Albuquerque Development Thread

[ABQalex]

The city finally updated the Sunport’s passenger statistics through November on its website. October, with Balloon Fiesta traffic, was again the busiest month of the year. October 2024 was also the busiest month at the Sunport since the pandemic, and mostly likely since the end of the Wright Amendment era. I was hoping we'd see the first month with over 600,000 passengers since the end of that era, but alas it didn't happen. We still put up good numbers, though, and it was an increase over the previous year's October total as well.

https://www.abqsunport.com/facts-figures/

Albuquerque International Sunport 2024 passenger statistics:

348,907 - January
353,071 - February
452,861 - March
450,500 - April
500,602 - May
503,656 - June
512,188 - July
461,997 - August
473 850 - September
560,688 - October
426,893 - November

5,045,213 - 2024 total through November

The growth in traffic at the Sunport is beginning to slow and some months are beginning to be below those months in previous years. November was one, but lots of airports across the country have been seeing slowing of growth and a dip in certain months, especially this past fall. It's most likely a national phenomenon and who knows if it will last, but here's to a busy 2025 at the Sunport!

Here's a shot of the airport and its control tower that was taken and posted back in October on Instagram.

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



The Sunport recently applied for a building permit for an overflow parking lot covering 84,000 sq ft west of Girard Boulevard and north of the Sunport Loop access road. The parking lot will include shade structures. The Sunport’s parking garage and lots are constantly full, I don't know why they don't just build another parking structure instead of this lot, but c'est la vie.

https://posse.cabq.gov/posse/pub/lms...ctId=217976995



The Dunkin' location in the new Sunport food hall recently opened fully for business. It had opened in a limited capacity late last year with the other of the first tenants in the food hall.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...ional-sunport/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – New food vendors have been unveiled as the Albuquerque International Sunport continues its renovation projects, but now, travelers will have another option when it comes to caffeine. Dunkin’ has opened its newest Albuquerque location in the airport, and it is open daily from 4 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The airport’s Dunkin’ is located in the food hall, after security. Dunkin’ is joining a handful of vendors that are new to the Sunport, including Rush of Prana (vegan food, juices, and smoothies) and Flavor of NM (burritos, enchiladas, etc.). More offerings are expected soon, including Piñon Coffee, Laguna Burger, Sadies, and Steel Bender Brewyard.

“We are thrilled to bring Dunkin’ to the Albuquerque International Sunport and offer travelers the familiar comfort of our brand while they navigate their journeys,” said Shannon Durkin, Field Marketing Manager at Dunkin’. “Whether starting the day with a fresh coffee, grabbing a quick snack, or unwinding before a flight, we’re here to make travel a little easier and more enjoyable.”

The Teller vodka and spirits bar has also apparently opened in the food hall. Below are a few screenshots from two disappearing video stories that Mattophoto posted last week on his Instagram account showing the new location.

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







Here's another screenshot of a Mattophoto story that he posted last week showing the Sunport and one of his pics that's featured on the Welcome video board above the escalators leading to the Great Hall.

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

[ABQalex]

Here's something that I discovered last week on Instagram. A new local news source covering Nob Hill and the University Area is planning to launch this spring. Nob Hill News will be a thrice-weekly publication distributed by email, much like Downtown Albuquerque News (which is published every weekday).

It will be similar in cost to DAN as well, at $10 per month. I'm planning to subscribe at least for awhile to see how it is and if it will be worth the subscription price. I love finding out as much as I can about what's going on around town, so I hope it will be worth it and a nice source of information for these areas. Below is a map of its coverage area and a link to its website, which has links to its Instagram and Facebook accounts as well.

https://www.albuquerquenobhillnews.com/



I think they should've pushed the eastern boundary of their coverage area to San Mateo. Nob Hill East and the Highland area are seeing more development and projects proposed in recent years, but perhaps Nob Hill itself will finally see more actual development and new buildings with the IDO changes, rather than just new retail and restaurant locations within existing space that are most of its activity currently. The University Area and the western half of their coverage area certainly has plenty going on and to look forward to them covering in the future.

I'm excited for this new venture and news source in our city, but I was a bit burned previously. There was another Nob Hill local news outfit that was supposed to launch last year, but which never did come about. I hope this one doesn't repeat that history and does indeed launch in April!

The website for Nob Hill News features a nice pic of Nob Hill looking east along Central Avenue. It's very similar to the one by Visit ABQ that I recently posted above, only this was taken more recently, as you can see the "Happy Holidays" greeting on the ART bus.


https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2...6da3fd~mv2.jpg

Here are a few more nice pics of Nob Hill from Loopnet and the Homes.com website that I came across over the last year and thought I'd take this opportunity to share.

(Click the links directly below the embedded images to see them full size)

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/200-...e-NM/18931188/


https://images1.loopnet.com/i2/7Vym-...Definition.jpg

https://www.homes.com/neighborhood-s...lbuquerque-nm/


https://imagescdn.homes.com/i2/ktG3H.../116/image.jpg


https://imagescdn.homes.com/i2/zEgmy...rque-nm-22.jpg


https://imagescdn.homes.com/i2/Z4r31.../116/image.jpg


https://imagescdn.homes.com/i2/kKEe4.../116/image.jpg


https://imagescdn.homes.com/i2/BSz-2...rhoodphoto.jpg

[ABQalex]

The Albuquerque Journal has a story about the Park Square renovation and its new food hall that is expected to open in March. They reveal some of the new tenants that are planned to open in March with the new food hall. Other tenants will open in later phases. The story includes a construction pic and a rendering of the renovations that we've never seen before.

https://www.abqjournal.com/business/...24d211c9d.html

An Albuquerque developer is hoping to bring big city flair to Albuquerque’s Uptown area.

Heritage Founder and CEO Jim Long, following the success of Sawmill Market which he developed, is preparing to open Park Square Market in March.

In contrast to Sawmill, Park Square Market, at 2125 Louisiana NE, will have higher-end retailers, offering customers a “cosmopolitan-style” experience, Long said. Many of the restaurants that will be at Park Square Market are already operating at the Sawmill Market.

Park Square Market was designed by SOM, previously Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, an international architecture firm whose projects have been featured in Architectural Digest.

“We’re creating this really magnificent outdoor space in between these four buildings,” Long said.

The new market in Uptown will open in phases. The first buildings to open will be the north and south food halls, which will each host a litany of food shops.

Many of the restaurateurs and retailers at Long’s markets are locals looking to break into a new industry. Long said one of his goals with the food halls is to provide a location for aspiring entrepreneurs, cutting down on start-up costs for a standalone restaurant or food truck.

“These food halls give local entrepreneurs an opportunity to have a business,” Long said.

The east and west buildings will host retail shops that are still being chosen.

“We can facilitate and make dreams come true,” Long said. Park Square is looking to fill the retail space with a medical spa and high-end clothing and jewelry shops.

The 11 restaurants that will be open with Park Square Market

Workhorse Brewing Company
Hawt Pizza Co.
Dr. Field Goods
Tulipani Pasta
Lemon and Brine
Keva Juice
Walk in the Park Cocktail Lounge
Neko Neko
Kulantro
Little Gem Salad and Bowls
Curious Toast Cafe

and a yet-to-be announced coffee bar

[ABQalex]

Below is a story that the Albuquerque Journal has about the mayor's latest attempt to get something going on the parking lot north of Civic Plaza. He now is hoping UNM or any other "local higher education institution" will establish a major presence in Downtown Albuquerque on the site, and he is willing to give it to them for free if they do so.

This is at least his third idea or attempt at an initiative to develop this property after he canceled the Skyline Competition RFP when he first came into office back in late 2017. Eight years later and we're still hoping something may come about for the property "many more years" down the road. Again we measure progress and envision everything in glacial terms. This mayor and his time in office has honestly been nothing but a total waste of time and failure of leadership for Downtown revitalization.

He and his team and our other so-called leaders don't realize that they are the biggest impediment to progress. They simply don't have what it takes to get things done. They are incompetent and ineffective. They are full of disingenuous excuses and nonsensical rationalizations for their lack of results and dumb decisions. He blames a lack of financing and "not the right project" for all of the recent failures to develop this property, but the actual truth is he is the cause of the issues and problems. He has no vision, and is also unwilling to take risks or a firm stand on anything to do with Downtown and his RFPs and attempts at getting things going for its revitalization.

I really don't have the energy to write everything that I'd like to say and express my thoughts fully. Suffice it to say that I don't believe this latest idea will go anywhere. They unironically point out UNM and its current Downtown presence and initiative at Innovate ABQ, which has pretty much stalled and gone nowhere after 10 years. I'm sure UNM will suddenly be successful at developing this particular site.

CNM is also actually preparing to move its FUSE Makerspace from Innovate ABQ and hasn't really done much with its STEMulus Center at First Plaza either, so unless NMSU or another institution from elsewhere in the state like New Mexico Highlands University is interested in establishing a presence in Albuquerque and Downtown specifically, I really don't have much hope for any other takers besides UNM either.

https://www.abqjournal.com/business/...970b1aa30.html

If a New Mexico university is willing to work with the city of Albuquerque to revamp Downtown, Mayor Tim Keller is willing to hand over land in the heart of the city, free of charge.

Keller made the commitment last week at an Economic Forum meeting in Old Town. He referenced the University of New Mexico specifically but said the offer is open to any local higher education institution willing to take it.

“I’ve told UNM, that piece of land — it’s yours,” the mayor said, referencing a parking lot across from the Convention Center between Third and Fourth streets that the city has dubbed the “Civic Plaza lot.”

UNM is in talks with the city about “the possibilities for an expanded UNM presence” Downtown, according to Teresa Costantinidis, executive vice president for finance and administration at UNM. There are not yet specifics or a timeline for the potential project, she said.

“If a Downtown presence can contribute to invigorating the area, it not only benefits the heart of Albuquerque but also enhances the vitality and economic growth of the entire state of New Mexico,” she said via email.

Keller compared Albuquerque to Phoenix, where Arizona State University “helped resuscitate and rebuild Phoenix.” The Mayor’s Office and officials from UNM have visited Downtown Phoenix together, according to Costantinidis.

“This is going to take many more years,” Keller said. “But I’m committed to it.”

The out-of-state comparison was reminiscent of thoughts voiced at a September quarterly luncheon for the Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance, a 501©(3) that works to grow the economy of the greater Albuquerque region.

Entrepreneur Larry Pobuda said on the September panel that when he came to Arizona in 2005, the state didn’t have a very dynamic economy. What began the “transformation of Downtown,” he said, was when ASU and the University of Arizona started moving facilities Downtown, like a University of Arizona medical center and ASU’s law school.

“You’ve got the University of New Mexico,” said Pobuda, executive vice president and general manager of Opus Development Company. “There’s no reason why they can’t be a billion-dollar research university. See what happens when you put the labs in for them.”

How would it work?

Over the past 10 years, the city has put out several requests for proposals and “never found the right prospect,” said Terry Brunner, the mayor’s chief of staff and interim director of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency.

So, after visiting Phoenix and being “really impressed with what they did,” the city wants to work with a New Mexico university for the benefit of both Albuquerque and the educational institution, Brunner said. He said the lot, which is a couple of acres, could mimic Arizona’s concept and host university facilities, parking lots, even a hotel.

“What we learned in and have seen in other municipalities in the West is it’s not uncommon to have a university purpose and a private sector purpose on the same site or in the same building,” he said. “So we should really explore all the options that are out there and not limit ourselves to traditional ways of thinking about university and higher education buildings.”

The university would still need to find the money to develop the site, said Danielle Casey, president and CEO of AREA. But, she said, it’s great that “the city is a willing and excited partner.”

“It’s exciting times here when we’re thinking about the possibilities of these big concepts,” Casey said, “and hopefully putting pen to paper and figuring out, not just conceptually, but how do we make it happen?”

And, Brunner added, New Mexico has even better incentives than Phoenix for development, like its tax abatement program or the MRA that can contribute land to developers, getting around the state’s anti-donation clause.

Keller prefaced his idea last week by cautioning that it “needs more work.” He said his vision was spurred by his predecessor, Republican Richard Berry, who wanted to build “the tallest building in the state” on the piece of land across from the Convention Center but lacked adequate financing to do so.

Brunner said the plan would require a change in mindset. The expansion of a university like UNM into Downtown would raise questions about transportation, resources and campus amenities.

And, Brunner asked, can universities lease out properties? Can they rehab vacant properties? These are things that still need to be worked out, he said.

“Those are all uses that could be interesting to a university and serve the purpose of not only helping that university but redeveloping your Downtown,” he said.

UNM already has a presence Downtown, Costantinidis pointed out, with its UNM Rainforest Innovations, a nonprofit organization owned by UNM’s Board of Regents focused on innovation and economic development. She said an expanded partnership with the city, UNM and Central New Mexico Community College could lead to “a dynamic hub of education, innovation and community engagement.”

“We look forward to continuing these discussions and working collaboratively to explore how UNM can play a meaningful role in Albuquerque’s Downtown revitalization,” Costantinidis said.

A point of clarification on that bit about his predecessor's Skyline Competition RFP, there was no lack of "adequate financing" for that project and that isn't why it didn't go forward. It didn't go forward because the mayor canceled the RFP when he assumed office and said that it didn't provide enough of a public benefit as the reason why he canceled the project.

He issued the Civic North RFP a few years later for this same plot where the Symphony Tower was proposed as part of Mayor Berry's Skyline Competition RFP, and the Silvermans resubmitted their Symphony Tower project as The Duke. If there was an issue with financing why would they have resubmitted the project??

The issue with financing here was him being unwilling to give city money or city financing tools over for any of the three projects that were submitted to his Civic North RFP for this plot of land/parking lot. Again, he wasn't willing to take a chance or risk anything from the city's side in trying to get a project going here.

So he's the problem, not a lack of interest on the part of developers or problems with financing.

Big projects always face uphill battles for securing financing, so I'm not saying that it was secured or a sure thing for the Symphony Tower, The Duke, Reunion Center, etc., I'm just saying that's not why they didn't go forward and at least get a shot at coming to fruition. That scenario never got a chance to play out. It was his decision to pull the plug on both his and his predecessor's RFPs for this lot. Then he pivoted to the Space Valley Center for this site and that of course mostly fizzled out when it failed to win the federal funding competition a couple years back.

I just want to point this out because I'm so tired of things getting muddled and certain untrue things becoming accepted as fact when it comes to this site and the efforts to develop it. Those efforts have spanned over 40 years. Everything from an amusement park to an actual park have been proposed for this property over those years. A performing arts center or another convention center hotel have always been the most desired and seemingly appropriate/highest use for the land. That's what I continue to hope will eventually be developed here.

Here's a rendering and reminder of the Reunion Center, which was my favorite proposal from the Civic North RFP and which would've brought us everything we've always hoped for on this site - a performing arts center and hotel, plus apartments, commercial elements, and a new tallest building in the city. This is the very definition and a grand vision of "the right project" for this site.

[ABQalex]

Albuquerque has gained back the #1 spot on MovieMaker's annual list of the 25 best big cities to live and work in the film and television industry for 2025. It came in second only to Toronto last year (which slipped to #2 this year) and had a consecutive streak of four years atop the rankings before that. It is one of the few cities to have appeared on the list every year that it has been published.

Santa Fe has once again came in atop the small cities list, and Las Cruces has again been ranked at #8 in that listing as well. El Paso has also made its debut on the big cities ranking at #21, so it looks like the Rio Grande corridor is becoming a force to reckon with in the industry. That's important to Albuquerque going forward, because they take into account proximity to other centers of activity in the rankings.

https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico...s-a-filmmaker/

SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – Albuquerque has reclaimed the top spot on MovieMaker Magazine’s annual list of “Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker – Big Cities.”

Albuquerque earned the top spot among large cities for the seventh year running, while in the small cities and towns category, Santa Fe once again topped the list, and Las Cruces ranked eighth best this year.

“As someone who returned to New Mexico after years of working in the California film industry, I can personally attest to the incredible opportunities and quality of life our state offers filmmakers,” Steve Graham, director of the New Mexico Film Office, said in a news release. “Our diverse locations, skilled workforce, and competitive film incentives continue to attract productions of all sizes. This recognition from MovieMaker Magazine underscores what many of us already know: New Mexico is simply the best place to live and work as a moviemaker.”

Top ten list of big cities 2025:

• Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• Atlanta, Georgia
• Chicago, Illinois
• Calgary, Alberta, Canada
• New Orleans, Louisiana
• Miami, Florida
• Austin, Texas
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Cincinnati, Ohio

MovieMaker Magazine described Albuquerque as having a “bustling production schedule, deep crew base, excellent tax credits, affordability, light traffic, abundant natural beauty, and — most of all — commitment to growing its film industry.”

The magazine also highlighted some of the big productions that were filmed in the city such as Ari Aster’s “Eddington”, Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke’s “Honey Don’t”, and a new Jordan Peele film.

Last year, the Duke City clinched the No. 2 spot in the top big cities in North America category. In 2023, Albuquerque ranked No. 5 and previously held the No. 1 spot for four years, from 2019 to 2022.

As for the list of smaller cities and towns, Santa Fe once again secured the No. 1 spot for the third consecutive year. Las Cruces also made the list for the third year in a row, this time staying at the No. 8 spot.

Top ten list of smaller cities and towns 2025:

• Santa Fe, New Mexico
• Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Wilmington, North Carolina
• Providence, Rhode Island
• Savannah, Georgia
• St. Petersburg, Florida
• Ashland, Oregon
• Las Cruces, New Mexico
• Knoxville, Tennessee
• Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada and Missoula, Montana

MovieMaker Magazine turned the spotlight onto Santa Fe’s “top notch” facilities including indoor and outdoor places to film. The magazine also noted Las Cruces’ growing film scene and its attractive film incentives.

MovieMaker Magazine compiles its annual list based on film production activity, tax incentives, cost of living, lifestyle, and access to resources.

Here's a link to the rankings breakdown on Moviemaker's website, including a quote of their write-up about Albuquerque at number one. As the magazine notes, Los Angeles and New York City are not included in the rankings as they are the undisputed centers of the film and television industry. The magazine's ranking is therefore more a reflection of those cities trying to become a force in the industry and how they are faring.

https://www.moviemaker.com/best-places-moviemaker-2025/

1. ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

Albuquerque makes its triumphant return as the top big city on our list of the Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker, a position it also held for four consecutive years from 2019 through 2022. But it was never far from the top of the list, thanks to its bustling production schedule, deep crew base, excellent tax credits, affordability, light traffic, abundant natural beauty, and — most of all — commitment to growing its film industry. It’s no wonder so many of the greatest filmmakers on earth are working in the Land of Enchantment: Recent local productions include Ari Aster’s Eddington, Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke’s Honey Don’t, and a new Jordan Peele film. There’s also plenty of mystery and anticipation around Wycaro 339, the working title of a new project from Vince Gilligan, whose Breaking Bad helped spark the resurgence of New Mexico’s film and TV industry by showing all that the state has to offer. Truly diverse and culturally rich — especially if you love Native American art — Albuquerque leads a thriving New Mexico film industry that also includes Santa Fe and Las Cruces, both of which are coming up on our list of the Best Smaller Cities and Towns.

Netflix and NBCUniversal are among major players that have made use of Albuquerque’s Local Economic Development Act money for ambitious studio builds that should keep the local industry presence strong for years to come. The maximum local tax credit is 35%, and there’s a 10% uplift for filming outside the major hubs of Albuquerque and Santa Fe, which — in a state with little traffic — means you could live in one of those hubs and work in a community outside of them. (You can easily commute between Santa Fe and Albuquerque.) But you can also find almost anything you need in the city: Albuquerque owns roughly 30,000 acres of open space for filming — including rocky foothills, pine forests and deserts — and film commissioner Cyndy McCrossen is masterful at helping filmmakers find their perfect location. The skilled crews can handle up to 12 productions at once, and are growing thanks in part to state-backed production assistant boot camps and IATSE Training Center workshops about everything from accounting to firearms to handling heavy equipment.

As for quality of life, prepare for excellent Mexican food and a shot at home ownership: The median price of a home in New Mexico is about $370,000. And Los Angeles is a mere two-hour flight from the pleasant and convenient Albuquerque International Sunport, one of the only airports we’d describe as “pleasant and convenient.” Welcome back, ABQ, to the top spot on our Big Cities section of the Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker.

The pic above that was included with MovieMaker's Albuquerque writeup is of the backlot set for Nickelodeon's The Really Loud House that was built at the Studios at Journal Center in North I-25.

Here's a nice skyline pic that I thought I'd share to celebrate and go along with Albuquerque’s return to the top of MovieMaker's list. It's by Nathaniel Tetsuro Paolinelli and was posted recently on his social media accounts.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...7520000&type=3

[ABQalex]

Semifinalists for the 2025 James Beard Awards were also released today. Albuquerque has 5 semifinalists this year, including two in the Best Chef Southwest category.

Coda Vietnamese Bakery in the International District is a semifinalist for national bakery of the year. Kate Gerwin of Happy Accidents in Nob Hill is also a semifinalist for a new national category called "Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service" This caps many accolades that she and Happy Accidents have received since they first opened three years ago.

Level 5 at Hotel Chaco in the Sawmill Area has also managed to continue its accolades and James Beard Award recognition even after losing its chef last year to Ex Novo's new Downtown operation. Their new chef, Sean Sinclair, is a semifinalist for Best Chef Southwest, along with Kattia Rojas of Buen Provecho, which is located at the El Vado Motel redevelopment.

So, you can now add James Beard Award recognition to the list of what Chad Rennaker and Palindrome have facilitated in Albuquerque!

And Campo at Los Poblanos has continued its string of nominations for the awards in the national Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program. Two of its chefs have been Best Chef Southwest semifinalists and finalists in recent years as well.

Of course, the Rembes own and operate Los Poblanos. And Jim Long developed Hotel Chaco and its rooftop restaurant and bar, Level 5.

But they're all evil developers ruining our city, right?

No, instead, these people such as Chad Rennaker, Jim Long and the Rembes elevate and improve our city, and help it shine in a wonderful national spotlight such as this. Again, they deserve recognition and to be celebrated, not to be besmirched and villified simply because they are developers.

Below is a link to the official announcement including the award categories and list of semifinalists for each on the James Beard Foundation’s website. I've included a quote showing the semifinalists from Albuquerque under their respective categories. I've also included some pics of each establishment that have recently been posted by people to their Google profiles.

https://www.jamesbeard.org/blog/the-...-semifinalists

Outstanding Bakery

> Coda, Albuquerque, NM

Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program

> Campo at Los Poblanos, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM

Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service

> Kate Gerwin, Happy Accidents, Albuquerque, NM

Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK)

> Kattia Rojas, Buen Provecho, Albuquerque, NM
> Sean Sinclair, Level 5, Albuquerque, NM

Coda Bakery





Campo at Los Poblanos







Happy Accidents





Buen Provecho





Level 5

[ABQalex]

Here's a pic that was recently posted on the Albuquerque Memories Facebook page that was shared today over at SSC by gallan95. It shows the cranes and early construction work for the new Center for Collaborative Arts and Technology structure at UNM.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid...55142574564723



https://pdc.unm.edu/projects/collabo...ter/index.html



It's awesome to see that it's actually underway! With all such things in this city, you never can be sure that they will actually get underway and be built even when they have a groundbreaking ceremony.

Here also is a nice pic of the Humanities Building in our recent snow that was posted by UNM to Facebook on Friday as part of a set. I truly am heartbroken that it's going to be demolished, especially when I see it in such splendor as this. I'm gonna cherish these pics when it's gone. You can also spot Ortega Hall in the background, which is slated to be demolished eventually as well.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid...36604468506821

[ABQalex]

Albuquerque Business First has a story about Goodman Realty moving its office from North I-25 to the Portland Building at Winrock Town Center, which they of course are developing. They will occupy the entire second floor of the structure and they also say that they expect a coffee shop to go into part of the ground floor space. That would seem to leave the third floor for other office tenants and the rest of the ground floor open for tenants as well. The structure has about 30,500 sq ft of space overall.

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

The Goodman Realty Group announced Jan. 14 that it would relocate its headquarters to Winrock Town Center.

The local real estate firm expects to move its headquarters into the entire second floor of the Portland Building in the Winrock Town Center by April 1, according to a press release.

Its approximately 10,000-square-foot space in the Portland Building will be about 3,000 square feet larger than its former office in the Journal Center at 100 Sun Ave., according to Darin Sand, Goodman Realty senior vice president.

Goodman Realty decided to make the move to the Portland Building to be closer to the amenities at Winrock Town Center and to be in the middle of its development there.

“Our new office at Winrock Town Center is more than just a workplace — it’s a statement about our vision for the future,” Scott Goodman, Goodman Realty president, said in a news release.

It recently sold its former space at the Journal Center, the press release shows.

Amenities at Goodman Realty’s new class-A office space include a cafe, a bar to sit and work at that overlooks the park, a full kitchen, a lounge, treadmills and stationary bikes to work at, a massage chair, individual restrooms, a large and small conference room, a collaboration design work space and a shower to encourage exercise and biking to work, Sand said.

There’s also retail space on the first floor that they’re looking to put a coffee user into, according to Sheila Smith, Goodman Realty director of leasing and marketing.

Goodman Realty will also shake up the traditional office layout with its new space, putting associate employees in cube offices on the window line and executives in enclosed offices in the center of the space.

“The whole concept is, ‘How can we think about the employees and give them prime window locations?’,” Sand said.

Here's a rendering from a similar perspective as the pic above to compare. It's from a listing for space in the Portland Building on Loopnet. I've also included a few more pics of the project from the listing, including a couple of nice aerial ones. They were taken several months ago while it was less further along. There are quite a bit more interesting construction pics to be found at the link, so be sure to check it out.

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/2100...e-NM/32060111/



















Here's another rendering and a few more pics of the Portland Building from a post by its architects last month on Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/modulus_ar...p/DDpqsg9vctc/











Albuquerque Business First also had a story today about the Chicken Salad Chick location at Winrock and the local franchisee's plans for more locations in Albuquerque. That includes a location in the airport-university area, which I assume will mean somewhere along Gibson Boulevard with all the other restaurants that have recently been built there. The story includes a construction pic of the Winrock location.

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

The opening timeline for Chicken Salad Chick’s second Albuquerque location has been slightly pushed back as construction progresses.

The restaurant was originally anticipated to open in June, according to previous Albuquerque Business First reporting, but it’s now expected to open in July or August, according to Chicken Salad Chick franchisee Jennifer Sanchez.

She said the delay for its new Winrock Town Center location was related to starting construction later than expected.

Still, the chicken restaurant’s growth in New Mexico continues at a rapid rate, and Sanchez has plans to keep pace.

She opened Albuquerque’s first Chicken Salad Chick location in April at 10621 Unser Blvd. and is now opening one across from Ulta and adjacent to Red Robin in Winrock.

She’s got letters of intent out to landlords for two additional locations in Albuquerque, which are in the Northeast Heights and in the University of New Mexico-Sunport area.

And Sanchez is currently looking in Santa Fe, Los Lunas, Las Cruces and the Durango, Colorado, area for locations to expand Chicken Salad Chick. She said it’s been difficult to find locations due to lack of availability and pricing, dependent upon location.

"We would love to secure a site in any of those locations,” Sanchez said. “We’re just having a little bit of difficulty finding the right location.”

Sanchez has also established a management team for the new Winrock location. Two of the four managers at the Unser Boulevard location will lead the Winrock location. She’ll then hire more leadership starting around May, she said.

For both leadership and traditional employees, the Unser Boulevard location will help serve as a training ground before the Winrock location opens, something she noted is an advantage from opening the first location.

During the Winrock location’s soft opening, she said that Chicken Salad Chick will still have a community partnership with a local nonprofit so that donations will go to them.

For the soft opening at the Unser Boulevard location, the community partner was the Veterans Integration Centers. A community partner for the Winrock location has not yet been selected, Sanchez said.

“We try to really build up the community and give back to the community,” Sanchez said. “We plan to continue that at Winrock.”

Lastly, here's an updated and labeled site map for Winrock Town Center from the listing for space in the Portland Building on Loopnet. The next projects are supposed to be the larger restaurant structure in the park, the structures on the south side of the Women’s Dillards, the boutique hotel on the west side of the park, and an apartment building on the east side of the park. That's according to quotes by Darin Sand in news stories over the last few months. I'm not sure about the status of the Lofts at Winrock apartment project northeast of the dual-branded hotel. I assume they are going to focus on the apartment project closer to the park instead.

[ABQalex]

Here are some pics of the earthwork and early construction for the new campus of the Albuquerque Sign Language Academy in the North Valley. They were taken by Mattophoto and posted yesterday by Enterprise Builders Corporation on LinkedIn.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update...3756079542273/









Here's the site plan and a rendering for the new campus.

[ABQalex]

Here's a pic of the Calle Cuarta project that Pavilion Construction posted on their Facebook account earlier this week.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid...70450055086217



Here's a screenshot and link to a short video that was posted today on the Griegos Farms Instagram account. They say that they're about 90% leased on the first phase of units and getting ready to start pre-leasing for the second phase. They also plan to start work on the community building in the coming weeks.

https://www.instagram.com/griegosfar...l/DFOp3TmR1IS/



Here's a nice pic posted by Jack Rembe on Twitter back in late November when the first residents moved into the first phase.

https://x.com/RembeJack/status/18594...201727/photo/1



Here's another nice pic that they've recently posted showing the wayfinding signs and other nice details of the project.

https://www.instagram.com/griegosfar...p/DE5PzzHPX0Z/



And here are some more nice pics of Griegos Farms from its listing on the Apartments.com website. The pics include a few nice aerial views where you can see the second phase construction in the background. I especially love the last pic with the Downtown skyline in the distance. I've included the links to the original size for those last three pics directly below the embedded images to get a better and clearer view of them.

https://www.apartments.com/griegos-f...ue-nm/cvfhnzd/


























https://images1.apartments.com/i2/4I...-nm-aerial.jpg


https://images1.apartments.com/i2/vG...-nm-aerial.jpg


https://images1.apartments.com/i2/l_...-nm-aerial.jpg

Jay Rembe early last week applied for a new building permit for the George at Country Club Plaza. It says that it's for the foundation only. A change from the previous building permit is that this one says that it has 37 units, compared to 34 previously. I'm really happy to see that he is going to try again to bring a project to fruition on this site and that it will have a few more units. I hope we get to see new renderings and plans for the reconfigured project soon!

https://posse.cabq.gov/posse/pub/lms...ctId=218242418



Note that you can't see the building permit application on the city’s website anymore. They are currently in the process of migrating to a new platform for building and planning services such as these. They expect the new platform to be ready by the end of next week.

https://www.cabq.gov/planning/news/t...to-albuquerque

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...ch-new-system/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The City of Albuquerque’s Planning Department will begin a massive update to its software platforms this week. The department will be transitioning to a new system called ABQ Plan, or Planning Logistics and Networking. They hope to streamline online applications and payments.

The current system will go down this Thursday at 5 p.m. but because of the high volume of data, the new system won’t launch until January 28. During that time, the department’s online services will not be available.

I wish that I had taken a screenshot of what the building permit application showed, but I remember most of what it said and saved the link above to the actual permit application, though I'm not certain it will work when they switch to the new platform and system.

It's unfortunate timing for showing the building permit for Jay Rembe's new project at Country Club Plaza, but hopefully it will be an improved system. The city doesn't exactly have a great track record for these things and improving their website and the way that they operate. Either way, I’m eager to use the new system for looking up building permits. It's sometimes a daily hobby of mine and I've missed being able to do it lately!

[ABQalex]

The mayor signed the Downtown vacant buildings ordinance into law this past week. He signed it with a big show in front of the Gizmo building/old JCPenney structure on Central Avenue in Downtown Albuquerque, one of the most unsightly and prominent vacant buildings in the area. Hopefully this puts a fire under the Church of Scientology to finally sell the building to somebody that will do something good with it and give it a makeover.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...ngs-ordinance/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The Downtown Vacant Premises Ordinance that was passed by city council earlier this month was signed by Mayor Tim Keller Thursday. The ordinance will hold vacant building owners accountable by requiring them to register their vacant buildings with the city and create a plan to keep them in good condition.

The ordinance will create a program where owners will be subject to registration fees for properties that remain unoccupied for nine months or more. It will apply to properties between First and Eighth, from Gold to Copper. Registration fees will range from $1,000 to $5,000 annually, depending on the size of the property.

“The point is, they are not taken care of and what this piece of legislation does is it actually sets up a system where they need to take care of the facade, keep it clean,” said mayor Keller.

The goal is to put people and businesses in those vacant spaces.

All registration fees collected from the ordinance will be reinvested in downtown in the form of increased security, cleaning, and beautification, according to the city.

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

Mayor Tim Keller held a signing ceremony Thursday in front of the Gizmo Building for legislation meant to crack down on vacancies just like it.

"This is really about accountability for bad actors," he said.

"Let's not allow folks to just do nothing with their properties," added City Councilor Joaquín Baca, the bill's sponsor. "Let's change that standard."

Building owners with over 30 percent of their ground-floor space vacant will, starting next year, be required to register the vacancy with the city. That registration will trigger inspections and - after a full year on the list - escalating fines. An 8,000-square-foot vacancy, for example, could expect to pay $3,000 after one year but $15,000 after five.

The registration data itself is expected to be a source of useful information, possibly helping to facilitate discussions with owners about how best to get help bringing their buildings back into productive use. The city will also compile an annual report on vacancies, to be published in August (DAN, 1/9/25).

"We intend to fully enforce the law," Planning Department Director Alan Varela said Thursday. Referring to the Gizmo Building as an "eyesore," he added that the building's condition was "exactly what should not be happening or allowed to happen."

The Church of Scientology, which owns the building, maintains that it is making every effort to sell it.

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/arti...4b018e66d.html

A bill that penalizes property owners of vacant and dilapidated buildings in Downtown Albuquerque with the hope of creating housing and spurring business growth was signed into effect by Mayor Tim Keller on Thursday.

“People say that ‘Downtown is dying and this and that.’ It’s not. It has challenges, but, as you can see, there are businesses, there are great places to go. … This place is very much alive, it just has challenges,” Keller said.

The bill’s sponsor, Councilor Joaquín Baca, was also in attendance. Keller thanked Baca for his work and said that he “had trouble finding a sponsor for this for years.”

Keller declined to say which councilors wouldn’t sponsor the bill. “I’ve learned you can’t speak for other elected officials, so you’ll have to figure out who it was, but I’ll give you a clue that they’re no longer a councilor,” the mayor said.

Former Councilor Isaac Benton represented Downtown for 18 years before retiring. Baca was elected to replace him in 2023.

The news conference was hosted outside the Gizmo building, which is owned by the Church of Scientology and has sat vacant for years, according to Baca. The Church of Scientology did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.

The bill was passed by the City Council at its first meeting of the year, but it wasn’t Baca’s first attempt at trying to get it into law.

He introduced a similar bill in September and October that ultimately failed. He was the lone vote in support of it.

The previous version of the bill was criticized by other councilors for being too broad, and members of the public showed up to speak against it for having a no-obstruction clause that barred people from lying or sitting on sidewalks and said it criminalized homelessness in that area.

Baca said after the first attempt to get the bill through failed, he took time to meet with more stakeholders to put forth a new version.

The newly passed and signed legislation does not include the no-obstruction zone clause the last one did, but Baca told the Journal in December he plans to introduce a similar, separate bill in the coming months.

I love that in the Journal story above the mayor gives one of his trademark indirect digs and passing of blame onto the former Downtown city councilor, Isaac Benton. He takes credit away from current Downtown city councilor Joaquin Baca in doing so as well. The mayor never has any responsibility or blame for failures in the area or inept leadership but clearly deserves all the credit for anything good that manages to happen or come to fruition.

The mayor of course also didn't end up signing the changes to the IDO. I knew that was too controversial and transformative for him to take a stand and officially get behind. Since it was passed by a veto-proof majority on the city council, he let it go into effect without his signature or vetoing the changes, lest he face another embarrassing veto override. What a great leader we have.

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

Controversial housing bill passes into law

Legislation that opens up a wide swath of city center real estate to more dense housing arrangements (DAN, 1/8/25) while restricting the ability of neighborhood associations to challenge development approvals citywide officially became law this week. Mayor Tim Keller, whose office had earlier signaled support for the bill, ultimately chose to not sign it, but he did not veto it either. Such a move likely would have been futile, in any event: The City Council can override a veto with six votes, but the bill passed with seven.

[ABQalex]

In another profile in courage for city leadership and the administration, the city ended up not adding the two properties at Lomas and Broadway into the new Downtown 2050 Metropolitan Redevelopment Area boundaries. Remember that the Martineztown NIMBYs are absolutely indignant and outraged that the city would even consider doing such a thing.

They instead want the properties to be include in a new Martineztown MRA that they are pushing the city to create, one which they say that city has denied them for too long.

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

Long-term efforts to redevelop the vacant lot at the northwest corner of Lomas and Broadway could face delays after the city abandoned its bid last month to include it in a district that would have made it eligible for special funding.

The city had wanted to place the former detention pond - and the neighboring Burger King property - in a newly expanded Downtown metropolitan redevelopment area, something that would open the door to an array of subsidies, potentially including money from the forthcoming tax increment financing district (DAN, 12/17/24). But while the city has argued that the properties fit with the Downtown vibe and could thus benefit from inclusion in its broader development plans, the land happens to be located within the borders of the Santa Barbara Martineztown Neighborhood Association. That group saw the expansion not as some routine redesignation but as a power grab and a threat to neighborhood identity.

"We, the homeowners of Martineztown, do not consider us to be part of the Downtown area," Angela Vigil said at an October meeting. "We only want to be known as Martineztown."

"We never get any kind of respect," added Loretta Naranjo Lopez, the association president. "How dare you. How dare the City of Albuquerque do this."

MRA designations do not change zoning or neighborhood borders. The Downtown MRA, in fact, already includes parts of the Downtown Neighborhoods and Raynolds. The two sides were, nevertheless, at an impasse.

Following the initial airing of the dispute in October in front of the Albuquerque Development Commission, the panel ordered the city to sort things out with the neighborhood offline. But at last month's meeting, Redevelopment Project Manager China Osborn said that no agreement had been reached with Martineztown and that, following an internal review, the city had decided to remove the parcels from consideration in the Downtown zone.

The properties are still on track to join an MRA - just not anytime soon. The city has long considered putting Martineztown into its own such area and has now engaged a consultant to review the idea. Last month, City Councilor Klarissa Peña successfully set aside $250,000 for the effort as part of an amendment to a larger budget bill. It remains unclear whether the future MRA might include tax increment financing similar to the Downtown initiative.

Naranjo Lopez welcomed the city's decision to back off.

"I just wanted to thank everyone for making sure that we keep our MRA boundaries," she said.

I really don't know why the Martineztown NIMBYs are even wanting an MRA created for their neighborhood. That would bring and encourage even more development in the area.

I think they just want yet another reason to cry and something else to point to as the city doing them wrong and denying them. They are professional and perpetual victims and complainers, along with obstructionists.

I look forward to the endless complaints and cries of gentrification and "overdevelopment" when an MRA actually tales hold in the area and RFPs for vacant and blighted properties are issued. They'll probably then pivot to complaining and saying that the city misled them on what an MRA is and would do and that they didn't know what they were signing up for.

https://www.cabq.gov/mra/redevelopment-areas

[ABQalex]

The bonds for Jim Long's Sawmill District projects are once again absent from the Bernalillo County Commission's agenda for its latest meeting tonight. I really don't know why things always go this way in Albuquerque or what exactly the hold up and apprehension are with actually voting on the bonds. I'm sure the projects now won't get underway by this spring as was hoped for and stated previously.

https://bernalillocountynm.iqm2.com/...83&Inline=True

The most interesting thing from the meeting agenda is a resolution to form a Tax Increment Development District for the state fairgrounds site.





The commission will also vote on whether to cancel the previously-approved bonds for the mountain coaster atop the Sandias, which of course was derailed by ridiculous opposition that triggered a lengthy environmental review. They will also vote on extending the deadlines for the Mesa Film Studios bonds because of similar ridiculous opposition that has dragged its planning approval out with the city.

News from the last meeting is that they approved allowing accessory dwelling units in the unincorporated areas of the county. They also approved all of the bonds for the affordable housing rehabilitation and renovation projects. They approved selling the property on Menaul to the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center as well.

https://bernalillocountynm.iqm2.com/...06&Inline=True

[ABQalex]

The city has completed its new portal and platform for searching planning records and building permits. It's just as I feared it would be, horrendous, nonsensical and hard to navigate. Each record also has way less information. It's pretty much now impossible to glean any good information from their website. It's a complete disaster and failure, IMO.

https://albuquerquenm-cc.connect.soc...m/#!/dashboard

Below are screenshots showing the information that can now be gleaned from their new platform for Jay Rembe's recent building permit application for his reworked The George at Country Club Plaza project. It has much less actual information than before and it isn't as obvious what the project even entails as compared to the previous system.





Beyond the amount of information, the previous system was obvious and intuitive and easy to use. It had ways to search the building permits by address, permit number and date created or issued. This new system is not intuitive at all. It adds an interactive map as an improvement and way of seeing where most projects are located across the city. But what good is that if you don't know what the actual projects are and what they entail?

The only reason I can decipher and understand the information they now give is because I saw the building permit application information on the previous platform. I couldn't tell you the same with the new system for permits that I'm unfamiliar with and that are for projects that are completely new to me.

You also must now wade through and check off layers of information you have no interest in to get to what you want.

This is all such a mess, but it's what I expected and feared would happen under the new system. The city has a proven record of making things worse rather than improving them when it comes to these things and its supposed "upgrades"

Perhaps I'll get used to the new system and platform and learn how to navigate it better and discover ways to get more information, but as of right now, and to me, it's a complete failure in terms of their stated goals to make things easier and this information readily available to citizens.

[ABQalex]

Downtown Albuquerque News this morning had a story about plans for a new neon Welcome sign along Central Avenue at the entrance to Old Town at San Felipe Street and next to the Old Town ART station. It will replace the current "Old Town/Plaza Vieja" lettering on the adobe-style archway at the northwest corner of the intersection. The archway and lettering has been there since at least the 1980s. The plans include refurbishing and renovating the fountain area and plaza at the base of the arch as well, which has become a bit rundown and sometimes problematic.



The DAN story includes the various options that are being considered for the design of the neon Welcome sign. That includes one depicting Bugs Bunny in his famous 'Left Turn at Albuquerque' pose. I've advocated for a mural with just such a scene in the past over at SSC. I think it would be better located in Downtown Albuquerque and depicted in a mural rather than in Old Town and in neon on this sign.

I wouldn't be upset to see it come to fruition here either, though. It's yet another thing that we should capitalize on and an attraction that would delight visitors and make for another nice photo spot in the city.

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

Project is set to add a dash of neon (and maybe Bugs Bunny) to prominent Old Town gateway

The giant archway at the northwest corner of San Felipe and Central is notable mainly for being not particularly notable. Below the giant "Old Town / Plaza Vieja" lettering, there is the base of a fountain that does not run anymore. It used to feature a bird bath with sculpted metal birds, but that got removed a couple of years ago. Sometimes homeless people hang out there. Sometimes vandals leave graffiti.

"We've had a lot of problems with that corner," said J.J. Mancini, the president of the Historic Old Town Association, a group of the district's merchants, residents, and property owners.

This year, however, the whole look and feel is set to change. Thanks to a $172,000 grant from the New Mexico Tourism Department, efforts are afoot to remove a low adobe wall, put in new landscaping, and install an attention-grabbing neon sign welcoming people to Old Town.

The design process - overseen by HOTA - is still ongoing, but ideas for the various elements include an emphasis on Route 66, a reminder of Old Town's long history ("since 1706"), and even a nod to Bugs Bunny, who on several occasions famously remarked that "I knew I should have made a left turn at Albuquerque." The gag is thought to be a direct allusion to Route 66, which since a 1930s-era realignment (DAN, 10/9/24) intersects with its old self in the Downtown core, thus providing some plausible left-turn confusion.

HOTA contacted Warner Bros. Discovery last year about obtaining permission to use the Bugs Bunny likeness but did not hear back. When reached by DAN, however, studio spokeswoman Lindsay Kiesel confirmed that the company had at least received the request.

"We've followed up and, while we can't influence the response, WBD is reviewing the original request and will make sure they get a response," Kiesel said.

Whatever the design turns out to be, the goal is to have the revamped arch finished by the summer, Mancini said.

Out of these options and apart from Bugs Bunny I like the last option above the best for Old Town, but I would add a yucca or an outline of San Felipe de Neri church and its steeples to the upper corner to the right of where it says "Old Town" I think any neon sign should have more to do with Old Town and its history and sense of place. The one with the crown/sun rays is my second favorite option. I could see allusions to the Spanish Crown that chartered the villa and enough artistic interpretation and vagueness to see it as depicting a sunrise/sunset instead. The one with the car is my least favorite option. While Old Town is on Route 66 I really don't closely associate it with that history or an automobile orientation.

[ABQalex]

Downtown Albuquerque News had a story this morning about 500 Marquette and its success in securing tenants under its new ownership. That ownership includes the person behind the Elevate project at 3rd and Lomas. The DAN story has an interesting quote from him towards the end confirming that the project is still alive, but that it is waiting for things to improve nationally in terms of costs and interest rates. Hopefully those things improve and the project gets going sooner rather than later!

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

New owners bringing marquee Downtown office tower back to life

Argus Investment Realty bought 500 Marquette in 2021 - in the thick of a pandemic that led plenty of people to wonder if central business district office towers had any future at all.

The 15-story structure was certainly not where the new owners wanted it to be: Less than half the building was leased out when they first considered buying it. And yet, just a few short years later, that occupancy figure is up to 83 percent. Argus President Scott Throckmorton thinks it can get even higher this year.

"We viewed 500 Marquette as a real gem that had not been properly taken care of for a number of years," he said. "There was no reason that that building should have been only 42 percent occupied in a market where its peer buildings were at 92 percent."

Or at least no reason that major upgrades and some renewed enthusiasm couldn't fix. When Throckmorton and his Argus partners bought the building, they plowed millions of dollars into amenities and polish.

At or near the top of the upgrade list was improving building safety, a major concern of prospective tenants. Argus installed security cameras at key points in the building and the attached garage, plus a new card-activated gate for drivers entering the facility. Throckmorton emphasizes those upgrades and the 24/7 security staff when he markets the property.

"You don't have people wandering around the parking garage looking for opportunities to smash and grab," Throckmorton said.

The partners also replaced the old hardware in all six elevators, which Throckmorton said had been unreliable, and added a "destination dispatch" arrangement meant to cut travel time. Elevator riders select their destination at a kiosk by flashing their office keycard or entering the floor they want. The system groups passengers heading to the same place and directs them to the same elevator, which takes them to their floor without further button pushing.

Heating and cooling also made the improvement list. Those systems can now be controlled remotely by building staff, who can spot problems before their users call them in. A coffee bar/cafe will open soon, Throckmorton said, and a fitness center/game room is planned.

The upgrades seem to be getting results: 500 Marquette recently signed a lease with one of the city's largest architecture firms, FBT Architects, which has taken over the top floor. That high perch once housed Albuquerque's members-only Petroleum Club, the scene of many a business lunch, meeting, and private event until it closed in 2007. In the run-up to FBT's move-in date around the turn of this year, lights on the fifteenth floor were blazing all night.

"They've been working on it around the clock," Throckmorton said at the time. "It's going to be a spectacular space."

Other tenants include Senator Ben Ray Luján, the Miller Stratvert law offices, the State of New Mexico Economic Development Department, and Exus Renewables.

Overall at 500 Marquette, Throckmorton said, "We're doing quite well, thank you very much."

But while Argus seems to have latched onto a winning formula, Throckmorton doesn't think it will work for every office structure in the core. His building is not quite forty years old and is considered "Class A," the real estate term for cream-of-the-crop structures that command above-average rents. With features like a super-high-ceilinged lobby clad with granite and glass, few older buildings in the core could match it even before its recent upgrades, he said.

Stacking the odds still further against big renovations of older structures is the COVID-accelerated trend toward smaller office footprints. Since many firms need less space, "they look for the best they can afford," Throckmorton said. From the owner's perspective, "Spending that kind of money may not translate into more occupancy, with a rental rate high enough to bring in enough income to justify the investment," he added.

That reality has lately led many observers of American city centers to cast doubt on the idea that offices can be the economic engines (and property tax collection bonanzas) they evolved into during the post-World War II era. The conventional wisdom these days is that more housing, possibly renovated right into those former office towers, will instead bring more life to urban cores (DAN, 10/28/24). Throckmorton, however, is not ready to give up on Downtown offices, at least in Albuquerque.

For one thing, the office market citywide is healthier than it's been for decades, Throckmorton said, because developers have added little to the supply since the early 1990s even as population growth has increased demand. The Downtown portion of that market, despite its disadvantages, remains ample and conveniently located, he added.

Nevertheless, Throckmorton is not ruling out housing growth in the core's future. If nothing else, he said, an influx of residents would spur the development of attractions like restaurants that office workers also enjoy.

"The focus on housing and getting residents Downtown is proper, it's correct," he said. "The key to making this a really successful office market is going to be those amenities, and those amenities are going to need residences."

Argus has taken its own tentative steps into the housing market. It owns the southwest corner of Third and Lomas, and has planned to build 150 loft and apartment units there with ground-floor retail (DAN, 9/21/20). Construction drawings are complete, Throckmorton said, and it could apply for permits at any time. High construction costs and interest rates are keeping the project on hold, he said, but he believes it will be built sooner or later.

As a general rule, however, Throckmorton believes that market forces and private financing won't be enough to put new housing in the core.

"You're going to see a lot of government incentives that are necessary to get apartments, to get residences built Downtown," he said.

[ABQalex]

ĶRQE has a story about the county’s efforts to develop an affordable housing project for seniors at 6th and Coal. They are once again seeking funding from the state legislature for the project, to the tune of $10 million, which they say will make the project fully funded. Remember that they originally wanted to develop a supportive housing project for homeless veterans on the site. They tore down a historic house that occupied part of the site a few years back. The article incorrectly states that it was only 50 years old, which would date it to the 1970s. It was of course actually much older, probably over a hundred years old when it was torn down.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...using-project/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Its prime real estate in the heart of downtown Albuquerque that Bernalillo County has tried and failed to revamp. Now, a new proposal could bring new senior housing to it if lawmakers can help. The county wants $10 million in capital outlay from state lawmakers with the idea of building 60 units for seniors with low to moderate income.

“We want to be able to give them that a quality place to call their home so we’re working to do that and transition many seniors from shelter pieces into an affordable place to live,” said Marcos Gonzales, Executive Development Officer with Bernalillo County.

Gonzales is overseeing the project and said they settled on senior housing downtown for reasons. First, there’s not much of it downtown. Second, there’s a growing older population including in shelters.

Back in 2021, the county demolished a 50-year-old historic home at the property with the hope of making it a mental health and veterans’ facility. That plan was scrapped. Gonzales says the new senior project is in the early stages. “The next step is we’re gathering additional funds from this capital outlay request then were actually thinking how we can develop this into a joint partnership with public-private partnership so we’ll have additional materials on that releasing that soon hopefully,” said Gonzales.

The county said if lawmakers grant the $10 million request, the project would be fully funded. They add the project is their top priority to get funding during this session. The county estimates around 40% of people in Albuquerque shelters right now are considered elderly with that number expected to continue to rise in the future.

The county is also in the process of creating a dedicated affordable housing development division within county government. The county commission at its meeting this past week approved the initiative and tasked the county manager with researching and coming up with a plan for how best to set up such an entity by its meeting in late February

https://www.bernco.gov/blog/2025/01/...sing-shortage/

https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico...ment-division/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Bernalillo County Commissioners have approved a plan aimed at addressing affordable housing.

The measure, sponsored by Barbara Baca, directs the county manager to research the funding and staffing needed to create a housing development services division. That division would oversee the acquisition, funding and construction of affordable housing. County Manager Cindy Chavez will report back to commissioners with a plan at the February 25 meetings.

[ABQalex]

With news of the county’s affordable housing project, along with the renewed hope for the Elevate project, and expanding off of what the DAN story was getting at in terms of adding new housing Downtown, I wanted to compile and show the current prospects and planned projects in terms of adding new residential units in Downtown Albuquerque.

These are all projects that have been announced in the last few years and have been in the news or had some sort of movement in about the last year or so. All of them face various hurdles in coming to fruition and are far from sure things, but still, they are at least standing proposals and may be on the road to coming to fruition soon.

The Downtowner - 219 units
Elevate @ 3rd + Lomas - 174 units (both phases)
Wells Fargo Building - 104 units (conversion)
6th and Coal - 65 units
Artspace - 60 units
Tower Plaza - 49 units (entire structure)

Total - 671 units currently proposed

Here also are the residential projects that have been completed in Downtown Albuquerque in about the last five years since 2020. This hasn't been a very fruitful period, but at least we've had new housing units built, no matter how small. I think it shows that the effort and will is there to continue to bring projects to fruition no matter the recent and current headwinds and malaise.

2020 - Anthea @ The Granite - 23 units (conversion from extended-stay hotel)
2021 - Lofts at One Central - 10 units
2021 - Ibiza Townhomes - 6 units
2021 - 317 Gold - 2 units (conversion)
2022 - 913 Silver - 6 units
2023 - Villa Agave - 15 units (conversion)
2023 - Palladium Townhomes - 16 units

Total - 78 units added in last 5 years

And here are the residential projects that were completed in the last decade from 2010 to the end of 2019. This was a good decade for adding housing in Downtown Albuquerque, with nearly 1,000 units added.

2010 - Elements Townhomes - 8 units
2010 - Crossroads Flats - 25 units (conversion)
2010 - Downtown @ 700 2nd - 72 units
2010 - Silver Gardens 1st Phase - 66 units
2012 - Silver Gardens 2nd Phase - 55 units
2014 - Anasazi Downtown - 45 units
2014 - Casitas de Colores - 71 units
2014 - Silver Moon Lodge - 151 units
2016 - Mehran Lofts 1st Phase - 61 units (conversion)
2016 - Imperial Building - 74 units
2017 - 505 Central - 34 units (conversion)
2017 - Lobo Rainforest - 155 units (310 beds)
2018 - One Central - 68 units
2018 - Sterling Downtown - 107 units

Total - 992 units added in 2010s

Going back even further, here are the residential projects completed from 2000 to 2009 in the first decade of our current era of Downtown revitalization efforts. They begin with the Villa de San Felipe, which was the first new apartment complex built in Downtown Albuquerque in the 15 years since the Alvarado Apartments were built during the 1980s revitalization push. (The Anson Flats are townhomes and were a recreation of a historic structure that burned down 5 years previously)

2000 - Anson Flats - 7 units (rebuild)
2001 - Villa de San Felipe - 161 units
2002 - Acropolis Condominiums - 6 units
2003 - Royal Fork Lofts - 14 units (conversion and new construction)
2003 - Banque Lofts - 27 units (conversion)
2005 - 100 Gold - 32 units
2005 - 600 Central - 16 units (conversion)
2005 - 610 Central - 16 units (conversion)
2005 - Silver Lofts 1st Phase - 18 units
2007 - Silver Lofts 2nd Phase - 29 units

Total - 326 units added in 2000s

Grand total - 2,067 units (1,396 completed, 671 planned)

All of these projects are within the new Downtown 2050 Metropolitan Redevelopment Area boundaries. There are of course projects in adjacent areas, sometimes literally across the street from these boundaries, such as the Lofts at Old Albuquerque High and the Zocalo Lofts, but I wanted to cut it off somewhere and have firm boundaries for what constitutes Downtown Albuquerque proper. And the new MRA boundaries below in blue are where we will officially focus our Downtown redevelopment efforts for at least the next 25 years.



If we can successfully get the 671 units currently proposed to come to fruition we would be much more respectable in this decade compared to the last. Of course, the hope is that even more projects will be forthcoming in the second half of this decade, such as in the "Spark" areas highlighted in the Downtown 2050 MRA Plan. Union Square and the Wells Fargo parking lot are places where we may also see some new projects proposed. We shall see how that all pans out, but like always, I'm hopeful!

Here's a nice pic of Downtown Albuquerque that Visit ABQ recently added to its website.

https://www.visitalbuquerque.org/

[ABQalex]

Downtown Albuquerque News this morning has a story about Councilor Joaquin Baca’s efforts to allow the city to build a performing arts center in Downtown Albuquerque. As part of this he will try to repeal a voter-enacted rule from the 1990s that forbids the city from spending more than $10 million on any such project without voter approval. To do so, voters will have to repeal that provision of the city charter, which Councilor Baca will begin work to get on the ballot for this year's city election in October at tonight's city council meeting.

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

With bill that aims to remove voter approval requirement, Baca joins decades-old struggle to locate performing arts center in the core

Albuquerque's city government has within its power the ability to build fire stations, swimming pools, rail trails, soccer stadiums, community centers, libraries, and freeway-sized roads - all without voter approval. But as a result of a political struggle dating back to the late 1980s, it is prevented from spending more than $10 million on a performing arts center without asking voter permission.

Later today, City Councilor Joaquín Baca will formally begin an effort to change that, with an eye toward eventually building such a center in the Downtown core.

That was the plan from the beginning, in fact. In 1987, the City Council signed off on a 10-year tax to fund an array of "quality of life" projects, with $64 million worth of the proceeds earmarked for a Downtown arts center to be located on the square block just north of Civic Plaza, the Journal reported in 1999. But that move seems to have inspired something of a tax revolt: In 1991, voters passed an amendment to the city charter putting all of what were described as "large building projects" up for a vote. Most of the measure got repealed later that same year, but the requirement for a vote on arts centers remained and has been there ever since. Voters rejected a proposed center in 1993, and in 1999 also rejected an attempt to take the approval requirement out of the charter.

But through it all, the dream of installing such a center in the core - a favorite of both arts groups and Downtown revitalization advocates - never died. And the property just north of Civic Plaza is still very much available, nearly 40 years later.

"I'm going to push to get it done," Baca said, comparing the effort to Councilor Brook Bassan's long campaign to install an aquatics center at North Domingo Baca Park, which has raised just over $50 million, according to an advocacy group backing the idea.

Baca's legislation (here and here) would ask voters to remove the approval language at the next election.

"It's bad government to have this provision in the charter," he said. "Why limit ourselves?"

While the bills will be formally introduced tonight, they are not slated to be discussed until the February 19 meeting. Information on that will be posted later on this page.

As the DAN story says and as I've recently said in this thread, there has been a dream and effort to see a performing arts center built in Dowtown Albuquerque, and specifically on the parking lot north of Civic Plaza, since the early 1980s. Like always, people opposed to public spending, those with agendas or interests elswhere in the city, and those with outright hatred for Downtown Albuquerque have thwarted those efforts, especially in the beginning.

They fomented opposition to such a project, which led to the restrictions passed by voters in the early 1990s, and thus we stand here over 40 years later with nothing but a parking lot on this site.



Hopefully enough time has passed, and more people across the city now see the need to revitalize our downtown area with just such a project, that this rule will indeed be repealed and lead to a project coming to fruition here (despite the mayor’s recent university pitch).

I don't have too much hope based off of past failures to repeal the provision and the recent opposition and defeat of the downtown soccer stadium bonds. All those negative forces and thinking still rear their ugly heads when it comes to big and transformative projects in this city.

The spark of hope I do have is that the city council is being more bold in allowing for these things to happen and being the impetus for change in the absence of strong and visionary leadership from the mayor. Hopefully Councilor Baca and others on the council will strongly advocate for the change, not abandon it like the mayor did with the campaign for the soccer stadium bonds.

The only other thing I will say and how I think about this is, we've mostly done nothing and have been afraid or opposed to pulling the trigger on these big projects for decades now and yet we wonder why Albuquerque progresses and improves at a snail's pace.

It's time we do something good for ourselves as a city and allow for transformative things to come to fruition. Now's the time to do big things! Our city is worth it!

[ABQalex]

The Albuquerque City Council at its meeting tonight will also consider approving the $30 million in industrial revenue bonds for the New Mexico United soccer stadium at Balloon Fiesta Park.

https://www.kob.com/news/top-news/ci...mexico-united/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Albuquerque city councilors are expected to address a component of the proposed soccer stadium for New Mexico United.

The agenda for Monday night’s meeting includes a tentative vote on a $30 million industrial revenue bond to build and maintain the stadium proposed for Balloon Fiesta Park.

The bond is a tax incentive that limits how much the developer pays in taxes so it doesn’t strain development. Often, the bond is repaid with the revenue generated from the development.

Last year, the city approved plans to build the soccer stadium at Balloon Fiesta Park. The proposal has run into opposition from neighbors in the area.