Albuquerque Development Thread

[ABQalex]

The chances and opportunity to build a soccer stadium for the New Mexico United at 12th and I-40 have diminished greatly. Downtown Albuquerque News reported this morning about plans to build a QuikTrip facility on most of the prime, empty land at the site. This would be their first location in the state. They do face an uphill battle for approval of their plans, because they will need to have a special use permit for liquor sales within the current zoning. However, neighborhood opposition may not form, due to it being fairly removed from actual residential areas and in a mostly industrial area now.

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

New gas station, complete with liquor sales, is planned at Twelfth and I-40

QuikTrip, a chain of gas station and convenience store combos with over 1,000 locations in 17 states, is moving to open what looks to be its first New Mexico operation at the southwest corner of Twelfth and I-40.

In a letter sent to area neighborhood associations last week, a QuikTrip representative said the business was also seeking special exemptions to allow for "heavy vehicle fueling as well as nicotine and liquor retail sales." The requests for such exemptions had already been submitted to the city's Zoning Hearing Examiner, the letter said.

Liquor sales are a "conditional use" in the site's NR-BP zone, so obtaining permission will involve a special approval process and a public hearing. The applicant must show that such activity "will not be injurious to the adjacent property, the neighborhood, or the community," among other requirements.

New locations for liquor sales have been a particularly contentious issue across Greater Downtown for many years.

The site's immediate neighbors are mostly a collection of industrial operations and a PNM substation, but there is also a multi-use trail along I-40 to the north. The forthcoming Rail Trail is set to pass along the property's southern border.

Besides gas, the QuikTrip would offer some grocery items and a restaurant featuring tacos, sandwiches, pizza, and sub sandwiches, the letter said. 

QuikTrip has offered to meet with neighborhood groups to discuss the proposal further. That meeting had not yet been scheduled as of Friday afternoon, but at least three associations, including those in Wells Park, Sawmill, and the Near North Valley, were maneuvering to put one on the calendar.

A representative of QuikTrip did not immediately return a message seeking further comment Friday.

This is unfortunate news. While I'm glad to see a new and well-regarded brand such as QuikTrip come to the city and state, I don't want it to be located at this particular site. Even if a new soccer stadium never got built there, that location still represents a great opportunity to expand the Sawmill Area further and to have even more urban development and redevelopment take place within the heart of the city and along the Rail Trail. Something like this belongs in the more suburban areas, or on the fringes of the city, not smack dab in the middle of it.

The chances for a stadium anywhere other than Balloon Fiesta Park have actually been diminishing for the last couple of weeks. The mayor's and team's apparent preference and agreement to build the new stadium there have been in the news lately. Most recently, Albuquerque Business First reported about a presentation made to the Balloon Fiesta's board of directors at their regularly-scheduled meeting last week. The city and team apparently assured the Balloon Fiesta that any parking lost to the stadium's footprint would be replaced. That apparently was enough to get the Balloon Fiesta on board with the project, as they speak glowingly about the "improvements" that will be made to the park with this project.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquer...s-stadium.html

Officials from the City of Albuquerque, New Mexico United and Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta could be getting closer to finding common (landing) ground over the proposed soccer stadium.

A representative for Balloon Fiesta’s board of directors confirmed it accepted a request from the City of Albuquerque and New Mexico United to make a presentation during the board’s regularly scheduled Aug. 16 meeting.

When asked about the meeting, a statement was provided to Albuquerque Business First on behalf of Balloon Fiesta’s board:

"The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta’s Board of Directors met with representatives of the City of Albuquerque and New Mexico United to learn more about the impact of a potential United stadium on Balloon Fiesta’s operations.

"The Balloon Fiesta is pleased to have received assurances that parking spaces lost to stadium construction will be replaced and that the event will benefit from other critical infrastructure improvements to the park.

"The Balloon Fiesta’s leadership recognizes that neighborhoods are impacted by events held at any city owned facility and appreciate learning that efforts will be made by the city to address the impact of additional events at Balloon Fiesta Park.

"The Balloon Fiesta looks forward to learning more about the potential stadium project and working with those involved to ensure that the largest ballooning event in the world will continue to benefit our community with a much-improved event site."

The City also confirmed the meeting took place and told Business First via email, “The City did meet with the AIBF Board to answer questions about improvements to Balloon Fiesta Park. We will continue discussions with the board and community about the project.”

Last month during a NAIOP New Mexico luncheon, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller told the audience, “We’re not giving up and we’re going to do this stadium.” He doubled down on Balloon Fiesta Park as the site and said the goal was to break ground this winter.

The City initially floated Balloon Fiesta Park as a potential stadium location in March. At that time, Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta raised concerns over displaced parking spots impacting its annual event. But with this week’s board meeting, it appears Balloon Fiesta officials received “assurances” surrounding parking.

If a stadium does move forward, the City previously stated the development would be privately funded and the soccer club would lease the land from the City. State/City funds and capital outlay could be used for infrastructure improvements. The Mayor’s Office provided the following statement in July following Keller’s comments at the NAIOP luncheon to address questions around infrastructure.

"The state has granted the city $8.5 million for stadium infrastructure investment, and there’s an additional $5 million in capital outlay. The funds from the capital outlay would be used to build the necessary infrastructure like storm drainage, electrical, plumbing, compensatory parking spaces, etc."

Money was also allocated during this year’s legislative session for improvements specifically to Balloon Fiesta Park.

Albuquerque Business First back in April was one of the first to point out that a stadium at Balloon Fiesta Park was actually specifically prohibited and not allowed under its master plan that was first adopted back in 1998 and last updated in 2012. Any stadium will require changing and updating the master plan, which is a public process through the Environmental Planning Commission. The Balloon Fiesta stated at the time that they hadn't been consulted or even told about the plans for a stadium in the park at all.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquer...master-pl.html

Late last month, when City officials gathered at Balloon Fiesta Park to discuss the possibility of the Park as the future home of a New Mexico United soccer stadium, Albuquerque Major Tim Keller emphasized that many of these discussions were in their infancy.

But the Balloon Fiesta Park Master Development Plan, first drafted 25 years ago, could delay those early negotiations.

“An outdoor sports stadium is not allowed in the Balloon Fiesta Park,” states the document which was commissioned by the City of Albuquerque and released in December 1998.

The plan’s stated purpose is to guide future development of the park. It also says all future development of specific park elements must be consistent with the final approved version of the plan.

A 2012 update to the plan, which still bars a sports stadium, was signed by representatives from the City’s Transportation Division, the Parks and Recreation Department, the Environmental Health Department and the Planning Department.

In a statement to Albuquerque Business First, Albuquerque Parks and Recreation spokeswoman Franchesca Perdue said the department is aware the current plan doesn’t include an outdoor sports stadium and the City plans to update the master plan to better serve Albuquerque.

“The current Balloon Fiesta Park Master Development Plan is from 1998, and community needs have drastically changed over the past 25 years,” Perdue said. “It is not uncommon for master plans to be updated as conditions evolve.”

Last Friday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed House Bill 505 which allocates more than $7.3 million toward possible improvements at Balloon Fiesta Park. About $4.3 million is for improvements while another $3 million is earmarked for the construction of balloon landing sites.

Sam Parks, executive director of Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, said in a statement that the organization is grateful for the funding to improve the site. He said everything the organization currently knows about the proposed plan to build a sports stadium at the park has come from the news media.

“Not wanting to speculate, it is too early to even contemplate a sports stadium’s impact on the Balloon Fiesta,” he said.

Representatives from New Mexico United couldn't be reached for comment for this story but they have previously said they will not seek public money to fund a stadium's construction.

The city administration also recently laid out the process for changing the master plan to the city council. The city council has final say on the changes to master plans.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...-stadium-plan/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A better picture is coming to light of what it would take for the city to bring a United Soccer stadium to Balloon Fiesta Park.

Right now, the park’s master plan doesn’t allow for a stadium.

At Monday’s city council meeting, Chief Administrative Officer Lawrence Rael explained to councilors the steps necessary for a zoning change. Those steps would include meeting with surrounding neighborhoods and Balloon Fiesta managers, noise and traffic studies, and an environmental impact review.

If the change is approved, the city would lease the land to the team to build a privately-funded stadium.

Any public dollars used for the project, Rael said, would go toward general park improvements like water and sewer lines.

Two years ago, Albuquerque voters rejected a bond question that would have paid for a city-owned soccer stadium.

If anything is going to derail the plan for a soccer stadium at Balloon Fiesta Park it will be this process to change the master plan. Enough opposition from neighbors or on the city council would kill it. The mayor said recently that he wants to break ground on the stadium this winter. We shall see whether that will happen.

[ABQalex]

Here's some nice pictures of the skyline from various angles that I found from a poster on Flickr. They show many of the new structures that are dotting the skyline, including the Presbyterian and UNM Hospital towers, Markana Uptown, Monterey Place, etc. The pictures were taken on July 28th, just before the UNM Hospital cranes came down. Click the links below the pics to see them full size.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/tobias...77720300873587


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Here's another picture from a poster on Twitter of the skyline while the UNM Hospital tower cranes were still standing.

https://twitter.com/wareFLO/status/1660078910581907457


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FwnI9-0WwAEw75G.jpg:large

And here's a recent up-close pic of the project now that the tower cranes have come down, also from a poster on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/MDAndersonABQ/st...47911851728896


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F2-jRr_a0AA32M1.jpg:large

The UNM Hospital tower cranes came down but now there's a fairly large mobile crane on site for the construction. It first popped up about 10 days ago. The first picture below is from around that time and the second is from today.





Here are some more recent pics of the UNM Hospital expansion posted on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/garciamarty...iuqiRgiVxkt1xl







UNM last week also posted a video showing the new helipad on top of the new tower.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CwBVdWIuCG4/



And here's KRQE's story about the new helipad, which included views of the tower.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...s-to-services/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) is eager to help critical patients with expanded helipad options. The hospital will add a helipad to the Critical Care Tower (CCT) facility. The helipad will provide an access point for patients flown in from across New Mexico.

“The new helipad on the CCT will greatly improve patient outcomes because it will reduce time and increase access to our services,” Robert Perry, the director of emergency preparedness and the Dispatch Center at UNMH, said in a press release.

Since 2007, there’s been only one helipad at the hospital. UNMH says the pad regularly receives over 1,000 landings a year. Now, an additional helipad will help expand services.

“The Critical Care Tower will stack several services on top of one another under the helipad,” Perry said. “An elevator will take patients from the helipad down to the emergency department, radiology, operating rooms, or the intensive care units. This new system is going to eliminate a lot of movement and time across the hospital.”

The helipad will come with modern features, such as a snow-melting system, and an automatic emergency fire suppression feature. The site will also have space for a third helipad if UNMH needs to expand in the future. UNMH says the Critical Care Tower is set to be finished sometime in late 2024.

“By having this second helipad at our campus its going to allow us to take care more patients from across New Mexico and across the southwest,” said Makenzie McNeill, communications manager for campus development at UNM.

“This new helipad is a big win for not only the people of New Mexico and our community here in Albuquerque but for everyone across the southwest,” said McNeill.

[ABQalex]

The Rail Trail project was featured on ArchDaily today. The story includes better quality renderings of Antoine Predock's visioning for the project that was revealed last month. (Click the links below the images for the original size and quality from ArchDaily.)

https://www.archdaily.com/1005886/an...que-new-mexico

Architect Antoine Predock has unveiled his vision for the Albuquerque Rail Trail, a multi-use trail that will connect key destinations in the greater downtown area of New Mexico’s largest city. The project set out to combine the utility of pedestrian and bicycle pathways with the culture and history of the lands, encouraging healthy recreation, cultural expression and economic development. The Rail Trail project is of the Mayor’s Institute on City Design, Just City Mayoral Fellowship.

The 7-mile Rail Trails Loop is designed to connect a number of key destinations in the downtown area of Albuquerque, including the National Hispanic Cultural Center, the Old Town, BioPark, and the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. To encourage the development of local economy, various activities are proposed along the multi-modal transportation route.

Through its design, the Rail Trails aims to become a mechanism for storytelling, reflecting the complex culture and history of the land. To achieve this, Predock defined distinct zones throughout the length of the trails, describing them as “auras.” Each aura is a celebration of a different aspect of the larger context. The auras contain “plazitas,” spaces along the path to serve as access points and gathering sports for the community. Each plazita will also include a digital expression of the zone, featuring music, people, foods, and the broader “story of us.”

The auras along the trail highlight various aspects, including the Rio Grande, the old town representative for the Spanish Colonial era, the iconic Route 66, and the Barelas, one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city that grew as a result of the railroad coming to Albuquerque. Since its beginning, the city developed at the crossroads of different cultures, from indigenous trade routes to colonial expansion and modern-era developments. The architect also chose to place a recognizable image at the center of the design: the ever-present tumbleweed, which can be seen rolling down the road, an image enshrined in pop culture. These native plants have come to represent resilience and the ability to be both grounded and move forward, as they lay down roots and keep moisture in the ground before transforming themselves.

"Beginning with Enchantment Plaza and culminating with that auspicious American crossroads moment at Central Crossing where US Route 66 was joined by the railroad, the Rail Trail reveals layers of the Land of Enchantment. The intense polychrome graphics on the trail’s surface at each stop along the eight-mile circle tell the story of the neighborhoods, and of Albuquerque, summing up the Land of Enchantment." - Antoine Predock

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[ABQalex]

Yesterday KRQE had a story about the Downtown Growers Market/Three Sisters Kitchen indoor marketplace project, which has received a $200,000 matching grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. It seems the project has been officially named as the "Local Food Campus"

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...rowers-market/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A Local Food Campus, developed by Three Sisters Kitchen and the Downtown Growers’ Market, is expected to come to Downtown Albuquerque. The campus will present opportunities for food entrepreneurs, a place for locals to shop, an event space, classrooms, and 45 new jobs – all while supporting food-insecure households with $500,000 in annual food assistance.

The project has been funded with $200,000 from the U.S. Economic Development Administration; that funding will also be matched locally by several Albuquerque and New Mexico groups. The Downtown Local Food Campus is expected to bring in over $2 million annually in sales.

Three Sisters Kitchen (TSK) is an Albuquerque non-profit that has been working toward providing locally produced foods to “nourish our community from the ground up.” The Downtown Grower’s Market has been hosting an average of 200 vendors each year and has only been growing since its start in 1996.

“We are excited to build a Downtown Local Food Campus that celebrates the bounty of New Mexico and brings community together around the table to build a vibrant and accessible local food economy.” - Three Sisters Kitchen Executive Director Anzia Bennett

Through the collaboration of these two groups, Albuquerque will be getting its first year-round growers’ market. The site of the planned food campus has not yet been announced, but KRQE News 13 will provide updates as plans are released.

Here's the link to the official announcement of the grant on the New Mexico Economic Development Department's website. The announcement links to a PDF file with more information, including that a location for the project will be announced soon, which the story above also hints at/mentions.

https://edd.newmexico.gov/pr/three-s...-round-market/

This all comes after they ran into issues with purchasing the old Cafe Oaxaca site at 10th and Central. Downtown Albuquerque News had reported earlier this year that the purchase had run into a snag with the owner.

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

Growers' market's purchase of Café Oaxaca property looks iffy, but a backup plan is ready

A plan to expand the activities of the Downtown Growers' Market into a year-round operation in new buildings near Robinson Park (DAN, 8/1/22) may not wind up in its Plan A location, but a Plan B is in the works and could move forward within weeks.

Lola Bird, who is working on the project through the group DowntownABQ MainStreet, told the Downtown Neighborhoods Association's annual meeting last week that negotiations with the owner of the property at the northwest corner of Tenth and Central - the former Café Oaxaca  - had amounted to "a really tricky situation" that may or may not end in a sale.

"We are ready to go," Bird said. "The big issue right now - the big hiccup - is the land."

But the expansion effort, which is a partnership of the growers' market and Three Sisters Kitchen, has found a backup property very close by, Bird said. While not identifying the land in question, she added that "I can tell you the second option is a great option."

The Café Oaxaca property is owned by a Taos-area resident called Hil Davidson. He is also the former owner of the property on University on which the former Spearmint Rhino club was located.

I'm hoping maybe the new site will be the empty lot on Gold Avenue between 7th and 8th streets. When this project first came to light and they said that they were looking for a plot near the existing outdoor market site at Robinson Park, I immediately thought of this empty parcel. I believe the city owns it and that it was purchased for eventual redevelopment, although I could be wrong on that. Nonetheless, it is currently used during the monthly Art Walk as a pop-up site for vendors and sometimes as an overflow, unimproved surface parking lot.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CvaO19MLAIB/?img_index=2



The feasibility study for the Artspace project was also released earlier this year, which found that a project would work in Downtown Albuquerque. A market study is now being done to determine the size and scope of what the Albuquerque project can support, which is supposed to be released soon.

https://abqmainstreet.us11.list-mana...3&e=acb1615f67

In the feasibility study they mention that the Artspace project could be a collaboration with an arts or community-focused organization that would also be integrated into the project as a use. I immediately thought that the indoor marketplace project could be a candidate for such a collaboration.

At the time, I was thinking that the Artspace project could be added to the vision for the Cafe Oaxaca site as the residential component and third structure that I envisioned could replace the parking and service area portion of the western end of the site.



Now that it looks like this particular site and vision won't come to fruition, I think a mixed-use, multi-level structure could be developed for Artspace and the indoor marketplace/Local Food Campus at the site on Gold Avenue. It's an entire half-block, so it has plenty of room for all of this to come to fruition. I hope that something like this may develop and come from these two initiatives!

[ABQalex]

The coworking space atop Albuquerque Plaza that was announced last year has been completed and apparently renamed from "The Firm" to Heritage Ascent. The Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance posted the photos of the space below on LinkedIn yesterday.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update...2264216367105/











They also link to Heritage Real Estate's website, where it looks like another coworking space is planned in the Sawmill Area.

https://www.heritagerec.com/properti...eritage-ascent

Here's a nice aerial picture of Albuquerque Plaza from the Heritage Real Estate website.

https://www.heritagerec.com/



Pictures of the renovation work being done at the Clyde Hotel have also been posted on LinkedIn in recent months. Below are those pics from the hotel's interior designer, as well as a few more from posters to Google, and a couple more from AREA and the hotel itself on Instagram.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update...3952339865600/



https://www.instagram.com/p/CvIk1wAPN9M/





https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update...0358667489280/











https://www.instagram.com/p/CvIFDW5MWTV/



Images hosted on Google













The Starbucks location seen in the pic above recently closed and it looks like it will be replaced by a more locally-flavored coffee shop.

[ABQalex]

Albuquerque has been named as one of ten cities participating in a national infrastructure improvement program called i3, or the Innovative Infrastructure Initiative, by the Accelerator for America organization. It seems the city is working on restoring the Sunport rail spur in order to leverage economic development along its route.

The short description below about the Albuquerque project makes me wonder if using the spur for the Rail Runner is also an aim and possibility for this project. I've always hoped and thought that the city and state should use the spur to directly connect the airport to the Rail Runner. It will be interesting to find out more of what this partnership and project will entail!

https://www.acceleratorforamerica.or...ural-i3-cohort

This week Accelerator for America (AFA) announced the inaugural cohort of 10 cities participating in the Innovative Infrastructure Initiative (i3), which is an AFA partnership with Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners (SIP) to help cities accelerate transformative infrastructure projects by providing technical assistance and peer learning. The cohort cities convened for the first time today.

The i3 cohort cities are:

• Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Chattanooga, Tennessee
• Johnson County, Kansas
• Kansas City, Missouri
• Lansing, Michigan
• Louisville, Kentucky
• Riverside, California
• San Diego, California
• Scranton, Pennsylvania
• Tulsa, Oklahoma

“Our i3 initiative isn’t just about helping these 10 cities. We know that our collective work will identify and develop innovative ways for cities across the country, and of all sizes, to deliver modern infrastructure projects that strengthen families, communities and economies,” said Mary Ellen Wiederwohl, President and CEO of Accelerator for America.


"We are excited to welcome these 10 communities into i3's inaugural cohort in partnership with Accelerator for America," said David Gilford, Head of Policy and Strategic Partnerships at SIP. "These projects are poised to create accessible, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure, and we look forward to helping each community leverage innovation to bring their visions to life."

The cities’ projects include converting city facilities to solar power, comprehensive electric vehicle charging infrastructure deployment, development of tech-enabled multimodal transportation hubs, significant community and economic development projects, innovative reuse of public land, and much more.

...

Albuquerque is joining the i3 to continue the growth of the Albuquerque International Sunport, and how it can serve as a hub for multimodal transportation and the city’s overall interconnectivity.

"The City of Albuquerque is grateful to be part of Accelerator for America's i3 cohort to engage experts, learn best practices, and advance our planning efforts for a multi-modal development project at the Albuquerque International Sunport,” said Mayor Tim Keller of Albuquerque. “The rehabilitation of the Sunport rail spur and the development of the surrounding property will help us reimagine advanced transportation connectivity and encourage economic development in the region.”

...

[ABQalex]

The city council tonight is considering legislation to study consolidating ABQ Ride and Rio Metro, which runs the buses and shuttles that feed into the Rail Runner and also serve outlying communities in the metro area, such as Los Lunas. The bill's sponsor, Councilor Benton, says it will save money and also help with the current driver and maintenance worker shortage that is affecting service in the city.

Note that the story below is a bit wrong. Rio Metro is not a division of the city, rather it is an independent agency which covers Bernalillo, Sandoval and Valencia counties and has taxing and bonding authority within those counties to help pay for transit service within them. It also receives and is eligible for state and federal transportation grants.

Rio Metro also operates the Rail Runner, but I'm not sure whether that service and operation would be included in the proposed consolidation. I haven't had a chance to read through the entire legislation, which is embedded in the KRQE report below. For the Rail Runner, Rio Metro expands into other counties such as Socorro and Taos with shuttle buses, etc., as well as Santa Fe County with the actual Rail Runner service.

Because of that I don't believe service outside of buses and shuttles in the three metro Albuquerque counties of Rio Metro would be included in the proposed consolidation.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...sit-divisions/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Albuquerque City Council is looking into consolidating its transit divisions. A new bill proposed by Councilor Isaac Benton would conduct a study on merging ABQ Ride and Rio Metro.

According to the bill, consolidating transportation divisions in other parts of the country led to reduced costs, improved the maintenance of city buses, and simplified bus schedules.

The bill is set to be introduced Wednesday. City council meets at 5 p.m. in council chambers.

[ABQalex]

Also tonight, the Albuquerque City Council was scheduled to formally vote on accepting the $25 million federal grant for the Uptown Transit Center project. The grant was officially revealed back at the beginning of July. Below are a few pics from that event and a story from KOB-TV of the grant announcement. The announcement also included a separate $18 million federal grant that the city received for electric buses.

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/albuq...ransit-center/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Federal, state and city leaders came together Thursday to talk about their vision for the Albuquerque Rapid Transit system, ART.

“When we put in the ART project, it might have been a little ahead of its time,” Mayor Tim Keller said.

The mayor said the city is finally poised to catch up with that vision.

“At the end of the day, it was about connecting things, not just about a bus route,” Keller said. “That’s never what it was about. It was about creating a live, work, play situation that was affordable, that was accessible.”

The city is receiving a $25 million grant to make major upgrades at the Uptown Transit Center.

The money will be used to build six bus docks, protected waiting areas, underground parking, improved signage, and security – as well as two new towers that will have affordable housing and retail space.

The federal funding was made possible through major infrastructure bills passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden.

“This is not your run-of-the-mill, little ice tea project that comes along every five years on transit,” said Sen. Martin Heinrich. “This is an investment in infrastructure that we have not seen in the United States of America since the interstate highway system was created.”

In addition to the money for the overhaul of the Uptown Transit Center, Albuquerque is also getting $18 million to buy 20 electric buses and charging equipment.

Officials said that while there are issues with safety and security that will be tackled in the short term, this major investment in development now will benefit everyone for years to come.

Here's another story from KOB-TV in early July when the UTC announcement was made which talked about the plans for development in Uptown. It offered views of the various construction projects going in Uptown right now.

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/albuq...s-uptown-area/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — City leaders just announced new safety measures to tackle retail crime in the Uptown area, and there are new investments in Uptown’s transit system that includes more housing for the area.

One apartment complex behind the Marriot off of Indian School is almost finished up, and there are also more construction sites across the area – even behind the Winrock Town Center.

“As a longtime resident of Albuquerque, you know, seeing a lot of things change and moving in a direction that a lot of bigger cities have that we haven’t had for a long time, it’s super exciting,” said Nick Lott, the general manager of Slapfish at Winrock.

The city received $25 million to make upgrades to the Uptown Transit Center. The funding comes from major infrastructure bills passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden.

“400 housing units, in an awesome part of town, a diverse part of town, now going to have affordable housing with free buses,” Mayor Tim Keller said.

Winrock is still developing into a major hub for shopping and entertainment.

Here also is a nice recent picture from a nearby real estate listing showing Uptown in the distance. You can especially spot the Markana Uptown project, but the Element Hotel and dual-branded hotel at Winrock are visible as well. Check out the full size image link below the embedded pic to get a better view.

https://www.apartments.com/2001-alva...ue-nm/hqqdhn1/


https://images1.apartments.com/i2/ze...ding-photo.jpg

An interesting item before the Development Facilitation Team right now is a request to physically separate (with fencing) and release a parcel of land in Uptown from its controlling site plan. The parcel is the empty lot at 6401 Uptown Boulevard NE. This lot was listed for sale/long term lease in the last couple of years and it looks like this action may be in order to prepare it for development.

https://dmdmaps.cabq.gov/DRB/PR-2023...lication-1.pdf





I wonder if this might even be that 287-unit podium housing project for Coronado Center that FBT Architects revealed that they were working on in the Civic North RFP. Below is one of the real estate listings for the property where they highlighted and showed the possibility for a multilevel structure on the site. I hope it is some kind of housing or mixed-use project that gets developed here!

https://www.rofo.com/commercial-real...NE-164794.html





Another item before the DFT right now is a request by Legacy Development to add another floor and 39 units to the Markana Flats project in Uptown. The changes will include adding a partial underground parking level as well. There is no neighborhood opposition and it looks like it will be approved. Below is a link to the request and various images showing the added floor and changed layout/site plan for the ramp to the new underground parking level. The changes are highlighted in red.

https://dmdmaps.cabq.gov/DRB/PR-2021...%20Plan%20DFT/













This is really cool and great news! And it follows what they did with the Markana Uptown by adding a floor and units there as well.

[ABQalex]

Legacy Development has purchased the Marriott Pyramid North hotel in North I-25. They announced it yesterday on their social media accounts and now the Albuquerque Journal has reported about it and details their plans for a $22 million renovation of the property. No word on whether they will keep the distinctive and somewhat controversial coloring of the exterior.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/legac...028688384-d3VK

https://www.abqjournal.com/business/...371edc934.html

Local real estate investment firm Legacy Development & Management has acquired the Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North, one of Albuquerque’s most distinguishable buildings, and will invest millions of dollars to renovate the hotel.

The purchase price was not disclosed but Aleem Kassam, the president and CEO of Legacy, said the company acquired the 310-room hotel from Atrium Hospitality on Sept. 8.

“We are thrilled to add this premier Marriott hotel to our portfolio,” Kassam said in a statement. “The Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North is a trophy asset located within a thriving commercial corridor. Its contemporary rooms, upscale amenities and dedication to superior service align perfectly with our mission to provide memorable experiences for every guest.”

The hotel, located at 5151 San Francisco NE in the Journal Center, will undergo a complete renovation expected to cost $22 million and span up to two years.

The renovation will see upgrades to guest rooms, bathrooms and the conference center. It will add new restaurant and bar concepts, a Marriott M Lounge, a new pool and a state-of-the-art fitness center “in addition to exterior improvements and updated landscaping,” Kassam said.

“Our plan is to renovate and modernize the entire hotel while keeping the Pyramid’s distinct southwestern style intact,” Kassam said.

Legacy, founded in 1978, made a big splash last year when it purchased Hotel Andaluz from Albuquerque-based Goodman Realty Group. Legacy has over a dozen hotels across New Mexico, Washington and Canada — and five hotels in the planning and design phase.

The company also maintains a portfolio of office spaces and multi-family developments.

[ABQalex]

Albuquerque Business First's New Mexico Inno has a look at a renovation project taking place at Glorieta Station. A new space is being created for Roadrunner Venture Studios in one of the former warehouse structures at the site. The story includes a gallery of pics showing the work done so far.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquer...que-space.html

In late June, Albuquerque and the wider New Mexico technology and innovation community were introduced to Roadrunner Venture Studios, an upstart organization that wants to find promising research and development at the state's national laboratories and universities and spin it into commercially viable companies.

Months after the community showcase, Roadrunner is on the fast track to opening its first venture studio in Albuquerque. It's currently under construction at Glorieta Station, a multi-acre redevelopment project at the north end of Albuquerque's Innovation District — an area that spans from Central Avenue north to Lomas Boulevard, bordered by Broadway Boulevard to the east and the railroad track that runs through Downtown Albuquerque to the west.

The approximately 10,000-square-foot studio is on track to open this December. Roadrunner is leasing the studio space from Garcia Realty Group, which owns the building at where the studio will be housed.

A slew of local firms are working on the studio. Roadrunner tapped SMPC Architects to lead the studio's architecture and design. AIC is the project's general contractor, and Five Ton Monkey is contributing some fabrication work for the studio.

And to help with the venture studio's design, Roadrunner selected Ground Up, a multidisciplinary creative studio based in New York that specializes in the built environment. Karen Zabarsky Blashek founded the agency about two years ago.

"We really see the space — as opposed to being just kind of another incubator or another coworking space — as a piece of the much bigger narrative of innovation in New Mexico," Zabarsky Blashek said. "We see ourselves in the context of that unbelievable legacy of innovation."

For instance, Zabarsky Blashek said the designers took inspiration from New Mexico's well-known national laboratories, including Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories. Those labs have elements that are "larger than life," which could help inspire those working in the studio, she added.

One example of such design choices surrounds the studio's planned event area — what Zabarsky Blashek called "the heart of the space." That area was originally tucked away in a corner of the studio.

"We brought it out to be the first thing that kind of hits you in the face as soon as you walk in," she said. "Because from my perspective this history of innovation in New Mexico, of course it belongs to the scientists and the innovators who created it, but it also very much belongs in the public imagination."

It's part of Zabarsky Blashek's hope to create a connection between a public gathering area just outside Roadrunner's studio and the interior of the studio itself. Plans call for a small display space just off the event area where people can peek through windows to check out art or pieces of technology, she said.

While the front half of the studio will be more public-facing, the back half will be a bit quieter, taken up by office space for incubator companies, closed meeting areas and a large, glass-enclosed conference room. A workshopping area will also be included, plus small private spaces for phone calls.

Its location as part of the Innovation District in Downtown Albuquerque is intentional, said Sandra Hirschberg, an advisor to Roadrunner Venture Studios. Glorieta Station, where the studio will be housed, is across from the WESST Enterprise Center and down the street from the Lobo Rainforest Building and the FatPipe ABQ Coworking Space. It's also not too far from Nob Hill, where Q Station, an Air Force Research Laboratory-backed collaborative space, is located, Hirschberg pointed out.

"There's just so much more geographic synergy that we're able to create in the arena for everybody," she said. "It's nice to have that feeling that more happens when we're closer together."

A venture studio works differently than a typical venture capital firm, Adam Hammer, Roadrunner's president, told Albuquerque Business First in late June. Instead of putting money into existing companies in return for some stake in those companies, venture studios act to build startups from the ground up by extracting fresh technologies still in the research and development phase.

Roadrunner, in particular, wants to help build "deep tech" startups in New Mexico. Those could span different sectors, from space technology to advanced manufacturing to high-performance computing.

The venture studio could employ around 10 people full time, plus some part-time advisory staff once fully operational, and it would look to invest money into early funding rounds of startups in the state, Hammer said.

Official renderings of Roadrunner's venture studio are still in development but could be released in coming weeks, a spokesperson for the organization told Business First.

Downtown Albuquerque News also recently had a story about the Garcias and why they move at a glacial pace redeveloping all the properties that they own. A good answer never really was given beyond general platitudes about 'wanting to do things right'

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

Why don't the Garcias develop their extensive property holdings faster? They want to do it right, one brother says.

People who own vacant or partially occupied properties in the Downtown core tend to fall into one of two categories. In category one, there are those who - for a variety of reasons - seem to be in no hurry to fill those vacancies (or find someone who can) and are not particularly fired up about the role that could play in improving the look and feel of the core. Once example is Frankie Veronda, the owner of the Kress Building, who has expressed skepticism that Downtown can ever be revitalized (DAN, 3/17/22). The Church of Scientology, which put the adjacent Gizmo Building on the market years ago but has passed up at least two offers since (DAN, 1/17/23), is another.

Category two is made up of people who waste no time getting teams of contractors out to properties the second the ownership paperwork is made official. Mark Baker, the owner of the 505 Food Hall, who is in the middle of converting a former convent at Seventh and Copper into apartments, is one example. So is the group behind Ex Novo Brewing's recent acquisition of the former Firestone at Seventh and Central. Both projects are definitely designed to make a profit, but a deep desire to make Downtown a better place is also a factor, those involved have said.

Then there's a third group of people who are very much pro-Downtown, pro-revitalization, and see themselves as playing an important role in making it happen, but who nonetheless do not appear to be in a big hurry. The family behind Garcia Automotive pretty much has that category all to themselves.

The Garcias, who have deep roots in the Duranes neighborhood, maintain extensive holdings in the core and elsewhere, including the First Plaza Galeria and office buildings at Fifth and Tijeras. They also own the Rosenwald Building, the former Skip Maisel's, the former Southwestern Brewery and Ice Company, and Copper Square - all of which are largely or completely vacant. Most of the land fronting the railroad tracks between Lomas and Marquette is also theirs, and it includes a vacant cantina and the beginnings of a distillery/winery that seemed well on its way to obtaining a liquor license in the summer of 2022 but has yet to open (DAN, 6/29/22). A sign on Lomas for Neon Park, an outdoor collection of Route 66 memorabilia, has advertised the attraction as "coming soon" for at least three years.

Among the group of developers, business owners, government officials, and particularly plugged-in residents that collectively serve as an informal Downtown booster club, this state of affairs has been the subject of much grumbling in recent years. There is simultaneously eager anticipation about what the Garcias could do and bewilderment about why they have not already done it.

Carlos Garcia - who serves as the public face of the family's real estate efforts along with his brother Ed - has heard it all before.

"Everybody would like to go faster," he said. "I wish it were all done, too."

The Garcias' preferred process, however, is more deliberative and hands-on.

"It's about the right tenant and the right space at the right time," he said. Also, "We hand-pick every single finish, so it takes a little bit longer."

Carlos Garcia also rejects the idea that somehow nothing much is happening with the family portfolio. He points to the recent installation of Pland Collaborative (formerly MRWM Landscape Architects) in a building at First and Roma. As part of a larger emphasis on First Street, they have also brought Build With Robots to the area and are in the process of welcoming Roadrunner Venture Studios as well. The family likewise has some "really cool ideas" for the Rosenwald Building, he said. They are also trying for new residential units at First Plaza Galeria, though skyrocketing costs are making that difficult.

Garcia projects are also happening elsewhere in Greater Downtown. The new Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union going up just north of Rio Grande and I-40 is part of a larger development of the family's land in that area (DAN, 1/3/23). And of course, it was just last year that they recruited NBC Universal to Albuquerque and installed them in Martineztown.

But those high-profile wins have done little to tamp down the grumbling - if anything, they may have whetted appetites for more. Nobody is counting on the Church of Scientology to recruit a major new employer to the Gizmo Building, but when it comes to deeply rooted locals who care and know how to make things happen, it seems much more is expected.

By all accounts, including Carlos's, the family shares those high hopes for making Downtown a better place. But, he said, "We can only do so many at a time at the level we want to do it."

I want to comment about the bits about the Church of Scientology. People should know/remember that the Church of Scientology once had grand plans to completely renovate the Gizmo building/old JCPenney store into their local headquarters about 10-15 years ago. However, our idiot leaders sided with those who were opposed to the church and denied them a special use permit and the renovation plan.

In recent months DAN and groups such as the Downtown Arts & Cultural District have publicly shamed them for not doing anything with the building and also for apparently asking for exorbitant sums to sell the building whenever they've been approached by interested buyers, such as Mark Baker. I think those actions by the Church of Scientology are wrong, but we should not forget that they were wronged all those years ago as well. They wanted to do something with the building. They are a controversial group, but our city shouldn't have denied their renovation project.

[ABQalex]

Here are a few renderings and links to animated fly-through renderings for a couple of structures at the new Albuquerque National Cemetery. They depict the administrative and public information/welcome structure and what looks like a pavilion for funeral or other ceremonies. They were posted on Instagram this past weekend by an architect working on the project.

Administration/Public Information Center Building

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw_dlIKtALj/ (animated fly-through)

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw_dZyQtG50/



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



https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw_dd2ytSSs/



Service Committal Shelter

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw_f0dwNvWU/ (animated fly-through)

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



https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw_ff5aNPiu/



https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw_fi57N7v8/



https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw_fmB6tKWz/



https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw_fv7dN0qA/



I'm eager to see the layout and site plan for the new cemetery. I wonder if it's going to follow the tradition of other national cemeteries in having upright stones with the diagonal effect of perfect rows of plots. I also wonder what kind of landscaping it will have and whether there will be the other hallmarks of national cemeteries, the grassy lawns and shady trees. I'm thinking they're gonna make it as xeric as possible with native plants and trees in the areas outside of the actual burial zones. The renderings above give a hint as to that. But perhaps that style of landscaping will extend to the burial zones as well.

[ABQalex]

Downtown Albuquerque News this morning has a story about the failed/canceled Greater Downtown Housing RFEI. They have a quote from the city's MRA director saying that it was canceled because they didn't receive the kind or number of proposals that they hoped for and that they also wanted them to be in Downtown proper. This excuse and reasoning seems bunk to me. Why didn't they limit the RFEI to the MRAs in Downtown proper if that's where they wanted the proposals to be located? It just reeks of yet more incompetence and horrible leadership.

The city also says that the projects weren't "shovel-ready" yet all of the proposals stated that they wanted to get underway as soon as this year or early next year if possible. The only one that had a possible impediment to that was the Titan proposal, due to the tenant situation with its property. Adding years and doubt to all these proposals with this cancelation of the RFEI helps nothing at all in the city when it comes to revitalization and adding housing units as quickly as possible. All this does is throw into question these projects and their combined 572 units of housing.

As for that, the story also delves into the status and possible next steps for the projects now, without this financial help from the city.

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

City pulls Downtown area housing incentive, leaving three projects to seek other funding options

Last November, the city sent a message to would-be housing developers in Greater Downtown. It took the form of a mundane and highly technical document called a request for expressions of interest, but the upshot was clear enough: We hear you're interested in building in the city center, it telegraphed. We might be interested in helping, and we have $3 million to spend. Hit us with your best shot.

The same sort of approach has worked in recent years, helping to bring the renovation of a former convent at Seventh and Copper and the forthcoming Downtowner apartment complex (Second and Silver - DAN, 3/10/23) to fruition. So they published the document and waited for the responses to come in.

"Based on what we'd been hearing anecdotally, we thought we'd get 10-12," said Terry Brunner, the director of the city's Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency.

It didn't quite turn out that way. Three proposals came in, and Brunner described them as "not quite as close to shovel-ready as we wanted and not as close to the core as we wanted." In June, he pulled the plug.

For the city, that means it's back to the drawing board as it attempts to figure out just what - or how much - it will take to get developers to build in the Downtown core. For the organizations that did put their ideas out there, the hunt for financing - a complicated business even before the high interest rates, cost increases, and material shortages of recent times - looks set to continue.

"We're looking elsewhere for other subsidy opportunities," said Jaime Jaramillo, the real estate development planning director of Homewise, which had proposed a project called Railyard Square at Second and Hazeldine in Barelas. It is "still a priority for us," she added.

Developer Chad Rennaker, meanwhile, had proposed a 315-unit complex across Central from El Vado called La Curva. With a key source of funding off the table, he characterized its status as "on hold."

The third project, called Allaso Sawmill, is an effort by Titan Development to put up 199 units on a four-acre property it recently purchased there. Josh Rogers, a senior vice president at Titan, declined to comment on the status of the project, but the proposal's paperwork makes clear that the builder is very interested in the Sawmill area.

"The development team has spent considerable time over the past five years trying to find a development site in the Sawmill area," it notes. The parcel is presently occupied by Rugby Architectural Products, which "currently has three years remaining on their lease, and upon expiration (unless a buyout can occur sooner) Titan will be looking to redevelop the site into an incredible multi-family building with ground floor retail."

The proposal also makes clear that the developer views the forthcoming Rail Trail (cheat sheet), which would pass nearby, as a serious perk, calling it "an extremely important part of the redevelopment and future connectivity of the area" that will allow residents to "quickly access the trail to visit important areas of our city."

Whether in the Downtown core or elsewhere, housing is thought to be key to revitalization efforts because it effectively installs a potent customer base in a small area. That in turn can bolster existing businesses and lead to the creation of new ones, all the while increasing foot traffic on area streets.

La Curva by Palindrome Communities - 315 residential units + 18,000 sq ft commercial space



Allaso Sawmill by Titan Development - 199 residential units + 1,000 sq ft commercial space



Railyard Square by Homewise - 58 residential units + 10,000 sq ft commercial space



Map showing locations of the three proposals



I really have to laugh and shake my head at MRA director Terry Brunner saying he thought they'd get 10-12 proposals for this RFEI. I'm amazed and thankful that they got any at all with the crappy way they've been running and sabotaging these RFPs and RFEIs in the past few years. They should be ashamed, and really need to make an effort to fix the way they operate.

But first it seems they need to realize that they are the problem here. You can't continue to just toss aside good proposals and abruptly cancel these RFPs and RFEIs. You also can't continue to waste time in such a manner. Our city can't afford to delay progress for years because of this sort of incompetence and fumbling around.

[ABQalex]

For some further context about the Greater Downtown Housing RFEI, here's a post that I made over at SSC at the beginning of the month where I shared information that I received about the proposals from the city via a FOIA request. Unfortunately, I never got a chance to post it here as well before this new story by Downtown Albuquerque News today:

I recently submitted a FOIA request for the Greater Downtown Housing RFEI submissions and I've now received the files. The RFEI was canceled of course, but I still wanted to see the submissions and which companies/organizations responded. We already knew that Palindrome had submitted the La Curva project on the Motel 21 site. And now it's revealed that the other two submissions came from Titan Development and Homewise.

The Titan Development submission is proposed for their recently-purchased property on 18th Street in the Sawmill Area. The project will be called Allaso Sawmill and will have 199 residential units and 1,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space in a 5-story building. In their submittal they say that the project might be able to get underway next year if they can negotiate an early end to the current lease for the commercial structure that occupies the site. If not, then the project wouldn't get underway until the end of that lease in 2026.







The Homewise project is called Railyard Square and is proposed for their property on 2nd Street in Barelas next to the Rail Yards that they previously considered for their collaboration with the Street Food Institute. The project would consist of 58 for-sale housing units and 10,000 sq ft of commercial space along 2nd Street and Hazeldine Avenue. The structures would be 2 and 3 stories and would include structured parking.









The La Curva project from Palindrome was already known and there wasn't really anything new revealed in their submittal. The one interesting and notable thing is that only a portion of the project was submitted, the portion directly on the old Motel 21 site. It would have 142 residential units and 15,000 sq ft of commercial space. However, they state that project could be even larger with the addition of the adjacent property, which they describe as being a likely proposition. They also say that the additional portion of the project would be submitted to the city's 2023 Affordable Housing RFP. I plan to submit a FOIA request for the submissions to that RFP in the near future as well. I'll be sure to share anything I might receive from the city here with you all.





















With the RFEI's cancelation there's sure to be questions about all of these projects and whether they will go forward. I'm sure the Titan project will continue, but probably will end up taking years to come to fruition. The La Curva project will also probably still happen, but there's the question of how big it will end up being. The Homewise project is the one that I'm not sure whether it will end up happening now that the RFEI has been canceled.

It's annoying and disappointing that the RFEI was canceled. My only hope is that there's a reason, and perhaps something is going on behind the scenes where all these projects will ultimately get help from the city in coming to fruition. Perhaps they will apply for the tax abatements or other new redevelopment financing mechanisms that the city has introduced.

As a bonus, here's a nice aerial picture of the Sawmill Area from the Palindrome submission to the RFEI where they list their experience and previous projects. I only wish it was larger and a higher resolution, but it helps visualize the area. It's incredible to contemplate how much the area might change and grow with all these projects. I really hope they all come to fruition!

That last bit above with the pic of the Sawmill Area was also in response to a conversation and speculation in the thread at SSC about the status of the Sawmill District projects. It was pointed out that two of the commercial tenants moved out of the warehouse structures that are slated to be demolished for the construction of the new apartment and hotel buildings. Mama's Minerals moved to the Avanyu Plaza project and Spurline Supply Company is on hiatus and scheduled to be a tenant in one of the new structures of the Sawmill District. Posters wondered whether this meant that the new buildings would begin construction relatively soon.

In response to that I also posted about the Sawmill Arts Center project and wondered about its status as well.

I really hope the Sawmill District projects happen. I also wonder what's going on with the Sawmill Arts Center project that was going to include a housing component. Downtown Albuquerque News yesterday had an item about the director of 516 Arts leaving her position. They just briefly mentioned the arts center project but didn't really give any update as to its status. I'm hoping the turnover in leadership won't negatively affect the plans for the project. It's been over two years since it was originally revealed.

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

Below are a link and some screenshots from a PDF file for their capital campaign. It has a date of January this year, so it looks like the campaign and plan is still ongoing. One of the pages gives a timeline of February 2024 for the start of construction. I hope that timeline holds! We get a glimpse of the vision for the residential component for the first time as well!

https://www.516arts.org/assets/docum...EB_1-14-23.pdf

Downtown Albuquerque News last week also had a story about a zoning change request before the Environmental Planning Commission last month for a parcel in the Sawmill Area/Old Town that would allow for a taller and denser structure. The parcel is owned by Jim Long and is a possible site for another mixed-use structure by him in the area. The zoning change was ultimately approved.

https://documents.cabq.gov/planning/...0Rd.%20ZMA.pdf

https://documents.cabq.gov/planning/...0ZC_ST%20b.pdf

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

Zone change on key Sawmill property opens door to taller buildings and further expansion of Jim Long's development efforts

A prominent 1.5-acre property that was once home to charter school Tierra Adentro of New Mexico is being positioned for a future redevelopment that could include taller buildings and more density. The city's Environmental Planning Commission made it official last month by signing off on a change to the parcel's zoning from the MX-M category, which allows buildings up to 65 feet, to MX-H, which goes up to 75 feet.

But it is far from clear what might actually end up there: "There is no development proposed for this site at this time," said Russell Brito, a planner working for property owner Jim Long, who also owns Hotel Albuquerque, Hotel Chaco, and the Sawmill Market.

There are, however, other efforts from Long in the immediate area that may give some clues. His company, Heritage Hotels and Resorts, announced plans last year to develop two new apartment complexes along Twentieth, as well as a hotel to the immediate west of the Sawmill Market. Following the announcement, the company also successfully changed the zones on the affected properties to the higher density MX-H (DAN, 7/22/22), and the most recent approval could likewise allow for a similar scale of development. Long has previously said that he wants the Sawmill area to take on the feel of an urban center.

The only snag that the new designation hit along the way to approval last month concerned adult retail, which in theory is allowed outright under the new zone but not in the old. This concerned Commissioner Gary Eyster, who noted that one of the hurdles the new zone designation had to meet was avoiding "permissive uses that would be harmful to adjacent property, the neighborhood, or the community." 

In response, Brito managed to throw cold water on the idea from two different angles while also carefully not making any promises on Long's behalf.

"There are cultural morals and definitely economic and marketing issues that a property owner would have to consider about whether ... this is an appropriate use to mix in with a mixed-use development - or is it going to distract from the intent to create a walkable, family-oriented, pedestrian-oriented environment along Twentieth Street," he said.

Brito also noted that even if adult retail is technically allowed in a given zone, other regulations prohibit it from setting up within 500 feet of "any elementary, middle, or high school" and that Explora's forthcoming early childhood center directly to the east "could be the limitation on adult retail at this location."

Long's own ambitions to build apartments nearby could also preclude him from setting up adult retail because the regulations also prohibit the use within 500 feet of "any lot containing any residential use in any mixed-use zone district." As of a few months ago, Long expected to break ground on those residential projects this year, depending on what these days are the particularly turbulent whims of the financial markets.

The Environmental Planning Commission approved the zone change on a unanimous vote.

[ABQalex]

Here's another project that I posted about over at SSC at the beginning of the month but never got a chance to post here as well:

Another planned redevelopment project has recently come to light. After several months of canceled meetings, the Albuquerque Development Commission finally had a meeting late last month, a special meeting. They considered a request for a redevelopment tax abatement for a project in East Nob Hill at Central Avenue and Adams Street. The project is called "The Sixty Six" and will have 96 residential units in a three-story structure. They ultimately approved the request and sent it to the city council for final approval.

https://www.cabq.gov/mra/documents/c..._corrected.pdf

https://www.cabq.gov/mra/documents/a...3-23-draft.pdf

















If you'll remember, this is the same site as the previous Santana Apartments proposal, which was an affordable housing project with 111 units. The Nob Hill NIMBYs were vehemently opposed to that project (most likely because it was affordable). It inexplicably was repeatedly denied funding (three times) by the Mortgage Finance Authority, even though the city had approved it for funding help. Those denials were apparently enough to kill the project.

https://www.nobhill-nm.com/news/nhna...-santana-apts/

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...tment-complex/

This new proposal is for market-rate housing and there is apparently no neighborhood opposition now. They didn't even ask for a neighborhood meeting about the project.

Another interesting thing to note from the developer's request is that they are planning another, smaller project nearby on the old Aztec Motel site. The developer is the same one who developed the small rental townhouse structure immediately north of the old motel property. This additional project will be called Aztec Court and will have 30 apartments. No renderings or any further information was provided, except that the project will also be seeking redevelopment tax abatements.



An interesting thing to note from that letter above is that the developer himself is apparently a board member of the Nob Hill Neighborhood Association. Perhaps that's also why no apparent opposition has developed to this project. However, remember that his Townhomes Nob Hill project faced their wrath when the city mistakenly approved it at four levels. They even tried to get it chopped down to three levels even though it was nearly completed.



Below is a screenshot from Google Maps showing the area of the developer's projects, which I've labeled.

The Albuquerque Development Commission canceled its regular meeting for this month as well.

https://www.cabq.gov/mra/albuquerque...endas-archives

Over at SSC a while back I commented how this is something that has occurred more often in the last three years and how it's a result of the city administration's horrible management and record with recent RFPs.

The ADC simply does not have much to work on with all the recent failures of RFPs and RFEIs. Most of the projects they've been evaluating in recent years are ones that come to them on their own for things like the Redevelopment Tax Abatement.

A couple of those projects seeking the tax abatements received final approval from the city council and mayor at the end of June. The Pearl at Country Club Plaza and The Parador near UNM are the projects, both of which are by Jay Rembe. I posted about The Pearl before in this thread but I never posted about the other project, which came to light earlier this year. The Parador will have 20 units in a three-story structure on Yale Boulevard SE. It recently applied for its building permits.

https://posse.cabq.gov/posse/pub/lms...ctId=188023423







Here's the rendering for The Pearl at Country Club Plaza.

[ABQalex]

A couple of nice announcements were made today in Albuquerque. A German company will open a 70,000 sq ft design, engineering and manufacturing facility in the Sandia Science & Technology Park, and Flix Brewhouse will open a second Albuquerque location in the former UA High Ridge theater on the east side of the city. The original Flix Brewhouse location on the Westside will also be renovated and expanded, adding another screen to the original eight. The German company will create 62 jobs initially and plans to build another facility nearby later. It will build components for the next generation of the Very Large Array in New Mexico and various other radio telescopes and observatories around the world.

Below are stories from the Albuquerque Journal and Albuquerque Business First about today's announcements. The second story about the German company's facility by Albuquerque Business First mentions the second planned facility.

https://www.abqjournal.com/business/...053e44185.html

The stars are aligning for Albuquerque to play a central role in some of the world’s largest space-observation missions, including the Next-Generation Very Large Array and the Smithsonian’s global-telescope project for real-time imaging of black holes.

City and state officials unveiled the latest space-related development Thursday morning, announcing German company mtex Antenna Technology USA’s plan to invest $16 million in a new 70,000-square-foot design, engineering and manufacturing facility that will employ at least 62 people at the Sandia Science and Technology Park.

Scheduled to begin operations in 2027, the facility will design and build components for the Next-Generation VLA project, or ngVLA, which will expand the radio telescope observatory in southwestern New Mexico by nearly 10-fold.

It will also design and build newly advanced radio telescopes to allow the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Mass., to double the number of globally-placed antennas that make up its Event Horizon Telescope, which is focused on studying supermassive black holes. The expansion will enable the next-gen global telescope, or ngEHT, to reveal details that previously were 100 times fainter, allowing the system to produce much-sharper views — and even real-time movies — of black holes in action.

Mark Roper — the state Economic Development Department’s Economic Division Director— and Albuquerque Economic Development Director Max Gruner travelled to Wiesbaden, Germany, for the announcement at mtex antenna technology GmbH, the parent company of mtex USA.

The state will grant $1 million in Local Economic Development Act, or LEDA, funding for the mtex facility. Albuquerque — which will act as the fiscal agent for the project — expects to kick-in another $300,000 from its municipal LEDA funds.

“Together with our partners, we’re making investments that are transforming Albuquerque’s economy and creating more pathways to success for our families,” Mayor Tim Keller said in a statement. “We continue to foster a welcoming tech ecosystem so that we can bring good-paying, advanced-manufacturing jobs like these to our community.”

The German firm and other companies are tapping into New Mexico’s skilled workforce and the state’s long history in scientific innovation, said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

“New Mexico is the place to be for advanced science and engineering, and now these high-paying jobs are coming to New Mexico,” Lujan Grisham said in a statement.

Indeed, mtex CEO Lutz Stenvers said New Mexico is the “optimal location” for the company, given its workforce, education, livability, business operating costs, and logistical transportation connections to mtex’s U.S. customers.

“We are bringing investments in technology, engineering, and machining to Albuquerque,” Stenvers said. “We feel it’s the place to be right now as we look forward to possible collaborations with the University of New Mexico, engineering schools such as New Mexico Tech, and other high-tech companies.”

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

Mtex Antenna Technology, a Wiesbaden, Germany-based antenna and telescope manufacturer, is putting down stakes in Albuquerque, bringing 62 jobs with it to the city.

Mtex’s clients include the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. The company stated in a news release that Albuquerque’s vicinity to its North American clients was a factor in calling the city home.

“New Mexico is the optimal location for the company in terms of workforce, education, livability, business operating costs and logistical transportation connections to U.S. customers,” Mtex CEO Lutz Stenvers said in a statement.

The company’s new 70,000-square-foot facility in the Sandia Science and Technology Park — located in Southeast Albuquerque near Kirtland Air Force Base — will cost an estimated $16 million.

The project is partially being funded through a $1 million grant from the Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) and an additional $300,000 from the City of Albuquerque’s municipal LEDA funds, with the funds being paid out as economic development and job-creation benchmarks are met. It will have an estimated economic impact of $182 million over 10 years, according to a City of Albuquerque release.

A second facility focused on testing and integration for ground stations is also being planned near the technology park, the same release said.

Mtex is a major partner in NRAO’s project to expand and update its Very Large Array near Magdalena, which aims to add or replace 225 satellite dishes throughout New Mexico, West Texas, Eastern Arizona and Mexico.

The NRAO and its partner, Associated Universities Inc., signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of New Mexico in early September.

“We look forward to possible collaborations with University of New Mexico, engineering schools such as New Mexico Tech, and other high-tech companies,” Stenvers said in the statement.

Mtex’s Albuquerque facility will also play a role in testing of submillimetre telescopes — a technology aiming to observe star formation and collapse.

The deal was formalized in Leipzig, Germany, with a New Mexico delegation consisting of Mark Roper, New Mexico Economic Development Department economic division director, and Max Gruner, City of Albuquerque economic development director.

“Albuquerque’s existing strengths and infrastructure allow us to prioritize advanced manufacturing, and welcome companies like Mtex to a built tech environment,” Gruner said in a statement. “We offer unparalleled advantages in this industry, including a robust workforce, universities graduating top tech candidates, and proximity to complimentary, supportive institutions.”

Mtex is slated to begin operations starting in 2027.

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

The former Regal UA High Ridge theater is about to be transformed into a Flix Brewhouse, marking the second location in the Albuquerque metro.

Located near the Hinkle Family Fun Center, the new Albuquerque spot — projected to open in the first half of 2024 — will feature seven screens and 700 seats. Plans call for the renovation of the 28,000-square-foot High Ridge cinema that closed earlier this year. The property is being leased from Hinkle Income Properties, according to a Sept. 27 news release.

"For us, with our success in our original Westside Albuquerque location, we certainly have always been looking for a spot to complement that," Chance Robertson, the CEO of Flix, told Albuquerque Business First. "… This one just made too much sense for us to not really pursue as aggressively as we did."

Robertson, who is is originally from Albuquerque, said Flix is always interested in growing in markets where they already have a presence.

While the exact renovation cost is still being finalized, he anticipates the project will surpass $4 million. Snyder Construction, who handled the original Westside project, will also work on the Northeast Heights spot. Modulus Architects and Land Use Planning Inc. is the architect. Flix has not worked with Modulus, but Robertson said the firm has partnered with Hinkle on past projects.

From a real estate deal perspective, Robertson said the founder of Flix, Allan Reagan, was able to work directly with Hinkle. The theater's tentative opening date is slated for April.

The goal is to hire between 100 to 125 people for the location, depending on the season. Robertson said it was too early to provide exact wages, as they won't start the hiring process until next year, but said wages would be competitive. Typically about 60% of employees at each location are full-time positions.

"If we're gonna be the best, we've got to make sure that we take care of the people that work for us," he said.

In addition to adding a second location, renovations are planned for the existing Westside spot on La Orilla Road. Robertson said they plan to add a screen — bringing its total to nine. He described that as an intimate, 25-seat private dining theater that should be finished around the holidays.

Established in Round Rock, Texas, in 2011, the Albuquerque East Flix Brewhouse will be theater No. 11 for the company. A location in Mansfield, Texas, opened today.

Flix Brewhouse made headlines earlier this week when it took home a bronze medal at the 2023 Great American Beer Festival held in Denver. Its “Tropical Mirage” earned the accolade in the Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale category.

Here's a pic of the original Flix Brewhouse in Albuquerque that opened in 2016 on the Westside.

[ABQalex]

A fairly significant residential conversion project that will produce 49 market-rate residential units is underway now in Downtown Albuquerque. The 2-story base of the Tower Plaza building at 2nd Street and Marquette Avenue is being renovated by a company from Atlanta. Downtown Albuquerque News reported about the project earlier this year (in April). The timeline they gave then indicates that the units may be coming available soon, possibly next month. The story had a link to a PDF file with conceptual renderings and layouts for the units, which I've screen-shotted and embedded below. The company said that they want to do more such conversions in Downtown Albuquerque, including more in the actual tower of the structure. Hopefully they will!

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

Developer is adding 49 apartments to former office building, with more likely to come

Ever since the pandemic-inspired remote work revolution landed a body blow on American downtowns, politicians and planners both here (DAN, 10/21/22) and across the country have seized on what, at first glance, seems like an elegant fix: Convert those empty commercial buildings into apartments, at a stroke filling vacancies, installing a customer base near stressed local businesses, and chipping away at the housing crisis.

But it's harder than it looks. Commercial floor plans are often not naturally conducive to new apartments, so making it happen requires extensive custom design and construction work. Utilities are often configured very differently in commercial setups, further complicating the planning and building. As a result, it doesn't happen very often, particularly in the Downtown core, which is often seen by investors as a dubious financial risk.

And yet, it is happening: Metz Kelly, a firm based in Atlanta, is in the middle of a conversion project that will see 49 new market-rate apartments installed at the northeast corner of Second and Marquette. The company bought the building about a year ago and expects to have the new units on the market within six months - all without the sort of local government subsidies commonly used on other projects, co-owner Blythe Metz told DAN

The building, a two-story base that supports a larger tower, was originally built in 1901 and appears to have hosted a number of operations over the years, including two 1930s-era breweries. As of a year ago, the building was a collection of mostly vacant offices, though there were a few scattered residential units located in the base as well, Metz said.

Metz Kelly specializes in converting older buildings into housing, particularly those that have been left vacant after the pandemic. Despite the particular challenges of renovation projects, the recent issues with costs and interest rates, and the proclivities of Downtown, Metz believes it to be a good business opportunity. And at a time when such redevelopment has become vanishingly rare in the Downtown core, he said he was pursuing other projects in the area.

"I've looked at quite a few properties surrounding ours that would work," he said. "We support our model and it makes money."

All of the new units, which are expected to start at $1,100 per month, will be located in the base of the building, with the tower saved for another day.

The renovation project also recently attracted attention for painting over a large plant-and-flower-themed mural by Argentine artist Francisco Diaz Scotto - a two-part painting that has another component on the side of the Sanitary Tortilla Factory gallery at Second and Lead. Metz said the move was necessary because the paint had faded since its 2017 installation. The eventual goal, he added, is to remove much of the sheet metal covering the tower and then install a new mural that incorporates both it and the base section of the building.

Here's a progression of images showing the building throughout its history in its various incarnations since it was built in the early 1900s. The last is the pic from the DAN story above showing it after it was painted gray earlier this year, including over the botanic mural at the base.









More recently DAN also linked to the competition for the new mural that they are commissioning for the building to replace the previous one that they painted over.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...WNdTA/viewform

[ABQalex]

Poster Unmboi20091 over at SSC posted today that the mayor shared renderings of the possible soccer stadium at Balloon Fiesta Park during a presentation to the Visit ABQ annual meeting yesterday. He also said that the mayor announced that he will be pursuing funding from the state to build an arena on the Westside.

An arena on the Westside is an absolutely dreadful proposition and terrible idea. I wouldn't expect less from this mayor. And I'd rather we not build a new arena at all if it's going to be located there. I'd rather wait until we have a better leader in Albuquerque, than waste millions on such a mistake.

Earlier this week Downtown Albuquerque News had a piece about the Lomas and Broadway site for the soccer stadium and how it's apparently out of the question because the USPS isn't at all interested in selling its excess land there, let alone its actual main facility further north.

I was also completely disappointed and disheartened to learn that the soccer stadium being planned for the Balloon Fiesta site will only have 7,000 seats. This it yet another huge mistake and even more myopia by our leaders and the United ownership. I'm sure this smaller facility is due to a limited budget and not wanting or being able to pay for a larger facility by the team and whatever private funding they're trying to put together.

How ridiculous to have such a small facility for the team that has consistently led its league in average attendance since it joined them back in 2018. The proposed capacity is about 4,000 seats below their average attendance at Isotopes Park over the last 5 years. Instead of building a facility that can handle the times that the team draws the type of capacity crowds at their current home (about 15,000), they are going to forever limit the size of their crowds and what they can draw going forward.

This is such a huge mistake on so many levels. I swear, I can't take it anymore!

Below is DAN's story from Tuesday, which also features SSC poster ABQturkey from Urban ABQ doing his best to undo this huge mistake and advocate for a better location for the stadium. Unfortunately, it looks like all hope really is lost at this point.

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

Lomas and Broadway soccer stadium looks like a dead letter, despite some recent buzz

Following the 2021 defeat of a bond initiative meant to finance a stadium in Greater Downtown - with the Rail Yards seemingly the top location contender - the city has switched gears in a big way. Rather than look to the urban core, it is instead moving to build at Balloon Fiesta Park, which is quite near Albuquerque's formal northern boundary.

The city believes the new math looks like this: It will contribute a more modest $13.5 million in the form of area infrastructure upgrades, throw in some land, and then leave it to New Mexico United, the popular soccer team that would be the stadium's primary user, to foot the rest of the bill. Construction is often cheaper in suburban areas, after all, and United owner Peter Trevisani has previously highlighted the financial advantages of a setup well removed from competing food and parking vendors (DAN, 4/24/23).

To a small but dedicated group of Downtown stadium boosters, however, this new arrangement has brought up an obvious question: So long as the city is going to spend a still-considerable sum and donate land to the stadium effort, why not do it at Lomas and Broadway instead? The location is already partially owned by the city and minimally used, they argue. It is also within reasonable walking distance of frequent transit, the future Rail Trail, thousands of tourists, and an array of Downtown core restaurants, bars, and breweries that could really use a gameday shot in the arm.

The most detailed argument made for Lomas and Broadway has come from Tim Trujillo, a planner who wrote a piece published on Urban ABQ's website arguing that the entire site - from Lomas to Mountain - could be redeveloped into a stadium and all sorts of other useful things, including housing. The piece included a call to action for readers to get in touch with city councilors and Mayor Tim Keller to lobby for the plan. Several apparently did.

The site is indeed a "very interesting location," the mayor told DAN, but it has a fatal flaw: The land the city owns is just too small for a stadium.

"This site has been studied twice, once by [Mayor Richard Berry], once by us. And it won't work for a stadium," Keller said. "It's completely not feasible."

The Postal Service, meanwhile, isn't in the mood to help make it happen by selling some or all its land to the north of the city's property.

"The Postal Service repeatedly has told us they will not sell it, and I took that all the way to our federal delegation," Keller said.

USPS spokeswoman Sherry Patterson confirmed the agency's position: "Unfortunately, the Postal Service is unable to entertain any requests to dispose of these properties," she said. As for a smaller piece of the land, Patterson noted that "any ancillary vacant property is reserved for future expansion of the facilities."

The offices of Senator Martin Heinrich, Senator Ben Ray Luján, and Representative Melanie Stansbury didn't return messages seeking comment.

The idea of luring the Post Office away from a large downtown property and redeveloping it is not without precedent, however. Following what has been described as "decades of wrangling" between city officials and a Postal Service that was initially "not interested," Portland managed to buy a 14-acre parcel in 2016 that was formerly a major mail processing hub. Early plans call for the installation of 2,400 homes there, and the Post Office relocated to new digs near the Portland International Airport.

Trujillo said he was "a bit stunned" by the Post Office's response. But he also sees no reason to stop putting pressure on an agency that ultimately answers to elected lawmakers.

"The key here was in having a vision for how and why the purchase would be worth the cost through redevelopment and turning the property into a tax-producing and productive piece of the Downtown urban fabric," he told DAN. "Given the development potential of the Downtown Albuquerque Post Office site, it would be worth taking this to higher levels of government to try and work out a deal. This is about much more than a soccer stadium."

Meanwhile, the effort to build at Balloon Fiesta Park continues. City officials met with area neighborhood groups on September 9 ahead of filing various land use applications to make it possible. A summary of the meeting said the stadium would have 7,000 seats.

Here's one of the graphics from the DAN story above. It shows the land that the city owns in green and the land that the Postal Service owns in purple. Of course the Burger King location is the unmarked corner next to the railroad tracks.



To clarify things a bit and add some more context, the idea for a stadium at the Lomas and Broadway site didn't just come out of thin air or go forward without any care or thought paid to who owned it. The USPS years ago had an official and publicized plan to move the Main Post Office to the South Valley in the industrial park west of Broadway Boulevard and north of Rio Bravo.

For whatever reason that never happened, but it was the impetus for first considering the site for an arena and now a soccer stadium. That's why the site has always been included when studying both an arena and the soccer stadium. It was even considered for the baseball stadium in the late 1990s before the official plan to move the facility was revealed. That consideration actually probably prompted the Postal Service to plan the move in the following years.

To hear people in charge now say that the proposal is basically preposterous or impossible bugs me to no end.

Here's the link to ABQturkey's (Tim Trujillo) recent posts on Urban ABQ advocating for a downtown soccer stadium and a better vision and plan for Downtown Albuquerque. I hope the mayor and others in charge will read them.

https://urbanabq.com/2023/08/03/the-...occer-stadium/

https://urbanabq.com/2023/08/13/a-vi...q-to-flourish/

[ABQalex]

Speaking of average attendance, the Albuquerque Isotopes just finished this season with the highest average in its league and the 5th-highest in all of minor league baseball. They finished the season with average attendance of 7,048. That number includes the largest crowd this year, 15,817 on Cinco de Mayo, during one of the highly-successful Mariachis de Nuevo Mexico promotions. That crowd was one of two that the Isotopes also placed this year among the top 5 largest crowds in MiLB. The Isotopes in their 20-year history have always been among the top in minor league baseball for average attendance.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...ng-attendance/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The Albuquerque Isotopes finished their season with a home run. Sunday was their final home game and once again, the team led their league in attendance.

Not only did they have the highest attendance in the Pacific Coast League. They also had the 5th highest in Minor League Baseball. General Manager John Traub said the achievement is thanks to their family friendly atmosphere and all of their innovative ideas. “We just try to do things bigger and better every year. Our staff comes up with some really great ideas; the Mariachis program has been terrific and has been transformative for the organization,” said Traub.

Traub believes this year’s warm weather also helped draw in more fans. He said being 5th out of 120 Minor League Clubs is big for the Isotopes. “So given the size of our market given all the elements that are played I believe 5th in all minor league baseball is the highest we’ve ever ranked that’s also something that’s very cool,” said Traub.

The team is also working on an exciting surprise, but details on that are still limited. The Isotopes averaged more than 7,000 fans per game.

The New Mexico United of course has also been a perennial leader in average attendance in its league. Below are its average attendance figures for the last 5 years that it has been part of the USL Championship league. It is currently down this year for average attendance but still among the top at 4th place currently.

2019 - 12,693 (1st in league)
2020 - 0 (did not play at home due to Covid restrictions)
2021 - 7,727 (2nd in league)
2022 - 10,724 (1st in league)
2023 - 9,402 (4th in league)

[ABQalex]

KRQE has a story this afternoon about the mayor and city officially announcing the plan to lease 7 acres of land at Balloon Fiesta Park for the new soccer stadium. Part of the agreement calls for the New Mexico United to share parking revenue with the city and also not have an adverse impact on the Balloon Fiesta by doing things like not scheduling matches during the event. The team also must invest at least $30 million into the site as part of the agreement. The proposed 30-year initial lease will be introduced for consideration at Monday's city council meeting.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...nited-stadium/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The City of Albuquerque has announced it intends to lease seven acres of Balloon Fiesta Park to New Mexico United for a multi-purpose stadium. The city says that the soccer team will be required to invest at least $30 million into the site and that no city funding will be used for the construction of the stadium.

According to the news release, “The state has provided capital to the City of Albuquerque for infrastructure improvements that will provide needed upgrades at Balloon Fiesta Park.” The lease term is currently set at 30 years; however, the option is available to extend it for two 15-year terms. The lease will be introduced on Monday, October 2, and must be approved by the Albuquerque City Council.

The agreement comes with the following stipulations:

• United will not be allowed to host games during the annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

• The planned site will not interfere with ballooning in the area

• In addition to paying annual rent, United will pay the city a percentage of its parking revenue

Mayor Tim Keller released the following statement on the stadium plans:

“Albuquerque families deserve world-class amenities, and we won’t give up on projects like a stadium that fulfill these quality-of-life needs. Leasing underutilized land at Balloon Fiesta Park not only helps United grow, but also enriches one of our most frequented areas and provides new economic opportunities – a significant win for our city and a potential game-changer for our community.” 

Two years ago, Albuquerque voters rejected a bond question that would have paid for a city-owned soccer stadium.

Nice words by the mayor, but unfortunately none of that can or will happen at the Balloon Fiesta Park site. It all rings quite hollow when faced with the reality of the situation. And a $30 million stadium with 7,000 seats is small-time, far from world-class. Note that the rendering above from the KRQE story was from the stadium site studies for locations in and around Downtown, not at all something we might get at Balloon Fiesta Park.

Below is the rendering/site plan for a possible stadium at Balloon Fiesta Park that the mayor apparently shared at the Visit ABQ event earlier this week. It looks like it's also one of the images from the soccer stadium study, just pasted into the Balloon Fiesta Park site.

It's from the official announcement on the city's website that I've linked to below, which has a bit more information about the proposed lease agreement and terms. Click the link below the embedded image to see it in full size.

https://www.cabq.gov/mayor/news/qual...tadium-proceed


https://www.cabq.gov/mayor/images/bf...ium-design.jpg

[ABQalex]

Here's another story about the proposed soccer stadium at Balloon Fiesta Park by KOB-TV which has another rendering visualizing the facility. This one is a lot better in that it's site specific and not just a cut and paste job. However, it's still based on the rendering from the Downtown-specific stadium in the first rendering above. And I doubt something like this can be built for the minimum spending commitment of $30 million in the proposed lease agreement. I know that they may actually spend more than that but I won't hold my breath on that with the history of the way things go in Albuquerque and this state.

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/albuq...nited-stadium/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The City of Albuquerque is planning on leasing seven acres of Balloon Fiesta Park to New Mexico United for a multi-purpose stadium.

Officials say no city funding will be used and United is expected to invest $30 million to build the stadium.

“We’re using state money, federal money, and existing money that we had to do the utilities, the Earthwork, the electrical work that it takes to put in the stadium,” Keller said Friday .”We mostly had to do that anyway because we want to do those improvements at the Balloon Fiesta that have to do with Vendor Row.”

The city says New Mexico United would not be allowed to host matches at the stadium during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. The site identified in the lease would not interfere with ballooning in the rest of the park, according to a release.

In addition to the annual fee for rent, New Mexico United would pay the city a percentage of parking revenue. The lease term is 30 years, with options to extend the lease two 15-year terms.

The lease requires approval by Albuquerque City Council and is being introduced on Monday, Oct. 2.

I hope we do end up with something similar to this visualization. Even if it's gonna be at Balloon Fiesta Park I still want it to be a quality stadium. And I'm glad to see that they're looking to incorporate the berm/slope at the eastern edge of the site. In the site plan above it looks like they are also planning to incorporate the Presbyterian headquarters parking lot for the stadium. I'm guessing they're gonna try to negotiate an agreement to use it when workers aren't there anyway. I also hope that the parking lot directly east of the stadium can see some kind of spillover development in the future.