Albuquerque Development Thread

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by combusean

^ Do you post on here drunk in the middle of the day or what?

I transcend your ability to understand.

Why are you so salty about my comments. Modern architects and architecture are ASS

[ABQalex]

The Albuquerque City Council voted last night to approve two major projects that will undoubtedly impact our city for years to come. The city council unanimously voted to approve the incentives for the Maxeon Solar Technologies project on Mesa del Sol. The council also voted 7-2 to approve the lease agreement for the New Mexico United soccer stadium at Balloon Fiesta Park.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...cturing-plant/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – City councilors have paved the way to build a massive solar manufacturing facility in Mesa del Sol.

The council voted on a number of measures in support of the company Maxeon Solar Technologies investing $2.4 billion in a manufacturing plant.

The plant will manufacture photovoltaic cells and assemble them into solar panels, something Maxeon claims sets them apart since other U.S. companies import those cells from overseas.

The plant is expected to employ 1,500 people and create 2,000 construction jobs in the coming years.

City and state leaders said the project promises a major economic boost for Albuquerque and the state.

Maxeon said the plant is expected to be operational by 2025.

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/city-...onday-meeting/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – City councilors voted 7-2 in favor of the New Mexico United stadium that will be built right next to the grounds of Balloon Fiesta Park Monday night.

The city’s Environmental Planning Commission already approved a land-use agreement.

New Mexico United says it’s got the financing, and now, city councilors just have to give their final stamp of approval.

The plan is to use seven acres of Balloon Fiesta Park to build a new multipurpose stadium. It would be located directly east of the launch field inside a parking lot.

Early renderings show the roughly 185,000 square foot facility could house up to 11,000 people, which is slightly smaller than Isotopes Park where the team currently plays.

New Mexico United is expected to host 17 games a year, but not during the Balloon Fiesta. City leaders say the stadium would be used for other events as well.

Officials say no taxpayers dollars will be used. The team is required to invest at least $30 million to construct the stadium, while city and state leaders are chipping in $13 million to pay for infrastructure upgrades at Balloon Fiesta Park.

Mayor Tim Keller and other city leaders are fully behind the project. But some hot air balloon pilots aren’t sold just yet, and they’re concerned how a new stadium will affect New Mexico’s biggest event of the year.

“The Balloon Fiesta is the single largest economic event in the state, and why would we even be thinking about messing with that when we have all kinds of options surrounding the Albuquerque metro area,” said Scott Appelman, president & CEO of Rainbow Ryders. 

Appelman is the man behind Rainbow Ryders – Albuquerque’s largest balloon ride operator – and a major player during the annual Balloon Fiesta.

“This just really brings the challenge right in, you know, right inside our own park,” said Appelman.  

Appelman says the Balloon Fiesta is already a challenging event to pull off, especially with record numbers of balloonists and visitors. He suspects adding a stadium into the mix will only bring new problems.

“I don’t understand, in a town that is already starved with parking and landing sites, why we’re doing this here? I’m just a little bit surprised,” Appelman said. “I personally believe that this will be one more nail in the coffin for what Fiesta looks like, compared to what it used to look like.” 

City leaders say the proposed stadium will be located behind a set of power lines that already restrict balloon traffic, and there are plans to add more parking.

But Appelman says those are just plans.

“I don’t see anything in concrete. I’ve seen site plans that have changed numerous times. I haven’t seen where any real agreements have been made with like, what is Balloon Fiesta Park gonna get?” Appelman said.

The stadium lease vote came up again earlier than expected and after the Environmental Planning Commission last week approved the changes to the Balloon Fiesta Park master plan to allow a stadium to be built there, as well as approving the proposed site plan for the stadium. The vote at the EPC was 8-1 in favor of the changes and the site plan.

Despite what Mr. Appelman says in the KOB-TV story above, I was surprised to find that the stadium plans are apparently more firm and farther along than I previously believed.

Apparently, the renderings we've seen so far for the stadium are indeed what they are planning to build, not just a visioning. The EPC submittal also had additional renderings and site plans for the stadium. I'll post them below, as well as a link to the entire submittal and screenshots of the most pertinent parts.

The stadium is planned to have a capacity of 11,000 spectators. That number includes 9,600 fixed seats and 1,400 berm seats/standing areas. An adjacent parcel to the north will be added to Balloon Fiesta Park and will provide 750 parking spaces to replace those lost by the stadium footprint. Total parking spaces for the stadium will be 2,750 - 1 space for every 4 seats, which is what city zoning requires.

A future phase calls for a 33,000 sq ft food hall on the northwest corner of the stadium, as well as a canopy on the south side of the stadium.

Click the links below the site plans and renderings to see larger versions with more clarity and detail.

https://documents.cabq.gov/planning/...20PLAN-EPC.pdf

https://documents.cabq.gov/planning/...20Plan-EPC.pdf






https://images2.imgbox.com/3f/90/VN7ZYrLs_o.jpg


https://images2.imgbox.com/c0/0c/sRRpmH83_o.jpg


https://images2.imgbox.com/f3/93/kGn60dAb_o.jpg


https://images2.imgbox.com/43/1c/o5y2qQnF_o.jpg


https://images2.imgbox.com/d8/bd/g3Md9Bdj_o.jpg

I'm glad that it seems we will be getting a decent stadium out of all of this. Having room for 11,000 fans is certainly better than 7,000. And I like the design!

Still, Councilor Renee Grout, who was one of the two "no" votes, asked representatives from the team why they were building less capacity than what they currently draw at Isotopes Park. She also asked why they aren't building the stadium somewhere like Mesa del Sol instead, somewhere with room for a larger stadium, possible expansion and spillover development like restaurants, housing, hotels, etc.

The team representative simply responded that they'd rather always have a full house than have some days where the stadium isn't always filled. He also reiterated that they looked at several options including Mesa del Sol but that the Balloon Fiesta Park site was best.

I still strongly disagree with all that, but it looks like this is what we're gonna end up with and allow ourselves as a city. I think it could've been so much more, and better Downtown or somewhere like Mesa del Sol, but I'm at least satisfied that our team will finally get its own home and that it will be a nice stadium.

The agreement says that they have 9 months to begin construction after the possible appeals are decided and after they have all the financing lined up, so we should see it get underway by sometime next year, they say by September. They state that they want it to be completed by the start of the season in 2026, to coincide with the World Cup in the U.S.

I hope that timeline happens and I'm sure if it does it will be a great year for soccer in Albuquerque and New Mexico, to go along with the entire country that year.

Below is the announcement of the lease agreement's approval on the team's website. It has a graphic that simply says "Home" which is quite succinct and is the only thing that really makes me happy about this entire, years-long ordeal - that they will finally have a home of their own in Albuquerque.

https://www.newmexicoutd.com/news/20...n-fiesta-park/

[ABQalex]

KOB-TV has a story about what's next for the United soccer stadium now that the ground lease has been approved. The story includes our first look at the interior of the structure.

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/whats...ease-approval/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – On Monday night, Albuquerque city council approved a 30-year lease agreement with New Mexico United for land at Balloon Fiesta Park.

New Mexico United shared new drawings of its future stadium, including an interior view of a new food hall, and what it would look like in the background of Balloon Fiesta.

“We’re utilizing about seven acres of a park that is almost 400 acres in size, and the land that we’re using is right behind these big power lines, so it’s a no-fly zone for balloons. So it’s a great use of what really is just land that’s not used almost all year, all year long,” said Peter Trevisani, New Mexico United president.

Trevisani says there’s a lot of work ahead, but they’re excited to finally have a home which will have multiple uses.

“A facility that’s open every day that could host new soccer games, state championships. We could get outside of soccer into other sports or other activities. So that is really the fun part, putting together appropriate programming that really serves the community,” said Trevisani. 

City Council President Pat Davis laid out the city and the team’s timeline.

“Lots of details still need to be worked out, including the first thing is the United owes the city and taxpayers a public presentation on how they’ll raise $30 million, and how exactly they’ll get the building constructed. They have nine months to do that. So by this time next year, we’ll know exactly what that will look like and what that schedule will be,” said Davis. 

During Monday night’s council meeting, there was also a question about restrooms at Balloon Fiesta Park.

Davis said the city was given $13 million from the state Legislature to create things like bathrooms and parking.

United says it’s looking into letting people use its facilities during big events like fiesta. 

The team has the ambitious goal of wanting its first game in the stadium by March 2026.

Community members still have time to appeal the zoning approval. That decision was made by the Environmental Planning Commission last week. City council could then decide to rehear the zoning decision, which would delay things a few weeks.

[ABQalex]

Information about the Cerca development on 4th Street next to Calle Cuarta has been revealed. YES Housing shared a post last week on LinkedIn from its founder with an animated fly-through of the project.

It will be a renovation of the existing structures to house restaurant and retail tenants with shared public spaces, similar to places like El Vado, Tin Can Alley, Imperial Inn and The Block in Rio Rancho. The reuse and renovation of an old automotive repair place is also similar to Ex Novo Brewery's renovation of the old Firestone structure in Downtown Albuquerque.

Below is a link to their post and the video, along with several screenshots of the video. It's really cool, I can't wait to see it come to fruition!

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/yes-h...19217152-Q1kz/

























Here's an image that I shared previously when Calle Cuarta broke ground showing the proximity of Cerca to that project. Cerca means nearby in Spanish, so it's an apropos name, haha



YES Housing is also involved in another mixed-use project that recently had a groundbreaking for its commercial portion. Nuevo Atrisco will finally be getting its long-awaited commercial development. The plans have changed over the last few years that it's been stalled during the pandemic. The final project isn't as nice as the original vision, but I'm glad something is finally gonna be built there!

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/nuevo...ral-and-unser/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Nuevo Atrisco Project is the latest development on Albuquerque’s West Side, and on Thursday, city, county, and state officials broke ground on a lot on Central and Unser.

“We went to the community,” says Steve Maestas, CEO of Maestas Development Group. “Interviewed all kinds of community stakeholders, the neighborhood association, the community groups and we heard several things. One of the things we heard was that this was a food desert. We heard that there were limited amenities, particularly for young people.”

The new community plaza will feature several amenities, including a community room, an interactive play area, and seven “micro restaurants.”

“We contributed $1.8 million in gio bond funds and also donated this property that you’re sitting on right now to enable the redevelopment to occur. The Nuevo Atrisco Project is a public, private partnership,” said Terry Brunner, director of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency.

“We got a public library in that direction; we got housing behind us and a transportation center and what we’re talking about today will only make this area that much better for residents here on the West Side,” Brunner added.

The Nuevo Atrisco Project will also bring with it the development of 10,000 square foot retail and restaurant space that will be available for lease. 

City and state leaders say they want to continue to enhance the West Central area in the near future. Construction has already started, and it is expected to be done in 2024.

These images of the project are from YES Housing's founder on LinkedIn.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/chris...22808320-b4rj/







Another intriguing mixed-use project is being planned nearby just south of Central from Nuevo Atrisco at Unser Crossing, which is yet another stalled project, this time going back to the Great Recession. Unser Crossing has slowly been adding tenants, such as CVS and Defined Fitness, but it is not nearly close to having all that originally was planned.

Architect Mark Baker and his firm, Baker Architecture + Design, in recent months have shared the design process and a few early sketches and renderings of what's being planned. It looks like it will have at least a multi-story self-storage building with ground-floor commercial spaces, but I'm hoping that it will also include residential uses. I look forward to seeing what exactly ends up being developed there!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CuskRJWP6WP/



https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvih-H_PzRH/







https://www.instagram.com/p/CzcSL6-veF2/







This was from a disappearing story on Instagram the same day that they posted the set of renderings above.



Here's a screenshot of a satellite view from Google Maps showing Unser Crossing and where the project will be located. It will be built on the empty land directly south of the existing parking lot at the center of the image, at Bridge Boulevard and Victory Lane/82nd Street.

[ABQalex]

Here are some recent pics of the new UNM Hospital tower that have been posted on the hospital's social media accounts. I've also included a snap from the construction cam today. The first pic with the skyline in the distance and down in the valley is especially awesome! Click the links below the first two images to see them full size.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz647-QPs9T/


https://images2.imgbox.com/0f/7a/LUQy4G7G_o.jpg

https://www.instagram.com/p/CzKNEmBP5yV/


https://images2.imgbox.com/9c/b1/qbGMg4cQ_o.jpg

[ABQalex]

I received the city's Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency email newsletter for December yesterday afternoon. It had a diagram showing what they are looking to do at the raised pedestrian crossing at Central Avenue and the railroad tracks as part of the Rail Trail. It's basically the same scheme as the visualization that was produced under the previous mayor's administration. I always thought that was the best idea and solution to fix the issues for pedestrians at the crossing, so I'm glad it's looking like it will get built. Add in the neat elements that Antoine Predock has come up with and I think it will turn out really awesome!

Below is the diagram as well as the snippet from the newsletter about the project.

ALBUQUERQUE RAIL TRAIL

Central Underpass Site Investigation Underway

The Albuquerque Rail Trail will be an iconic and artistic pedestrian pathway that reflects Albuquerque's vibrant history and cultural diversity, aimed at enhancing pedestrian connectivity and safety in our city.

The City has temporarily closed the southern Central Crossing pedestrian underpass in order to embark on an important phase of the Central Crossing – the initial site investigation for construction.

During this investigation, construction crews will be digging beneath the surface to unveil the mysteries hidden underground.

What's to Come? The at-grade Central Crossing.

After the site investigation is complete, crews will have the green light to begin construction on a new pedestrian bridge. This bridge will take place of the underpass, offering a safer and more convenient at-grade crossing for residents and tourists alike.

Here's the visualization for the crossing that was produced years ago under Mayor Berry to compare.



KOB-TV also had a story at the end of last month about the project when the city was preparing to close off the south pedestrian tunnel for the exploratory demolition and early construction prep mentioned above. They also add that the colonnade/arches at the north end of the Alvarado Transportation Center will be torn down as part of the project. I wasn't exactly thrilled to hear that, but I'm hoping there's a good reason and that the new design for that particular area will be great. I just thought that the arches could be kept as an entrance to the ATC directly from Central Avenue (with gates added between them), but perhaps they are planning for it to simply be an open area and extended sidewalk that flows freely, with no walling off and entrance to the ATC from Central.

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/city-...trail-project/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The plan to revitalize Downtown Albuquerque continues as officials unveiled more details on the “Rail Trail” project.

The project, as we’ve told you, would link downtown to nearby neighborhoods and boost business in the process.

A key part of this project starts at Central and First. City officials say most of the safety concerns for pedestrians stem from a nearby underpass.

“That’s been a bit of a haven for crime and illegal activity and a real divider between east downtown and downtown. So we hope that down the road when we construct the ramps, we will be able to have a cleaner passage between east downtown and west downtown,” said Terry Brunner, of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency.

The first phase of what officials call “Central Crossing” is to close off the underpass on the south side of Central. The goal will then be to construct a total of four ramps.

“Our first Step of the crossing is to investigate what’s here and tear down the arches, which will happen in the first half of 2024. Then, we will be building four ramps to access the crossing. You can see those in the diagram. Then, add two pedestrian bridges that will go on either side of the tracks,” said Jennifer Turner, the deputy director for the Department of Municipal Development.

Officials say that will create a safe crossing across the tracks. They also say people will start to see some changes as early as the week of November 6. That is when temporary fencing will go up in the area of First and Central.

Here's a post and pics by the MRA on Instagram earlier this month when they closed off the south pedestrian tunnel.

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

[ABQalex]

KRQE has a story about the proposed apartments in upper Nob Hill/Highland. The project tax abatements will be going up for a vote at next week's city council meeting. They interview outgoing city councilor for the area, Pat Davis, whose last couple of meetings will be this month. The decision for his replacement is headed for the runoff election soon as well.

Unfortunately, the story is a bit muddled and his quote doesn't make complete sense either. This is a 96-unit project, but perhaps the almost four dozen units he's talking about are the developer's Aztec Motel site proposal, or maybe he just didn't remember the exact number, I'm not sure. The story does say almost 100 units at the end, though. I'm also curious as to what the other 50-60 unit project is that he mentions as well. Leave it to our local media and even our leaders to muddle things up with these projects.

I've also cleaned up the quote from Councilor Davis where he talks about what's been built in Nob Hill recently, it originally said "in a novel" instead of in Nob Hill, which I assume is due to them using some kind of speech-to-text program that got it wrong. Clearly, no editing and proofreading effort is made at all, though.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...ques-nob-hill/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It has been a years-long project, to revitalize east Nob Hill. The city has been taking more steps to bring more businesses and housing to the area. Now, a new apartment complex is expected to be the latest addition. “So our fastest track to getting to solving our housing crisis is taking these unused lots and underused old motels, reinvesting in them as a city public-private partnership,” said Albuquerque City Councilor Pat Davis.

The latest lot, once home to the American Inn was one of the many motor lodges on Route 66. Now it is an empty lot on Central and Adams that attracts trash build-up, drug use, and other criminal activities. But that could change soon with a new housing development called “The Sixty Six”.

City council is due to vote on giving the developer a tax incentive to build on the empty lot. “We’re introducing a bill to help a developer bring another almost four dozen of those new housing units available for market, and using some of the money that the city council set aside a few years ago for another project just down the street for another 50-60 units,” said Davis.

The plan fits into the city’s vision for revitalizing Nob Hill. According to Councilor Davis, the neighborhood in recent years has had as high as 50% vacancy when it comes to retail and restaurants. But with an influx of businesses and housing coming to the area, that space is filling up. Projects like converting the De Anza motor lodge into an apartment complex, and transforming the old university lodge into the boutique hotel, Zazz.

“We’ve done in Nob Hill already almost 300 new housing units in the last four or five years, up and down Central with city-subsidized housing, both for market and for workforce housing.”

Crystal Sims, who owns “Evolution Body Piercing” next to the lot, is excited that something is finally going to be built there. “We also are all for anything that reduces crime, we have seen a good deal of crime in this area over the years. And so anything that brings in more people, more lighting, more safety is something that we support and are excited about,” said Sims.

She said she hopes the development won’t cause a parking crunch, something Councilor Davis says, the plans take into account.

The complex will consist of one- and two-bedroom apartments, with close to 100 units in total.

The city's MRA also came up with and agreed to a project development agreement quite quickly with the Greater Albuquerque Housing Partnership for the SOMOS Apartments in the International District. The Albuquerque Development Commission at its last meeting in November approved the agreement and sent it to the city council for final approval, so we should see that coming up for a vote soon as well. That would mean that the project could stick to its earlier, rather than later, timeline for construction and opening in summer 2026.

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

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...ncil-approval/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – More housing could be coming to Albuquerque. The latest development plans are for a 70-unit building at Central Ave. and Alcazar Street in the International District called the “SOMOS” project.

The building is being backed by the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency (MRA) and the Greater Albuquerque Housing Partnership. MRA owns the land and the Greater Albuquerque Housing Partnership has proposed a plan for a building with commercial elements and residential units.

“The Greater Albuquerque Housing Partnership is a local non-profit Community Housing Development Organization who has worked with the city for over 30 years to build a better Albuquerque by providing housing options that are affordable,” Felipe Rael, the executive director of the Greater Albuquerque Housing Partnership, said in a press release. “We have the staff knowledge, experience, and capacity to successfully bring this proposed development through the funding applications and construction.”

Groundbreaking could happen in 2025, with construction expected to take a year and a half. But first, the plan needs to be approved by the Albuquerque City Council.

If approved, the plan could bring more affordable housing to the city, something that aligns with Mayor Tim Keller’s vision for the city. “By incorporating housing, commercial spaces, and environmentally friendly design, this is a great example of how we can support an affordable, sustainable future for Burqueños,” Keller said in a press release.

[ABQalex]

It looks like another aviation/aerospace company will be setting up shop at the Sunport on part of the former Orion Center site. Sceye Inc. has plans for a 94,000 sq ft manufacturing center on 8 acres of land on the south side of Miles Road SE, between Columbia Drive and Girard Boulevard. Its plans will go before the Environmental Planning Commission at its meeting today. EPC staff recommends approval and there is no neighborhood opposition.

https://documents.cabq.gov/planning/...20Plan-EPC.pdf




https://images2.imgbox.com/14/7c/3jmWJytw_o.jpg


https://images2.imgbox.com/8b/de/JzEoP9GO_o.jpg

Sceye Inc. is headquartered in Moriarty just east of Albuquerque. Back in August of 2020 it was reported that they were looking to set up a manufacturing facility somewhere in the state that was yet to be determined. The reporting back then said that the site would create 140 manufacturing and engineering jobs. The state Economic Development Department also stated back then that they would be helping the project along with economic development incentives.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquer...ew-mexico.html

An aerospace company has plans to expand in New Mexico and bring broadband Internet access to the whole state.

How? By flying airships into the stratosphere, and above the state, some 65,000 feet in the air.

Founded in 2014 by Mikkel Vestergaard, Sceye will make the Land of Enchantment its home as its base for stratospheric flights for earth observation and communication, the New Mexico Economic Development Department announced Tuesday. The company is negotiating a partnership to improve broadband Internet access to the Navajo Nation and all underserved areas in New Mexico.

Sceye's expansion will include a manufacturing operation to build airships equipped with the capabilities to deliver broadband, the news release said.

The location for the manufacturing operation is yet to be announced, said Economic Development Department Secretary Alicia J. Keyes. The New Mexico Economic Development Department will invest up to $5 million in Local Economic Development Act money to get the facility off the ground.

The facility is expected to create 140 new manufacturing and engineering jobs. Keyes said the company aims to have airships in New Mexico skies by 2022.

...

The total number of airships will depend on customer service contracts. Sceye will initially build one a year and then ramp up based on demand, said Bruce Krasnow, public information officer for the New Mexico Economic Development Department.

Sceye, which will need a hangar to store and eventually launch the airships, has conducted research and development at airports in both Roswell and Moriarty over the past three years. The company currently has 30 employees across its New Mexico interests, according to the news release. In total, Sceye has invested more than $50 million in developing and maturing the stratospheric airship and building infrastructure in New Mexico, according to the release.

...

Last May, Sceye received a two-year, no-interest loan for $2 million from the state's LEDA fund to help keep its New Mexico workforce and rebuild a damaged hangar in Roswell. At the time, Sceye said it planned future expansions in New Mexico following the rebuild of its facilities and continuation of research and development work.

Keyes said the expansion has been in the works for about a year. It was a joint effort between Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's office, the the Economic Development Department, the Environment Department, the Department of Transportation and Department of Information Technology, according to a release.

Aerospace is an industry the Lujan Grisham administration said it wanted to target, and offer incentives like LEDA. Other target industries include biosciences, cybersecurity, film and television, global trade, intelligent manufacturing like 3D printing, green energy, and sustainable value-added agriculture.

As a result of prioritizing the industry, Keyes said the state will likely see interest from satellite and stratospheric as well aerospace companies looking to expand.

"Now is really the opportunity for us to get a foothold in this industry," she said.

Sceye Inc. is developing airships that they will deploy into the stratosphere for months at a time in order to provide high-speed broadband internet to remote areas, as well as earth observation and monitoring technologies. One of those technologies is the ability to provide real-time aerial imagery of any location on the planet. The company currently employs 52 people in the state.

Below are pics and a link to their website which has a summary, video and more information about their airships, technology and overall program plans. I've also included a few photos from their Facebook page showing their successful test flights over the past year, the most recent one which took place back in November.

https://www.sceye.com/











https://www.facebook.com/sceyeofficial

[ABQalex]

KRQE has an update on the Universal Hydrogen facility at the Sunport and its status. It's almost gonna be two years since it was first announced and nothing has been built yet. It looks like it may not get underway for quite awhile still, but the city and state seem to think it remains on track. The story includes almost identical statements from the governor’s office and the Sunport, as well as an interview with city councilor Pat Davis, whose district includes the Sunport. They weren't able to get a statement from the company itself.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...n-albuquerque/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) –It was big news for Albuquerque when a company called ‘Universal Hydrogen’ announced they were planning to set up shop on a 50-acre parcel of land next to Albuquerque’s Sunport. However, nearly two years later, that lot is still empty.

News 13 reached out to the city and state leaders as well as the company to find out more about the progress of the project. “It doesn’t look like much now, but it’s going to be the home of some of the biggest new changes to New Mexico’s economy in the next decade,” said Pat Davis, Albuquerque City Councilor for District 6. He said the lot used to be one of the city’s runways until they closed it off and made it into an industrial park.

In March of 2022, it was promised to the green energy company, Universal Hydrogen: “Which is one of the first companies to really take the hydrogen energies and monetize that into transportation and they picked Albuquerque to do it, and they’ll be right here in this dirt lot,” Davis says.

In late 2022, the company’s co-founder Jon Gordon told News 13 they were looking to set up their first manufacturing plant to make kits for airplanes to run off of hydrogen instead of jet fuel; and in January of 2023, the state gave the company $10 million—the city of Albuquerque kicking in $2 million more—to help build the facility and generate jobs. At that time, the city said it would create around 500 jobs paying an average salary of $71,000 a year.

“What the state has done along with the city is, we’ve put some money on the table and said, ‘we’ll help you hire those workers when you’re ready to do it,’ and so that money is still available,” Davis said

But, for all those plans, the lot is still empty. Why? Davis says the company is paying rent for the space, but they have to get through their testing phase before they come here: “They’re on track to finish their FAA testing sometime in 2027, 2028, but some of those early pieces as they scale up will start here in Albuquerque we hope in about 18 months or two years.”

Even though it may be a while yet before things get moving on the ground, Davis said it’s just one piece of bigger plans for the city: “We’ve created thousands of new jobs just in the last couple of years around the airport because we’re putting all of our resources together around a synergy and an ecosystem that invests in our next generation economy like hydrogen, solar cell manufacturing at Mesa Del Sol and others to replace oil and gas.”

The Governor’s Office sent News 13 a statement about the project:

“Universal Hydrogen is in the process of planning the manufacturing facility at the Aviation Center of Excellence in Albuquerque. This facility is phase 1 of the overall project and will encompass approximately 29 acres and employ hundreds of New Mexicans. Universal Hydrogen recently completed a successful test flight of a regional aircraft retrofitted with the company’s hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain at its flight center in Washington State and is working closely with the FAA on full certification of this its clean technology that will reduce carbon in the commercial aviation industry. The company continues to strike new agreements with airlines, including an agreement with Japan Airlines announced in mid-November. Universal Hydrogen is currently working on architecture and design plans at the Albuquerque site. The groundbreaking and construction timelines are not firm at this point, and we are looking forward to seeing this project come to fruition. The project is set to not only to make Albuquerque a leader in the modern, low-carbon aviation industry, but will also create about $708 million in total economic impact over the next 10 years.”

- Maddy Hayden, Director of Communications for the Office of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham

The ABQ Sunport also sent News 13 a statement about the project:

“Universal Hydrogen is in the process of focusing its site planning on the manufacturing facility at the Aviation Center of Excellence. This facility is phase 1 of the overall project and will encompass approximately 29 acres within the 50-acre site we identified in the City’s letter of intent with the company. They continue to strike new agreements with airlines, including an agreement with Japan Airlines (JAL) announced in mid-November. The groundbreaking and beginning of construction timelines remain in flux at this time, and we expect to have new details on this toward the beginning of the new year. The Universal Hydrogen Project will ensure Albuquerque is a leader in the modern aviation industry and will increase our city’s stock as a destination for world-class aerospace and aviation development. We look forward to continued work on the project as Universal Hydrogen finalizes its plan for the Albuquerque facility. The project is expected to create about $708 million in total economic impact over the next 10 years.”

- ABQ Sunport

News 13 reached out to Universal Hydrogen for comment but has not heard back.

I was glad to see KRQE look into and ask about the status of the Universal Hydrogen project. We need more of this by our local media. So much stuff could be followed up on and updated that really goes by the wayside in this city.

A story that I wanted to post before the year is over also gives somewhat of an update on the Amazon fulfillment center in Los Lunas, which I had been wondering if it ever opened.

It was reported back in September that Amazon would be hiring an additional 1,600 workers in New Mexico for the busy holiday season. They stated that the majority of those extra positions would be at the fulfillment center and sortation center in Albuquerque on the Westside. However, they also stated that 240 of those positions would be in Los Lunas, which seemingly confirms that it has indeed opened and is in operation.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquer...ay-season.html

Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) plans to hire around 1,600 additional New Mexican employees as part of its hiring spree ahead of the holiday season — a time well-known for increased demand at the company.

Positions will take the form of full-time, seasonal and part-time roles throughout the company, including in packing, sorting and delivery. Wages will range from $20.50 to $28 per hour in customer fulfillment and transportation roles, depending on the location.

Applicants from all backgrounds and experience levels are invited to apply, a release from the company said.

The approximate number of available positions are broken down by county:

1,300 in Bernalillo County
240 in Valencia County
23 in Santa Fe County
10 in Rio Arriba County

The most positions available will be at the ABQ1 and ABQ5 complex on Albuquerque's Westside.

...

Those pics from the story are of the Amazon fulfillment center on the Westside. Below are the most recent pics I can find of the fulfillment center in Los Lunas from posters to Facebook and Google, which were taken about 5 and 6 months ago.









Another 93,000 sq ft manufacturing facility project that was recently approved by the EPC has broken ground. The ABB Elastimold expansion project on the Westside that was announced earlier this year will double in size their current facility and create another 55 manufacturing jobs at the site.


https://images2.imgbox.com/25/49/GRMfTdYI_o.jpg


https://images2.imgbox.com/44/a9/Eg0XB0XV_o.jpg

Here's a 3-D rendering of the expansion from a recent Albuquerque Business First story about the project.

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



And here are a few pictures of the groundbreaking ceremony on ABB's website. In a couple of the pictures you can spot the nearby San Roque Apartments construction site, which is just to the east.

https://new.abb.com/news/detail/1107...o-clean-energy









In those pictures you can see the crane of the San Roque project, the same kind as was used for the Markana Uptown project, with cables and counterweights. It went up about two months ago but has apparently already been taken down. Below are screenshots and a link to a video on LinkedIn showing the construction site and crane. It was posted by the project superintendent.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update...4234922684416/











Here's another video posted by the project superintendent today that shows that the crane is no longer there. Apparently it was only used and necessary for a short while. It had to have been taken down very recently, as the ABB groundbreaking ceremony was last week.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update...0964836343808/

[ABQalex]

The same kind of tower crane has also recently went up at Winrock Town Center for the construction of the Portland Building. Site work got underway a few months ago and the crane went up earlier this week. Below are a few pictures of the crane and site from Winrock Town Center and the Albuquerque Past and Present pages on Facebook. A few of the pictures show progress on the park area over the last couple of months as well.

https://www.facebook.com/Winrocktowncenter

















https://www.facebook.com/groups/1928...6358808652866/













Here's an image with a rendering of the Portland Building, as well as the latest site plan for Winrock Town Center from a listing for the new office space in the building.

https://www.crexi.com/lease/properti...ffice-building





Here's a rendering that Modulus Architects recently posted on their Facebook page which looks like it's one of the park pavilions/commercial structures. It looks like it's the one on the southeast corner of the park from the layout above, which isn't yet under construction. I hope this is what gets built, but we know that the Winrock renderings have rarely matched what actually gets built.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid...07989587999491



A few establishments have either recently opened or announced plans to open at Winrock. The state's first Jamba Juice location opened a few months ago at The Corner and a new pizza place called Gimani's will also be opening in the old Sauce Pizza & Wine location there as well. Two new Presbyterian medical and health-related facilities also recently opened in the old Montgomery Ward structure. And a new comedy club was announced in the summer as well.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquer...nter-july.html






https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update...76141205127169

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquer...e-winrock.html







https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquer...r-goodman.html



It looks like Albuquerque City Drug will also be setting up shop at Winrock Town Center. Below is a link to a building permit they've applied for back in June which says it's ready for issue. I hope it's just gonna be another location and that they aren't planning to move from Downtown to Uptown.

https://posse.cabq.gov/posse/pub/lms...ctId=183519450



Here also is a picture from a recent Albuquerque Business First story of the 8,000 sq ft commercial structure going up at the old Macaroni Grill site. It's been revealed to be for Fidelity Investments, which looks like it will move its existing office from ABQ Uptown to this new space.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquer...ck-center.html



The tenant for the new commercial structure at 2440 Louisiana Boulevard NE has also been revealed to be Charles Schwab. The building has been completed and they have now moved into the space. Below are a couple of pictures from a company director on LinkedIn during his visit to the new office in Albuquerque.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rich-...540639232-5wXM

[ABQalex]

I wanted to post the latest jobs numbers for Albuquerque that were recently released by the BLS. Albuquerque had nearly 420,000 (419,600) nonfarm jobs in November! That's by far the most jobs we've ever had and it represents growth of 2.4 percent over November of last year. Construction jobs especially are booming and growing, with nearly 12 percent growth year over year.

The unemployment figure hasn't yet been released, but I anticipate that it will stay in the 3 percent range. The state's unemployment rate was 3.9 percent in November and we had 874,600 nonfarm jobs statewide, which was growth of 2.2 percent over the previous year.

https://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.nm_albuquerque_msa.htm

https://www.bls.gov/regions/southwest/new_mexico.htm

We've really been doing great lately in Albuquerque when it comes to jobs and the economy. I hope it continues in the new year!

[ABQalex]

Here's some great pictures that poster JimmyCrackedCorn posted yesterday over at SSC. They show many of the new projects in the most urban areas of Albuquerque during the rain and cloudy weather that we've been having just before Christmas. I love Albuquerque in this sort of weather!

Click the links below the embedded images to see them in full size.


https://images2.imgbox.com/91/89/inHrBSBw_o.jpg


https://images2.imgbox.com/dc/98/uqyrSo6C_o.jpg


https://images2.imgbox.com/5e/49/cHFA3All_o.jpg


https://images2.imgbox.com/d2/d6/SaI4Lt7a_o.jpg


https://images2.imgbox.com/8a/c6/L3Dgq3bR_o.jpg


https://images2.imgbox.com/ff/fd/km3aLGAM_o.jpg


https://images2.imgbox.com/d5/30/lbFaLmGV_o.jpg


https://images2.imgbox.com/4e/54/u4nTIrIp_o.jpg


https://images2.imgbox.com/b6/60/VnmN6gYP_o.jpg


https://images2.imgbox.com/48/f8/YriUX3zO_o.jpg

Here also are some nice aerial pictures of Albuquerque that I wanted to share. They're from a poster on Instagram whose account I recently discovered. He recently got a drone, so I'm hoping and look forward to him posting more aerial pics such as these in the future! A couple of the images have larger original sizes, so be sure to click the link right below the embedded image to see them with more detail and clarity. The last post and set of pics of Old Town includes a short video tour as well, so be sure to click the post link to see it. I'd love to see a drone video like this tonight for the Luminaria Tour displays!

https://www.instagram.com/p/C1A9JCBPEWW/



https://www.instagram.com/p/C02pXK3NUgq/


https://images2.imgbox.com/a1/d3/EWceUKwe_o.jpg


https://images2.imgbox.com/82/ba/xHaOCWae_o.jpg

https://www.instagram.com/p/C1GrrMtLWNG/?img_index=2

[ABQalex]

HB Construction recently posted a few aerial pictures of various apartment projects that they are working on in Albuquerque:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/hb-co...085872640-9smM

San Roque



Senary by Allaso



Allaso Olivine



Markana Latitude Phase 2



Allaso Vineyards



Here are a few more pics of the Allaso Vineyards apartments from a poster to Google.

[ABQalex]

Little Bear Coffee has confirmed that it will open a new location in Downtown Albuquerque and that it will move into the former Starbucks space at Albuquerque Plaza that closed last year. The KOB-TV story below says that they will have a grand opening at the end of the month.

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/littl...n-albuquerque/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Little Bear Coffee is getting ready to bring its momentum to another part of Albuquerque that needs it.

“We talked a lot about how, if we want to commit to like building our city, what are some ways that we can do that in a really meaningful way,” said Jacob Fox, co-owner of Little Bear Coffee.

Fox and his family opened the Uptown Little Bear location in 2017, and then their Nob Hill location two years later. Now, they are preparing to open their downtown location.

“We’re just so excited to have a presence here, and to hopefully be kind of a positive catalyst for some growth here in our city center,” Fox said.

Little Bear is expanding to the lobby of the Clyde Hotel, steps from Albuquerque’s Civic Plaza.

“I think we’re really hoping that our storefront facing Civic Plaza can be a cool excuse for people to like, come get a drink, go walk around, check it out for maybe the first time ever, and hopefully, it becomes a part of a lot of people’s daily life and routine,” Fox said.

Fox acknowledges the potential risk of crime and vandalism that comes along with a downtown storefront, but hopes positive activity will deter the negative.

“That same sentiment existed a handful of years ago when we were talking about going into Nob Hill,” Fox said. “I think the honest answer is that, if you’re committed to wanting a place to be the best version of itself, you kind of just have to commit to it.”

That’s the attitude Terry Brunner with the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency says will help downtown reach its full potential.

“There’s a lot of work to be done across the board to get people really interested in downtown,” Brunner told KOB 4.

Brunner says the city is already on the right track for 2024. Hotel Blue is scheduled to reopen as Arrive Albuquerque, and Ex Novo Brewing is set to open a new concept next door.

There are also new housing units to compliment the west end of Central. Over on the east side, the city is weeks away from construction on the Central Crossing Project near 2nd Street as part of the Rail Trail.

Brunner says beyond the infrastructure is the need to change attitudes.

“Downtown is not just about having people come in cause trouble, or have too many drinks and leave, we want them to be folks that come in and want to live downtown and experience downtown in a positive way,” Brunner said.

Fox and his family are hoping to lead that charge.

“We really, genuinely view it as a collective effort in making our city a little bit better,” Fox said.

The downtown Little Bear Coffee location has a grand opening set for Jan. 25.

The Starbucks location had been in that space for about 20 years and was one of the early pioneers in Downtown Albuquerque's current revitalization efforts that began in 2001. I remember it was a big deal back then to have one located in the center of the city. I'm glad that a new local coffee shop such as Little Bear will be filling its space anew. It just reflects the further move toward having a more local experience and flavor at Albuquerque Plaza, with the Clyde Hotel rebranding and renovation, etc.

[ABQalex]

Albuquerque Business First has a story about a new studio development being planned on the Westside in Albuquerque. The governor announced the project in her State of the State address earlier this week. The project is being developed by a partnership from California.

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

A new film studio is set to put down stakes in Albuquerque — a development that will add multiple soundstages to a market in desperate need of them.

Mesa Studios, a new joint venture from two unnamed parties out of California, will build a complex that features six to eight soundstages, a backlot, a mill and office space capacity. One of the partners, who has not been named, is an Albuquerque native who is “looking to come home,” Mark Roper, acting New Mexico Economic Development Department secretary, told Albuquerque Business First. 

In addition, the State is in talks with the company for it to become New Mexico’s next film partner — an agreement that establishes required amounts of production and spending for the studio in exchange for benefits, such as expanded tax credits. Currently, Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX), NBCUniversal (NASDAQ: CMCSA) and 828 Productions are the only studios to be granted the distinction.

Amber Dodson, director of the New Mexico Film Office, said New Mexico, as well as the entire world, is in dire need of soundstages due to increased demand for content in recent years. The introduction of Mesa Studios and its accompanying stages will help soothe that shortage, she said.

“As things have just charged ahead, we’ve never had enough stages for the growth that we’ve seen. That’s a national problem, that’s a global problem,” Dodson said. “This development, which will be in the major metropolitan area, has been needed for a long time.

“We’re thrilled with it, because we’ll be able to have additional projects here that we’ve had to, actually, see go to other territories in recent years because of the lack of stage space," she continued.

While Roper said the complex will be located on Albuquerque’s Westside, he didn’t confirm the exact location amid ongoing lease negotiations. He said he expects the deal to be finalized in late spring or early summer of this year.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham lauded the project in her State of the State address Tuesday evening, saying it's "the reason that additional productions are going to choose New Mexico again."

New Mexico productions are ramping up going into the new year following the end of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strike in November and the ratification of the union’s new contract in December.

Even with the strikes affecting the industry for most of last year, New Mexico still managed to see robust spending on film and television projects in 2023. Overall spending was $794 million last year, a relatively small decrease from the record $855 million set in 2022.

https://sourcenm.com/2023/12/12/new-...20New%20Mexico.

Hollywood is back to work and state officials that help oversee productions in New Mexico say they need more people to keep the show going.

In a budget presentation to the Legislative Finance Committee, New Mexico Economic Development Department leaders on Monday asked state lawmakers to fund five new positions for the New Mexico Film Office and the Media Arts Collective.

“Really, it comes down to staffing,” said Jon Clark, the department’s acting cabinet secretary. “We have not had any additional staffing provided to the film division in years, and yet we’ve seen explosive growth in the industry.”

Two of the staff positions the Economic Development Department is requesting would work for the New Mexico Film Office, while three would work for the Media Arts Collective. The department is also requesting $300,000 to fund operations at the Media Arts Collective.

The film office, which currently employs seven people, oversees the state’s role in incentivizing film and television production in New Mexico.

In 2022, spending by those industries reached a record $855.4 million, according to the New Mexico Film Office.

In 2023, despite labor strikes halting productions for months, film and television industries spent $794.1 million in New Mexico.

Productions are looking strong going into this year as well. Vince Gilligan's new project starring Rhea Seehorn of Better Call Saul is among the major new projects slated to begin production this year in Albuquerque. Others such as Stranger Things, The Cleaning Lady and Duster have resumed production or will debut new seasons produced in Albuquerque this year as well. Below is a recent Hollywood Reporter article where Rhea Seehorn talks about her new series and mentions a bit about Vince Gilligan remaining loyal to Albuquerque and continuing productions here. The new series has been picked up by Apple TV+ for at least two seasons.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv...ow-1235788830/

Rhea Seehorn may not have won the Emmy for best supporting actress in a drama series for her Better Call Saul role at the 2023 Emmys, but she’s already teasing a reunion with Better Call Saul co-creator Vince Gilligan.

While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter on the Emmys red carpet, the actress remained coy on what the series and role was, but shared some more about the role that Gilligan wrote specifically for her.

“We’re never allowed to say anything! He’s already released that it has a sci-fi element; more psychological than full space,” Seehorn told THR. “And he wrote it for me — which is hard to say without crying. And we will shoot in Albuquerque, with a lot of the same crew.”

“Vince is very loyal and likes the family of people that he has worked with and prefers to hire the same people over and over,” Seehorn previously told THR of the anticipated reunion. “So I could see lots of reasons why he would want it to be Albuquerque, but I can tell you that it doesn’t have anything to do with Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul.”

She went on to tease that the role is one she’s “never played before” and “it’s extremely unlike anything I’ve ever done before.”

She added, “I guess the only other thing I’m allowed to say is that in his genius way, even when you’re reading the scripts — I’ve read three — every time you think you know what story or what genre this is, he takes a turn. He keeps taking a turn. It’s amazing writing.”

...

https://deadline.com/2022/09/vince-g...er-1235124488/



It was also announced earlier this week that Albuquerque has once again been named to MovieMaker's list of the best large cities to live and work in film and television. It came in second place this year, behind only Toronto. It had slipped to 5th on the list last year after having placed 1st for four straight years before that. Santa Fe is number one again this year among small cities, and Las Cruces makes the small cities list as well for the second year, coming in at number eight.

https://www.moviemaker.com/best-places-moviemaker-2024/

2. ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

Albuquerque returns to a place it has held many times before on this list: It’s our top big U.S. city for moviemakers. One of the most culturally rich cities in the country, it anchors a growing New Mexico film scene that also includes nearby Santa Fe and Las Cruces, both of which you’ll soon read about in our list of Smaller Cities and Towns. All in all, the film industry supports about 8,000 well-paying jobs statewide.

Albuquerque’s experienced crew base, sunny weather, and affordability have helped draw big hitters like Netflix and NBCUniversal, which have made use of Local Economic Development money for ambitious studio builds. In turn, the presence of huge entities provides stable jobs that give local filmmakers the security to make their own indie projects.

The maximum credit is 40%, under optimal conditions, and film commissioner Cyndy McCrossen, who has astonishing knowledge of area locations, runs a very professional operation that is quick to handle permit requests and anything else filmmakers need. Recent productions in the area include Netflix’s Obliterated, A24’s Love Lies Bleeding, Paramount’s A Really Haunted Loud House, and the Warner Bros shows The Cleaning Lady and Duster.

The city owns roughly 30,000 acres of stunning wide-open spaces including rocky foothills, pine forests and deserts, and filmmakers are also attracted to its trails, parks, railyards, and the ABQ BioPark, which includes a zoo, botanical garden, aquarium, and Tingley Beach, which features fishing ponds, paddle boats, and more. The cost of living in Albuquerque is below the U.S. average and the quality of life is high: It has little traffic, lots of open space, and nature all around. And it’s just a two-hour flight to Los Angeles.

Notable Film Festival: Albuquerque Film & Music Experience

Giving equal weight to music and film, AFMX is an annual interactive event held every September with an emphasis on domestic and international films. It offers panels and workshops, intimate networking, and, of course, live musical performances. One of its key objectives year-round is to encourage young people to find careers in film and music.

[ABQalex]

It looks like the project at University and Gold SE actually isn't dead and has recently received a zone change that it asked for from the city. The zone change would allow for a taller structure because it is along the ART line, a major transit corridor, which gives height bonuses. However, the developer says that they are planning to stick to their original plans for a 4-story structure. Of course, NIMBYs are still up in arms about the project, including a notorious one from the Westside who felt that she needed to chime in. Thankfully quite a few neighbors and those in charge aren't swayed by the NIMBY arguments so far.

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

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A need for more housing has a developer eyeing a church near UNM.

“We need more housing; we need more denser housing,” said Don McIver, a resident of Silver Hills neighborhood near the University of New Mexico (UNM) campus.

He’s now facing a big change across the street at Gold and University. That’s where a long-vacant church could soon be replaced, with developers considering a much taller apartment complex on the lot. It comes after the city approved a zoning change for the property last week.

“We’ve lived here for 13 years and watched the property be underutilized and then now kind of rundown,” said McIver.

However, not everyone is on board with a possible big shift near a historic district. Some neighbors worry the potential 48-foot-tall building will only encourage more large-scale development.

“I am not opposed to higher density. I just don’t think it’s appropriate across the street from this neighborhood,” explained Patricia Wilson, president of the Victory Hills Neighborhood Association.

“One of the most important things that people really appreciate in this town is preserving the character of their area and the visual quality,” added Renee Horvath, a neighbor in the area.

Developers, in part, argue the property has sat unused and has attracted homeless camps. They also think apartments could address a lack of housing in the university area.

“It will help the community meet its housing needs, and once again, we do have support from several adjacent nearby neighbors,” said Jim Strozier, co-founder of Consensus Planning.

The zone change allows developers to build well over 50 feet if they meet specific requirements. However, the current property owners said they’re planning a 48-foot-tall building. But, if they sell the property, the next owners could do something different.

“A zone change stays with the property, and if he were to choose to sell the property, a 77-foot building could be built,” said Wilson.

If you'll remember, this is the project that was pulled from consideration by the EPC last year. I thought it was dead, but it looks like perhaps the developer went the zone change route to avoid the chance that it could be derailed during a variance request under the old zoning.

Remember also that it was encouraged during the University MRA planning process for the city to expand the denser and more intense zoning along Central Avenue in order to facilitate and attract projects such as this along the ART route. I'm glad that it looks like the city is following that advice!

I hope to find more information about the project when I have time to look into it further, including hopefully finding a rendering.

I also wanted to say that the first line from Patricia Wilson in the quote from the story above is literal and textbook NIMBYism. And Renee Horvath isn't a neighbor, unless she's recently moved. She's always been involved with the Taylor Ranch Neighborhood Association and the Westside Coalition of Neighborhood Associations. They recently won a victory to discourage apartment projects on the Westside near the Petroglyphs by adding a layer of review by tribal representatives and expanding the protected view corridors/overlay zoning in the area.

Those changes would discourage and outright ban structures taller than two stories even in areas where zoning used to allow up to four stories. The view protection overlay takes precedence over the zoning. Two stories for apartments in today's reality is an untenable position and unreasonable restriction. Three stories has pretty much always been the norm for suburban and garden-style apartments, but lately NIMBYs have taken aim at that and are demanding nothing more than two stories.

In this case they've added tribal arguments around the Petroglyphs to bolster their position. Never mind that their own sh*tty tract homes and McMansions have already ruined the pristine, sacred nature of the area and the views. Would they have liked it if the tribes had gotten a chance to argue against their homes being built near the Petroglyphs? I think not.

I can't say enough how much I absolutely despise NIMBYs and their disingenuous arguments and slimey tactics.

[ABQalex]

Intel has completed and opened its Fab 9 facility, part of its $3.5 billion upgrade and investment in Rio Rancho.

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us...ew-mexico.html

What’s New: Today, Intel celebrated the opening of Fab 9, its cutting-edge factory in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The milestone is part of Intel's previously announced $3.5 billion investment to equip its New Mexico operations for the manufacturing of advanced semiconductor packaging technologies, including Intel’s breakthrough 3D packaging technology, Foveros, which offers flexible options for combining multiple chips that are optimized for power, performance and cost.

“Today, we celebrate the opening of Intel’s first high-volume semiconductor operations and the only U.S. factory producing the world’s most advanced packaging solutions at scale. This cutting-edge technology sets Intel apart and gives our customers real advantages in performance, form factor and flexibility in design applications, all within a resilient supply chain. Congratulations to the New Mexico team, the entire Intel family, our suppliers, and contractor partners who collaborate and relentlessly push the boundaries of packaging innovation.”

– Keyvan Esfarjani, Intel executive vice president and chief global operations officer

https://www.krqe.com/home/intel-cele...in-rio-rancho/

RIO RANCHO, N.M. (KRQE) – One of New Mexico’s biggest technology manufacturers is celebrating a first-of-its-kind facility. Intel says this project began back in 2021 and was part of a multi-billion-dollar investment. They say this is the only factory in the country manufacturing this breakthrough technology. “This capability goes way beyond Intel, well beyond of course New Mexico,” said Keyvan Esfarjani, Intel Executive Vice President & Chief Global Operations Officer.

It’s a milestone, Intel says sets it apart from other manufacturers. The company announced its new factory called Fab 9 which allows them to create what’s called advanced packaging technology, which is essentially multiple chips combined into one unit. “We’re going to integrate many chips into one package, and bringing for example a microprocessor, plus a memory, plus a systems on a chip, you bring all those things together and you package them together,” said Esfarjani.

Intel says this technology provides uses for advanced artificial intelligence for its PC and server products. The factory will enable Intel to create the entire technology in-house, cutting its dependence on offshore factories. “Critically important for supply chain, critically important for many disruptions that we continue to see whether it’s from logistics, whether it’s from geopolitics or whatever it is,” says Esfarjani.

The project is part of a $3.5 billion investment from 2021, that has allowed Intel to hire more than 700 additional employees, and they’re still hiring. Intel says this milestone will have lasting economic impacts. “And nowhere better than do it here in New Mexico, here in our operation where we have had a legacy,” said Esfarjani.

In addition to New Mexico, Intel says it is also making big investments in its Ohio, Arizona, and Oregon sites, totaling $120 billion. Intel says they’re still looking to fill a couple hundred jobs in Rio Rancho, including engineering and technician roles.

[ABQalex]

It seems the plan now is to turn the former Century Theatres in Downtown Albuquerque into a basketball academy. They say it could be done by this summer and will cost $9 million.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...ball-facility/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It’s been dark for three years, but soon a vacant movie theater in the heart of Albuquerque will see new life. A local basketball program is planning on making downtown their new home. The founder says they’ve been in talks since August of last year.

From movies to sports, a prominent downtown theater is about to turn into a training facility for New Mexico’s up-and-coming athletes. “You’d have mezzanine seating, you would have bleacher seating as well,” said Brandon Mason, Founder and owner of ABC Prep.

The former home of the Century 14 movie theater on First and Central is being turned into the space for the Albuquerque Basketball Club Prep. “I saw the vision and then when it’s completely cleaned out and flattened now, now it’s like wow this really looks amazing like this could be huge,” said Mason.

Club founder Brandon Mason says the facility would include at least five basketball courts, 20 dorm rooms, and dining. It would also allow for the program to expand and include female athletes. “The value we see is the crowds it’s going to bring downtown, it’s the type of people he’s bringing downtown…I think he’s really going to be a big part of the economic development of downtown,” said Jerry Mosher, Partner with Theatre Block, LLC.

Century 14 first opened back in 2001. Like many other movie theaters, it began to struggle to keep its doors open after the pandemic. After 20 years, the theater officially announced it would be permanently closing in October 2021. The building has remained vacant for nearly three years. “I just remember sitting in seats watching a movie with my kids and things like that, so to see it like this now is like I never envisioned the opportunity or the option of this being a basketball facility,” said Mason.

ABC Prep currently has a space at Mountain and Rio Grande. They say they plan to keep that location in addition to the new facility. “Something like this and something of this magnitude can change an entire community and uplift it,” said Mason.

Mason says the ABC Prep program currently has more than 20 students and they’re looking to grow the program to more than 50. Theatre Block, LLC says the renovation is estimated to cost more than nine million dollars. They say it could be ready as early as this August.

This is an absolute nightmare and one of the worst possible outcomes for the site. I don't care how much they try to paint it as being some kind of shot in the arm. I'd do anything for it to be turned into a studio complex now, seeing what kind of horrible project it looks like it will end up being. What awful luck we have in this city, I swear.

[ABQalex]

Here's another bit of bad news, although I suppose it could be considered a blessing in disguise. It was revealed yesterday that the Space Valley initiative has once again lost in the final round of competition for a government grant/funding challenge.

The Space Valley Coalition's leader still says that they will move forward, helped by the smaller amount of funding that they received as one of the finalists. However, I think it's looking more likely that this initiative will go nowhere. That might be a good thing, considering what they had planned for the Space Valley Center in Downtown Albuquerque.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquer...ext-steps.html

A coalition of aerospace organizations in New Mexico officially learned today it missed out on a chance to land $160 million to fuel economic development throughout the region. But despite the loss, leadership for the coalition said it's prepared to move forward with its work building out the aerospace economy.

The U.S. National Science Foundation on Monday announced awards to 10 proposals through its Regional Innovation Engines program, first authorized under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. Awardees receive an initial $15 million over the next two years with the potential to get up to $160 million over the next decade, according to the National Science Foundation's (NSF) website.

NSF tapped the New Mexico Space Valley Coalition — a joint effort between a mix of government agencies, educational institutions, nonprofit and economic development organizations in the state — as one of 16 finalists in its Regional Innovation Engines program. But the Coalition wasn't selected as one of the 10 final awardees.
...

The Space Valley Coalition's five members are the City of Albuquerque, Central New Mexico Community College, CNM Ingenuity, the New Mexico International Trade Alliance, NewSpace Nexus and the New Mexico Spaceport Authority. It includes a range of partners, too, like Navajo Technical University and New Mexico State University.

The Coalition's proposal focused on aerospace-related economic development throughout New Mexico and parts of Western Texas and Southern Colorado. It was initially formed over two years ago to create what Randy Trask, president of the New Mexico Trade Alliance and leader for the Coalition, called an "organized, strategic plan" for developing that region's aerospace industry.
...

Despite missing out on the primary funding award, the Space Valley Coalition was chosen for an NSF Engines Development Award. That award comes with $1 million in the form of a grant "to further develop … partnerships and model for a future NSF Engines proposal," according to the NSF's website.

That $1 million helps the Coalition's work move forward, Trask said. Money from the grant will keep the Coalition staffed and help grow its membership and board of directors, he said. It can also help the Coalition prepare for future funding opportunities by refining its strategy and proposal design.

With the $1 million, Trask estimated the Coalition could potentially have two more years of funding to continue its economic development efforts.
...

[ABQalex]

The city and CNM had an update yesterday on the new film school at the Rail Yards where construction has begun. A few new renderings and a layout were revealed and on display at the event. Click the links below the embedded images to see them with more clarity, especially the site plan.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...aining-center/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Construction has begun on the project for Albuquerque’s Rail Yards connecting students to New Mexico’s booming film industry. It’s supposed to get hundreds of people working out of the long quiet site near downtown and It may be the biggest development for the city’s massive longstanding Rail Yards project. “It was about seven years ago when this whole facility was under a master plan contract,” said Mayor Tim Keller.

Part of the project has involved fixing floors, the roof, and the courtyards. “These have been the city investments leading up to this,” said Keller.

Now, the next step of the project is beginning, a film training center inside of one of the site’s biggest buildings. Central New Mexico Community College and the City of Albuquerque are working to completely remodel the Rail Yards’ old boiler shop. “We’re excited to build I would say two boxes in a box,” said CNM President, Tracy Hartzler.

A building built inside the existing shop, with new classrooms, stages, and other rooms to fully serve the up-and-coming film workforce. “This industry is the fastest growing in our state and now it’s one of the largest,” said Keller.

Along with being a 24/7 presence on the Rail Yards campus. The hope is to make a school helping New Mexico retain film talent. “We have to grow our own for the film industry and that’s exactly what CNM is stepping up to do with their training program,” said Keller.

While a lot of changes are coming to the space, the city says they plan on keeping the historic charm in place. “This is a flexible space, we’ll be able to move not only the stage but our workspaces here conference space,” said Hartzler.

Not only to preserve the building but help with real filming for future students. “We sort of capture that awesome film backgrounds that we know and love from transformers and all of the other buildings that have been here,” said Keller.

The city is hoping to wrap the project up in 2025 with the CNM Film Center taking it’s first round of students in 2026.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquer...ds-update.html

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller and Central New Mexico Community College President Tracy Hartzler welcomed local media to the Rail Yards Tuesday afternoon, aiming to provide a construction and concept update to the CNM-sponsored film education facility being built there.

The project, introduced by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in 2022, will turn the northernmost Rail Yards building into a home for two major film education programs: CNM’s film production and digital media programs and the state’s film training program — known as the New Mexico Media Arts Collective. The CNM portion of the facility, located in the eastern half of the complex, will be known as the "Central New Mexico Community College and New Mexico Economic Development Department Film Center at the Rail Yards."

$40 million in state funding, from both capital outlay and general fund money, is being allocated to the project.

Tuesday’s event shed new light on the amenities that will be available for CNM students. Three sound stages are planned, in addition to production facilities like a hair and makeup station, sewing amenities and a production mill — which is used to design and construct set components. In addition, a 100-seat theater is included for showing small productions.

A site map also notes a motion capture space, commonly used to capture actors’ likenesses and performances for conversion into animated films.

All of these facilities will be housed in a “building inside a building,” to shelter ongoing productions from outside noise like traffic, Hartzler said.

Hartzler and Keller both voiced their hope that the facility would become an catalyst for more development at the Rail Yards — a site that has seen numerous redevelopment plans come and go since it ceased its original purpose, as the name suggests, as a rail repair and workshop.

“The opportunity here also is that this becomes the anchor,” Hartlzer said. “The buildings we see behind us and around us will only become activated given the exciting design that’s happening here.”

The intent is that the project will influence more than just the Rail Yards, specifically, but also Downtown more generally.

Keller said with students flocking to the area to participate in film education programs, he hopes other developments like cafes and additional housing could follow. He added there are “no plans” for the other vacant two-thirds of the Rail Yards.

“When we finish this, we’re gonna have roughly a third of the Rail Yards kind of figured out. We know what we’re gonna do with it,” Keller said. “We’re just focused on delivering on this third, on the northern third of the property. And we’ll see what comes next.”

Construction has already begun, with a new floor and ceiling being installed. The project has seen some renovation-related challenges, including replacing asbestos compounds used on the building’s windows and not being able to fit large construction vehicles inside.

Construction is currently scheduled to be completed by fall 2025, with CNM starting programming in January 2026.

https://media.bizj.us/view/img/12686...1944-0-132.jpg


https://media.bizj.us/view/img/12686...1944-0-132.jpg


https://media.bizj.us/view/img/12686...1944-0-132.jpg


https://media.bizj.us/view/img/12686...4050-0-275.jpg

Here are a few pics of the event from Mayor Keller's social media.


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GFs8jCSbAAA1VkR.jpg:large


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GFs8jCUbEAA4SDM.jpg:large


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GFs8jCTacAAl0GZ.jpg:large

And here are a few screenshots from a disappearing story on Instagram by Mattophoto that was posted on Friday. I never got a chance to post them here until now.

https://www.instagram.com/mattophotollc/