Albuquerque Development Thread

[ABQalex]

KRQE last night had a story about the city's Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency's main goals for the current fiscal year. They include the Rail Trail, several Rail Yards buildings and the north entrance projects, the commercial portion of Nuevo Atrisco, and the temporary usage of the development pad at the De Anza as a public plaza and marketplace utilizing shipping containers.

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https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-me...trail-and-new-public-plaza-construction/

The story on their website links to a PDF file of the MRA's report on its impact over the last 20 years. It's a really cool read! It includes lots of information on various projects the agency has been involved in over the last couple of decades. Most are in Downtown or along Central Avenue, but they also include quite a few in the Sawmill Area and elsewhere in the city.

Below is a graphic from the report showing various projects in the downtown area. It's interesting to note the projects labeled as being in pre-development:



Most of the projects are known, but there are intriguing ones in Barelas across from the Rail Yards, at Springer Square, and at the Fusion Theater, that I'd like to know more about. It's also interesting that the final two phases of the Elements Townhomes and First Plaza are labeled this way. I've wondered if the Elements Townhomes would ever be finished, especially now in this hot housing market in the city. And I also wonder if First Plaza is still looking to do its complete revamp with hotel and residential uses being added even though the TaskUs project stalled.

Below is a rendering of a fully renovated and re-imagined First Plaza that was on display during the TaskUs announcement in 2018. TaskUs late last year put its plans to bring 700 jobs to Downtown Albuquerque on hold indefinitely.

[ABQalex]

The Urban Land Institute of New Mexico recently had a bike tour of 10 downtown-area development projects and sites. Today on Instagram they shared a self-guided version for those who weren't able to attend the organized event. On their website they link to and provide a PDF brochure and guide that includes information about each stop on the tour.

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

https://newmexico.uli.org/events/detail/75B88609-2CFE-45AE-9C2B-3FE21C1BDDBE/

The information from the brochure reveals more about the Elements Townhomes empty parcels I talked about earlier. Apparently the city has given over development responsibility for the parcels from Romero Rose to Homewise. It says that Homewise will have three years to develop townhouses on the two empty parcels. There are 16 total lots, 8 on each parcel:



A picture from March 2014 right after the Casitas de Colores apartments were completed on most of the block that was supposed to be covered in townhomes, before the Great Recession killed off sales. The two remaining empty parcels for townhome development are seen at the corners of the block on each side of the north building of Casitas de Colores.



The original plan for the Elements Townhomes. It was to include a total of 72 townhomes. Only 8 were built and sold before the recession kicked in and sales tanked.



Downtown Albuquerque News today had an update with pic of the Ibiza Townhomes at 9th and Tijeras. It says that they are behind schedule but that they should be finished within 90 days. The developer attributes some of the delay to the shortage of subcontractors happening with all the construction going on in the city right now.

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

[ABQalex]

A pic taken on Friday of the Bernalillo County @ Alvarado Square project:


https://www.instagram.com/p/CFSVwleh62B/

Avanyu Plaza held the ribbon cutting for its new hotel, security command building and the lighted shade structure element of its central plaza/park on Wednesday. It also held the groundbreaking for its new phase of commercial space. Avanyu Plaza is the redevelopment of the old Albuquerque Indian School site by a corporation of the 19 Indian pueblos of New Mexico. It sits across the street from the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.

https://indianpueblo.org/press/





















The Albuquerque Journal this past week had an update on the Tiny Homes Village, which is delayed and now expected to open in December. The delay is also being partially blamed on the shortage of construction workers going on in the city right now.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1497458/tiny-homes-village-to-open-in-december.html

[ABQalex]

Downtown Albuquerque News reported today on the Elevate @ 3rd + Lomas project. The developer expects it to break ground in spring next year. JBM over at SSC posted this screenshot of the article:



https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

Downtown Albuquerque News today also reported on the Arrive Hotel project. It's based upon the latest update the developers have posted on NextSeed, where the project has now raised over $800,000 from 26 investors. In the update from August 31st, they state that they hope to finalize and secure a construction loan by the end of the year. They say the project is ready to go with building permits and general contractor pricing in place.

https://www.nextseed.com/offerings/arrive-abq

A model room at the Albuquerque Arrive Hotel location was recently highlighted as part of a road trip tour of all the Arrive properties from Palm Springs to Wilmington, NC posted on their Instagram account. Arrive co-founder Chris Pardo and his wife stayed at the historic Los Poblanos Inn and Farm and highlighted Albuquerque's offerings from Old Town to Nob Hill during their stay here.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEadEYwhT1N/

[ABQalex]

The same person who first revealed plans for the Amazon fulfillment center in Albuquerque on Twitter earlier this year has now tweeted another intriguing rumor regarding economic development in Albuquerque. He says that there is a huge project soon to be revealed that will "dwarf" the Amazon project and the Facebook project as well.


https://mobile.twitter.com/DiaDeLobos/status/1309871383837421570

It may just be the Orion Center, but it's exciting to contemplate what else it might be. People replying to his tweet seem to think it has to do with a company bigger than Facebook or Amazon such as Apple, but I think it just means it's a project bigger in scope than the Amazon fulfillment center and Facebook data center projects. The Orion Center certainly looks like it could be bigger than both those projects in square footage, jobs and cost, but we shall see.

For reference, that would mean the Orion Center or any other project would have to be larger than 2.85 million sq ft of space, create more than 1,500 jobs and cost more than $1.5 billion dollars in order to be bigger than either of those two projects. That's certainly huge economic development news!

He also had another tweet with another rumor to do with even more activity from Amazon.


https://mobile.twitter.com/DiaDeLobos/status/1309871870120878080

Just today while perusing recent building permits issued in Albuquerque I came across a building permit issued yesterday for what looks like an Amazon delivery station on Albuquerque's Westside.

It will be located in the Meridian Business Park in an existing warehouse building that looks like it will be renovated to suit Amazon's needs. It's only 45,000 sq ft, but that looks to be in line with other Amazon delivery stations across the country.

https://posse.cabq.gov/posse/pub/lms/Default.aspx?PossePresentation=Public&PosseObjectId=113171496

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/7300-Meridian-Pl-NW-Albuquerque-NM/18092964/



Amazon isn't named directly, but Boyd Chapman is listed as the owner/tenant on the building permit and he is a construction manager at Amazon. BRR Architecture has worked on numerous Amazon projects across the country. Ryan Companies has also worked on numerous Amazon projects across the country and is of course currently building the Albuquerque Amazon fulfillment center as well.

I think the next thing that will be revealed from Amazon is a sortation center somewhere in Albuquerque. Sortation centers are usually about 200,000-400,000 sq ft and they also may be located in existing warehouse space. They usually employ about 200-300 people. That may be what the second big Amazon project is, if it's built from the ground up rather than located in an existing building.

But what's really exciting to contemplate is that Albuquerque may get another massive fulfillment center also employing over 1,000 people. I believe with the 5-year timeline that is what the second building has to do with, it won't be built very soon, but later down the road. The second fulfillment center would probably handle large, non-sortable items. The fulfillment center already under construction will handle small, sortable items.

Below is the most recent progress video of the Albuquerque Amazon fulfillment center construction on Vimeo.

Video Link

[ABQalex]

The Marriott SpringHill Suites Hotel at The Highlands has opened.

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A pic of the skybridge structure awaiting being lifted into place at The Highlands from Titan Development's Instagram account.


https://www.instagram.com/p/CFe6inxl1KC/

La Esquinita at the Zocalo Lofts debuted yesterday and will continue its unveiling events all month. It is a combination food hall, business incubator and community hub. It also has a permanent food truck plaza.





Downtown Albuquerque News reported recently that the old Appliance City building across 4th St. from the Zocalo Lofts has been sold and will be the new home of Por Vida Tattoo. Apart from the tattoo studio it will also include a coffee shop and crossfit studio as well as being home to their tattoo supply operation.

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/



Downtown Albuquerque News also reported on the early study of the "Ale Trail" portion of the Rail Trail. It seems there isn't enough right of way for a complete trail in the area of the curve where the rail spur leaves the main line of the railroad tracks. Among the options planners are considering is an elevated portion of the trail or a cheaper detour along city streets. This portion of the Rail Trail north of Lomas and west to the Sawmill Area is being called the Ale Trail because it connects so many microbreweries in the area north of Downtown through Wells Park and into the Sawmill Area.





The Albuquerque Journal yesterday had a story about one of the newest breweries in the area, Gravity Bound Brewing Company. It was developed by two brothers from Colorado who came to Albuquerque and were attracted by the city's incredible beer scene, great quality of life and low cost of living. They also say they want to help contribute to Downtown Albuquerque's revival.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1503052/latest-business-news-133.html

[ABQalex]

The Albuquerque Journal has a story about the skybridge construction at The Highlands and the process to lift it into place. That process began today and will last through Friday. Central Avenue in the area from the I-25 frontage road to Spruce Street will be closed all week during the process. The skybridge is 280 feet long and construction is expected to be fully completed in December.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1503983/worke...ong-100ton-connector-over-five-days.html

[ABQalex]

An awesome pic posted by Titan Development on Instagram this morning of the lifting/moving into place of the skybridge at The Highlands!


https://www.instagram.com/p/CGAmWk7l6F3/

[ABQalex]

A few more pics of the skybridge construction taken this past week. It looks like both sections are now fully in place and the roadway underneath will be able to open again this weekend. The first pic is from the Ronald McDonald House Charities of New Mexico Facebook page where there is also a video of the skybridge being lifted into place. The main function of the skybridge is to provide a direct connection between the new Ronald McDonald Highlands House and Presbyterian Hospital.


https://www.facebook.com/RonaldMcDonaldHouseCharitiesofNewMexico/


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


https://www.instagram.com/p/CGB_67PFSPm/


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


https://www.instagram.com/p/CGFhy7eF84X/


https://www.imago-images.com/st/01054812...2957990.1602206957-2012205971.1602206957


https://www.imago-images.com/st/01054811...2957990.1602206957-2012205971.1602206957

[ABQalex]

The Albuquerque Development Commission meeting agenda for this month has been posted online. The commission will be voting on the submissions for the RFP for two projects on the eastern edge of Downtown and EDo. It seems there were five submissions but two were disqualified for not meeting RFP requirements. The other three have all been recommended to be approved to proceed to negotiations by the selection committee. This is because one of the projects on the eastern edge of Downtown has been deemed to qualify for general obligation bond funding instead of the original pot of funding laid out in the RFP. Below are screenshots from the PDF file with summaries of the three projects.

https://www.cabq.gov/metropolitan-redeve...elopment-commission/adc-agendas-archives













I find the Springer Square project most exciting because it opens up the future development of the parcels closer to Broadway for development. If you read the entire PDF file it seems like that would be imminent after the Sky Link is approved.

The Imperial Motel project is also exciting because the developer is the same one behind the El Vado and Monterey Motel projects. They know what they are doing and are proving that they can get these kinds of motel renovations and rejuvenations done! The Monterey Motel is looking great as it gets ready to open and the El Vado of course is fantastic and just a wonderful success. It would be great to add that sort of vibe in EDo to go along with its already great establishments and progress that has been made.

The Innovate ABQ project is a bit disappointing only because it isn't the new 5-story building and instead the renovation of the existing 1970s educational wing of the old First Baptist Church. I just hope that it will help spark further progress at Innovate ABQ and speed up the development timeline there.

[ABQalex]

The city has unveiled the designs for the ART canopies at the three stations located in historic districts along the route. The designs are overall like the existing station canopies but in more muted earth tones and with less dramatic tenting, similar to the curbside stations in Downtown proper. Final design approval is expected in December and the station canopies will go up from east to west in order, each taking about 6 weeks to be completed.







The city and county recently put out an RFP for a taproom operator for the Route 66 Visitor's Center on the Westside. It will also feature a lowrider museum, gift shop, information center, event center, amphitheater and drive-in movie theater. The $12.9 million project is a long time coming but should finally break ground this December and open in January 2022.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1499287/brewe...oposal-for-west-side-visitor-center.html



A pic taken last week of the visitor center construction at the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge in the South Valley. The $7 million project will have an amphitheater, meeting room, education center, exhibit hall, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service staff offices and maintenance facility.


https://wingandsong.wordpress.com/2020/10/04/birding-valle-de-oro-nwr-on-foot/

A few renderings of the visitor center, the first from approximately the same perspective as the above construction photo.







Pics of the CNM Marketplace building that is nearing completion.


https://brycon.com/project/cnm-marketplace/


https://cnmchronicle.com/2020/09/23/cnm-market-place/

The apartment building at the Nuevo Atrisco TOD project has been completed and move-ins began last month. There are 82 regular apartments and 6 live/work units on the ground floor with frontage on Unser Boulevard.


https://www.facebook.com/164273493591001/photos/pcb.3577456148939368/3577451832273133/

The next phase of Nuevo Atrisco will be the office and commercial space with food hall and community plaza, which is scheduled to get underway early next year.





Pictures of the Monterey Motel renovation and expansion. The renovation has restored the motel to its original appearance. There will be individual guest rooms in the historic portions and an upscale hostel located in the 2-story expansion. The historic Route 66 sign has also been restored.






https://www.instagram.com/p/CGUxoYmg8pH/

Next door to the Monterey Motel will be the Monterey Place apartment building. It will have 42 residential units and 2,200 sq ft of ground-floor commercial space. The ground-floor residential units are loft-style and can also be used as live/work spaces. The building permit application for this project was submitted last week.

https://posse.cabq.gov/posse/pub/lms/Default.aspx?PossePresentation=Public&PosseObjectId=122493567

[ABQalex]

The Albuquerque Development Commission has voted to approve and go forward with negotiations with all three qualifying proposals received for the east downtown RFP. The negotiation period can last up to 90 days, after which the projects may commence. The proposal for the Imperial Inn has the quickest timeline and they said they could begin early next year and be completed by the end of 2021. KRQE has a report about today's ADC meeting and the projects.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-me...ong-upcoming-projects-to-spruce-up-area/

• Video Link

[kemachs]

Originally Posted by ABQalex

The Albuquerque Development Commission has voted to approve and go forward with negotiations with all three qualifying proposals received for the east downtown RFP. The negotiation period can last up to 90 days, after which the projects may commence. The proposal for the Imperial Inn has the quickest timeline and they said they could begin early next year and be completed by the end of 2021. KRQE has a report about today's ADC meeting and the projects.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-me...ong-upcoming-projects-to-spruce-up-area/

• Video Link

Awesome! I'm most excited about the Imperial Inn project. EDo/Huning Highland is a cool neighborhood, and has the potential to be a continuous urban connection between downtown and the emerging medical district. Just need to fill in the missing teeth on Central with active shop/restaurant spaces...

I love that Albuquerque has a mind to preserve and renovate these vintage roadside motels - in Denver, the development powers that be have no desire for that. The old motels on Colfax either exist as rundown 1-star establishments, or get demolished for redevelopment (into something generic, generally).

[ABQalex]

Originally Posted by kemachs

Awesome! I'm most excited about the Imperial Inn project. EDo/Huning Highland is a cool neighborhood, and has the potential to be a continuous urban connection between downtown and the emerging medical district. Just need to fill in the missing teeth on Central with active shop/restaurant spaces...

I love that Albuquerque has a mind to preserve and renovate these vintage roadside motels - in Denver, the development powers that be have no desire for that. The old motels on Colfax either exist as rundown 1-star establishments, or get demolished for redevelopment (into something generic, generally).

Yes! Especially over the last decade, Albuquerque has managed to transform and re-use many of its historic Route 66 motels. It began in about 2013 with the completion of the Luna Lodge and is continuing now with the Imperial Inn. The El Vado motel renovation has been the most spectacular transformation of these old motels to date. The Imperial Inn looks like it may give it a run for its money, though. I'm excited that it is moving forward!

Below are the 9 historic motels along old Route 66 in Albuquerque that have completed or are in the process of being restored and transformed:

Luna Lodge, renovated and expanded in 2013 - 30 affordable residential units



Sundowner Motel, renovated and expanded in 2014 - 71 affordable residential units



El Vado Motel, renovated and expanded in 2018 - 22-room boutique hotel, 12 food and retail pods plus a taproom



De Anza Motel, mostly reconstructed in 2019, but with the most important and historic elements restored and saved - 25 market-rate residential units, 15 extended-stay units, restaurant and commercial uses



University Lodge, under renovation and expansion now - 48-room boutique hotel to be known as The Avenue Hotel, added commercial space in a 3-story addition for microbrewery, restaurant and retail tenants



Monterey Motel, under renovation and expansion now - 18-room boutique hotel with upscale lounge and a 32-bed upscale hostel in a 2-story addtion



Downtowner Motor Inn, planned renovation - 135-room boutique hotel to be known as Arrive Albuquerque, with ground-floor amenities including cafe, bar and food truck court



Imperial Inn, planned renovation and expansion - 58-room boutique hotel, 16 market-rate residential units, food and retail pods and community spaces in two new structures

[ABQalex]

Downtown Albuquerque News reported today on the city's solicitation of a firm to do another study of a potential site for a soccer stadium in Albuquerque. The study will include the three locations already identified and asks for the firm to come up with more possible sites.

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

The study is to look at the impact and location of a 10,500-15,000 seat venue with possible art and cultural center, which is expected to include the participation of Meow Wolf in some way. Meow Wolf is a sponsor of the team. The city also says a project would ideally include other uses such as office, restaurant, retail and residential.

Below is a quote from the city's RFP for the study, which closed on October 2nd.

The vision for the project is a 10,500-15,000 seat multi-purpose stadium with a natural grass field designed for professional soccer. The project may also include an art/cultural center component which could house a variety of exhibits, art exhibits, cultural events, community events, and ideally the project could include commercial, retail, and/or housing components within the site.

The New Mexico United are in the USL Championship playoffs and will next play El Paso this weekend.

[bleuler]

Originally Posted by ABQalex

Downtown Albuquerque News reported today on the city's solicitation of a firm to do another study of a potential site for a soccer stadium in Albuquerque. The study will include the three locations already identified and asks for the firm to come up with more possible sites.

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

The study is to look at the impact and location of a 10,500-15,000 seat venue with possible art and cultural center, which is expected to include the participation of Meow Wolf in some way. Meow Wolf is a sponsor of the team. The city also says a project would ideally include other uses such as office, restaurant, retail and residential.

Below is a quote from the city's RFP for the study, which closed on October 2nd.



The New Mexico United are in the USL Championship playoffs and will next play El Paso this weekend.

This is amazing. Hope they keep to this design. I totally think they could push size to 20k though. May be cost prohibitive I guess

[ABQalex]

A neat video of the skybridge construction at The Highlands posted on Titan Development's Vimeo account this week.

Video Link

The latest videos posted over the past week of the Albuquerque Amazon fulfillment center construction. It's really coming together!

Video Link

Video Link

Video Link

[bleuler]

https://twitter.com/diadelobos/status/1319106851795922946?s=21

[ABQalex]

Originally Posted by bleuler

https://twitter.com/diadelobos/status/1319106851795922946?s=21

Wow! I'm thinking this has to be the Orion Center! The preliminary rendering with so much building space depicted, especially office space, makes me think it is indeed the Orion Center. The rendering certainly seems to depict a massive amount of space, so 3 million sq ft could be right. But if it's another project, then Albuquerque could be gearing up for huge economic announcements never before seen in its history. 15,000 jobs is an absolutely staggering number. We've had about that many announced by various companies since the beginning of 2018, nearly three years. To double that amount in one fell swoop would be absolutely incredible.

[bleuler]

Originally Posted by ABQalex

Wow! I'm thinking this has to be the Orion Center! The preliminary rendering with so much building space depicted, especially office space, makes me think it is indeed the Orion Center. The rendering certainly seems to depict a massive amount of space, so 3 million sq ft could be right. But if it's another project, then Albuquerque could be gearing up for huge economic announcements never before seen in its history. 15,000 jobs is an absolutely staggering number. We've had about that many announced by various companies since the beginning of 2018, nearly three years. To double that amount in one fell swoop would be absolutely incredible.

Totally. If 15 thousand direct jobs- this could maybe more than offset loss from oil and gas sector