Albuquerque Development Thread

[ABQalex]

KRQE has a story and update about Mark Baker's Keleher project in Downtown Albuquerque.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-me...ntown-albuquerque-building-into-housing/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Preserving history and bringing new life into downtown Albuquerque, that’s the mission for one local architect and developer.

A cloud of dust form as architect and developer Mark Baker opens the blinds. What may look like an old, run down, dilapidated building, battered by age, to Baker is canvas full of opportunity.

“You’re really seeing this at an exciting time because this is as raw as it gets right here,” said Baker as he walked through the building. Pointing to one of the rooms inside, he says, “Isn’t that going to be a beautiful? That’s going to be a beautiful–you might not have the vision, but I can see it.”

Rich in history, he calls the adobe buildings on the property in downtown Albuquerque, the Keleher project. Which is a nod to the late 18-hundreds name for the building and the name of the street it sits on, just down the road from Robinson Park where the popular Grower’s Market is held.

“When I see an empty building that’s vacant that’s going unused, the first thing I think as an architect is let’s bring that back to life,” said Baker.

Baker has transformed other historic buildings like 505 Central Food Hall that used to be a Sears department store. And again, with the old saint Mary’s convent, which is now full of apartments. Last year, Baker bought the Keleher property after it sat vacant for several years. Amid a housing shortage in the city, Baker aims to build 10 apartments while preserving the historic character of the building.

“This is a beautiful old detail that we’re saving. This is an original fireplace, brick fireplace,” said Baker.

After conquering an asbestos problem and adding new roofing, Baker says remodeling old buildings is costly and can feel like a roller coaster, “You wonder why you did it and then you know at the end you finally see the payoff and and you say, ‘Okay, I’m going to do it again’. But about halfway through, you’re like, why do I spend my time doing this? But it is so important for Albuquerque to rebuild these old buildings. And I’m happy to be a part of it.”

And even though Baker is in the trenches now, with much more work to be done on the property, he says, “It’s a wonderful feeling when you go through all of the time and the effort and you can look back and the building’s occupied and people are living there and it’s a positive space, you know, in the neighborhood.”

Baker hopes to have the project completed by the end of next summer.

[ABQalex]

KRQE also has a story and update about the Gizmo Arts project in Downtown Albuquerque. The city council at its meeting this week formally approved and awarded the project $1.3 million in funds from the city and state to go toward the housing portion of the project. The project's first phase and ground-floor spaces are expected to be completed later this year.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-me...ludes-re-entry-housing-nears-completion/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A local artist studio is making progress redeveloping a well-known building in downtown Albuquerque. The historic Gizmo Building is being transformed to include transitional housing and has recently been awarded millions to make it happen.

Fresh coats of paint, new walls, and added lighting. Over the last year, crews have been working to transform the Gizmo building on Central and give it new life. Sheri Crider is the founder and director of Sanitary Tortilla Factory, a studio and gallery that gives artists opportunities to create their work. She bought the building and says she’s bringing that same art-focus to the Gizmo building that will house print manufacturing, a gallery, and exhibition space.

“This building is a giant step forward for our organization and for the arts community here in Albuquerque and for our community downtown revitalization,” said Sheri Crider, founder and director for Gizmo Arts.

The Gizmo building will also have five apartments to provide re-entry housing for previously incarcerated artists. Built in 1951, the building has a basement and four floors. It once housed JC-Penney department store and later the Gizmo army surplus store. Crider is also the contractor on the project and said that throughout the renovation project, they’ve discovered original paint colors that they’ve used as inspiration and cleaned up old orange beams and sinks.

She said that in total, the work is expected to cost about $6.5 million. “So many people have connections to the history of this building, and leaving it abandoned leaves those histories abandoned and, you know, breathing new life into this building, I think is super important,” said Crider.

On Monday, Albuquerque City Councilor Joaquín Baca announced the state and city pitched in more than $1.3 million to complete the housing phase. He says this will give new life to the building while giving local artists a second chance.

“Any big building within your downtown, you know what it’s used for, I think it says a lot about the community. You know in this case we’re going to take a historic older building and not just give it new life but turn it into housing, which is one of the biggest needs in our city right now,” said Councilor Baca.

He said he hopes this will help attract more people to the area. “And in this case, there’s a community of people who live and work right on Central, and this is just adding to that and continuing to improve our downtown,” said Councilor Baca.

Crider said the Gizmo is expected to open in the fall. The transitional housing should be complete by June 2028.

https://www.cabq.gov/council/find-your-c...o-building-into-transitional-housing-hub

[ABQalex]

Here are a few nice pics of the Woodbury apartments on Mesa del Sol that Pavilion Construction posted yesterday on its LinkedIn account.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7492946703491346433/

[ABQalex]

The Albuquerque Development Commission at its meeting last month voted to move forward with a project by Palindrome Communities as the winning proposal for the RFP that the city issued earlier this year for the empty lot at 12201 Central Avenue NE. The project will have 73 units of affordable housing in 2 and 4-story structures and will be called the "Camaro on Central" Below are a couple of renderings, floorplans and a site layout for the project that I screenshotted during the meeting.

https://www.cabq.gov/mra/request-for-proposals/closed-rfps/rfp-02-2026-east-central-lot-disposal

https://www.cabq.gov/mra/documents/adc-minutes-7-16-26-draft.pdf









As you can see from the renderings and site plan above, it's gonna have a sort of showroom/display area facing Central Avenue on the ground floor where local classic car clubs can meet and display some of their vehicles.

They've sort of taken some of the elements of the original La Curva proposal west of Old Town on Central Avenue and moved it here to the East Gateway Area in this project instead.

[ABQalex]

Here are a few pics of the new Welcome sign that the city unveiled last month on Central Avenue in the East Gateway Area as well. The sign was commissioned as part of the Route 66 Centennial celebrations.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/historicroute66/permalink/3046991225503715





https://www.flickr.com/photos/ridgecrestphoto/55397890913/in/photostream/



https://www.flickr.com/photos/ridgecrestphoto/55396829007/in/photostream/



https://www.cabq.gov/municipaldevelopment

[ABQalex]

The Environmental Planning Commission at its meeting next week will be considering a request by the city for a zone change for the empty lot that it owns at Lomas and Broadway NE. This is of course the same lot that they recently issued an RFP for, which stipulated that any proposal must conform to the existing NR-LM zoning, which precludes any kind of residential use. They are now proposing to change the zoning for the plot to MX-M, which would allow for housing and mixed-uses with a medium intensity on the site.

As I posted previously about the RFP and its absurd stipulations, the city really finds ways to mess these things up, and clearly doesn't know how to guide successful RFPs in Downtown Albuquerque under our current leadership. That includes the mayor, his administration and the city council. This zone change request is specifically being made by Council Services, who work on behalf and at the behest of the city council. I'm sure Councilor Baca eventually caught wind of the RFP stipulation about the existing zoning and came up with this zone change request now, before the RFP even closes.

https://documents.cabq.gov/planning/envi...026-00011_229%20Lomas%20Blvd_Council.pdf



This is a classic clusterf*ck and yet another example of absolutely no communication and no coordination among those who make decisions and who are in charge of our city.

This zone change clearly should have been done before issuing an RFP for the property. Or the stipulation never inserted into the RFP in the first place. At the very least, the RFP should now be amended to reflect that a zone change request is underway and the zoning stipulation removed from the RFP. Interested developers should know the correct parameters of what they now may propose for their submissions to the RFP. Otherwise, this will be another failed RFP in Downtown Albuquerque.

[ABQalex]

Here's an update on the one RFP in Downtown Albuquerque under our current leadership which may eventually prove to be successful and produce a major project. A public meeting and presentation for Sol Housing's proposed Sendero ABQ project at 1st and Silver will be held online at the end of the month.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1479787790840139&set=a.338511878301075



Remember that they were passed over and denied tax credits for the project earlier this year by Housing New Mexico. But it looks like they are still pushing forward and will try again next year or may even come up with alternative funding sources to bring the project to fruition.

As I've said before, Sol Housing certainly has a great track record in bringing these projects to fruition and knows how to navigate the financing aspects as well. I have great hope and a good bit of confidence that they will be the ones to finally develop this empty plot of land!

[ABQalex]

Sol Housing will also be having a public meeting and presentation for its Cosecha project in Southeast Albuquerque towards the end of the month. Below is the infographic that they recently posted on Facebook with information about the online meeting and presentation.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1478755180943400&set=a.338511878301075



Here also is a link to the website for the project that they created earlier this year. It has a few new renderings and more information about the project. Cosecha will have 92 units of mixed-income housing and 2,500 sq ft of commercial space on its ground floor, which they're hoping will be filled with a fresh food market.

https://www.cosecha.info/home

[ABQalex]

The Albuquerque City Council at its meeting last night finally voted on the industrial revenue bonds for the dual-branded hotel in the Sawmill Area. They approved the $40 million in IRBs on an 8-1 vote. The project is far from assured or out of the woods just yet, though. It looks like those opposed will now turn their efforts to the planning approval process and appeal the project once it is approved administratively.

That will most likely cause the project plans to go before the city council again where it looks like a majority agreed that the plans needed to be tweaked, even though they ultimately voted for the IRBs.

The developer now estimates and hopes that construction of the project could begin by the middle of next year.

https://www.krqe.com/news/politics-gover...n-hotel-development-in-sawmill-district/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It took a long time to get here, but Albuquerque City Council has approved a $40million Industrial Revenue Bond for a project bringing two franchise hotels to the Sawmill District area. The IRB does not put public dollars towards the project, but rather ensures tax breaks for the project. The proposed hotels would be at the site of an old healthcare authority building down the road from Explora on 18th Street.

Though some local businesses are in favor of the project, it has faced significant opposition from Sawmill residents who have expressed three main concerns: traffic, neighborhood character, and, the key point, for those who live east of the hotels, the five-story height of the building. However, Sun Capital owner Deepesh Khowadwala said, “We’re trying to bring an affordable hotel. And so we’re trying to get economies of scale, and I can’t get that economies of scale if I don’t do five stories”

Neighborhood groups, including the Sawmill Land Trust, were hoping to see provisions written into the IRB Guaranteeing the developer would take their concerns into account.
But councilors determined the city’s procedures wouldn’t allow them to mandate design specifications, at this stage of the project. Those determinations would have to wait until development of the site plan. “That leaves it to trust, I mean I have to trust that folks are going to do the right thing” said Albuquerque City Councilor Joaquin Baca.

Even without a guarantee in writing, the developer, Sun Capital Hotels, promised to take neighborhood concerns into consideration. The company’s owner, Deepesh Khowadwala, said they’ve already made changes to the hotel design, switching the orientation of the windows from east/west to north/south, so they don’t overlook the nearby neighborhoods, along with aesthetic changes to the exterior. “We’ll be doing some recessing of large walls, and breaking them up, so that way it looks, it’s a little bit better on the eyes”

Kholwadwala stressed that though an agreement isn’t signed, the hotel will fit in what the community had to say. “Like I said, we are a good community partner, and we will continue to be a good community partner, and continue to have those discussions, but there is a process for that.”

In a statement to KRQE on Tuesday, the Sawmill Land Trust said:

"The Sawmill Community Land Trust (SCLT) is not opposed to development. As a developer ourselves, we understand the importance of responsible development and the role that new investment can play in strengthening a community. Our concerns have always been focused on how this particular development fits into the existing neighborhood. The proposed hotel will be directly adjacent to single-family housing and will add traffic to an area where the existing road infrastructure is already strained. We believe those impacts deserve careful consideration, particularly for the residents who live in the neighborhood and will experience the project’s effects every day."

Over the next year, Sun Capital said that they will be ironing out the details of the funding and estimate construction could start by the middle of next year.

[ABQalex]

The city has added responses to questions it received about the Lomas and Broadway RFP on its website. It received a specific question about the inconsistencies between what Councilor Baca said he hopes to see from the RFP and the limitations of the existing NR-LM zoning of the site.

They responded that any project must adhere to the NR-LM zoning, basically doubling down on the stipulations against housing on the site and not acknowledging the current effort by Council Services to change the site’s zoning to MX-M.

https://www.cabq.gov/mra/request-for-proposals

Inquiry Response #3 - Posted 7.20.26

Question: This morning (7/8) Councilor Joaquín Baca’s news segment ran in which he heavily advocated for housing.

Response: The property is zoned NR-LM (Non-Residential/Light Manufacturing), which does not allow long-term residential uses, including apartments. A hotel development would be allowed, however.

There clearly is no communication between the mayor, his administration or the city council with regard to this RFP.

Another interesting question they received was about certain uses that the NR-LM zoning allows, but which the city would rather not see proposed for the site.

Inquiry Response #5 - Posted 7.20.26

Question: RFP #03-2026 Sale and Redevelopment of 229 Broadway Blvd. NE, Section C. Purpose, Page 6, states: "While a wide range of uses are allowable under NR-LM zoning, many of them are contradictory to the goals and priorities of the relevant Downtown plans, in particular the MRA Downtown 2050 Plan. As such, Proposals that include the following or similar uses as a primary use will not be prioritized:

• Adult entertainment
• Cannabis cultivation, manufacturing or sales
• Car wash
• Compost facility
• Freight terminal or dispatch
• Heavy vehicle and equipment sales
• Helipad
• Outdoor storage
• Paid parking lot or parking structure
• Pawn shop
• Vehicle fueling, repair, or sales
• Warehousing

Do the listed uses simply subtract points from the evaluation or are these uses something that will be considered nonresponsive?

Response: Per state and local law, all projects supported by MRA resources must align with the approved MRA Plan for the area. As such, MRA invites development proposals that align with the stated priorities in the Downtown 2050 Plan. That said, projects that include the uses identified in RFP 03-2026 as inconsistent with the Downtown 2050 Plan will not be considered nonresponsive. However, they will be scored lower by the review committee than proposals that include more consistent uses. Twenty-five percent of the total score, 50 points, relates to alignment with the MRA Plan.

This question is particularly concerning and I think further shows that the city should have gotten the zoning and everything else in order and coordinated with regard to this RFP before issuing it.

I fear we may end up with only undesirable proposals that we ultimately may be forced to accept and pick the least bad among them. Things such as warehouses, storage facilities, car wash or drive-through restaurant and other such auto-oriented commercial uses, things which MX-M and the more urban zoning classifications would prohibit.

Submissions are due and the RFP will close later this week on August 20th.

[ABQalex]

Here are a couple of neat aerial pics that World Balloon posted on its Facebook account this past weekend that were taken during a balloon ride. The first shows Downtown Albuquerque and the second shows the area west of the airport and the airport itself. In the bottom-right of the second pic you can spot the new Avid Hotel structure that's nearing completion, and the foundation being laid for the new Aloft Hotel at Sunport Boulevard and University as well.

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

https://www.facebook.com/worldballoonabq...rVURYSHSmDPRvevmTrsCyoUW36QWDS3xviUAMu2l


https://iili.io/CLEVqb4.jpg


https://iili.io/CLEVfef.jpg

[ABQalex]

At last night's city council meeting the development agreement for the Uptown Connect project was also approved unanimously. I hope this means that construction will be getting underway soon. It was supposed to have gotten underway this summer, but apparently there have been delays in coming up with the final development agreement for the project.

Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn, who represents the area on the council, also hinted that the project is running against deadlines for the $28 million in RAISE Grant funding that it received. She specifically took issue with procedural delays on the part of the city administration in moving forward with the agreement.

How ridiculous and what a shame it would be to lose this funding because of delays and inaction on the city’s part when coming to an agreement, especially in light of the current federal administration's hostility towards this funding being used for anything but auto-oriented transportation projects and them taking away RAISE Grant funding for the Rail Trail.

The discussion on the agreement begins at about the 4:15:30 mark in the video below.



• Video Link

[ABQalex]

Here's something interesting that I've been trying to find more information about ever since I first saw mention of it on LinkedIn in the last month or so. It looks like a developer new to the state is planning to build a $100 million, 7-story (5 over 2) podium-style apartment building with about 250 units in Albuquerque.

At least two job recruiters have posted information about this project on LinkedIn looking for a project superintendent. I've tried to find more information and confirmation of the project through the city’s various planning agencies, boards and information portals, but have yet to find anything official.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7480321421185949696/

**Albuquerque, NM**

Lead Multifamily Super needed for a 5/2 podium build with 250+ units.

Perdiem/Travel options are available.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7486446167732686848/

Attention multifamily construction professionals: I am seeking to spread the word about exciting job opportunities with a rapidly growing multifamily developer-builder expanding throughout the Southwest. With a solid 10-year pipeline and a backlog exceeding $1.5 billion, primarily from their own development, this company offers genuine stability.

Here are the current openings by market:

**Albuquerque, NM**
- Project Director / Senior PM
- Project Managers & Assistant PMs
- Senior Superintendent (for a $100M podium build)
- Superintendents & Assistant Superintendents
- Project Engineers

...

I've also looked again at projects that I'm aware of that have been revealed in some manner, but none fit with the specific details mentioned for this project.

I remember that FBT Architects mentioned in an RFP a project with 250 units at Coronado Center that they were working on back during the pandemic, but these posts on LinkedIn seem to indicate this is a project that has been formulated more recently.

I also remember that Modulus Architects has several apartment projects listed on its website that they are working on in various areas across the city which could be this project.

The only podium-style project with 7 stories (5 over 2) that I'm aware of that's currently envisioned is the Elevate project in Downtown Albuquerque, but that has 174 units and is being proposed by a local developer.

Winrock Town Center has an apartment/mixed-use project proposed for the east side of the park that they talked about publicly as recently as last year, but I think they said it would be five stories.

Winrock overall is being developed by the local Goodman Realty, but perhaps they could collaborate and be working with an out of state developer to build something like this at Winrock and the scope could have increased.

Legacy Development is local as well and has the Markana Uptown project that's very similar with 243 units in a 7-story (5 over 2) podium build, but that has already been completed, of course. They are also planning the 6-story (5 over 1) Markana Flats with about 170 units, but there hasn't been any movement on that project recently.

Titan Development is also locally-based but growing throughout the Southwest, especially in Texas, and with a 6-story multifamily project in San Diego completed not that long ago. Their proposed Allaso Highlands East project reaches up to 7 stories in places but is mostly a six-story project. It's planned for 228 units and would rise above a 2-story concrete podium.

But again, the posts seem to indicate this is a company new to the area. I don't believe this would be Titan's Highlands East project. I also haven't seen any planning approval progress on it lately, though they do already have an IRB agreement approved for it, which is near to expiring and which they've sought to extend.

Either way, it's interesting and fun to contemplate and try to figure out what exactly this project entails and where in the city it will be built. I certainly will keep trying to find out more information and hopefully get an answer soon!

[ABQalex]

KOB-TV has a story about the $3 million in economic development incentives that the Albuquerque City Council approved at its meeting earlier this week for three companies that will set up or expand operations in the city. That includes incentives for the BlackVe satellite manufacturing operation that will be located at Max Q on Kirtland Air Force Base. Its 150+ jobs account for the majority of the over 200 jobs that will be created among these three companies. And another quantum computing firm will set up shop in the city. Quantinuum says it will spend over $32 million building out a 13,000 sq ft research and development facility in the Northeast Heights.

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/albuquerq...lions-for-tech-companies-200-jobs-ahead/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Albuquerque City Council approved millions in incentives for three local tech companies in moves tied to more than 200 jobs over 10 years.

The city approved the money at its meeting Monday night through three proposals under the Local Development Act.

The proposals would send money to three local companies in cybersecurity, quantum computing and space technology. The three projects will reportedly create more than 200 jobs in over 10 years.

Councilors also discussed requiring the companies to pay back city incentives if they do not hire a certain number of New Mexican workers by a certain time.

One company is BlackVe. Its CEO said he built the company while he was at CNM and wants it centered in New Mexico.

“We have been embedded there and growing there very very rapidly, and in fact growing out of the space. So that is why we really need to expand,” said Dr. Peter Wegner, CEO of BlackVe. “Albuquerque is a great place to grow a space company.”

BlackVe plans to build a facility to make and design satellites.

Global quantum computing firm Quantinuum also plans to build a research center of more than 13,000 square feet in the metro area.

[ABQalex]

Pacific Fusion on its LinkedIn account has been counting down to the groundbreaking ceremony for its new research and manufacturing campus on Mesa del Sol. The groundbreaking will take place next week at 9:30 am on August 25th, which is now 5 days away.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7493041273004609536/



https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7495661739863269376/

[ABQalex]

Albuquerque Business First has a story about another new tenant that has been revealed for Lobo Crossing. First Watch will be opening its first restaurant in New Mexico. They are a breakfast, brunch and lunch restaurant based in Florida and with locations across the country.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/...obo-crossing-albuquerque-new-mexico.html

First Watch, a daytime dining chain headquartered in Bradenton, Florida, is planning to enter the New Mexico market with a proposed new location at the Lobo Crossing shopping center.

The restaurant chain, which serves breakfast, brunch and lunch, currently has more than 660 restaurants across 33 states as of August, according to the company’s website.

There is no set opening date for the proposed First Watch location in Albuquerque, as the project still requires approvals and permitting.

Jasmine Castillo of CDS Development submitted an application to the city on June 30, on behalf of First Watch for a proposed restaurant with a patio space within the Lobo Crossing shopping center.

First Watch is a prospective end cap tenant and is expected to share a roughly 3,900-square-foot standalone building with Nothing Bundt Cakes and Verizon, according to a site plan submitted to the city.

The restaurant will sit at the northwest corner of Alumni Drive and University Boulevard. The landlord will handle site work. First Watch is responsible for the interior build-out, according to city records.

Lobo Crossing at the University of New Mexico South Campus is a 38.06-acre mixed-use development across a 363,000-square-foot open-air center, according to the project’s official website.

Anchored by Target, the retail project will have national and local brands leasing retail space, including Albuquerque's first In-N-Out Burger location. Confirmed tenants coming to the shopping center include Burlington, Marshalls, HomeGoods, Sierra, Boot Barn, Five Below and Michaels.

The project was underway as of June 2026, with site preparation and infrastructure work in progress. According to the University of New Mexico website, construction is expected to be completed in fall 2027.

SimonCRE handles the leasing activities. Nick Robello, the company’s director of marketing, declined to share details about prospective tenants until the leases are finalized.

"At this time, we have many active lease negotiations underway, and we're looking forward to bringing an exciting merchandise mix to Lobo Crossing to best serve the residents and students in Albuquerque," Robello said.

The story includes a site layout for First Watch which has labels for a few other spaces nearby, revealing yet more tenants, including Olive Garden, Sephora and Nothing Bundt Cakes, which the story above mentions.



Below is the overall site plan and leasing layout for Lobo Crossing that I've posted before. I've also included a listing of all the spaces and tenants that have been revealed so far, including the square footage of each and the total for the entire project.

Note that Verizon seems to have moved to the Xfinity or "national cable user" space instead. I'm gonna assume that they switched places for the purposes of this listing. Also note that the labeling for the pad sites are different from the layout above.



Lobo Crossing - 365,693 sq ft

Target - 130,000 sq ft
HomeGoods - 25,028 sq ft
Burlington - 25,025 sq ft
Marshalls - 24,012 sq ft
Ross - 22,083 sq ft
Sierra - 20,030 sq ft
Michaels - 19,365 sq ft
Boot Barn - 15,000 sq ft
Old Navy - 12,500 sq ft
Skechers - 9,000 sq ft
Five Below - 8,200 sq ft
Olive Garden - 6,500 sq ft
Sephora - 5,000 sq ft
Shops B1 - 4,900 sq ft
Pacific Dental Services - 4,000 sq ft
First Watch - 3,900 sq ft
Shops A2 - 3,800 sq ft
Shops A3 - 3,800 sq ft
Pad "B" - 3,000 sq ft
Pad "C" - 3,000 sq ft
Spencer's - 2,800 sq ft
Xfinity - 2,700 sq ft
Pad "A" - 2,500 sq ft
Shops B3 - 2,400 sq ft
Verizon - 2,000 sq ft
Shops C3 - 1,900 sq ft
Nothing Bundt Cakes - 1,850 sq ft
Jersey Mike's - 1,400 sq ft

As you can see from the listing above, there are eight spaces left to fill and tenants to reveal. I'm glad to see at least one tenant that is new to the state (apart from In-N-Out), hopefully there will be more as these last spaces are filled.

Here's an aerial pic showing the Lobo Crossing site that was taken during a balloon ride last month. You can already start to see the layout of the project showing through the earth work that is being done.

(Click the link directly beneath the embedded image to see it in its original size)

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=28030489606548446&set=pb.100000423456416.-2207520000


https://iili.io/CQ6Farg.jpg

[ABQalex]

El Mezquite Market posted today on its Facebook account about the new store that's expected to open in October on Broadway and Avenida Cesar Chavez.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1466334235515564&set=a.542538804561783



Here's a thumbnail and link to a short video that was posted on Facebook by the general contractor at the beginning of the month.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1759818278547667



Here also is a nice pic of the store that Downtown Albuquerque News featured a couple of weeks ago.

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

[ABQalex]

The Environmental Planning Commission at its meeting yesterday unanimously approved the city’s request to change the zoning of the property it owns at Lomas and Broadway from NR-LM to MX-M. Below is a story that KRQE had about the zone change and efforts to redevelop the property.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-me...develop-empty-plot-of-land-move-forward/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A plot of land near downtown Albuquerque, left empty for almost 70 years, is one step closer to a potential redevelopment. The city is eyeing land that sits on the corner of Lomas and Broadway, hoping it can be used for things like housing. The three-acres of land is currently classified as a “non-residential-light manufacturing zone,” which means no homes can be built. Now a proposal could change that.

“Housing primarily, which includes townhouses, multi-family housing dwelling. It also includes residential amenities both indoors, outdoors,” said Deepa Bansal, Albuquerque City Council Policy Planner.

This plot of land on Lomas and Broadway, has sat vacant for decades and was most recently used for drainage, but it’s no longer needed for that, thanks to the the Ike Benton pump station and now the city is looking to give it a new purpose. Today, the city submitted a proposal to the Environmental Planning Commission, to change the zoning of the land to allow for potential mixed-use housing and retail development. The city says the location would be great for housing because it’d be close to the Railtrail and is in walkable distance from downtown.

During today’s meeting, the Santa Barbara Martineztown Neighborhood Association shared their concerns, saying zone change could bring too much traffic.

“We are not asking the EPC to decide whether a 65ft apartment building should be approved, that decision comes later. But the zoning decision being made today establishes a development framework that will determine what becomes possible tomorrow. We ask you to get that framework right,” said Loretta Naranjo Lopez, President of the Santa Barbara Martineztown Neighborhood Association.

The board of commissioners disagreed, arguing the area also has public transit and wouldn’t add that much more traffic. The proposal got unanimous support from the commission. The proposal will now be heard by city council.

The Martineztown NIMBYs of course were opposed to the zone change and wanted nothing more than MX-T or MX-L for the property, which Council Services staff rejected and pointed out doesn't match the best uses or characteristics of any of the existing zoning surrounding the property.

Remember that the Martineztown NIMBYs were up in arms about "spot zoning" when it came to opposing the rehabilitation hospital at Mountain Road and I-25, but are perfectly fine proposing just such a thing here.

https://documents.cabq.gov/planning/envi...20Lomas%20Blvd_48%20Hour%20Materials.pdf









These people clearly want nothing more than two or three stories and building forms like townhomes, duplexes or single family homes at the intersection of two major streets in the city’s most urban area. They cannot be serious.

Actually, I think they'd be just fine with the status quo and more drive-through uses at this intersection, which is even worse.

The actual RFP for the property closed yesterday at 5 pm as well. I hope we will see something nice proposed and that perhaps a developer will indeed include a residential component which anticipates the successful effort to change the zoning for this property.

This is a gateway to Downtown Albuquerque proper from the Northeast Heights and the rest of the city and to visitors coming from I-25. It deserves and should have a nice mixed-use, multi-story urban-style structure to mark it instead of what exists now!

[ABQalex]

Pacific Fusion had the groundbreaking ceremony for its research and manufacturing facility on Mesa del Sol this morning. Below is a story by KRQE about the event and the plans for the 225,000 sq ft facility that will employ over 200 people initially.

https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/groundbreaking-held-for-nuclear-fusion-facility-in-new-mexico/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The next big step in nuclear fusion to New Mexico is now underway. On Tuesday, in Albuquerque’s Mesa Del Sol community, policymakers and scientists gathered as ground broke on a demonstration center built by energy company Pacific Fusion. The billion-dollar, privately funded facility aims to research and eventually provide the state with nuclear fusion energy – a nationwide first.

“Rarely do we have a chance to invest in a foundational technology. Something that has the potential to be transformative, something that we could be known for not just across the country, but around the world,” said Albuquerque mayor Tim Keller.

CEO of Pacific Fusion Keith LeChien said, “We’re not building an incremental improvement change. This is a major step change, and a major step forward for the country.”

Fusion works similarly to how the sun works – using intense heat energy to merge the nuclei of two atoms into one, emitting energy in the process. “There’s no uranium, no plutonium; the fuel is water basically, and so we have a safety profile that looks a lot more like a hospital or a particle accelerator,” said Pacific Fusion COO & Co-founder Carrie von Muench

Historically, the question around fusion as an energy source has been sustainability: if it can produce more energy than it uses. Von Muench said that new developments show that it’s possible. “Researchers at Livermore National Laboratory achieved ignition. They got more energy out of the fuel than what went into the fuel. And that completely changed the challenge in the field. It’s no longer “How do we make this work scientifically? It’s “How do we get the fuel to that pressure?”

Last year, they opened a facility in Los Lunas that manufactured parts for the Mesa Del Sol location. The Los Lunas facility already employs about 70 people, and the new facility is expected to create 200 permanent jobs once construction is complete. Pacific Fusion estimates the facility will be up and running and able to produce more energy than it uses by 2030.

Here's a nice overhead pic of the groundbreaking ceremony that was posted on LinkedIn by Pacific Fusion's leader of External Relations.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7498131789442371584/

[ABQalex]

BlackVe also had the ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new Albuquerque headquarters at Max Q on Kirtland Air Force Base this morning. They will be taking over the existing structure that was formerly home to Northrop Grumman. They have plans to eventually expand the space as well.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/...te-kirtland-air-force-base-facility.html

Aerospace company BlackVe celebrated opening a satellite manufacturing headquarters in Albuquerque Aug. 25, touting its economic impact and importance in the space defense ecosystem.

The defense and space technology company was founded in 2024, and manufactures multi-mission spacecraft, applying advanced production technology to accelerate how satellites are designed, built and operated, according to an Economic Development New Mexico news release. The company also has a regional office in Herndon, Virginia.

The company will create 152 full-time jobs over 10 years for its 30,000-square-foot headquarters on the doorstep of Kirtland Air Force Base and just miles from Sandia National Laboratories. BlackVe officials said it could expand to 50,000 square feet.

“This is really special for BlackVe to open our Albuquerque headquarters here today,” BlackVe CEO Peter Wegner said. “We started this company just about two and a half years ago with a really simple idea. And that simple idea was that we need to fundamentally change the way we build satellite systems.”

BlackVe looks to build satellite systems more quickly and innovate changes faster than competitors, Wegner said. This includes advanced manufacturing, as will take place at the Albuquerque facility.

The company’s Albuquerque facility is located at MaxQ@Kirtland, which is directly outside the Kirtland Air Force Base security fence.

The state of New Mexico said it would result in more than $228 million in economic impact for the state.

Wegner cited the state's technology history, tracing it from the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos to innovations at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque.

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) was on hand and spoke to Business First. He said that central New Mexico has been a leader in advanced satellites “for many decades.”

“It’s great economically in terms of the quality of jobs, but it also continues central New Mexico’s leadership in advanced satellite space vehicles,” he said.

“I think a lot of it is because of the talent we've been able to attract because of the Air Force Research Labs space vehicles directorate, because of Sandia (National Laboratories),” he added. “We have just built up quite an ecosystem to address some of the space national security challenges.”

Technicians coming out of Central New Mexico Community College and other programs in the state are part of that ecosystem, alongside leadership with advanced degrees.

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said the facility is not on city land but instead on land that once served as a barracks for the Air Force.

Now, it is one of the first examples of “commercial development” of that land.

The city of Albuquerque contributed $250,000 in Local Economic Development Act funding.The state of New Mexico contributed $1 million in LEDA funding. The state and local governments have committed to $1.55 million in incentives for BlackVe including $295,000 in Job Training Incentive Program funding to immediately hire nine employees at an average hourly wage of $57.

Wenger said the company's private investment partners, Razor's Edge Ventures, which financially backs BlackVe, put $20 million in private capital into the company. The company moved into the existing building and will begin renovations.

Andy Williams, acting director of the Air Force Research Laboratory Space Warfare Directorate, described the importance of the Albuquerque location to national security.

“To maintain American leadership in space, the status quo is no longer an option,” Williams said. “We need a new paradigm. We need design-to-launch pipelines measured in months, not years. We need resilient, modular autonomous spacecraft and, most importantly, we need partners who can move at the speed of commercial innovation to deliver tactical superiority to our warfighters.”

https://edd.newmexico.gov/press-releases/blackve-opens-satellite-manufacturing-facility-at-maxq/