Albuquerque Development Thread

[ABQalex]

Here's another article by Albuquerque Business First yesterday showing how pathetic and ineffective most of the mayor's housing initiatives have been lately. He touted the fast-tracking of projects in the high-density centers and corridors of the city. Business First reports that it's resulted in helping just 93 units to be approved in those areas over the last year, 70 of which are the units at the SOMOS Apartments project that recently broke ground. The rest are "single-family homes" according to the city.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/news/2025/06/25/city-provides-fastrax-program-update.html

The city of Albuquerque has provided a first-half update on a program it implemented in 2024 to spur residential development.

Resolution 24-22 established “a two-year policy for the priority site plan approval and construction permitting of development projects that will result in permanent housing in centers and corridors, and development projects within downtown,” according to the legislation.

The resolution means that if a group builds permanent housing within one of these areas, their plan review and building permit review get FasTrax treatment for free.

Normally, FasTrax priority costs three times the regular plan fee with a $1,000 minimum, according to the city of Albuquerque's website. And, barring corrections, the average expected turnaround time for a FasTrax plan review is six days.

So far this year, 23 projects have been issued permits or completed plan review with FasTrax treatment through the resolution, city of Albuquerque Planning Department Public Information Officer Tim Walsh said.

Those projects amount to 93 housing units, Walsh said. One project, located at 7200 Central Ave. SE, makes up 70 of those units, he added. The remainder of the projects are for single-family homes.

The 70-unit project is a four-story mixed-use development spearheaded by Sol Housing.

The development is named Somos Apartments, and it will have 70 senior-housing dwelling units, along with "supporting residential amenities," according to previous Albuquerque Business First reporting.

Somos Apartments will have 15 market-rate units and 55 affordable housing units, previous Albuquerque Business First reporting shows.

All units at Somos Apartments will be one-bedroom.

Somos Apartments’ amenities will include a fitness room, community room, food pantry, raised garden beds, dog exercise and dog wash areas, gated parking and two EV chargers.

The project will also have three commercial shell spaces on its first floor that will be leased to businesses from the International District.

The Hartman + Majewski Design Group is the architect for the project, and HB Construction is the general contractor for the project.

While this was a noble and worthy endeavor I think there's no question it's been a failure so far. I would expect a successful initiative to see hundreds of units pushed along. I also would expect and desire most to be dense housing types. But perhaps that's just because of an overall slowing down of projects in the pipeline due to the current economic headwinds and other national factors.

SOMOS makes up the vast majority of what they're claiming as successes helped along by the initiative. SOMOS would've most likely happened no matter how long the planning approval and building permit process took. Its biggest hurdle was financing, which thankfully the city council approved more help back in April and then it got underway the next month like Sol Housing's executive director said it would if they got that extra funding help from the city.



I think we absolutely need to speed up the planning approval process and the issuance of building permits, but that should be a matter of routine and general policy, not part of a special initiative or done for an extra cost.

It was quite sad for me to see the number of building permit applications seeking fast track under the initiative that actually didn't qualify and weren't in the centers and corridors. I saw things like new single family homes in subdivisions in the far reaches of the city and remodels in the older, more rural or suburban parts of the city apart from the centers and corridors like Westgate, Taylor Ranch, the North Valley, Ridgecrest and Four Hills. I saw an awful lot of commercial projects as well. It just shows that people are hungry for speedier approvals, but very few of those were projects qualifying under the intentions of what the city wanted to see and help along with this initiative.

It would be better for the city to focus on trying to speed up approvals for all projects across the city.

[ABQalex]

Here's a bit of good news that is sort of unexpected but which continues a good streak of unemployment and jobs figures that we've had this year in Albuquerque despite all that's going on nationally. We have once again reached a new high in nonfarm employment figures with almost 431,000 jobs in May and a healthy year-over-year job growth rate of 2.4 percent. The 430,900 nonfarm jobs in May quite handily beats the previous highs of over 428,000 jobs that we saw in three of the previous six months since November 2024.

The numbers were released today as part of the most-recent complete unemployment and jobs figures for the nation and states. May unemployment figures haven't yet been released for metro areas, but Albuquerque had a low unemployment rate of 3.3 percent as of April and I would only expect it to go down further in May. This is a very low unemployment rate for our area historically.

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

The state overall also has a fairly low unemployment rate of 4.2 percent in May, which is an improvement and slight decrease from 4.3 percent in April and continuing the trend in the low to mid-4 percent range that we've seen over the last year. Its job growth rate year-over-year was 2 percent in May. The state also crossed a very nice threshold that we've also never seen before, with over 900,000 (902,900) nonfarm jobs in May.

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

This all defies the narrative and expectation for our city and state, especially as presented in our local media and with what's happening nationally. I know that both the city and state are usually late into and out of national recessions and boom and bust periods, but I'm personally gonna enjoy this bit of good news while I can!

Here's an awesome aerial pic of Albuquerque that was taken and posted back in November on Flickr. I thought it was apropo and that I'd share it to celebrate this bit of good news and these great highs that we've seen in our jobs figures since November.

(Click the link directly below the embedded image to see it full size)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/djmabq/54146752883/in/dateposted/


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54146752883_d87e6ce683_3k.jpg

[ABQalex]

Downtown Albuquerque News reported this morning that the county plans to purchase the Mehran Lofts structure as part of an overall $150 million plan to create affordable and transitional housing with money that the state legislature allocated earlier this year. They say they hope to add 1,000 such units before the end of the year.

They also identify the Comfort Inn & Suites hotel at 4th Street and I-40 as an acquisition they'd like to make for transitional supportive housing.

The Mehran Lofts structure has been converted with 60 units on its first two floors but can accommodate about 150 more units on its next five floors, according to its listing. Presumably the county intends to convert those floors for affordable housing as well. We learned earlier this year that the top/8th floor has office space, but they don't say what will happen with that, especially with county ownership.

The DAN story also mentions more about the county's efforts to help along the conversion of the former Wells Fargo building for affordable housing as well.

https://downtownalbuquerquenews.com/

BernCo pursues purchase of the core's Mehran Lofts and Wells Park's Comfort Inn for affordable housing

Commission also gives Wells Fargo residential conversion a boost

Bernalillo County is maneuvering to buy up properties and inject cash into other projects as part of a broader goal of adding 1,000 affordable units to the metro by the end of the year, and three big items on their list are in the Greater Downtown area.

County commissioners signed off on a plan Tuesday that contains 11 projects and empowers County Manager Cindy Chavez to pursue them. The list includes the purchase of the Mehran Lofts, an eight-story building at Sixth and Gold that features two floors of apartments but five additional floors that are undeveloped. There is space, the listing says, for an additional 150 units.

The county is also interested in buying the Comfort Inn located just south of I-40 near Fourth. Listed for sale at $6.3 million, it contains 82 rooms and would be used for transitional housing, a category that typically comes with extra support services for tenants.

"These are projects that are in relatively good shape," Chavez told commissioners, referring to the four buildings in the transitional category. "We won't have to do a lot of improvements to the interior."

Meanwhile, the county would like to devote $10 million to the conversion of the Wells Fargo Building into housing, a project that is led by Geltmore, a local developer. In a separate legislative move Tuesday, commissioners signed off on a financial instrument called a project revenue bond that will shield the development from some taxes. (The developers expect to close on the property by October, but in the meantime are attempting to line up funding sources.)

The county's effort to put many hundreds of new housing units online is itself designed to be underwritten, which in recent months has allocated $150 million to the problem. The project list approved this week is essentially a menu off of which the state will be able to order. That makes it unlikely that all of the items on the list will be funded, Commissioner Barbara Baca said, while nevertheless calling it "a very bold and very ambitious idea and approach to move forward."

[ABQalex]

Here are some pics of Calle Cuarta that YES Housing and Pavilion Construction have posted this week on their Facebook accounts.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1228730039292194&set=pb.100064656281307.-2207520000



https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1346423784155501&set=pb.100063636757663.-2207520000&type=3



https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1356337803164099&set=a.370450055086217



I must say it's quite bizarre to have balcony railings without patio doors. It seems like an added expense without the amenity payoff. Surely something better and cheaper could've been chosen for a decorative effect. Something like the tiles at the Imperial Building.



Albuquerque Business First has a story about the Sunset Apartments on the Westside near Unser and Central. The 191-unit project recently received planning approval from the city.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/...ts-to-deliver-191-units-to-westside.html

A new 191-unit apartment complex is slated to come to Albuquerque’s Westside after receiving a key approval June 25.

Located on Sunset Gardens Road Southwest between 82nd Street and 86th Street, the Sunset Apartments will have 191 units across two three-story buildings.

The Albuquerque Development Hearing Officer approved a replat request for the apartment complex June 25.

The replat request will dedicate the right-of-way along 86th Street Northwest and at the corner of Sunset Gardens Road Southwest and 82nd Street Southwest to the city of Albuquerque.

The replat will allow the applicant to install sidewalk, curb and gutter, the applicant's agent said during the meeting. The applicant will install that infrastructure to match the existing infrastructure.

The applicant for the request was Two Rivers LLC, and the LLC’s agent was Donna Sandoval of Tierra West LLC. Sandoval and Tierra West LLC did not respond to Albuquerque Business First’s request for comment on this story.

Two Rivers LLC is also the owner of the land at Sunset Gardens Road Soouthwest between 82nd Street and 86th Street.

The complex will go on a vacant 6-acre site across the street from the Crescent Ridge Apartment Homes and just south of the Central & Unser Public Library, along Central Avenue.

Sunset Apartments will have six studio apartments, 71 one-bedroom apartments and 107 two-bedroom apartments. Planned amenities include a pool and a 2,105-square-foot clubhouse.

It will also have a 525-square-foot leasing office and a 326-square-foot hospitality building.

Building 1 will contain 133 of the apartment units, and Building 2 will contain the remaining 58 units.

Plans for the complex include 278 parking spaces and six electric vehicle charging stations.

[ABQalex]

Sandia National Labs announced plans yesterday to reduce its workforce by between 1-3 percent, which could mean eliminating up to about 510 jobs out of its nearly 17,000-strong workforce in Albuquerque, California and a few other satellite locations. The new leader of Sandia stated that these cuts need to be made to make it stronger and to be able to deal with cuts in funding under the new administration. Exact details on where and how much the job cuts will be haven't yet been released, but they say they hope to do it in ways other than direct layoffs, such as freezing new hires, retirements, voluntary separations, etc. They hope to complete the reduction by the fall if the NNSA approves their plan.

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/sandia-national-labs-moves-to-reduce-workforce/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Sandia National Labs announced a plan to reduce its workforce Thursday.

A spokesperson for the labs say the goal is to reduce the workforce by 1-3%. There are 17,000 employees, so that’s anywhere from 170 to 500 positions.

Lab officials say this is necessary for long term sustainability and continuing the mission to deliver on critical national security.

The reduction plan includes limiting new, outside hiring, relying on current employees to handle other projects based on skills and needs. Finally, they’ll look for workers to voluntarily leave or retire.

https://www.abqjournal.com/business/article_01887014-f612-43b9-a3fe-20d93d95cbe2.html

Sandia National Laboratories on Thursday announced plans to lay off up to 510 employees.

The news comes nearly two months into the tenure of new Director Laura McGill, who told the Journal when she started in May that the “workforce is in a good place.”

The plan will reduce Sandia’s workforce of nearly 17,000 by between 1% and 3%, which would represent 170 to 510 workers. The “realignment” should finish by early fall, spokesperson Kenny Vigil said via email. It’s not clear when the layoffs will start.

“Sandia is taking proactive steps to ensure the Labs’ long-term sustainability and continue delivering on its critical national security mission,” Vigil said in a statement. “Sandia has developed a restructuring plan to help reduce costs.”

The “restructuring plan” includes a voluntary separation program, if approved by the National Nuclear Security Administration, and limiting external hiring, Vigil said.

The layoffs could possibly stem from a lack of funding for renewable energy work in the labs’ proposed fiscal year 2026 budget. The proposed budget shows $0 in areas such as geothermal, wind and solar technologies.

The layoffs could amount to a big blow for Sandia, which has grown its workforce steadily from 15,533 in FY22 to 16,915 in FY24, according to the labs’ economic reports.

Sandia’s main complex is in Albuquerque, where 13,299 workers are employed, and it has a second principal laboratory in Livermore, California. It also has a presence in Hawaii, Nevada and Washington, D.C.

It’s not clear if the layoffs will be focused in Albuquerque or not.

McGill, who spoke to the Journal in May, said she was worried about how changes at a federal level could impact the labs, in response to a question. At the time, she was more directly referencing recent turmoil at the NNSA, when news of layoffs — and then rehiring — was happening.

“Our federal partners are absolutely key to our ability to work,” McGill said.

[ABQalex]

The Sunport was ranked among the top 50 best airports in the country by the Washington Post. In fact, it ranked rather high, coming in at number 7 on the list. Below is a link and quote of the introduction to their article and the writeup about the Sunport and the pic that they included with the ranking. It shows the Great Hall and the newly-refreshed Cavalcade of Wings exhibit, with the Sunport’s historic 1914 Ingram-Foster Biplane above.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/interactive/2025/best-airports-us-ranking/

The 50 best airports in America, ranked

What makes an airport special? We analyzed what passengers love most for our own definitive ranking.

The airport has become so synonymous with misery that we often grit our teeth and power through it. Headphones in. Shuffle to the gate. Grab a sad sandwich and tune out.

They are modern marvels of architecture and logistics. But many of us would rather visit the dentist. Easy? Ha. Memorable? Rarely in a good way.

We wanted to find exceptions. Beyond the gray halls of monotony, there exist airports where you may actually want to stay awhile. So we set out to rank the best in the United States.

We took our question to readers, soliciting more than 2,300 responses. Because we wanted an answer based on more than vibes, we enlisted Department of Data columnist Andrew Van Dam. To build his airport-ranking algorithm, Van Dam first analyzed reader feedback so he could prioritize what travelers value most.

We learned travelers adore airports that are easy to get to (and through) above all else. People love light-filled spaces with soaring ceilings. Recent renovations help, too. Van Dam fed your nominations into the algorithm, but he also factored in more than 450,000 Yelp reviews for airport shops, restaurants and the buildings themselves.

Our list started with more than 450 airports that served at least 1,000 passengers last year. We narrowed it to the top 50, then dug up more data like gate capacity and parking. For more on our process, read the methodology box at the bottom.

Here, now, are the 50 best airports in America, according to data. Take note, and arrive early.

...

#7 ABQ - Albuquerque International Sunport

Few airports embody their location more than the sunport, a study in the Southwestern aesthetic. The adobe-style terminal feels like it belongs in a local pueblo rather than the gateway to New Mexico.

Take a moment in the Great Hall after check-in to soak in the vibe on one of the airport’s wood-and-leather chairs or benches. It’s “totally New Mexico,” as one reader put it. Look up and take in the ceiling’s decorated wood beams, or vigas. Check out the Cavalcade of Wings’s more than 900 aircraft models before going through TSA.

Stop in the new food court after TSA for a cup of piñon coffee, a brew flavored with the nut of the tree that grows in the high desert. Drink it under Lincoln Fox’s impressive “Dream of Flight” sculpture. Then pick up some red or green chile before heading to the gate.

Views of the nearby Sandia Mountains will have to wait until takeoff; as of late June, the popular observation deck was closed for renovations.

Here's a nice pic of the new food hall and stage area at the Sunport with the Dream of Flight statue. It was posted last weekend by a traveler on Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/storpaylikson/p/DLHzADJNjkG/



Here's another nice pic of the Sunport that Homes.com recently added to its website in their neighborhood profile for South San Pedro.

https://www.homes.com/local-guide/albuquerque-nm/south-san-pedro-neighborhood/



The city recently finally updated the passenger numbers for the Sunport through May on its website. Unfortunately, the numbers have been down from last year every month since the beginning of the year. But this tracks with an overall national trend and is most likely due to the current national and world events and all the uncertainty and upheaval. Southwest's new policies and fees haven't helped either, I'll bet. All the problems with air traffic control, the crashes, etc. since the beginning of the year certainly haven't helped either, I'm sure. It's all been a mess for air travel this year.

Hopefully we'll get back into growth mode again eventually. The losses have been decreasing as the year goes on. Hopefully we'll see a good summer travel season and lots of Balloon Fiesta visitors and a great holiday season as well to end the year better!

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

Albuquerque International Sunport 2025 monthly passenger statistics

329,609 - January
327,903 - February
418,664 - March
412,539 - April
489,455 - May

1,978,170 - Total through May (down 2.2 percent year to date over last year)

[ABQalex]

Here's another nice ranking that came out this past week where Albuquerque had a good showing. It's People For Bikes' 2025 Best Places to Bike city ratings. They rank and evaluate over 3,000 cities worldwide. We came in at number 31 in the best large cities in the U.S. (over 300,000 people) for bicycling. They have New York City as a whole and each of its five boroughs ranked individually above us, so it's really like we're 26th among individual cities. Brooklyn by itself took the top spot over Minneapolis this year.

https://www.peopleforbikes.org/news/2025s-best-places-to-bike

https://cityratings.peopleforbikes.org/ratings

Here are a few nice pics of biking in Albuquerque from Visit ABQ and a few other sources online. The last two pics are from BikeABQ's account on Facebook when the new dedicated bike lanes opened on Central Avenue in Downtown Albuquerque.

https://www.visitalbuquerque.org/things-to-do/outdoors/bike/





https://www.homes.com/local-guide/albuquerque-nm/los-duranes-neighborhood/





https://www.visitalbuquerque.org/abq365/blog/post/5-ways-to-stay-fit-in-albuquerque/



https://www.reddit.com/r/InfrastructureP...del_bosque_trail_runs_alongside_the_rio/



https://www.facebook.com/BikeABQ/posts/p...pX5wEcQjtZTrPUrmddTyBzP5Sf5mBqoYRipuip7l

[ABQalex]

The city celebrated Albuquerque Rapid Transit's 10-millionth ride this past week. ART is now averaging over 2 million rides a year since it began regular service at the end of 2019 just before the pandemic. It thrived during that time despite ridership drops for ABQ Ride overall during the pandemic. With 2.3 million rides it now accounts for over 31 percent of ABQ Ride's 7.3 million trips as of last year. It is also the 5th-busiest BRT line in the entire country.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/albuquerque-rapid-transit-hits-10-million-rides/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A local student and resource conservation professional has become the 10-millionth rider on Albuquerque Rapid Transit. City officials recognized rider Rhett Sanders-Spencer as they marked the milestone Wednesday morning. Albuquerque Rapid Transit began service along Central Ave. in November 2019 and provides more than 200,000 rides a month.

Sanders-Spencer said he relies on ART after losing his car in an accident last year, and he has grown to appreciate public transit.

Here are some nice pics of ART from various neighborhood profiles on the Homes.com website.

https://www.homes.com/neighborhood-search/albuquerque-nm/





















Here also are a few nice screenshots that I made of the neighborhood profile videos on the Homes.com website. Their videos are really nice and they show even more great footage and views of Albuquerque and its neighborhoods. I've enjoyed discovering and watching them over the last year.

https://www.homes.com/neighborhood-search/albuquerque-nm/

[ABQalex]

Here are a few more nice pics of ART stations in Downtown and Old Town Albuquerque. They were posted on LinkedIn this past week by the president and principal consultant for Jarrett Walker & Associates. His firm worked on the redesign of our bus network for the ABQ Ride Forward initiative that is set to be implemented soon. He was in town for a transportation conference that was taking place at the Cyde Hotel and wanted to ride ART and ABQ Ride while he was here.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7343104988438552576/







Note that in the last pic above you can also spot the work being done at the Old Town/Plaza Vieja archway and its plaza that is being renovated.

Below is another nice pic by a visitor to our city that was posted on Instagram yesterday. It was taken from the Hotel Albuquerque and shows the construction work being done for the Rail Trail and the 20th Street rebuild in the Sawmill Area.

https://www.instagram.com/billypward/p/DLdmMQbPN2x/?img_index=9

[ABQalex]

Nob Hill News had a pic this morning showing the reconstruction of Monte Vista Boulevard in Nob Hill. It's a street that runs diagonally between Central and Girard to Lomas and Carlisle. Landscaped medians are being built, the bike lanes are being widened and improved, and pedestrian safety features are being added. It's a $1.8 million project by the city that kicked off at the end of 2023.

https://www.albuquerquenobhillnews.com/

Expanding the Canopy Cover

Crews are working to install the highly anticipated landscaping on the new Monte Vista Boulevard median. The median, which is designed to slow car traffic on the diagonal thoroughfare, is getting landscaping boulders, trees, shrubs and flowers.

Here's another nice pic of the improvements that the Walk Albuquerque account posted on Instagram back in March.

https://www.instagram.com/walkalbuquerque/p/DHEDwUIOQ8M/

[ABQalex]

The city announced plans last week to move the historic diner structure that makes up most of the APD Nob Hill substation at Triangle Park. They plan to move it to the Route 66 Visitors Center on the Westside as part of the Route 66 Centennial celebrations. They say they would revamp the park/plaza as well after the structure is removed.

The structure was built in 1938 as a portable diner that could be transported by rail. It sat at the corner of 8th Street and Central Avenue in Downtown Albuquerque for 50 years and operated as the Little House Cafe from 1942 until 1992 when the owners retired and donated the structure to the Albuquerque Museum and the city. It was put in storage for a few years and ultimately relocated to Nob Hill in 1997 where it reopened with an addition in the back as the APD substation for the area.

https://www.krqe.com/news/city-looking-t...-in-preparation-for-route-66-centennial/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Drive along Central near the University of New Mexico, and you will encounter a piece of history. This tiny police substation may soon be on the move as part of the upcoming celebration of the Route 66 centennial.

Shelley Sanchez, the director of Arts and Culture for the City of Albuquerque, said, “It’s not crazy to think that we could move it again to its next long-term home on another piece of Route 66.” Currently, the substation is located at the corner of Girard and Central, but the city is planning to relocate it entirely. The substation was originally a Valentine Diner, one of the many prefabricated diners that became popular in the 1930s and could be easily moved.

Sanchez said, “These were kind of tiny, ready-to-go diners that people could purchase. They could seat anywhere from three to maybe 12 people. If you wanted to start a restaurant, you could just buy one, have it delivered by train, and be ready to go.” In fact, this substation was not at its current location for long, as it was situated at 8th and Central just 30 years ago.

The city aims to move the diner to the Route 66 Visitor Center in time for the centennial next year. However, the center has faced controversy. An investigation by Larry Barker revealed that the city spent $320,000 to furnish the building without proper oversight, and the building is still not open to the public. The city has indicated that this could change by the end of the summer as they are working to hire staff for the center.

They plan to convert the substation back into a diner, creating a historical exhibit connected to the Mother Road. “When we move it to a place like the Visitor Center, where we will have staff starting later this summer, we can open it to the public so that people can actually go into this space,” said Sanchez.

It remains unclear how much the move will cost, but the city expects to have a better estimate of its feasibility by the end of summer. Sanchez added, “Before we make the final decision as the administration and the department, we want to finish those conversations to ensure we are really hearing what everyone needs from this process.”

If approved, the relocation could take place by fall of this year.

These plans by the city to move the structure are already very controversial and being opposed.

I think they should move it back Downtown to its original and rightful place at 8th and Central. The awkward and small piece of land that it sat on remains empty to this day after the structure was moved. It could be really neat to have it back down here in its original spot as a restaurant surrounded by an outdoor dining space/patio. It could feed off of the renewed energy in the area with the Arrive Hotel and would be similar to Damacio's Bar & Tapas and its large outdoor dining space across 8th Street.







Here are a couple of pics of the diner structure when it was operating and located Downtown as the Little House Cafe. The first one shows it as it was most likely originally sited on the property, directly fronting 8th Street and next to the Eller Apartments. The second pic shows it when it was most likely moved to face along the new roadway alignment that connected Central Avenue to Gold Avenue.

[ABQalex]

Here's a post and my reply that I wanted to copy over here from SSC talking about the historic diner structure in Nob Hill that was originally located in Downtown Albuquerque and expanding on my idea about what the city should do with it.

Originally Posted by ABQalex

Yes, it's tiny, so it would have to mostly operate similar to a food truck. The outdoor seating would be an attempt to allow it to expand and operate beyond its physical constraints. Below are a couple of pics in a collage showing the interior as it looks now. It looks like it would accommodate closer to the high end of 12 patrons that the KRQE story above mentioned for these prefabricated diners. My estimate is based upon an equal number of stools (either five or six) on either side of the lift-up counter portion in the middle.



I just get giddy looking at these pics. It would be very retro and cool to see it operating as a dining establishment again. I can easily picture people seated at the counter having eggs, bacon, toast and coffee for breakfast or a burger, fries and a milkshake for lunch. With a mini jukebox sitting at the end of the counter where the microwave is in the pic.

My idea would be for the city to restore it back as much as possible to its original state as a working diner. We could then issue an RFP for an operator or even rent it out monthly or quarterly to various food truck operators or as a restaurant incubator for people trying to gain a foothold with their food business.

Previous stories have stated that the city still has some more of the original equipment and contents of the Little House Cafe in storage. There might actually be an even nicer and historic base to work with in terms of restoring it as a diner/restaurant.

[ABQalex]

Here are some pics of the new Secret Gallery space that opened at the beginning of the month on the ground floor of the Arrive Hotel. They were posted by them on their social media accounts. But first is a nice pic of the hotel and its sign that was posted by a guest on Instagram recently.

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



https://www.facebook.com/secretgallerynm



















Here also is a screenshot and link to a nice short video that Secret Gallery posted last week on its Facebook account recapping its opening night.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/728529072909549

[ABQalex]

The Albuquerque Journal has a story about the renovation of the former JCPenney structure in Downtown Albuquerque for the Gizmo Artspace project. They interview owner Sheri Crider about her project. She says that they recently completed demolition for the project. She gives a timeline for completing the lower floors of the project by the end of the year.

They also talk to a spokesperson for the Church of Scientology who pretty much denies the accepted narrative of their unwillingness to sell the property and who also denies that the vacant buildings ordinance prompted them to finally accept an offer.

https://www.abqjournal.com/business/article_dd5998fd-859b-4d66-be08-757a06097c6b.html

Property owners surrounding 410 Central SW, commonly referred to as the Gizmo building, are buzzing with anticipation as the building's new owner works to bring the long-vacant space to life.

The buzz started when local artist and general contractor Sheri Crider purchased the roughly 53,000-square-foot, four-story building in April, bringing around seven years of vacancy to an end. Crider plans to move Sanitary Tortilla Factory, the art space she founded and directs, into the Gizmo Building and transform it into an art hub.

Crider discovered the Gizmo building last year, searching for a larger space to accommodate her and the eight other artists that work out of the current 7,000-square-foot property Sanitary Tortilla Factory uses on Second Street. The Railyards Market purchased the Second Street property, Crider said.

As for the Gizmo building, its long-term vacancy didn't scare Crider away.

"Beneath its distress, you could see a really incredible building," Crider said in an interview.

The Church of Scientology bought the building, formerly a JCPenney's department store, in 2007 with the intention of turning it into a church and bookstore, according to Journal archives. The project never came to fruition, and the church put the building up for sale in 2018 — the same year that the building's longtime tenant and the source of its nickname, The Gizmo Store, closed.

The sale to Crider came after years of the city of Albuquerque and locals attempting to purchase the property, including the owner of the building that houses 505 Central Food Hall, Mark Baker.

"I was hoping to do similar to what Sheri's doing," said Baker, who offered under $1 million for the property five or six years ago based on a full analysis of the building by his contractors. He said a Colliers agent representing the church told him his offer was too low. A Colliers property profile listed the property at $1.85 million in late 2023. Comparatively, Zillow values the property at $1 million.

In 2022, Mayor Tim Keller accused the Church of Scientology of "essentially holding Downtown hostage for money," but the church denied the accusation and said it was seriously considering several offers, according to reporting by Downtown Albuquerque News.

Patty Allread, the church's New Mexico public affairs director, said these past issues are "water under the bridge" and there's no contention with the mayor's office. The city didn't respond to inquiries for comment from the Journal.

"I have spoken with the mayor since then, many times, and there were a lot of things that he hadn't realized and didn't know," Allread said in an interview. "We ended up on the same page about the building."

Baker thinks the January passing of a bill that penalizes owners of vacant properties — which goes into effect July 1 — is what moved the needle on the building's sale, Baker said.

Allread said that's not true, adding that the church has been working on the sale for more than a year.

'Creating opportunities for artists'

Crider's plans for the space include an immersive media-devoted art gallery called Wonder + Light Studios and a print shop called A Good Sign in the basement. Two galleries, a library and an art supplies retail store called Gizmo Paints will go on the ground floor. All but Wonder + Light and Gizmo Paint are existing businesses that operate out of Sanitary Tortilla Factory's current location.

The second and third floors will welcome 24 artist studios. Six housing units, three counseling offices and more artist studios will go on the fourth floor.

The fourth-floor housing units will specifically be home to participants of Sanitary Tortilla Factory's art-based reentry program, which uses art to support inmates as they reintegrate into society after leaving the Metropolitan Detention Center.

"We're really looking to create a microeconomy where we're just supporting artists, (and) everything is kind of funding itself," Crider said. "It's just really synergistic and about creating opportunities for artists."

Crider said she recently completed the interior demolition of the property and she aims to complete the studios and lower level projects first, with the hopes of moving in by the end of the year. The fourth-floor housing phase will follow, depending on funding. She estimates the housing portion of project will cost about $1 million.

U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., requested $1.2 million in federal spending for the affordable housing component of the project in May, spokespeople for the senators told the Journal on Thursday. The request is currently under review.

Neighbors of the Gizmo building are feeling optimistic about the plans.

"I think it's going to be a successful situation for them because there's really a growing art community down here," said Steve Vatoseow, co-owner of Lindy's Diner. "I think it'll bring people and I think it'll just be good for the community."

Vatoseow said he is seeing a trend of artist studios, lofts and other art-oriented uses spreading across Downtown, adding he is considering implementing something similar at his two-story building at 500 Central SW.

While Baker's hopes of revitalizing the Gizmo building didn't pan out, he said he is excited to see activity take place at a property he considers "very important to the texture and fabric of Downtown Albuquerque."

"I absolutely love the project. It's exactly what Downtown Albuquerque needs. ...," he said. "I'm really rooting for Sheri Crider to have massive success because success for her means success for Downtown."

Note in the story above that they also talk to the owner of Lindy's and he says that he's considering adding artist studios on the second floor of the Bliss Building. I really hope this happens. I have great memories eating at Lindy's when I was little with my mom and grandpa. This is great to see it go from being put up for sale and an uncertain future to these possible plans to activate even more of the structure. I hope this will help it to see its 100th anniversary in 2029!

https://www.lindysdinerabq.com/

[ABQalex]

Here's another nice art exhibit that premiered during last month's Art Walk. It's a celebration of local Route 66 history at the Mothership Alumni arts collective/art gallery on the second floor of the Yrissari Building in Downtown Albuquerque.

https://www.facebook.com/abqartwalk/post...NkHAvJanWzCmGcC3p22Pr3uve1kZQhpoZaHsPKBl













This is an example of these successful art spaces and artist studios that occupy such formerly unused spaces in Downtown Albuquerque. This space dates back to at least the 1980s when it was first renovated from an old upstairs rooming house into artist studios and gallery space, so this isn't a novel idea in Albuquerque. That longevity proves that it can certainly be successful and such spaces passed on to new groups throughout the years once they come to fruition.

https://www.facebook.com/mothershipalumni

[ABQalex]

Albuquerque Business First had a story yesterday about nearly $29 million in funding and loans for affordable housing projects across the state that were approved last week by the New Mexico Finance Authority. It includes $4 million for a new project in Albuquerque along 4th Street just north of Calle Cuarta. It will have 40 units and will be built on the site of a formerly problematic property that has been torn down.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/...rce-housing-projects-get-nmfa-boost.html

Four cities are set to see a boost in housing options, as state officials greenlight loans for new developments aimed at local workers.

With workforce housing projects across the state underway, the New Mexico Finance Authority granted $28.85 million in loans across the four new projects on June 26. The developments, located in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos and Alamogordo, will yield a total of 213 units, promising to ease the pinched supply of available workforce housing.

Fourth Street Plaza Apartments

Albuquerque-based Inskies Investments will build a new 40-unit rental complex at 3921 Fourth St.

The complex will be aimed at providing below market workforce housing options for income qualified individuals and New Mexico residents.

The Fourth Street Plaza Apartments will be 25,600 square feet and two stories.

The previous building at the location was blighted and a magnet for crime, according to NMFA. Inskies Investments recently leveled the previous building and intends for the new complex to help revitalize the area.

The NMFA approved a $4 million workforce housing loan for the development of the Fourth Street Plaza Apartments.

[ABQalex]

Here's a nice pic of UNM Hospital's new tower that Nob Hill News featured this morning as their photo of the day.

(Click the link directly beneath the embedded image to see it in its much larger original size)

https://www.albuquerquenobhillnews.com/


https://images2.imgbox.com/4a/4b/TdqEq8t3_o.jpg

Here's a snap taken from the construction cam today.



UNM has begun the process of demolishing the Humanities Building on the Main Campus. Below is a pic that was posted on Facebook this past Friday showing the fencing that has gone up around the structure for the demolition. Again, what a terrible mistake!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/755142574564723/permalink/23890813630570957

[ABQalex]

The UNM Board of Regents has approved the transfer and sale of land in the South Campus TIDD redevelopment area to a Phoenix-based real estate developer with plans to build a 363,000 sq ft open air shopping center. UNM says the Lobo Crossing development will include a "leading national food and general merchandise retailer" which is most likely the new Target store that they've talked about and named before.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-me...-crossing-retail-center-on-south-campus/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The University of New Mexico Board of Regents approved the transfer of university-owned land to Phoenix-based commercial real estate developer SimonCRE to build an open-air retail center in the South Campus Tax Increment Development District.

SimonCRE will build a 363,000-square-foot open-air retail center, which will be called “Lobo Crossing”, on 38.06 acres located on the west side of University Boulevard, south of Sunshine Terrace and north of Gibson Boulevard.

“We’re looking forward to curating a strong mix of shop tenants that will include both local and regional operators,” Josh Simon, founder and CEO of SimonCRE, said in a news release from UNM. “This is the largest retail center developed in New Mexico in at least the last several decades, and we’re excited to bring an open-air shopping experience that speaks to the strength and resiliency of the Albuquerque retail market. The goal is to bring to life the original vision for the South Campus TIDD—emphasizing walkability, integrated pedestrian spaces, and seamless access to the UNM Lobo Sports Complex and other key connectivity features.”

UNM said the center will feature a leading national food and general merchandise retailer. It will also include approximately eleven junior anchor tenants and 45,000 square feet of space for small retail and restaurant operators.

“Our team rolled up their sleeves and stayed focused on a bold vision, and we deeply value the partnership with SimonCRE, the City of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County and our university and community stakeholders. Together, we are creating something transformational for the district and the region,” UNM President Garnett S. Stokes said in part.

The site will be accessible via University Boulevard and Alumni Road, and by Gibson Boulevard and Avenida Cesar Chavez.

The university said Lobo Crossing is expected to be the single largest revenue generator within the South Campus TIDD upon completion. The center is also expected to generate more jobs, attract investment, commercial activity, and connect people to the UNM Lobo Sports Complex.

Here's another story by Albuquerque Business First which has more details about the project and planned timeline for construction. They say that they plan to begin construction early next year. They also say that the anchor tenant will have 130,000 sq ft of space, further indicating that it will be a large, national retailer such as Target. They talk to the founder and CEO of SimonCRE who says that they are at the letter of intent stage for 90 percent of the space within the development.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/...ild-363k-sq-ft-reatil-center-at-unm.html

The University of New Mexico's South Campus is about to see major changes, as plans for a sprawling retail development take shape.

The University of New Mexico Board of Regents June 30 approved the conveyance of 38 acres of university-owned land to SimonCRE to build a 363,000-square-foot open-air retail center.

Phoenix-based commercial real estate developer SimonCRE purchased the land on UNM’s South Campus Tax Increment Development District for $11.75 million, Lobo Development Corporation Interim Executive Director Thomas Neale said during the meeting.

Matt Butkus and Trevor Hatchell of CBRE represented Lobo Development Corporation in the transaction.

The shopping center will be called Lobo Crossing Shopping Center and is expected to be the single largest revenue generator within the South Campus TIDD upon completion, a UNM Regents' press release shows.

A national food and general merchandise retailer will anchor and occupy about 130,000 square feet of the Lobo Crossing Shopping Center, Neale said.

SimonCRE Founder and CEO Joshua Simon declined to disclose who the anchor tenant will be.

Eleven junior tenants will join the anchor tenant, Neale said.

SimonCRE is already at the letter of intent or leasing stages for about 90% of the space at the Lobo Crossing Shopping Center, Simon said..

The architect for the project is Phoenix-based RKAA Architects, and SimonCRE has not selected a general contractor yet, Simon said. Simon expects to select a general contractor by the end of 2025.

Construction on the shopping center is expected to begin in early 2026, Simon said.

Located south of Sunshine Terrace and north of Gibson Boulevard on the west side of University Boulevard, the Lobo Crossing Shopping Center will “be a big centerpiece of the TIDD,” Neale said.

"We’re excited to bring an open-air shopping experience that speaks to the strength and resiliency of the Albuquerque retail market," Simon said. "The goal is to bring to life the original vision for the South Campus TIDD — emphasizing walkability, integrated pedestrian spaces, and seamless access to the UNM Lobo Sports Complex and other key connectivity features.”

The UNM South Campus TIDD was approved in April 2023 and encompasses 340 acres, previous Albuquerque Business First reporting shows.

It was created to fund critical public infrastructure and foster economic development in the area by developing generally empty land owned by UNM or the city of Albuquerque, previous Albuquerque Business First reporting shows.

The TIDD agreement allocates refunds from gross receipts or property taxes back to UNM to reimburse the university for infrastructure projects on said land, previous Albuquerque Business First reporting shows.

This is all very exciting, hopefully it does indeed begin to come to fruition early next year!

[ABQalex]

Nob Hill News had a story this morning confirming that construction is underway for the new food hall and extended-stay hotel at The Highlands. They talk to a representative of Titan Development about the project and he also gives an update on the status and timeline for the rest of the project, including the Allaso Highlands, which he says may have to be redesigned as a smaller project in order to get it going.

https://www.albuquerquenobhillnews.com/

Construction Begins on Food Hall Near Presbyterian Hospital

Titan’s Nob Hill boutique hotel forges along, too

A development designed to offer more food options near Presbyterian Hospital hit a milestone a couple of weeks ago when ground started moving on the highly anticipated Highlands Central Market on Central Avenue just east of I-25.

The Titan Development project will also increase the number of available hotel rooms in the area, as Central Market—a food hall—will be located on the ground floor of a five-story, 126-room Residence Inn extended-stay hotel.

"They got the fence up; they’re moving dirt,” Titan partner Josh Rogers told Nob Hill News last week. “We’re hoping for two years of construction to get this thing open. The food hall could be open before that.”

Rogers wouldn’t disclose the project’s cost.

Central Market is expected to be approximately 15,000 square feet in all. For comparison, the 505 Central Food Hall in downtown is about 13,000 square feet, while the Sawmill Market in the Sawmill District is much larger at about 40,000 square feet. Rogers said Titan is hiring an operator that will oversee what will be close to a dozen food hall vendors at the Central Market.

“We're close to getting that all wrapped up and then from there we'll coordinate with the master operator to identify potential local artisanal tenants for each of the spaces,” he said.

Rogers said Titan’s research shows that nearly 5,000 people work at or visit Presbyterian Hospital each day, while the facility only offers an in-house cafeteria and a Subway location.

“We're really excited that we're finally moving forward on this project, because it's a food desert over there,” he said.

Rogers added that while the food hall will be easily accessible to those at Presbyterian via a sky bridge, it’s also designed for the general public to enjoy.

“The neighborhoods—Sycamore, Spruce Park, Silver Hill and EDo—these are walkable areas in our city, and it's going to be a really great new place for people to visit. It’s not just for the hospital,” he said.

On tap and on hold

The food hall and Residence Inn are part of a larger development near Presbyterian called The Highlands. It includes the already completed Springhill Suites, which is connected by the sky bridge to the hospital and the adjacent 92-unit Olympus Highlands North multifamily development.

The Allaso Highlands project—a proposed six-story, 228-unit multifamily development with a slew of amenities and ground floor retail—is in a holding pattern, however.

“We’re just on pause right now between construction costs and the property tax situation in New Mexico,” Rogers said. “It just doesn’t work. We’re waiting to see how a few things unfold. We’d love to do that project.”

Rogers said it was possible that Allaso could be redesigned at a smaller scale. Titan has three remaining tracts to develop in the area, including one near the Crossroads Motel.

“The timeline is undetermined, but hopefully we can tee up some projects in the next couple years,” he said. “They're all collectively being thought about constantly.”

I don't know what the Titan representative is talking about with regard to property taxes in New Mexico. It's well-known that we have some of the lowest property taxes in the country. Titan also already received property tax breaks and deals such as IRBs for the Allaso Highlands project. What more do they want? I hope this isn't Titan following Goodman Realty's page of blaming the city, state and our economy for their inability to bring things to fruition, despite all the help they've received and mostly good economy we've had for over a decade now. And despite plenty of other projects coming to fruition within that time.

Perhaps he means gross receipts taxes and how they can often compound with different transactions. But the state just reduced the base rate and its share of those in order to reduce that burden. Again, what more do they want?? Our local tax rate also isn't bad at all compared to most places and especially other big cities. With the reduction in the state's portion, Albuquerque’s gross receipts tax rate is now just 7.6250 percent as of July 1st. Compare that to other places with 9 percent and higher tax rates.

I just don't get the complaining.

In the story above from Nob Hill News the Titan representative also gave an update on the new Nob Hill boutique hotel project. He says that the city recently approved the vacation of parts of Bryn Mawr Drive for its street parking. He says the plans for the actual hotel are now heading for city planning review.

Nob Hill hotel makes progress

Meanwhile, Rogers said Titan’s $34 million, 112-room Marriott Tribute boutique hotel at the site of the former Hiway House Motel in Nob Hill is in the final stages of design and continues to move forward.

“It's coming along really great and we’re very excited,” he said. “We're working on it very diligently, but there's a lot that happens in the background to bring something like that to fruition.”

One of those behind-the-scenes tasks was securing a vacation right-of-way for a small segment of Bryn Mawr Drive, which Rogers said was approved by the city June 25.

“We're heading to site plan approval next week,” he said.

The hotel is expected to open as early as mid-2027.

[ABQalex]

Here's the Albuquerque Journal's coverage about this week's land transaction and the plans for the Lobo Crossing development in the UNM South Campus area.

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/article_176fbd5c-4d67-4531-8229-3bb134db7ef4.html

The University of New Mexico’s vision for its South Campus to become a hub for retail, entertainment and innovation is inching closer to reality after a key approval from the Board of Regents.

At a special meeting Monday, regents approved a transfer of ownership for a little over 38 acres of university-owned land to the east of Interstate 25 in Southeast Albuquerque to SimonCRE, a commercial real estate developer based out of Phoenix.

The developer is now under contract to purchase the property for $11.75 million, Tom Neale, UNM’s director of real estate and the COO of Lobo Development Corp., told the Journal on Wednesday.

The developer will be tasked with creating UNM’s proposed Lobo Crossing Shopping Center — a project central to the university’s vision for transforming its South Campus and serving as the anchor for the area’s Tax Increment Development District, or TIDD.

The approval from regents is “absolutely critical” to moving forward from decades of concepts and discussions to “an actual project coming out on the ground,” Neale said.

“Now it’s time to get to work,” said SimonCRE Founder and CEO Josh Simon.

The 363,000-square-foot Lobo Crossing Shopping Center will be an open-air development, anchored by a national food and general merchandise retailer, roughly 11 junior anchor tenants and 45,000 square feet of space for small retail and restaurant operators, the Tuesday news release said. UNM officials said Lobo Crossing is expected to be “the single largest revenue generator” within the South Campus TIDD.

UNM’s South Campus TIDD, which will also welcome an In-N-Out Burger, sets aside up to 75% of incremental gross receipts and property taxes from the state, city and county for such projects, including the Lobo Crossing project — located west of University Boulevard, south of Sunshine Terrace Avenue and north of Gibson.

Neale said he and his team have been working with SimonCRE on the project for about two years, after a potential tenant for the retail center highlighted the company as one of its preferred developers.

Neale noted that while the board approved the conveyance, or transfer of ownership, the transaction isn’t expected to close until early next year. Part of the university’s contract with SimonCRE includes the developer securing a national, large-scale food and general merchandise retailer as a tenant.

Simon said the group has already reached a deal that it is currently negotiating with the national big box tenant, and has already established leases or received letters of intent for close to 90% of the Lobo Crossing space. Simon said the next steps will focus on filling the rest of the space with local and regional businesses.

Neale and Simon declined to share any potential tenants at this time, though the Journal has previously reported that developers and university officials had considered bringing a Target to the area.

Simon said the group is also moving “full speed” ahead with drawing up plans for the site, submitting materials to the city and is hopeful for a 2026 groundbreaking.

“We’re just excited. There hasn’t been anything of this scale built in Albuquerque in years,” said Simon, who said his company is also working on redevelopment plans for Cottonwood Corners, a West Side shopping center it purchased late last year.

Simon and Neale said the project aims to enhance connectivity between Lobo Crossing and the UNM Lobo Sports Complex — a collection of UNM athletic facilities including the Pit and University Stadium — and improve walkability for the area’s students, employees of the nearby Science & Technology Park, community members and gamegoers.

“There are very few retail projects south of I-40 serving this part of the community. So it’s been a retail and food desert,” Neale said. “This project is going to have significant benefits to the southern portion of Albuquerque.”

An interesting bit of information in the article that I looked into is that UNM and Lobo Development sought out SimonCRE after a potential tenant identified them as a preferred developer that they work with. SimonCRE is currently developing a Target store in a mixed-use development in Mesa, Arizona and has another store under development in Idaho as well. Yet more indication that the anchor for Lobo Crossing will indeed be Target.

https://blog.simoncre.com/news/tag/target

I'm also trying to find their submittal of the project for planning approval with the city. I hope it will reveal how it will actually look. I'm hoping it will be more pedestrian-oriented than the conceptual layouts we've seen before. I hope it will be more like ABQ Uptown than a regular shopping center with a few walking paths strewn about the parking lot. I also hope that if it is indeed a Target that will be the anchor that it will be elevated above the parking like the location in Uptown Albuquerque as well.

(Images posted by people to the Google profile for the Uptown Target location)









Here's a nice pic showing the property where the Lobo Crossing shopping center will be built (in the bottom right corner) with I-25 and the skyline beyond. It was recently added to the Homes.com profile for the San Jose neighborhood.

https://www.homes.com/local-guide/south-valley-nm/san-jose-neighborhood/