Albuquerque Development Thread

[ABQalex]

Actual construction work for the Rail Trail's Central Crossing project in Downtown Albuquerque has officially begun today. Below are stories by KRQE and KOB-TV about the project and when it might be completed.

https://www.krqe.com/traffic-roads/c...n-albuquerque/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A construction project in downtown Albuquerque that will divert traffic is beginning Monday. Central Ave. is shut down near 1st Street for work on a new bridge crossing. Bus routes will also be detoured while construction is ongoing.

This construction is part of the Rail Trial Project. The pedestrian underpass will be replaced with a new bridge and crossing ramp, allowing walkers to stay at ground-level as they cross into downtown. The updates also include an interactive neon tumbleweed art piece that lights up at night. Construction is expected to last for the next ten months.

https://www.kob.com/news/top-news/cr...rian-overpass/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — You can expect more orange barrels to go up Monday in downtown Albuquerque as a major construction project kicks into high gear at First Street and Central Avenue.

City planners say crews will get to work on a new pedestrian overpass and rail crossing next to the Alvarado Transit Center. It’s replacing the underpasses that go underneath the railroad tracks. Many have found those underpasses to be problematic for public safety.

Although, city officials say those will stay open until construction wraps up.

All of this is a part of the ongoing Albuquerque Rail Trail project. Developers say the overpass project is crucial to providing better mobility between downtown neighborhoods. It opens the door to even more construction.

“After we build these ramps and improve the bridge, we’ll be able to then construct the Rail Trail going northbound along the railroad tracks and southbound to the Rail Yards,” said Terry Brunner, the interim director of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency in Albuquerque.

Crews will close the southbound lane of First between Central and Gold Avenue for now. If you’re staying on Central, expect some minor lane shifting to avoid construction crews.

Drivers shouldn’t expect many other disruptions. However, city planners say the project will impact three separate city bus lines – Routes 66, 11 and 766/777. Pedestrians should also expect sidewalk closures in the area but officials say the Rail Runner and Amtrak platforms will still be accessible.

Developers say construction on the new overpass is expected to last at least 10 months – potentially wrapping up in April of next year.

Here's a nice pic of One Central and the Alvarado Transportation Center's clock tower that ABQ Ride posted today on its social media accounts announcing the impact of construction on the ATC and detours for some of its routes due to the construction as well.

https://x.com/abqride/status/1934621912669241680

[ABQalex]

The Albuquerque City Council at its meeting tonight unanimously approved the $227 million in industrial revenue bonds for Jim Long's Sawmill District projects.

https://www.krqe.com/news/politics-g...l-development/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Albuquerque city councilors approved a major tax incentive to spur the growth of housing and hospitality in the Sawmill District near Old Town. The plan is the work of the Heritage Group, which was also behind the nearby Sawmill Market and Hotel Chaco. The new development near Rio Grande Blvd. and I-40 is slated to include three major facilities: the 115-room Sawmill Hotel, an extended-stay housing complex called the Chaco Residences, and a mixed-use development with dining, retail, and 140 apartments.

A handful of community members spoke against the tax break, some arguing the city should be focusing on affordable housing instead. Councilors argued that those projects lift up the entire area. The council unanimously approved nearly a quarter-billion dollars in industrial revenue bonds for the project. Even though the developer must pay that money back, the bonds allow for major property tax breaks in the coming years. Developer Jim Long told councilors Monday night that without those incentives, the project would not be feasible.

The city council also unanimously approved the redevelopment tax abatement request for the Sycamore Square conversion project at tonight's meeting.



They also unanimously approved an RTA for a new warehousing project in the Menaul Metropolitan Redevelopment Area in Midtown Albuquerque. It's the first such redevelopment project in that MRA since it was created a couple of years ago.

[ABQalex]

KRQE has a story about a proposal for allowing easier zoning changes for property owners in the Menaul Metropolitan Redevelopment Area that could be applied citywide to help with redevelopment of blighted properties and allow for housing in more areas of the city. The idea is being pushed by Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn, who represents this area of the city. They say the council could vote on the proposal sometime before the end of summer.

https://www.krqe.com/news/politics-g...-into-housing/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Trying to spark development on a neglected, rundown section of Menaul, the city is considering changing the rules for what can be built there to welcome more housing in what was an area packed with businesses. “You’ll see, it’s a lot of blight, it’s a lot of just emptiness,” said Albuquerque City Councilor Tammy Fieblekorn.

Vacant lots and empty buildings along Menaul Blvd. are just one example of a common problem for the City of Albuquerque. However, a new idea aimed at property owners could give them the ability to turn those old businesses into housing.

The proposal, now in front of city council, would allow property owners to opt in and change their zoning classification. That means businesses once only allowed for restaurants or hotels could be able to build affordable housing or other mixed-use developments. The proposal could affect the entire city, but would not force property owners to convert. “To get it to be more transit-friendly, to get it to be more used by the public, we really need to have folks living, working, and playing in that area,” said Councilor Fieblekorn.

City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn is sponsoring the resolution, which also has the mayor’s backing. She said buildings on Menaul like the former Range Cafe and the closed Village Inn could potentially benefit. “Old restaurants there, that have been closed off for some time. Those are not zoned for housing, and I’m trying to bring in developers who will provide mixed-use, so housing plus other things, but right now it’s just not even an option for them to put housing there,” said Councilor Fieblekorn.

Councilors are likely to vote on the idea by September. Fieblekorn said it could be the catalyst to help Menaul Blvd. near I-25 finally flourish once again. “If we could do all of those pieces of property along the Menaul, we could see dozens, hundreds of housing units right in the heart of the city,” said Councilor Fieblekorn.

Reacting to the proposal, the city’s Planning Department told KRQE News 13 in a statement that the city’s current zoning rules are based on outdated ideas and that giving property owners a choice to switch zoning could provide more options for housing.

[ABQalex]

Here's another nice pic of the new UNM Hospital tower that UNM Health Sciences posted on its Instagram account today.

https://www.instagram.com/unmhsc/p/DLBG0N8Psxe/



Here's a rendering of the structure from a similar perspective to compare with the built result.

[ABQalex]

Here are some nice pics of Nob Hill that Homes.com recently added to its neighborhood profile and others nearby on their website. The first one is especially cool. You can see UNM Hospital and its new tower, the cranes for the new UNM Fine Arts structure, and the site of the old Hiway House Motel where the new boutique hotel will be built.

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

https://www.homes.com/local-guide/al...-neighborhood/


https://imagescdn.homes.com/i2/tfpul...rque-nm-19.jpg


https://imagescdn.homes.com/i2/2DwBY.../116/image.jpg


https://imagescdn.homes.com/i2/e9fg5...erque-nm-7.jpg


https://imagescdn.homes.com/i2/HU16j...rque-nm-20.jpg


https://imagescdn.homes.com/i2/4mGlC...rque-nm-25.jpg

Here are a couple of older pics of Nob Hill from a real estate listing which fit with the theme that I thought I'd share as well.

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/3413...e-NM/33691276/


https://images1.loopnet.com/i2/zs95e...Definition.jpg


https://images1.loopnet.com/i2/ADY_F.../116/image.jpg

Here's another aerial pic of Nob Hill that I thought I'd share that was also recently uploaded to the University Heights neighborhood profile on the Homes.com website. It shows that Nob Hill has an awful lot of empty space and underdeveloped properties that could and should be redeveloped in a better, more urban and dense way. This area between Girard and Carlisle has always been considered the heart of Nob Hill. It really should be a lot more densely and fully built out, especially on the south side. The Nob Hill NIMBYs have really not allowed much change and development in the area, unfortunately. Hopefully that will change under the new rules for development that were passed at the beginning of the year.

https://www.homes.com/local-guide/al...-neighborhood/


https://imagescdn.homes.com/i2/M2DAZ...rque-nm-10.jpg

Here are a few nice aerial pics of the Nob Hill Business Center, which was recently acquired by Jim Long. They are from its former real estate listings before it was sold. They are also a bit older as you can see the old Co-op sign that has since been changed in about the last two years.

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/3500...e-NM/28194032/


https://images1.loopnet.com/i2/yCSXp...Definition.jpg


https://images1.loopnet.com/i2/nirQL...Definition.jpg


https://images1.loopnet.com/i2/ngHNK...Definition.jpg


https://images1.loopnet.com/i2/MHNAP...Definition.jpg


https://images1.loopnet.com/i2/p3UCt...Definition.jpg

Here's a recent story from Nob Hill News about the ownership change and the history of the property as the first suburban-style shopping center in Albuquerque.

https://www.albuquerquenobhillnews.com/

All the Buzz: What’s the Future for the Nob Hill Business Center?

Purchase sparks curiosity about new owner’s plans

If there’s one Nob Hill property that’s stood the test of time as an iconic landmark and center point for the community, it’s likely the Nob Hill Business Center at the southwest corner of Central Avenue and Carlisle Boulevard.

The historic property’s roots run deep. Commonly referred to as the Nob Hill Shopping Center, it opened in 1947 and has played a key role in Nob Hill’s development since. So it wasn’t a surprise when speculation about its future began soon after the center was acquired by Heritage Real Estate in March for an undisclosed amount.

What might new owners do with the 47,000-square-foot center occupied by well-known tenants like Scalo, the New Mexico United team shop, Gecko’s Bar & Tapas and the La Montañita Co-op?

“Here’s hoping those new owners will appreciate its history and realize that particular spot’s importance in continuing to maintain a socially and economically healthy atmosphere in the greater Nob Hill area,” author Michael Farrell Smith said in a May 23 deep dive on the center for Nob Hill News.

But while Heritage hasn’t yet disclosed its plans, there is plenty to know about the company. It owns considerable properties across the state, including historic hotels in Santa Fe and Taos. In Albuquerque, it owns the WaFd bank building and adjacent Clyde Hotel downtown, Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town and the Sawmill Market and Hotel Chaco. Businessman Jim Long is the founder and CEO of parent Heritage Cos.

“The Nob Hill district is going through an exciting period of change, and it’s our hope to preserve and revive the historic shopping center through this evolution,” Long said in a written statement to Nob Hill News on May 28. “We have many months of thoughtful planning ahead, and we look forward to sharing more information with the community in time.”

Longtime Nob Hill resident, property owner and president of the Nob Hill Neighborhood Association, Gary Eyster, is optimistic that whatever Long decides, he will consider Nob Hill’s 3,000 households in his decisions.

“We love that center. We have faith and hope that he is going to preserve it—all of its historic character,” he said. “We understand him to be a person with a tremendous sense of the value of historic architecture. We think that's probably why he bought this.”

The center’s purchase comes on the heels of another Heritage acquisition in Nob Hill—the former Monte Vista Fire Station which is now The Smoky Note Lounge, operated by Long’s son, Grant Long, who is also a managing partner of Heritage Restaurant Group. The Smoky Note is located at the northeast corner of Central Avenue and Bryn Mawr Drive.

“The direction is up,” Eyster said of the new Nob Hill investments. “There's no question about that.”

Eyster said while he understands that changes at the Nob Hill Shopping Center are inevitable, the hope is that some key features remain.

“Business-wise, knock yourself out,” he said. “I mean, if [Long] wants to make a food hall there like he did at Sawmill—I'd go there two, three times a week and spend every dime I could.”

Eyster hopes the Co-op remains part of the mix, however.

“Sure would love to see that stay. We love to walk down there and spend money on nice groceries,” he said.

Notice how the Nob Hill residents and leaders are already apprehensive about any changes he may propose for the property. My biggest hope is that he will redevelop the center’s adjacent parking lots with underground or structured parking and residential above. This is another example of wasted space south of Central in Nob Hill.

[ABQalex]

Here's a story that Albuquerque Business First had last week about a new tenant that will be coming to the ground floor commercial spaces of The Place in Nob Hill.

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

As Pilates grows in popularity, a Pilates franchise in New Mexico continues to grow and make plans to grow its footprint to meet demand.

Club Pilates plans to open its first Nob Hill location late this summer at 3339 Central Ave. NE, Suite B.

This will be the fourth Club Pilates location in the Albuquerque area and the fifth in New Mexico.

Landmark Construction is currently doing the tenant improvements to the space. Club Pilates Franchisee for New Mexico and West Texas Jessica Rule declined to disclose the cost of the tenant improvements.

Club Pilates Nob Hill location, dubbed Club Pilates Nob Hill, is a 1,442-square-foot space near Ihatov Bread and Coffee and Q Station.

Rule and the landlord represented themselves in the deal for the space, Rule said. She declined to disclose the length of the lease or what the monthly lease payment will be.

Rule decided to open a Club Pilates location in the Nob Hill area in large part because of her belief in the area’s potential.

“I know Downtown Albuquerque, or especially that area, people are seeming to shy away from it,” Rule said. “I’m not. I think it has a lot of potential. And, I’m excited to develop there. Albuquerque is my home, so I want to bring it there and bring the benefits of Pilates to that area.”

Club Pilates Nob Hill will create approximately 15 jobs, including one full-time position, Rule said.

At the beginning, Club Pilates Nob Hill will offer 40 classes per week, then offer more classes as time passes, Rule said.

Its hours and days of operation will probably mirror the Club Pilates Enchanted Hills studio, Rule said. The schedule is fluid to meet customer demand, so visitors should check its website for the hours and days of operation, Rule said.

Club Pilates Nob Hill is currently pre-selling memberships. These are the best rates for membership and will not be available once the location opens, Rule said.

Club Pilates Nob Hill will have parking available for members, Rule said.

Club Pilates has other locations at the Andalucia Shopping Center, on Juan Tabo and in Las Cruces, in addition to its Enchanted Hills location and its upcoming Nob Hill location.

Here also is another story that Albuquerque Business First had last week about a neat event that took place at the Lobo Theater in Nob Hill tied to New Mexico's emerging space industry.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquer...r-to-sxsw.html

Inspired by South by Southwest, or SXSW, an event that takes place annually in Austin, Texas, a group of organizers in New Mexico's tech and creative ecosystems are putting together a three-day event with themes around technology, space, art and culture.

Atomic 66 will take place June 11, 12 and 13 in New Mexico, with over 500 people already RSVPed to attend.

The three-day experience will feature talks on broader technology topics, food technology, creative industries and youth engagement, along with a fashion summit and performances including one from a robot DJ.

Funded by a matching grant of about $20,000 from Visit Albuquerque, a portion of Space Valley Foundation’s National Science Foundation grant, CNM Ingenuity and sponsorships from a wide variety of local partners such as venture capital firms, including Dangerous Ventures and the Montauk Climate.

The event is also partly made possible by significant in-kind donations from venues throughout the Nob Hill area of Albuquerque and media partners. A full list of sponsors and supporters is listed on the Atomic 66 website.

The team assembling the overarching Atomic 66 event includes Space Valley Foundation executive director Bryce Kennedy, photographer and creative director Andres Sebastian and Chris Conard, a self-proclaimed “jack of all trades” who has served as a creative director, production designer, technical director and designer for a variety of industries including film, television events and more, according to his website, jchrisconard.com.

Conard has been hard at work transforming the Lobo Theater through new lighting and sound system installations, and custom-made build-outs for the event.

Another vendor, Johnathan Augsburger of Burger Built, has worked on special installations in the event venue including a very large UFO hanging from the theater’s ceiling.

Initially planned for Hotel Zazz, Atomic 66 shifted to the Lobo Theater, the central location of Atomic 66, donated by the theater’s owner, J. Richard Rivas. According to a July 2021 article from KRQE, the theater opened in 1938 and was a movie theater for much of its existence before being converted to a church in 2000. Now, it is called the Historic Lobo Lounge and Event Center.

Tech Talks at Atomic 66

TechFest, hosted in collaboration with a Google Developer Group, attracted 250-300 attendees, half of whom were students, according to Vicki Apodaca, serial entrepreneur, current founding member and chief marketing officer of Phalanx, and chapter director of Techqueria New Mexico, a nonprofit for Latinos in tech.

Apodaca, a volunteer event organizer for the event’s Tech Talks series, explained Central New Mexico Community College and the city of Albuquerque hosted Space Fiesta for about 500 attendees. Kennedy wanted to bring those two events together and the group ultimately decided to do a “takeover” of several venues in Nob Hill.

Tech Talks will feature 55 speakers across five tracks, with the goals to make tech more accessible and foster statewide collaboration.

Apodaca explained there are about six key orgnizations on the Tech Talks side of the event, including M’Tucci’s, which will be a key location for Tech Talks, New Mexico Climate, Google Developers, Techqueria, New Mexico Startup Factory and Health Inno.

“It could fail spectacularly. It won't, but it could, and people might not like it, and everyone's going to have an opinion," Kennedy said. "But what I love about the entrepreneurial mindset here is, we're willing to take that risk, and we're not willing to take the dollars that would then pigeonhole us into this typical format.

"I think that is a rare gift that a lot of states, a lot of regions, aren't willing to do. They want the safe bet, and we're not doing that, and that's probably one of the proudest parts with what we’re doing with our group.”

[ABQalex]

Albuquerque Business First last week also had a story about a new development coming to Max Q at Kirtland Air Force Base that's tied to the space industry in New Mexico. NewSpace Nexus will be building its NewSpace Center there and they hope that it will lead to the creation of 1,000 jobs locally over the next decade. The project will have 30,000 sq ft of space and has an estimated cost of between $14-15 million. They expect it to open by the end of next year.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquer...-000-jobs.html

NewSpace Nexus will be launching its NewSpace Center this fall. The facility will include a SCIF — a multi-use, classified space for firms in the space community.

The center is a first for the state of New Mexico, with the potential to attract a multitude of new companies that need to access the 95% of military space systems at a classified level, according to Casey DeRaad, NewSpace Nexus founder and CEO.

The project will help to create an estimated 1,000 jobs in New Mexico over the next decade and attract companies from other states, DeRaad said. The facility will feature rentable offices, a collaborative area and secure spaces, with operations starting by late 2026.

Companies are already interested in leasing the space, including the Aerospace Corporation, Goodman Technologies, Redwire Space, BST North America Inc., Galapagos Federal Systems LLC, Freedom Space Technologies Inc., New Frontier Aerospace and OrbitsEdge, according to materials sent to Business First by DeRaad.

SCIF stands for “sensitive compartmented information facility," according to the U.S. Department of Energy website. NewSpace Nexus conducted a survey that showed interest from potential tenants, with 90% of respondents expressing interest in leasing space and 75% identifying access to secure facilities as a key challenge and game-changer, according to DeRaad.

The SCIF will be located at Max Q, a 70-acre high-tech civilian commercial campus in the process of development on Kirtland Air Force Base land that is underutilized, and ranges from the Carlisle entrance of the west side of Kirtland Air Force Base to Truman. According to DeRaad, the high-tech aerospace corridor will contain a credit union, retail space and a hotel is also envisioned for the area.

The corner of land to be used for the Kirtland Tech Park was leased to New Mexico Tech, the very first enhanced use lease in the Air Force. New Mexico Tech, however, then attempted to sublease the land to a developer and without processes in place the whole lease expired, and the land was turned back in.

Kevin Yearout of Yearout Mechanical Inc. and Dale Dekker of architecture and design firm Dekker sought to revive the enhanced use lease when DeRaad was still employed at the Air Force Research Laboratories as director of the agency's Tech Engagement Office.

DeRaad secured congressional funding through Sen. Martin Heinrich’s office (D-N.M.) for a Partnership Intermediary Agreement, held currently, and part of that funding was intended to build a space center with secure facilities for emerging companies.

NewSpace Nexus originally began with its NewSpace Launchpad in the meantime to allow companies a space to work outside of a SCIF.

NewSpace Nexus' program managers through the Air Force explained federal funds could not be used for a larger space center than originally planned, and NewSpace Nexus and its partners had to come up with a new plan.

The U.S. Space Force, RCO (or Space Rapid Capabilities Office), the Space Systems Command, AFRL, Sandia National Laboratories and other nuclear security stakeholders all see the opportunities smaller companies or startups cannot reach without a SCIF.

Larger companies like Northrop Grumman, which has built one building on Max Q containing a SCIF, can incur the costly endeavor to build the secure facility, which smaller companies lack the capital to do.

“We’ve set up Pathways to the Stars, because workforce is a big resource issue. We've set up equipment and facilities (so) that they don't have to fund themselves. … But, kind of the last thing has been this SCIF,” DeRaad explained.

DeRaad explained NewSpace Nexus began the process of securing funding for the SCIF project last April when they applied jointly with Blue Space for an Opportunity Enterprise Revolving Fund, a low-interest finance loan under the New Mexico Finance Authority. They were not awarded the opportunity on the first attempt and reapplied and were approved for the opportunity March 12, 2025.

The loan is for $12.5 million for the 30,000-square-foot NewSpace Center. In total, the building will cost about $14 million to $15 million to build, and NewSpace Nexus has engaged investor partners, including SpaceFund, to help with the down payment.

The process will begin with about four to six months to finish the design, which New Mexico-based architecture and design firm Dekker will handle, and the build will take about one year. DeRaad anticipates the facility will be ready by the end of 2026.

One company NewSpace works with, which DeRaad declined to name, completed a similar, 20,000-square-foot rentable facility in Colorado Springs. DeRaad said the team behind this build in Albuquerque followed that organization’s model, which realized revenue in just “a couple of years.”

The SCIF will likely contain collaborative area similar to the Launchpad for prototyping, a conference room to be rented for varying amounts of time ranging from a few hours to a week, offices for one to four people rentable for a day to a year, accommodating different security levels, where you know each room can get to the different kinds of networks required for companies’ work.

Revenue will come from subleases and will be used to pay back the loan to the state and investor partners, and then will go into NewSpace Nexus’ planned subsidiary to manage the center, which will be called the NewSpace Center. The center is anticipated to add eight to 10 staff members to the NewSpace team.

Just over five years ago, NewSpace Nexus was announced at the Economic Forum, according to previous Business First reporting. Since its launch, the organization’s companies have achieved over $50 million in economic impact, defined by customer contracts and venture capital investment.

“With our incubator program, a number of the companies have come in (and) established (a) presence here. By having the SCIF capability added, it's going to improve those numbers significantly. It's a big win for the state in terms of being more of a magnet, to have more companies locate here, as well as serve the companies here,” said Erika Hecht, marketing and communications consultant for NewSpace Nexus.

[ABQalex]

Albuquerque Business First has a story about Array Technologies acquiring an out of state company. They say the company will complement their existing services and line of products and expand their market reach.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquer...ket-reach.html

Albuquerque-based Array Technologies, a global solar tracking technology company that provides services and products for utility-scale solar energy projects, announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire APA Solar.

Under the transaction, APA is valued at $179 million.

This mainly includes $168 million of upfront cash consideration and $42 million deferred consideration payable in two equal installments to be paid on the first and second anniversary of the closing, according to the release.

APA provides engineered foundation solutions and fixed-tilt mounting systems for solar projects, according to a news release.

The company’s products are manufactured in Ridgeville Corners, Ohio, where it is headquartered. It will remain there under the deal with Array.

Once the deal officially closes, Array Technologies (NASDAQ: ARRY) will offer an integrated tracker and foundation system, leveraging each company’s expertise. The product will provide a domestically manufactured offering for hard, mixed and frost heave soil conditions commonly seen in new solar projects.

The deal is expected to expand Array’s market by 40%, according to the news release.

The Ohio company generated about $129 million in revenue and $25 million of EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) excluding 45X credits in 2024, according to the release.

Array expects the acquisition of APA will make the Albuquerque company’s pre-share earnings (adjusted EPS) rise in the first year before realizing any cost savings or revenue benefits because of the acquisition.

APA CEO Josh Von Deylen and COO Joe Von Deylen, along with the company’s senior management team, will remain at the firm under the acquisition and lead “foundations solution business” at Array.

APA’s sellers are eligible for performance-based earnout with initial value of $40 million in Array common stock contingent on whether APA meets EBITDA targets over three years following the deal’s close.

APA’s foundation solutions and fixed-tilt racking products, used widely in commercial and industrial solar projects in the Northeast and Midwest regions of the U.S., will still be available under Array’s acquisition of the company.

"We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of APA, a strategic move that strengthens our capabilities and expands the value we deliver to our customers," Kevin Hostetler, CEO of Array, said in a statement. "Demand for engineered foundations is growing rapidly because of their ability to make projects in areas with more challenging soil conditions economically viable. APA has a proven foundation system that performs in the toughest soil conditions, and is more efficient and less costly to install than competitors’ offerings.”

“The market has been asking for an integrated tracker plus foundation platform — with this acquisition, ARRAY will be in a position to deliver it,” he added.

Below are a couple of screenshots and a link to a drone video showing Array's new headquarters and manufacturing center on the Westside. The video was taken back in April and it was posted last month on LinkedIn by one of the firms involved in its construction.

I've first also included a few renderings from this firm's website of the new facility that we've never seen before. The last rendering is from a similar perspective as the first drone video screenshot to compare.

https://gdc-az.com/project/array-technologies/









https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update...0607054671873/





Here are a few pics of the facility from around the same time as the video above that were also posted last month by an Array executive on his LinkedIn account.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update...8591931555841/









Here's a screenshot and link to a short video showing construction progress on the facility more recently. It was posted last week on LinkedIn by an HVAC/plumbing subcontractor for the project.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update...1471284596736/



Finally, here also are some recent pics of the facility posted earlier this month on Instagram by a plumbing products supplier for the project.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DKhyPCsM5wz/

[ABQalex]

Here are some pics of the Oppidan data center that's also under construction on the Westside at the Westpointe 40 development. They were posted last month on Instagram by a surveyor for the project.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DJk5iyeqYXD/







https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ8Eo-QKKY0/









Here's a rendering of the project from its page on the architects' website.

https://www.powerdesigninc.us/projec...bq-data-center

[ABQalex]

The Albuquerque Journal has a story about the approval by the city council earlier this week of the industrial revenue bonds for Jim Long's Sawmill District projects. They talk to him and he says that he hopes to break ground on the first two projects this year, aiming for both of them to open in 2027. Their story includes a nice rendering of the mixed-use/apartment structure that we've never seen before.

https://www.abqjournal.com/business/...7e2c61fa9.html

Albuquerque is betting big on luxury developments in the Sawmill District — to the tune of $227.5 million in tax breaks.

The package of three industrial revenue bonds, or IRBs, aims to stimulate the buildout of a hotel, extended-stay suites and an apartment-retail complex by developer Heritage Cos. The Albuquerque City Council approved the bonds unanimously, despite criticism that the project lacked affordable housing and concerns from unions over contracts.

“In some ways, it really is a jewel of Albuquerque,” Economic Development Director Max Gruner said of Sawmill Market. “It is exciting. It is a vibrant place. And this further development ... is absolutely going to continue on that path.”

The IRBs are between the city of Albuquerque and Heritage, the firm behind Sawmill Market and Hotel Chaco and many other high-end properties across New Mexico.

Union leaders, including Rosendo Najar, the president of Carpenters Union Local 1319, feared that the timing of the bonds aimed to undermine a state law designed to guarantee better wages for workers of IRB-supported projects. However, a review of council processes and an amendment ensured that state law would take effect before the bonds were issued.

While some on the council chafed at the lack of affordable housing inclusion, all voted in favor of the project.

“Our city is fortunate to have people (who) are from Albuquerque that can invest their hard-earned money, their investment, their name, their reputation — that can create just phenomenal cultural places,” Councilor Dan Lewis said.

Monica Mitchell, the city’s economic development deputy director, said the developments will create hundreds of full-time and part-time jobs, as well as 750 construction jobs.

Plans for the boutique hotel, located west of Sawmill Market on Bellamah NW, include 115 guest rooms, 10 suites, restaurants and a conference space. The estimated cost to develop the hotel is $76.3 million, according to an information packet provided to the council.

Chaco Residences, an extended stay hotel south of Sawmill Market, on the corner of Bellamah and 20th NW, will have an anticipated 107 guest rooms, eight suites, wellness areas, restaurants and conference spaces, the packet said. The $70.4 million property will have offerings similar to Hotel Chaco but will add kitchenettes, washers and dryers, allowing for long-term stays.

The $80.8 million mixed-use development will feature 140 apartments, entertainment venues, restaurants and retail space, according to the packet. This development will go south of Chaco Residences on 20th NW, and include retail, dining, galleries and other amenities geared toward local entrepreneurs. There would also be multi-level parking.

Mitchell said city officials estimate the Sawmill mixed-use space will generate $2.3 million in tax revenue by 2047, the Chaco Residences will generate $5.6 million in taxes by 2042 and the Sawmill hotel will generate $8.2 million in taxes by 2049.

All in all, the project will require an investment of more than $227 million, of which Heritage will set aside about $14 million to help launch the New Mexico businesses that the properties will house, according to Heritage CEO Jim Long.

Long said that while the IRB, which includes a 70% property tax abatement, will help “offset” the high development costs and bring financial stability to the project, the city is not lending Heritage the money — a common misconception when it comes to IRBs. Heritage’s next step is to secure financing from lenders and bids from contractors who can build the projects for the right price.

“So there are two big steps still in front of us,” Long said.

If Heritage can secure bids and financing, Long said the hope is to break ground on Chaco Residences and the mixed-use development this year. The boutique hotel has been designed, but the construction blueprints haven’t been drawn up yet. Long said it could be three years before the hotel starts construction, as he wants to see Chaco Residences “economically stabilized” before starting on the hotel.

Each project will take two years to build, meaning those breaking ground this year could potentially open in 2027.

“We’re creating exciting places for people to work, to live, to play that we know are going to be an attraction — to bringing jobs to New Mexico, to bringing people back to New Mexico that might have left our community,” Long said.

[ABQalex]

KRQE has a story about a new neon sign for Expo New Mexico along Central Avenue that was funded and created as part of the Route 66 Centennial celebrations. It stands in front of the historic adobe entrance tower/monument at the fairgrounds.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...long-route-66/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Visitors can expect to see a neon sign lighting up the entrance at the New Mexico state fairgrounds. The New Mexico Tourism Department awarded Expo New Mexico $250,000 to renovate the sign through the Route 66 Centennial Grant Program.

The tower is one of the original structures built when the fairgrounds were first established in 1938. City officials said the renovated neon sign and digital marquee are designed to reflect the vintage charm of Route 66.

[ABQalex]

KRQE has a story about the Uptown Connect project which features a rendering with a different setup than we've seen previously. However, the video report does still show the renderings and design that we've seen up until now, so who knows what will actually get built and what the final design will be. They now say that the city is hoping to break ground on the project by early next year.

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

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) –A new multi-million dollar development is coming to Albuquerque that connects affordable housing with public transportation. ABQ RIDE is partnering with a developer to create an innovative space near Uptown.

The Uptown Transit Center serves as a hub for bus riders traveling all over Albuquerque, including eight art bus routes. Now, ABQ RIDE hopes to transform some of the empty space nearby into a live, work, play destination.

It’s being called “Uptown Connect,” a mixed-use plaza being planned near I-40 and Louisiana Blvd. The project is being led by ABQ RIDE along with the private developer, Palindrome. On top of giving the Transit Center a facelift, it will add apartments, a brewery, and a dog park.

“So, you will be able to get your beer, you’ll be able to support local small businesses from Albuquerque, and get your food and enjoy the scene,” said Rebecca Velarde, Director of Development, Palindrome Communities LLC.

ABQ RIDE said close to 11,000 people go to Uptown every day, but only about 100 live there. The project includes adding 239 housing units, with 203 of those being affordable housing and underground parking for nearly 200 cars.

“Bringing affordable housing to the city, which accomplishes a major city goal, while also bringing those people to frequent accessible transit– it’s accomplishing so many goals from different departments of the city. It really brings a lot together,” said Madeline Skrak, Public Information Officer for ABQ RIDE.

The bus system will also get an upgrade, like adding digital screens with real-time arrival schedules and improved security. “The new system is going to have modern LEDs, it’s going to have a sound system that can play music and can have an intercom so we can speak to our passengers,” said Bobby Sisneros, Transit Deputy Dir., CABQ.

ABQ RIDE said this is the biggest project they’ve ever been a part of. “Being able to live here affordably with free transportation, having access to the whole city within a 45 minutes of a bus ride, and then all of what Uptown has to offer. It’s really going to be a gem for our city,” said Skrak.

The project is estimated to cost $120 million. ABQ RIDE said they’re hoping to break ground by early 2026.

[ABQalex]

It looks like The Downtowner project actually may not be dead. Downtown Albuquerque News has an update this morning where they speak to Jay Rembe about the project and the difficulties he's facing in getting it off the ground. The great thing to learn is that he's still pursuing it and it looks to have added about 21 units in a redesign. The story includes an awesome updated rendering, which I just love. I really hope this project comes to fruition!

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

The Downtowner apartment building is still on the table, but funding remains elusive

Nearly four years have passed since the Downtowner - a six-story apartment complex planned by developer Jay Rembe for the half-square-block fronted by First, Silver, and Second - first floated into the public imagination.

It quickly took hold from there, if for no other reason than the development represented something relatively new under the Downtown sun: The proposed units were on the smaller side by design, with the idea that modest square footage could help keep prices relatively low, even at market rates. Parking was to be minimal, a nod to the reality that the most useful concentration of public buses and trains for hundreds of miles around is just steps away at Alvarado Transit Center. The project was at once an apartment complex and a sort of demonstration project, promising proof that compact, urban living can work at scale in the Downtown core.

Much water has passed under the bridge since then, and the city has turned the vacant property - which it owns but plans to donate to the effort - into a temporary dog park. And Rembe is still at it, confronting a familiar holdup: money.

"Still working on that building," he said last month. "We are still trying to figure out how to work on the gap financing and how to move that forward."

The hard reality of Albuquerque residential development projects, circa 2025, is that they are frequently pushed over the finish line by public subsidies, and in the case of a building as large as the Downtowner, those subsidies can be especially difficult to come by.

Cobbling together the private side of the finance equation is no picnic either. Fairly or not, investors can be skittish about Downtown. The rents that units would likely command, meanwhile, are small compared to higher-demand cities, even if the construction costs, which have shot through the roof since the project was announced, are similar.

"It's challenging," Rembe said. "It's difficult to pencil unless you're going to do some type of affordable component."

That "affordable component" refers to an array of funding sources, particularly federal tax credits, that can be unlocked if units are reserved for tenants who make below a certain income threshold (the exact formula is complex and can vary). Some developers have found that in the post-pandemic world of supply chain issues, labor shortages, and tariffs, the approach can actually make a project easier to finance — though it comes with its own share of complications.

Rembe originally envisioned The Downtowner as a market-rate complex but said last month that whether it ultimately ends up affordable or market-rate is TBD.

Much else about the project, however, has remained unchanged since its debut. Plans still call for six stories, roughly 240 units, and an aerial footprint resembling a giant capital E.

Rembe also believes that the building's basic rationale - as a contribution to Downtown revitalization and the broader metro housing market - is as strong as ever.

"I think we all would agree that there's a need for housing," he said, adding that "we need more bodies Downtown."

And so, for the foreseeable future at least, he will keep plugging away at one of the more anticipated residential projects in the Downtown core.

"The bigger, the better," he said. "It's just a function of how to make the numbers work."

[ABQalex]

The conversion of the former Wells Fargo building in Downtown Albuquerque is on the agenda at this week's Albuquerque Development Commission meeting. They are seeking an extension of 5 months for deadlines in its agreement with the city for the $2 million in gap financing help that it received late last year.

https://www.cabq.gov/mra/documents/a...da-6-26-25.pdf

[ABQalex]

The Albuquerque Journal has a story about Albuquerque’s office market. It features FBT Architects and their new office space atop 500 Marquette in Downtown Albuquerque.

https://www.abqjournal.com/business/...af2086802.html

Employees of Albuquerque-based FBT Architects were itching to get back into the office following shutdowns spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We actually had our employees calling to ask if they could come back to the office,” said FBT Architects President Art Tatum.

It’s been five years since the nation shuttered during the start of the pandemic, a period that sent nonessential employees to work from home and left many offices empty. But now, as many companies continue to make their way back, local experts say Albuquerque’s office market is growing and looks different than it did before.

“We are seeing a big push for it now,” said Shóna Martinez, a senior associate and office expert with real estate firm CBRE.

Despite some fluctuation, Albuquerque’s office leasing activity has been steadily increasing since 2020, hitting a peak in the third quarter of 2024 and slightly cooling down since then, according to a report from CBRE.

Albuquerque’s vacancy rate for office space in the first quarter of 2025 was 13%, according to the CBRE report, slightly up from 2024 vacancy rates. However, the rate is still far below the 2025 first-quarter national vacancy rate of 19% and down from Albuquerque’s 2020 rate of 18% in the second quarter.

While companies are returning to the office, “almost every business” Martinez has worked with post-COVID has implemented a hybrid work model, she said.

“It is incredibly rare now to find a company that requires you to be in the office five days a week,” Martinez said, adding she is generally seeing a ratio of three days in the office, two days remote.

The industries flocking back to the office are those within professional and client-oriented services, including finance, legal, architecture and engineering, Martinez said. Meanwhile, she’s seeing medical groups and government workers continuing to work from home.

The north Interstate 25 corridor and Uptown have been Albuquerque’s strongest submarkets for office leasing activity coming out of COVID, Martinez said. A separate report on this year’s first quarter office market from real estate firm Colliers found the north I-25 corridor and Uptown submarkets leased more square footage than was vacated and respectively had office vacancy rates of 11% and 13%.

The submarket with the highest vacancy rate in Colliers’ report is Downtown at 24%. The area leased more space than was vacated in this year’s first quarter.

One of Downtown’s most recent new tenants, FBT Architects, moved to the 15th floor of 500 Marquette NW in March. Michele Carter, the company’s director of marketing and business development, said the firm wanted to move Downtown to “be a part of the solution and not the problem.”

Tatum added, “We’re believers in revitalizing Downtown. ... We’re going to be an active part of that.”

The firm designed the space to include collaborative and private work spaces, conference rooms and living spaces, surrounded by 360-degree large window views of the city.

“I think that’s a lot of what COVID taught us — is that it’s not just offices,” Carter said. “You really need areas to come together. We’ve got huge couches. We’ve got places to just sit down and get comfortable.”

The type of space Carter is describing is Class A, premium office space that offers luxury amenities, layout and quality. This is the part of the office market that has seen the biggest shift since COVID, Martinez said.

“We have a shortage of Class A office space in Albuquerque, and the demand for Class A office space is far greater now than it ever was pre-COVID,” Martinez said.

Martinez said the reason for the demand is that companies are launching efforts to not only entice people back into the office but to retain employees with quality space, safety and amenities. She said she is seeing companies willing to pay more and prioritize quality space even over price.

One of the state’s largest Class A office owners and developers — Heritage Cos. — has been at the forefront of the luxury-driven back-to-the-office effort.

“We have seen our office occupancy grow since COVID,” said Heritage Founder and CEO Jim Long. “Our offices are over 90% occupied, and people are definitely coming back into the office.”

Heritage is in the process of updating its office spaces in Uptown and downtown Santa Fe with landscaping, food halls and casual meeting spaces.

“We’re creating these exciting, stimulating environments that people are enjoying coming back to work to experience,” Long said. “It’s hard working from home, to be honest with you, because people need to be around other people. They need that socialization, and we’re certainly seeing that.”

Goodman Realty Group, the developers of Winrock Town Center, are also contributing to the city’s office market with the recent completion of the Portland Building, which added 19,712 square feet of Class A office inventory to Uptown, CBRE’s quarter one office report said. The report added that Goodman has plans for a new 42,100-square-foot mixed-use project at Winrock that will include approximately 27,500 square feet of office space.

Martinez said more development of office space, particularly Class A, is needed to keep up with the growing demand. But skyrocketing construction costs since COVID are a limiting factor, making new office space projects “almost nonexistent.”

A solution, Martinez said, is more public-private partnerships, more incentives and less red tape for developers to spur office development, which she believes will eventually happen out of necessity. She also envisions companies getting creative, transforming retail and industrial spaces into the quality Class A or flex office space — flexible property that can accommodate multiple functions, such as retail, industrial, warehouse or office — that they need.

While collaboration and connectivity are common themes driving companies back to the office, Jeannie Randolph — principal of Brio Brokers Group, a local business brokerage that moved into a new office space in the Northeast Heights last year — said moving from her home office to a commercial office was also about something more.

“When you lease an office, and you sign a three-year lease, you really are taking a huge leap of faith,” Randolph said. “Somebody said to me, ‘You open an office and you bet on yourself.’”

[ABQalex]

Albuquerque Business First has a story about the conversion of the former Wells Fargo building in Downtown Albuquerque. The Bernalillo County Commission at its meeting last night accepted a request and is considering $35 million in project revenue bonds for the project. They will vote on whether to ultimately approve and issue the bonds at a later date.

The story includes more info and details about the project, including saying that the developers plan to begin construction in October. Note that they also say the project will have bank services on its ground floor. I don't know if this is in error using outdated information or if perhaps Geltmore has secured a new bank tenant for the project. I saw rumors on Facebook that Nusenda might open a branch here. Let's hope something like that does shake out for the ground floor!

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

The Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners have made an approval for a $35 million incentive to convert the former Downtown Wells Fargo tower into a mixed-use multifamily development.

Located at 200 Lomas Blvd. NW, the Lomas Towers project would convert the 13-story tower into 100 affordable housing units, along with residential amenities and existing bank services, Bernalillo County Commission documents show.

The county commissioners unanimously approved the inducement of a resolution for a $35 million project revenue bond for the project at its June 24 meeting. District 1 County Commissioner Barbara Baca sponsored the resolution.

The inducement resolution of the PRB allows for legislation to be introduced later so county commissioners can consider final approval to issue the PRB.

PRBs are issued for tax exemption purposes to reduce development costs as an incentive to build housing with below-market rental rates, according to Bernalillo County’s website.

Without property tax exemptions and tax-exempt rates, this Downtown building could not be converted to affordable housing, Bernalillo County Commission documents show.

It’s estimated the hard costs for construction of the project will be $33.5 million and that there will be at least another $12 million in costs associated with the redevelopment, Bernalillo County Commission documents show.

California-based Lincoln Avenue Communities — an affordable housing developer — is the developer for the affordable housing portion of the redevelopment, and Albuquerque-based Geltmore LLC will redevelop the office and retail component on the ground floor of the tower, Bernalillo County Commission documents show.

Dekker is the architect for the project, Lincoln Avenue Communities Regional Project Partner Rusty Snow said.

Lomas Towers will have 60 one-bedroom, one-bathroom units and 40 two-bedroom, one-bathroom units for an estimated 140 residents making between 50% and 70% of the area median income.

Its first floor will have existing bank services, county documents show, and its second floor will have a community room, business center, fitness room and possibly a theater room, Snow said.

The developers expect to break ground on the project in October, Bernalillo County Commission documents show, and they haven’t selected a general contractor yet, Snow said.

The developers have spoken to several contractors, though, Snow said. Typically, they will get to a comfortable point in the planning and design process, narrow their general contractor options to three and then decide who is the best fit to be the general contractor, Snow said.

Currently, the developers are still working toward getting to a point in the design and planning process, considering key design concepts such as whether to cut out or remove portions of the concrete columns that run down the side of the building, Snow said.

It’s estimated the affordable housing component of the redevelopment will take 18 months to complete, Snow said.

The project will be financed with private activity volume cap tax exempt bonds and 4% low-income housing tax credits.

The project also has a construction mortgage, equity bridge loan, housing trust fund, city of Albuquerque Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency funds, New Mexico Environmental Department funds, state funds and a deferred developer fee.

Let's hope the county commission doesn't drag its feet on this approval like they have with Jim Long's industrial revenue bond request for his Sawmill District projects. The alternative is to see this structure lay vacant for years or decades and most likely deteriorate into a boarded-up mess and eyesore like the towers at San Mateo and Central.

Hopefully since these are affordable apartments they won't be so apprehensive about moving quickly and approving the help. Apparently that's why they haven't yet approved the IRBs for the Sawmill projects, because they are not for affordable housing. Never mind that the Sawmill Area has almost nothing but affordable housing already.

[ABQalex]

The Albuquerque Journal has a story about Intel in Rio Rancho and whether it will be able to escape the company’s latest round of job cuts announced recently and which will begin next month. Intel's Rio Rancho plant has so far been able to escape the cuts that the company has made since last year. In fact, they continue to report having over 3,000 people employed in Rio Rancho as of their latest quarterly report to the state.

https://www.abqjournal.com/business/...0829e2755.html

Intel Corp. plans to lay off up to 20% of its manufacturing workers in July, but New Mexico officials have not yet sounded the alarm about hits to the chipmaker’s local operations.

The company is targeting job reductions between 15% and 20% in manufacturing operations, with most cuts taking place in July, according to a June article from The Oregonian. The news follows Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan’s appointment to the role in March and the announcement the following month that layoffs were coming.

The Rio Rancho site had more than 3,000 full-time employees in the first quarter of 2025, according to a jobs report provided by Sandoval County Manager Wayne Johnson. Estimated compensation for that timeframe, including salaries, bonuses, taxes and benefits, totaled more than $101 million.

Johnson said his office has been in contact with Intel officials and has not been notified about any layoffs at the Rio Rancho plant.

“We feel very confident that, due to the change in their function here in New Mexico, the jobs within the plant are safe,” Johnson said.

Intel’s decision to make cuts comes as pressure mounts within the competitive semiconductor industry, where rivals like Nvidia Corp. have made significant strides. Last year, Intel eliminated 15,000 jobs across the company.

“These are difficult actions but essential to meet our affordability challenges and current financial position of the company,” Intel manufacturing Vice President Naga Chandrasekaran told employees in a June email obtained by The Oregonian.

Chandrasekaran wrote that “reductions will be based on a combination of portfolio changes, level and position elimination, skill assessment for remaining positions, and some hard decisions around our project investments.”

Intel spokesperson Elly Akopyan declined to comment on the June memo or respond to questions on whether the Rio Rancho plant would be affected by the layoffs.

Intel had not filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, commonly referred to as a WARN notice, with the state as of Tuesday. The WARN notice, filed by employers, serves as an alert to employees of looming plant closures or mass layoffs.

“Removing organizational complexity and empowering our engineers will enable us to better serve the needs of our customers and strengthen our execution,” Akopyan said in a statement to the Journal.

One of Intel’s 10 worldwide manufacturing sites resides in Rio Rancho and was recently expanded with its Fab 9 factory, a facility for the company’s 3D advanced packaging technology.

The Fab 9 factory is part of a multi-billion-dollar investment by the company in New Mexico. It is also upgrading Fabs 11 and 11X in Rio Rancho, according to a company fact sheet.

The site, paired with Intel’s Fab 11X, focuses on stacking processors with compute tiles vertically instead of side by side. This allows the company and foundry customers to mix and match compute tiles to optimize costs.

Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull said he wasn’t sure of any layoffs at the local plant, adding that Intel operations are dependent on the company’s $3.5 billion investment and expansion.

“If they do any type of reductions, I don’t think that it’s going to be really, extremely impactful on the New Mexico plant at this point in time,” Hull said.

Since its expansion, the plant has generated positive economic growth for Rio Rancho, Hull said, from construction jobs to upticks in local businesses.

“Intel, yes, while it’s up here in Rio Rancho, it really has a very strong, regional impact whether that’s Rio Rancho, Corrales, Bernalillo (or) Albuquerque,” Hull said. “For the small businesses that are in direct proximity to it, and then residual effect for the other industries that they touch throughout the state.”

[ABQalex]

The state has announced the awarding of a contract for the creation of a master plan for the proposed redevelopment of the State Fairgrounds/Expo New Mexico site in Albuquerque’s International District. Stantec Consulting Services Inc. of Edmonton, Canada won the $850,000 contract for the planning process. They say that "some" historic buildings will be preserved on the site.

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/arti...5601cf467.html

The first step in redeveloping the State Fairgrounds in Albuquerque into a mixed-use housing site is underway.

The state General Services Department on Tuesday announced a nearly $850,000 contract with Stantec Consulting Services Inc. to create a master plan for repurposing the 236-acre tract of land that has hosted the annual State Fair since 1938.

The contract award came four months after the state abruptly canceled a previous contract solicitation without explanation and restarted the process.

Acting GSD Secretary Anna Silva did not mention the do-over in a Tuesday statement in which she said the State Fair would remain a “vital economic and cultural asset” for generations.

“Through this master planning process, we will identify innovative and forward-thinking ideas which will help us reimagine the future of this great state event,” Silva said in a statement.

In December, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced plans to convert the fairgrounds into a mixed-use development with affordable housing and relocate the State Fair.

The idea of moving the State Fair has been met with opposition from some residents of Albuquerque’s International District, which has dealt with rampant drug use and homelessness in recent years.

Though the contract was yet to be announced, Lujan Grisham hinted at the fairgrounds’ future during a Monday news conference at the Western Governors’ Association meeting in Santa Fe.

The master plan could eventually call for leasing or selling portions of state-owned Expo New Mexico to private developers, Lujan Grisham said.

“That master planner’s job will be to engage the public in what they’re planning for at that property specifically,” the governor said.

The master planner, Stantec, is a multinational consulting firm headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, with four local offices in New Mexico.

This contract isn’t Stantec’s first in New Mexico, as the company previously worked with the Department of Transportation to revamp roads and highways in Silver City, Hobbs and Fort Sumner.

Stantec also worked with the city of Jal in the southeast corner of New Mexico to produce a community development plan.

Stantec could not be immediately reached for comment on the contract.

The contract was signed June 18 following a public procurement process, and extends until February 2026, said General Services Department spokesperson Joe Vigil. The master plan will include an economic impact study, development plans and a proposal presentation.

Once planning is done, state leaders expect a new funding model passed by the Legislature this year to cover costs. In March, legislators passed Senate Bill 481, which redistricted the area, slightly raised local income taxes and authorized the state to issue revenue bonds.

The bill was subsequently signed into law by the governor, and its funding mechanisms are expected to raise $12 million for initial ramp-up efforts, Lujan Grisham said this week.

Though the site is slotted for redevelopment, some historic buildings will be preserved as a part of the master plan, Lujan Grisham said.

Meanwhile, a new site for the State Fair is yet to be announced, though the plan will “make recommendations on the best course of action to determine that (location),” Vigil said.

[ABQalex]

A project that would create over 300 permanent jobs, 965 construction jobs, and have an economic impact of $534 million over five years is advancing in Sandoval County. The Albuquerque Business First article below says that the code-named "Project Ranger" would involve national defense and would go on almost 500 acres of land west of Rio Rancho in unincorporated Sandoval County. The Sandoval County Commission approved resolutions today having to do with the purchase and sale of the land for the project.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquer...-300-jobs.html

An economic development project with an estimated total economic impact of more than $500 million in its first five years just moved one step closer to coming to Sandoval County.

The Sandoval County Commission unanimously approved resolutions June 25 to allow county leadership to facilitate the purchase and sale of real estate for Project Ranger, an economic development project that would benefit national defense, Sandoval County documents show.

The county plans to purchase approximately 470 acres of land located west of Rio Rancho in an unincorporated area of Sandoval County to lease to Project Ranger, the Sandoval County Tax Assessor’s site and Sandoval County documents show. It would cost approximately $2.5 million to purchase.

The employer behind Project Ranger hasn’t yet been disclosed, but it has committed to an investment of $108 million in new capital, the creation of at least 300 jobs over five years and will locate a facility in Sandoval County, according to county documents.

Project Ranger is expected to generate $534 million in total economic output through its construction and initial five years of operations, an Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance document shows.

Project Ranger’s sustained operational presence is expected to create 416 cumulative jobs, $74 million in labor income and an annualized impact of $159 million by year five, the document shows.

The construction of the facility is anticipated to generate 965 construction-related jobs, records submitted to the county commission show.

In addition to benefiting national defense, the project would provide cooperative relationships with Sandia Labs and New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.

It would also underscore the region’s emergence as a destination for high-value innovation and advanced manufacturing, records shows.

Sandoval County has been working with AREA, the New Mexico Economic Development Office, the State Land Office, the Governor's Office, the New Mexico Department of Transportation, the city of Rio Rancho and the Sandoval Economic Alliance to bring the employer to Sandoval County.

AREA, NM EDD and the State Land Office declined to comment for this story. Sandoval Economic Alliance did not respond to Albuquerque Business First’s request for comment.

[ABQalex]

The mayor posted a link to an article on his social media accounts yesterday covering his recent speech to the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce at the Embassy Suites Hotel. In the speech he touts what he says are his accomplishments over his last two terms as he's seeking an unprecedented third consecutive term in office.

He says that there's been a large reduction in crime and he touts his efforts to address homelessness with the Gateway Center and other initiatives. He also touts what he calls the "ownership" of Downtown and its revitalization efforts being given over from the city to business and property owners there instead.

He also touts the city’s work to address our housing shortage and says that 5,000 units have been added over the last four years through his initiatives like Housing Forward. He mentions the soccer stadium project being near to "pushing through" after being stuck in limbo. He also makes an interesting statement about a solar panel project "falling apart" due to tariffs.

I'd be interested to know the details about what exactly he's talking about there and whether it's the Maxeon or Ebon Solar projects he's talking about. I wish our local media would actually look into these things rather than just lazily repeat and report what he says.

The housing claim I'm especially skeptical about. We've added a lot of apartment units and have many under construction still, but I don't know that that's mostly due to his initiatives. Remember that he didn't sign or approve the changes to the IDO that the city council voted to put into place, yet now he wants to take credit for that in his speech.

And when he launched Housing Forward he said it would be to add 5,000 housing units above and beyond what the private sector and market added on its own. The city, county and state have certainly helped with adding housing lately, but I don't know that it adds up to 5,000 units over the last four years.

In fact, there was a report late last year in the Albuquerque Journal where he admitted that he wouldn't come close to reaching his goals for adding housing in the timeline set out in Housing Forward. He even told them he wished he would've gave it until 2027 to reach those goals. What's magically changed that he's now claiming to have reached those goals by the 2025 deadline?

I hope that they aren't counting acquisition or rehabilitation projects for existing housing units. While that's certainly nice and necessary, it's not actually adding to our housing supply.

I do hope that he's serious in the first quotes from his speech below. It is indeed time for action, not yet more endless studies and being crippled by inaction.

https://nm.news/2025/06/19/real-work-real-progress/

Mayor Tim Keller told Albuquerque business leaders that the city is finally making real progress on crime, homelessness and downtown revitalization after years of effort.

Speaking at the Embassy Suites by Hilton during the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce’s annual mayoral address June 17, Keller said long-term investments and partnerships are starting to pay off.

He pitched his plan to keep the momentum going, highlighting new crime-fighting technology, expanded homeless services through the Gateway System and zoning changes to boost housing. Calling it a generational turning point, Keller said the city is moving from talk to action and urged the business community to stay involved.

“We’re not going to study anymore,” Keller said. “We’re not going to do a pilot project [or] spend several work group sessions and charrettes on vision statements. This was already done.”

He said that work was already done by the community, including everyone the Chamber works with — county and state government, legislators and City Council.

...

Housing and zoning reform

In total, he said, the city and its partners have added 5,000 housing units in the last four years — double the total of any previous administration. Zoning changes now allow more housing options, from duplexes to four-story buildings and hotel conversions, but funding remains the biggest barrier.

“We still need 15,000 more units,” he said. “But now we have a plan—and a system—to get there.”

Keller credited the Chamber for pushing the city to take ownership of its homelessness and housing challenges.

“You asked us to stop avoiding the issue,” he said. “We’re finally doing the real work.”

Economy, downtown and everyday infrastructure

Keller said the city can’t rely on federal policy when global deals, like a planned solar panel project, fall apart due to things like tariffs. Instead, he said, Albuquerque is focusing on local solutions and rebuilding from the ground up.

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The city is trying a new approach to revitalizing downtown.

“We are going to let go of the political power and the ownership of downtown and we are going to give it to downtown,” Keller said. “How refreshing is that?”

The city created a tax increment district (TID) for downtown that could generate $200 million over time. A new governance structure, currently in the works, would let downtown stakeholders decide how to use that money.

Albuquerque is also planning to launch a business improvement district (BID) downtown this fall. Keller said the BID will help businesses organize events, activate public spaces and attract tenants. The city plans to pay into both the BID and TID as a downtown property owner.

Long-stalled projects are moving forward, Keller said, with CNM’s film academy opening this winter at the Rail Yards—the site’s first permanent tenant in decades. The city is also working with UNM to bring a downtown campus, inspired by Arizona State’s impact on Phoenix, with sites near Civic Plaza under review.

The city is also building the long-planned Rail Trail, a seven-mile loop connecting downtown neighborhoods with art, storytelling and walkable space.

Even projects stuck in limbo — like a stadium for New Mexico United — are close to breaking through, Keller said.

Keller said Albuquerque has stayed focused on major, long-standing challenges and built systems meant to outlast any single administration. The city has weathered protests, pandemics, and changes in state and national leadership, he said, and is showing real progress.

“We’ve been tested. We are trusted to hold this together, and Albuquerque is making a comeback,” Keller said.