffic to the area where pedestrians cross,” said Pauleen Baca.

Developer Sun Capital’s building would sit there, which is the site of a former New Mexico Health Care Authority office on 18th Street, just down the street from Explora and the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, and within walking distance of Old Town.

With a total of 135 rooms across two hotels, developers said that the project will provide a more affordable option for tourists and bring more foot traffic to the area.

Some residents are concerned about how it could affect traffic and the historic character of the area. At this week’s city council meeting, councilors decided they need more time for Sun Capital to flesh out the project before they decide whether to approve a $40 million industrial revenue bond, which would provide tax incentives for the project. “In general, I lean yes, but I definitely want to see what the final project is after they meet with the community,” said Albuquerque City Councilor Jaquín Baca.

The site is in Councilor Baca’s district. He said he wants to see the project address the needs of the whole community. “It’s becoming increasingly expensive for families to visit, is an important thing, but I also believe the land trust should have some say,” said Councilor Baca.

Sun Capital will have the next two months to meet with community members and iron out how the project will take shape.

[TheABQJav]

Originally Posted by ABQalex

Hello and thank you! I'm glad to hear that the project will hopefully go forward with the aid of the tax abatements, which I fully support! I love that the Sawmill Area is growing and getting better with projects such as these.

I certainly don't mean to diminish or disregard the issue, but there have been plenty of other projects that have been revealed and which have begun planning or have gotten underway over the past year.

I don't think it's the death knell for development that it's being presented as, hence my characterizations.

When local news outlets like the Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque Business First, KRQE, KOB-TV, etc. run stories saying that there is now a dramatic slowdown in projects or that local development companies are now focusing their efforts and business ventures out of state due to these supposed grave issues and an overall anti-development stance by the state and our local governments, I can't help but get perturbed.

I've shown previously in this thread that apartment construction and development isn't down as dramatically as it is being presented by those in the local development and real estate industries.

I've pointed out blatant mistakes and omissions in their accounting and assessment of all the projects that are underway right now and planned in the future.

I said that I'm going to try to update my listing of those projects under construction and planned, and I still plan to do so once I have enough time to devote to that effort.

New projects continue to be announced and I have discovered more on my own as well. It's actually getting hard to keep track. But I do this as a hobby, not a profession, unlike those who have gotten it so wrong.

I am very much pro-development and generally pro-developer, but it gets to me to see our city and state trashed, mischaracterized and lied about by the development community.

As I said previously, there are certain people (mostly with a political ax to grind) who run with these negative stories and bad data in an effort to paint our city and state and leaders in a horrible light.

I've been interested in and following development in Albuquerque and New Mexico since I can remember. My fascination with skyscrapers began when I was little and first saw Albuquerque Plaza under construction while riding the city bus downtown with my family.

Nobody wants this city and state to succeed and develop more than me!

I can't remember a time in my life where this city and state and our leaders have been more pro-development than right now. You have people from all across the political spectrum doing everything they can to address our housing shortage and to attract companies, jobs and development of all kinds to this city and state.

Our city and state really don't deserve to be trashed and painted as anti-development and against businesses and economic growth.

The last few years have actually been very exciting for development of all kinds in this city and state. And based on what I've posted just this year in this thread, we have much to look forward to in the future!

Agreed! I have never seen the ABQ / NM political class as pro development as they are now. I can't tell you how many times I've heard "a downtown revitalization is right around the corner", but this time, I am starting to believe it. Not exclusively with downtown, per se, but our entertainment hubs. Sawmill and Uptown come to mind.

Titan has so much sway, I think they will be just fine if they want to advance their project. I anticipate they will absolutely need an IRB for the project to be financially feasible. I believe the IRB will come with some AMI requirements (ie certain % of units 60% AMI, 70% AMI ... etc). Heritage was able to get a waiver for the affordable piece of their requirement... which is strange particularly because the Sawmill Land Trust mission statement:

"Sawmill Community Land Trust is a 501(c)3 nonprofit membership organization with a mission of developing vibrant, prosperous neighborhoods through the creation and stewardship of permanently affordable housing and sustainable economic opportunities for low- to moderate-income families.We empower communities through civic engagement, education and advocacy. Incorporated in 1994, Sawmill Community Land Trust serves Albuquerque and Bernalillo County, New Mexico.

A mission statement which is directly contradictory to Heritage's development (long time Heritage critic because their business practices are unethical and I have met MANY former/current employees of theirs with legit PTSD), though I absolutely acknowledge that Jim Long is a visionary place maker and Sawmill would be nothing compared to today without him.

This property tax issue is very very real. Transactions are stalling out because no one wants to get reassessed sometimes 50% - 100% higher. It kills projects. And now the way they are assessing apartments is getting out of hand.

BernCo uses three methods to value properties for taxes. Income, Market/Comparables, and Replacement Cost. All these methods are flawed and cannot rely on a mass appraisal system.

Income - The assessors DO NOT understand the concept nor how to remove income due to intangible value. They are, by state statute, not allowed to value off intangible income. Since there the assessors (including Damian Lara) have a material lack of knowledge about this, the income approach becomes useless.

Market/Comparables - How are you going to use other people property and data to accurately value mine? Why are you choosing the comps you are? Why are my comps wrong? It is a vicious cycle that ends with no progress

Replacement Cost - The cost of EVERYTHING has increases dramatically in the last few years. Increased to the point where, if these buildings were not already built, they would never get built because its financially infeasible. So how could it possibly make sense to value based on this?

There needs to be major conversation around the future of property taxes and assessment. Status quo cause much less development, as we are already seeing the effects of.

I am not against property taxes. But we need to call it what it is. It is a tax on unrealized capital gains.

Would love to hear your thoughts.

[TheABQJav]

Originally Posted by ABQalex

Hello and welcome! Thanks very much, that's awesome!

To address the part that I bolded in your post, no, I haven't heard anything about that. But I hope the business owners in Old Town will be vocal in supporting the project! More visitors staying in the area can only be good for businesses in Old Town.

It just boggles my mind to see opposition such as this to the project. They are now really leaning into the supposed traffic concerns and the design of the structure.

I hardly think that a hotel with 135 rooms is going to cause heavy congestion or dangerous traffic conditions in the area.

And, as I've said before, the design absolutely fits with the industrial vibe and current structures in the Sawmill Area, especially in its immediate vicinity.

I see people saying that they want a more Southwestern vibe and style, but that would actually look more out of place in the immediate area, IMO. There are less examples of Southwestern/Pueblo Revival styles in the area than there are industrial, modern stucco and brick designs.

Southwestern/adobe styles in the middle of Old Town proper, yes, but the Sawmill Area itself has developed a more industrial design sense, which pays tribute to and goes along with its past.

For those who don't know, the city council deferred a vote on the industrial revenue bonds for the project until its next meeting in August. They say they want the developer to consult further with those opposed and the area associations to try to reach a consensus on the project.

RE: Traffic

I saw similarly. Insane!

Their argument (I think I saw on Downtown ABQ News (DAN) they did a letter to the editor) is that it is going to be a net traffic reduction. I was super skeptical, but it actually makes sense. Or at least the way that the developer is framing it makes sense.

Essentially, they are demolishing an office building that was 100% occupied with ~150 offices, so tons of people and cars coming and going all the time. That generates on peak traffic, weekdays 8-9a ; 5-6p. Whereas, hotel traffic pattern is off peak, 11a ; 8p ; weekends.

The more "narrative" argument was that nearly half of the hotel visitors typically uber to the hotel and walk from there. Additionally, those with cars will park once at the hotel and walk into Sawmill and Old Town without their cars, so those guests would not be fighting for the same parking spots or contributing to the traffic. If those guests were staying outside of Old Town and wanted to visit, they would being their cars. But since there is affordable lodging IN Sawmill/Old Town, they won't have to do that (without breaking the bank).

Basically they are saying with all these things together, the hotel development will actually reduce net traffic, after they demolish the old office building.

I think its a bit of a 'rose colored' view, but I also think there is a ton of merit to their argument.

I know less about it, but I heard there are road expansion plans, but I think Councilor Baca has mentioned it a few times. Something I need to look into.

Side note, agreed on the style. Kind of a south west industrial look. I like it. I think they need to release some of those high quality isometric renderings. Most people can't understand what something is going to look/feel like from just a building elevation

[ABQalex]

Originally Posted by TheABQJav

Agreed! I have never seen the ABQ / NM political class as pro development as they are now. I can't tell you how many times I've heard "a downtown revitalization is right around the corner", but this time, I am starting to believe it. Not exclusively with downtown, per se, but our entertainment hubs. Sawmill and Uptown come to mind.

Titan has so much sway, I think they will be just fine if they want to advance their project. I anticipate they will absolutely need an IRB for the project to be financially feasible. I believe the IRB will come with some AMI requirements (ie certain % of units 60% AMI, 70% AMI ... etc). Heritage was able to get a waiver for the affordable piece of their requirement... which is strange particularly because the Sawmill Land Trust mission statement:

"Sawmill Community Land Trust is a 501(c)3 nonprofit membership organization with a mission of developing vibrant, prosperous neighborhoods through the creation and stewardship of permanently affordable housing and sustainable economic opportunities for low- to moderate-income families.We empower communities through civic engagement, education and advocacy. Incorporated in 1994, Sawmill Community Land Trust serves Albuquerque and Bernalillo County, New Mexico.

A mission statement which is directly contradictory to Heritage's development (long time Heritage critic because their business practices are unethical and I have met MANY former/current employees of theirs with legit PTSD), though I absolutely acknowledge that Jim Long is a visionary place maker and Sawmill would be nothing compared to today without him.

This property tax issue is very very real. Transactions are stalling out because no one wants to get reassessed sometimes 50% - 100% higher. It kills projects. And now the way they are assessing apartments is getting out of hand.

BernCo uses three methods to value properties for taxes. Income, Market/Comparables, and Replacement Cost. All these methods are flawed and cannot rely on a mass appraisal system.

Income - The assessors DO NOT understand the concept nor how to remove income due to intangible value. They are, by state statute, not allowed to value off intangible income. Since there the assessors (including Damian Lara) have a material lack of knowledge about this, the income approach becomes useless.

Market/Comparables - How are you going to use other people property and data to accurately value mine? Why are you choosing the comps you are? Why are my comps wrong? It is a vicious cycle that ends with no progress

Replacement Cost - The cost of EVERYTHING has increases dramatically in the last few years. Increased to the point where, if these buildings were not already built, they would never get built because its financially infeasible. So how could it possibly make sense to value based on this?

There needs to be major conversation around the future of property taxes and assessment. Status quo cause much less development, as we are already seeing the effects of.

I am not against property taxes. But we need to call it what it is. It is a tax on unrealized capital gains.

Would love to hear your thoughts.

Honestly, I think it will be much less of an issue now that Damian Lara lost the primary election and Linda Stover pretty much has the general election in the bag. She had the support of developers, property owners, etc. who were unhappy with the situation. I'm sure she will accommodate and help address their grievances and issues with the assessments when she gets into office.

I also think the state legislature will eventually address the issue and work out a solution that's agreeable to the developers and commercial property owners.

I'll take your and Josh's word for it that this issue is affecting development. I'm not involved in the development, construction or commercial property industries at all, so i don't have first hand or intimate knowledge about any of this.

But again, I'll just say that I have yet to see a dramatic slowdown projects like has been written about or presented in our local media in recent months.

I still see thousands of units under construction, recently announced and in the planning stages over the past year that this issue has been talked about.

People are still finding a way to make projects work. And, as I've said, I'm all for our city and state helping with incentives, bonds and tax rebates for projects in priority areas of our city such as the Sawmill Area.

[ABQalex]

Originally Posted by TheABQJav

RE: Traffic

I saw similarly. Insane!

Their argument (I think I saw on Downtown ABQ News (DAN) they did a letter to the editor) is that it is going to be a net traffic reduction. I was super skeptical, but it actually makes sense. Or at least the way that the developer is framing it makes sense.

Essentially, they are demolishing an office building that was 100% occupied with ~150 offices, so tons of people and cars coming and going all the time. That generates on peak traffic, weekdays 8-9a ; 5-6p. Whereas, hotel traffic pattern is off peak, 11a ; 8p ; weekends.

The more "narrative" argument was that nearly half of the hotel visitors typically uber to the hotel and walk from there. Additionally, those with cars will park once at the hotel and walk into Sawmill and Old Town without their cars, so those guests would not be fighting for the same parking spots or contributing to the traffic. If those guests were staying outside of Old Town and wanted to visit, they would being their cars. But since there is affordable lodging IN Sawmill/Old Town, they won't have to do that (without breaking the bank).

Basically they are saying with all these things together, the hotel development will actually reduce net traffic, after they demolish the old office building.

I think its a bit of a 'rose colored' view, but I also think there is a ton of merit to their argument.

I know less about it, but I heard there are road expansion plans, but I think Councilor Baca has mentioned it a few times. Something I need to look into.

Side note, agreed on the style. Kind of a south west industrial look. I like it. I think they need to release some of those high quality isometric renderings. Most people can't understand what something is going to look/feel like from just a building elevation

The main expansion of roadway infrastructure in the area is the planned extension of Bellamah Avenue. DAN had a story and map about that in the last couple of years. I'll try to find it and update my post with the info.

I personally think that the city should also extend Aspen Avenue/Mill Pond Road along the curving railroad spur where the Rail Trail will be built as well.

The more roads, through streets and options for travel in the area, the less funneling, bottlenecks and concentration of traffic there will be!

[TheABQJav]

Originally Posted by ABQalex

Honestly, I think it will be much less of an issue now that Damian Lara lost the primary election and Linda Stover pretty much has the general election in the bag. She had the support of developers, property owners, etc. who were unhappy with the situation. I'm sure she will accommodate and help address their grievances and issues with the assessments when she gets into office.

I also think the state legislature will eventually address the issue and work out a solution that's agreeable to the developers and commercial property owners.

I'll take your and Josh's word for it that this issue is affecting development. I'm not involved in the development, construction or commercial property industries at all, so i don't have first hand or intimate knowledge about any of this.

But again, I'll just say that I have yet to see a dramatic slowdown projects like has been written about or presented in our local media in recent months.

I still see thousands of units under construction, recently announced and in the planning stages over the past year that this issue has been talked about.

People are still finding a way to make projects work. And, as I've said, I'm all for our city and state helping with incentives, bonds and tax rebates for projects in priority areas of our city such as the Sawmill Area.

Lara being out is a big win for developers. Here are some recent articles talking about the new apartment starts reduction y/y and Titan's commentary about property taxes affecting their projects.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/news/2026/05/06/albuquerque-multifamily-report-q1.html

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/news/2025/10/15/titan-development-unveils-the-senary.html

"According to Rogers, multifamily development works best when one month of a tenant's 12-month lease payment goes to pay property taxes.

In New Mexico, Rogers said that’s no longer the case; it’s somewhere between three and four months, which he says doesn't work.

“There’s a significant property tax problem in the state of New Mexico,” Rogers said. “It needs to be addressed for multifamily housing to continue to be developed.”

The Apartment Association is working on a new bill to address the issue in the next session, beginning in January, Rogers said.

Rogers noted that although Titan Development is pausing multifamily development, it’s not entirely stopping, as it’s working on a housing project in Los Alamos."

I think the problem is just starting, and will get worse without correction. But I love Titan's developments in general. I have met a lot of people at the Firm. They do good work.

Their Hiway House project (The Rev) is going to be insanely cool. Can't wait for that one to start.

[TheABQJav]

Originally Posted by ABQalex

The main expansion of roadway infrastructure in the area is the planned extension of Bellamah Avenue. DAN had a story and map about that in the last couple of years. I'll try to find it and update my post with the info.

I personally think that the city should also extend Aspen Avenue/Mill Pond Road along the curving railroad spur where the Rail Trail will be built as well.

The more roads, through streets and options for travel in the area, the less funneling, bottlenecks and concentration of traffic there will be!

Wonderful! I'll look out for your update and see what other info I can find.

[TheABQJav]

Originally Posted by ABQalex

The Sycamore Square project update is also a bit disappointing and its awful to see the structure in such a state. A bit of news and optimism that I can add is that the developers recently applied for a building permit for the project, so I certainly don't think it's dead or anything. Hopefully it will be issued quickly and the project will really get going soon!

Neat! A few months back, they actually had the project listed for sale, and our group toured it as a buyer. It has great potential, but redeveloping the existing building is going to be a tough cookie to crack. They were “two weeks away from permits” for months, so I’m glad to see they (or someone) was able to move the project forward.

I always thought some element of the development would be well suited for daycare, with the rest dedicated to workforce housing. Not sure if those uses work together though... without some serious security/ physical separation

From a consumer standpoint, hospital workers have been really eager for quality daycare options nearby. From what I can tell, it is probably the number one or two thing people ask for.

From a business standpoint, there are also a lot of incentives and public support for workforce housing and childcare projects.

Either way, we need more housing period, so I'm very excited to see how this one takes shape.

[ABQalex]

Originally Posted by TheABQJav

Wonderful! I'll look out for your update and see what other info I can find.

Below is the story and map by Downtown Albuquerque News about the planned extension of Bellamah Avenue in the Sawmill Area. It's actually from five years ago, back in 2021, but I believe that it's still planned. I think it just shows how slow the process can be and how long things can take to come to fruition. Funding delays and opposition often get in the way of projects such as this.

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

A new connection from 12th to Sawmill is back on the agenda for 2021

The idea has been kicking around for the better part of a decade, but a plan to extend Bellamah from 12th into the heart of Sawmill - creating a rare east-west connection through the neighborhood - is now in the works and will be put up for public scrutiny later this year, City Council analyst Diane Dolan told DAN.

The plan, which is slated to be completed in the late spring or summer, would also involve a connection to Lumberton, a small north-south street, and pedestrian amenities clear back to 12th, Dolan said.

Take a look at a map of Sawmill, and it's easy to see why such an idea might gain traction. The general lack of east-west connections is such that a trip between 12th and Rio Grande necessitates a detour to either I-40 or Mountain, though for bicyclists and pedestrians in the know there are a few shortcuts.

Besides shaving a couple of minutes off of some commutes, making it easier for more people to get to businesses like Ponderosa Brewing, the future home of the Tierra Adentro charter school (DAN, 10/20/20), and several other smaller shops along the road might well prove an economic boon, reckons Rashan Jones, the board president of the Sawmill Community Land Trust, the organization that controls much of the land in the area.

"It would bring in more people, which is great," Jones said.

But the prospect of more traffic is enough to scare off some neighbors, said Jaime Leaños, the president of the Sawmill Area Neighborhood Association. He's done some informal canvassing with neighbors about the project and reports that "they were not necessarily very happy about it."

The neighborhood's relative isolation can tamp down crime and noise, Leaños noted, and getting to and from is still pretty easy despite the lack of thru streets.

(Depending on how people take to it, a new connection might entail further traffic calming efforts along parts of the road untouched by the actual extension work, Dolan said.)

But that's just a preview of the possible arguments. The actual discussions will happen later this year.

"Ultimately we'll take it to the neighborhood and see what the neighborhood thinks," said Jones. "My official stance is wait and see and it could be good."

Remember also that the rebuild of 20th Street and the existing portion of Bellamah Avenue from 18th Street to Rio Grande Boulevard took place in the intervening years as well. That may have shifted priorities and taken up resources to divert the effort and attention away from the extension project.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DZyHgO_EoT_/?img_index=3

[ABQalex]

Here are some pics of Explora's Brillante Early Learning Center project in the Sawmill Area. The pics were taken during a tour of the project site and posted earlier this month on Explora's Facebook account.

https://www.facebook.com/ExploraNM/posts...1ZULkTUgmKRrTRfKVgPkJmaH98Z6oRxJpGabNuKl

[ABQalex]

Nob Hill News continued its look at projects in its coverage area this morning. This time, they focused on projects along Lomas Boulevard. They also announced that they will continue the series with projects located elsewhere in their coverage area besides the Lomas and Central corridors. Again, I'll quote just a few of the projects that they featured.

https://www.albuquerquenobhillnews.com/

Diverse Set of Projects Underway Along Lomas Corridor

Lineup includes city, state, UNM and private-industry initiatives

An assortment of projects are underway along the Lomas corridor within the Nob Hill News coverage zone from San Mateo to I-25. The work represents tens of millions of dollars in investments that is keeping scores of construction workers and contractors busy this year.

Starting at San Mateo and moving west, we highlighted a few large projects that are in the midst of construction and others that appear poised to start. This is our third installment in a series of reporting on projects that are underway in our coverage zone.

Our first installment focused on the Central Avenue corridor from San Mateo to Girard. Our second installment continued on Central from Girard to I-25. For our fourth installment, we’ll look at projects that aren’t on the Lomas or Central corridors, but are still in the Nob Hill News coverage zone.

Velarde Center for Philanthropy

Located between UNM’s main campus and UNM Hospital at Lomas and Yale is the under-construction Velarde Center for Philanthropy. The facility will serve as the headquarters for the UNM Foundation’s philanthropic operations and related special events.

The three-story, 28,000-square-foot building was designed by FBT Architects and is being built by Bradbury Stamm Construction. The $26 million project is expected to be completed by summer 2027. Below is a photo taken last week and a rendering of the project.

New Mexico Literacy Institute

Construction on a state of New Mexico initiative—the New Mexico Literacy Institute—can be seen from Lomas near University. Located on 4-acres at 1550 Mesa Vista Road NE, the goal of the 30,000-square-foot, single-story facility is to strengthen literacy for learners of all ages—up to 500 people at a time—and provide resources at no cost.

The $30 million center will feature classrooms, a library, lounge, offices and a coffee shop.

Construction is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Below is a photo taken last week and a rendering of the facility.

‘The District’

“The District” is currently a 5-acre, partially paved, dirt-and-weed-ridden lot at 1300 Lomas Blvd. NE, where a car dealership operated years ago. It’s near the Medical Arts Historic District and the Spruce Park neighborhood. UNM’s T-lot parking area is to the east and there’s an AutoSavvy car dealership to its west.

But that now vacant lot is poised to be transformed into a $50 million, mixed-use project soon.

Prakash Sundaram first told Nob Hill News last October about his plans, and last week said that phase one, which includes construction of restaurant and retail spaces, would break ground in August and be completed by May 2027. Tenant negotiations for the spaces have been well underway, he said.

Then, in phase two, plans are to build a seven-story, 140-room Courtyard by Marriott hotel with a rooftop restaurant called Volaré.

Sundaram and his other partners on the project, which include Jim Hakeem and Alexis Lovato of NAI SunVista who spearhead leasing, expect the entire project to be fully complete in 2028. Below is an image of the lot facing west, where the project will rise, and a rendering of its completion.

They also asked readers to let them know about any projects they may have missed.

An obvious and big one is the new UNM School of Medicine structure. I'd be interested to know if the early work and site clearing/demolition of old structures has indeed begun on the site.



Another university project that they missed is the new UNM Police Department headquarters on University Boulevard just south of Lomas. It seems that the project was recently completed.

Below are a few pics that the UNM Police Department posted on its Facebook account last week announcing that they will be moving into the new structure.

https://www.facebook.com/UNMPOLICE/posts...9vYz7kbw6sQmZBFtMiyDhEHG8rDprTjHT7M7FVfl