Albuquerque Development Thread

[ABQalex]

Here are some pics showing the renovation of the Marriott Pyramid North hotel in the North I-25 corridor, which is nearing completion. They were posted today on LinkedIn by the managing director of the local Colliers office. He and his team were taken on a tour of the hotel prior to a sales meeting they had there by its owner, Legacy Development. In the last pic you can see that they updated and changed the outside color scheme of the hotel as part of the renovation as well, which is something I wondered if they'd do.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update...3193874468866/

[ABQalex]

A formal groundbreaking ceremony was held on Friday for the new extended-stay hotel and food hall at The Highlands. Below is a story with pics by the Albuquerque Journal. An interesting thing mentioned in the story is that Titan Development is also now considering medical offices for future phases.

https://www.abqjournal.com/business/...9b7a1aac4.html

Titan Development has officially broken ground on a long-awaited hotel and food hall on Central Avenue.

Mayor Tim Keller and Titan partner Kurt Browning joined others Friday to celebrate the project, located across from Presbyterian Hospital. It’s a development officials say could spur recruiting efforts for health care workers.

“It’s so much bigger than a hotel or just a few places to eat,” Keller told a crowd of more than 40 public and private officials. “It’s been a long road. There’s been 20 years of stagnation that we’re pulling out of. ... This is a catalyst for this entire area.”

The hotel, a Residence Inn by Marriott, will stand five stories tall and have 126 extended-stay rooms. The food hall, dubbed Highlands Central Market, will be situated on the bottom floor and feature up to 12 food and beverage vendors.

The food hall will connect with the bottom floor of the neighboring SpringHill Suites by Marriott to the east, which Titan also developed and owns alongside Maestas Development Group, according to Matt Lammers, Titan’s vice president of development and asset management.

“I think it’s been a long time coming for an additional hotel to service this part of Albuquerque,” Browning said. “We’re excited to finally break ground and get going on construction.”

Titan expects to finish the project in late 2026. The construction phase will employ 125 people. Once open, the hotel and food hall will create roughly 40 permanent jobs, Browning said.

The hotel and food hall are part of a larger mixed-use redevelopment project called The Highlands.

The Highlands encompass five blocks — situated between Oak NE and Sycamore NE, primarily along Central — that Titan acquired roughly 19 years ago, according to Browning.

In the late 2010s, Titan developed the Highlands Master Plan, a conceptual blueprint of uses and projects for the five blocks, Browning said. Projects that Titan has completed in The Highlands include the SpringHill Suites by Marriott and the Olympus Highlands North apartments.

Following the development of the new hotel and food hall, two of the five blocks will be fully developed, and the remaining blocks will welcome retail, restaurant, multifamily and potentially medical office uses, Browning said.

Titan currently owns four of the five blocks after selling the site where Olympus Highlands North resides, Browning said.

The vacant land set to welcome the new hotel and food hall was formerly occupied by blighted single-family residential housing, a news release said. After removing the housing, Titan implemented “extensive infrastructure upgrades,” which Browning said was a major challenge.

“It was an older part of town. It took years for us to just tee up the infrastructure. ... Some of (it) was built in 1900, 1905,” Browning said. “It took significant time, money and effort to get these five blocks to where you could actually develop something.”

Browning declined to share the cost of the project. But it will benefit from a metropolitan redevelopment abatement, which the city approved last year and will provide seven years of tax breaks, said city Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency Director Terry Brunner.

The Highlands Central Market will be Titan’s first food hall and will connect to the Presbyterian Hospital via an existing sky bridge. Browning said Titan is in negotiations with several local vendors for the food hall.

City Councilor Nichole Rogers, also at the groundbreaking, said the project will have positive implications for the city’s health care sector.

“We have a lot of (traveling nurses) in our hospitals,” Rogers said. “It helps us to be able to recruit them for those contracts if they have a vibrant environment around the hospital for them to also enjoy when they’re off duty.”

Brunner said it’s exciting to see long-awaited progress in the area.

“This is a great amenity for people (who) have loved ones who are receiving care at Presbyterian,” Brunner said. “It’s also going to draw people in to stay in the area, which helps the local restaurants and retail businesses.”

Here's a pic of the actual shovel turning that the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency posted on LinkedIn.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update...0786217967616/

[ABQalex]

The renovated Duck Pond at UNM has opened for students, faculty, staff and visitors to enjoy. Below are a few pics of the revitalized greenspace that were posted by a UNM professor on Twitter late last week.

https://x.com/ProfBenavidez/status/1953553296565911858

[ABQalex]

KRQE has a story about the upcoming changes that the city has been considering for Broadway Boulevard through Downtown Albuquerque. They are considering giving it a road diet and improving pedestrian and bike infrastructure along the route.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...broadway-blvd/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Another potential “road diet” could slim down the lanes drivers have on a main route in downtown Albuquerque. The Broadway Blvd. currently has two lanes in each direction, but that could change to help people walking and biking.

It’s a busy roadway right on the edge of downtown Albuquerque that the city is targeting for what could be some big updates. “The overall idea is to try and improve safety there for all the road users. That means bicyclists, pedestrians, and drivers,” said Dan Mayfield, Public Information Officer for the City of Albuquerque’s Municipal Development Department.

One idea could be a road diet for Broadway from Lomas Blvd. to Lead Ave. Some of the plans will be shown off in a community meeting on Thursday, including the potential of getting rid of driving lanes to add bike lanes.

“Do we restripe it one lane? Do we keep it at two lanes? What are the best ways to improve that section of Broadway?” asked Mayfield.

The city is also considering adding new crosswalks: something nearby business owners said might help bring in the foot traffic they’re looking for. “I’ve had my business down here for 15 years, and it has not been very walkable. I think people stray away from the area because it doesn’t feel safe. I’m all for making it more walkable, friendly, and to attract more people to come to the businesses down here,” said Anna Rogers, owner of Revelry Salon.

The city said a road diet is a possibility. “If we did do a road diet there, it probably would slow down traffic through there, but we also have new technology and street lights that really help keep cars moving,” said Mayfield.

While there are no funds approved for a potential change yet, the city said addressing Broadway Blvd. is a priority. “It’s just an area that’s been on our radar for a while. Something we want to improve,” said Mayfield.

If designs are finalized, the city said it could begin on the project as early as next year. The city is planning to discuss the project at a community meeting downtown on August 14 at 5 p.m. The meeting will be held at 609 Broadway Blvd NE, 87102.

I really dream of the day that Broadway Boulevard is fully revitalized and reveveloped in this area from Mountain Road down to Lead and Coal avenues. There are a lot of empty and underutilized lots and structures on both sides of the street, but especially on the west side of the street within Downtown proper.

Below are a few pics showing some of this area and examples of these properties, one of which is currently available for purchase, the old Globe (Central) Furniture structure near Broadway and Lead. It along with the nearby Salvation Army Thrift Store structure are two of the biggest opportunities for redevelopment projects in this area.

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/221-...e-NM/36289520/











The old Creamland Dairies plant at Broadway and Coal was also recently for sale. It looks like it will remain as industrial use, but I also hoped that it would get redeveloped and replaced with a mixed-use structure.

https://www.showcase.com/500-broadwa...7102/27470479/





I remember back in the late 80s/early 90s when the murals were painted on the structures to make them look like old brick buildings to help it fit in and be less industrial/utilitarian and drab-looking in the historic Huning Highland/South Broadway neighborhood.

[ABQalex]

The Albuquerque City Council at its meeting last night approved the $2 million gap financing award and development agreement with the Houston-based developer for the residential conversion of the 10-story office building at 300 San Mateo NE. The project has been christened as "Serenade at Park Central" and will have 110 units, 41 of which will be affordable and 69 will be market-rate. They say that the project may get underway as soon as this fall and they have committed to completing it no later than the end of September 2027. The total project cost is $23 million, the vast majority of which they say will be privately financed.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...-city-council/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A housing project in the metro now has a boost to get started, following a vote from Albuquerque city council Monday night. Councilors approved $2 million in gap financing for the Serenade at Park Central Project.

That project will convert a vacant 10-story office building on San Mateo near Central into 110 mixed income rental units. That will include 41 affordable units, available to applicants earning at or below 80% of the area median income. The city says its $2 million contribution makes up less than 10% of the total project cost. They say the gap funding will incentivize private investors. The project is expected to break ground later this year and be completed by 2027.

https://cabq.legistar.com/Legislatio...C-22D2C639E479

[ABQalex]

Here are a couple of pics showing the construction progress on The George at Country Club Plaza. They were posted by Jack Rembe on Twitter over the past few weeks.

https://x.com/RembeJack/status/1953289352093511925



https://x.com/RembeJack/status/1956098702021681501

[ABQalex]

The Bernalillo County Commission at its meeting last night approved an inducement resolution for $46 million in Project Revenue Bonds for the affordable housing portion of the Uptown Connect project. They will have a final vote on whether to issue the bonds later this year. Below is a story by the Albuquerque Journal which says that if the bonds are approved the project is scheduled to get underway early next year and is expected to be completed by mid-2028. The overall project (including the market-rate second phase) has a price tag of $115 million. It will include over 400 apartments across three structures and will also feature ground-floor commercial space, a food hall, dog park and a new plaza for the Uptown Transit Center.

https://www.abqjournal.com/business/...ff29936f3.html

The Bernalillo County Commission approved $46 million in revenue bonds Tuesday to help subsidize the construction of two apartment buildings that will bring more than 200 affordable housing units to Uptown.

The project hopes to draw low-to-middle-income residents to an area that is already filled with jobs, amenities and public transit, city of Albuquerque planners said.

Uptown Connect is estimated to cost $115 million in total, and through a combination of federal, state, municipal and private dollars, the project is nearing its funding finish line, according to county officials.

“Uptown is one of the most desirable and walkable areas of our city with community spaces like Winrock Park and Park Square Market growing that vibrancy,” County Commission Chair Eric Olivas said in a statement Wednesday. “This collaboration across governments and the private sector builds on the strengths of the neighborhood while adding much needed, quality affordable housing.”

In New Mexico, revenue bonds, which in this case were issued by the county, work similarly to a loan, with a lender purchasing the bond and the developer paying off the debt with revenue from future rent payments. Having bond funding also unlocks tax exemptions and credits that make construction cheaper and incentivize affordable housing, according to Rebecca Velarde, director of development for Palindrome Communities, the firm behind the project.

The apartment complex, which will include a five-story tower and a six-story tower, is planned around ABQ Ride’s preexisting Uptown Transit Center at Indian School and Louisiana NE. The project is expected to increase ridership on city buses and lower single-person car ownership among residents, according to estimates in a city of Albuquerque grant application.

When built, Uptown Connect will be the first affordable housing complex in the neighborhood. There are approximately 13,000 jobs in the Uptown area, said ABQ Ride’s principal planner Lawrence Kline, but many workers can’t afford to live there.

“Multiple millions of square feet of commercial and office (space) and not one affordable housing unit in the entire area,” Kline said.

The neighborhood offers multiple grocery stores, banks, shopping centers and office buildings within a half mile, making it highly walkable — for those who can afford it.

The new complex will feature primarily affordable housing, 50% of which will be reserved for people who make $32,000 a year or less. There will also be 36 apartments that are not income restricted and are rented out at market rate, Velarde said.

On top of housing, the project will revamp the transit center, as well as add 11,000 and 8,000 square feet of commercial and office space.

Palindrome hopes to break ground in the first half of 2026, Velarde said, and be move-in ready by mid-2028, pending funding from the state.

[ABQalex]

KOB-TV has a story about the plans for the New Mexico United soccer stadium at Balloon Fiesta Park. Things are once again paused due to an appeal filed by the North Valley NIMBYs against the project. The story also gets into whether the current plans are adequate for the team's ambition to be part of the USL's Division One league that was announced earlier this year.

https://www.kob.com/news/top-news/ne...o-new-stadium/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Since 2021, New Mexico United has been trying to get a new stadium built.

Between approvals and lawsuits, it’s been a challenge, but team leaders finally got the green light they were hoping for last month. Or, so they thought.

It turns out there might be a couple more red cards pulled.

First up, the United Soccer League’s decision to introduce a division one league includes as one of the requirements to join a certain level of stadium seating. That could change New Mexico United’s plan for its new home.

The USL is planning to establish the D-1 league by 2028 and in order to qualify, stadiums must have 15,000 seats at minimum. United’s original plan only called for 10,000 seats.

So now the question is not only when will United break ground, but will they decide to change their plan to go from D-2 to D-1?

“We’d love to be in that first division, whether that means winning our way up or, you know, whatever that looks like,” said United president Ron Patel.

As of now, New Mexico United’s new proposed stadium falls short by a few thousand seats.

“That is something we’re well aware of,” Patel said. “The current plans are to have a stadium between a capacity of 8,500 and 10,000.”

Patel said their priority is breaking ground on their original plan, which includes options to expand in the future if they choose.

“Right now, our focus is, as soon as we get the pad ready site, we can put our shovel in the ground,” he said. “We’re ready to go.”

We reached out to the city to find out when that site will be approved and learned of another wrinkle in the stadium saga.

A coalition of neighbors filed a lawsuit in 2024 to stop the building of the stadium at Balloon Fiesta Park, citing noise and travel concerns which United said were addressed.

“The average crowd at a Balloon Fiesta is 100,000 (and) we’re talking 10,000 or if you know, let’s say 10 years from now, we expand to 15,” Patel said. “It’s still 15 percent of an average day at Balloon Fiesta. So, the traffic plans we have in place are really, really good.

“The sound studies came back saying that there’s really nothing to worry about in terms of sound because of the way that we’ve changed the designs of the stadium.”

A district judge threw out the lawsuit in July of this year, but another cleat has dropped.

Those neighbors have now submitted a request to the court of appeals for their case to be heard, making it impossible for the city to approve a pad site until litigation ends.

All of this leaves United fans waiting even longer for their dream to become reality.

“No one deserves it more than the New Mexicans and the people that have said yes over and over and over again to this club,” Patel said. “And this, this stadium will belong to everyone, not just the people that have said yes so far, (but) the people that will say yes in the future, it belongs to them, too.”

The court of appeals has not yet decided whether or not they will hear the case.

[ABQalex]

Albuquerque Business First has a story about a change to height limits on Mesa del Sol that the city's Environmental Planning Commission approved at its meeting this week to accommodate the possible Pacific Fusion R&D facility that may locate there or elsewhere in Albuquerque and California. They say in the story that the decision on where Pacific Fusion will locate its $1 billion facility is expected to be made next month.

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

Project Solis, a massive economic development project considering a location in Albuquerque, recently received a key approval in the Duke City with its site selection decision on the horizon.

Pacific Fusion, the company behind Project Solis, is considering constructing a 225,000-square-foot research and development facility in several locations including Albuquerque, a letter Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Terri Cole sent to the Albuquerque Environmental Planning Commission reads.

The facility is anticipated to generate more than $1.2 billion in total economic impact, support 200 permanent jobs and support hundreds of construction jobs, Cole’s letter reads.

The Albuquerque Environmental Planning Commission unanimously approved Aug. 21 a text amendment to the Mesa del Sol framework plan that raises the maximum allowable building height on the subject site from 80 feet to 110 feet.

The subject site is in Mesa del Sol at 5501 Watson Drive SE and consists of an approximately 17-acre undeveloped parcel near Kairos Power, EPC documents show.

This is a critical approval for the project because Pacific Fusion plans to conduct R&D activities involving small quantities of tritium and deuterium, which are radioactive isotopes, to demonstrate that their fusion technology can achieve net facility energy gains, EPC documents show.

These activities require the facility to have a building height of 110 feet, EPC documents show.

It’s also a timely approval for Albuquerque’s bid to lure the company here, as Pacific Fusion’s board plans to select a site in September, Cole’s letter reads.

Construction of the facility is planned to begin in early 2026, Cole’s letter reads.

“Pacific Fusion’s planned research and development facility represents exactly the type of transformative investment that will position greater Albuquerque as a leader in advanced energy innovation,” Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance Interim President and CEO Chad Matheson wrote in a letter to the EPC.

The Albuquerque Development Commission at its meeting yesterday also considered and recommended to the city council approval of about $777 million in IRBs and LEDA funds to go towards the Pacific Fusion project if they do decide to locate here.

https://www.cabq.gov/mra/documents/a...1-25-draft.pdf

[ABQalex]

The Albuquerque Journal has a story about the other recent big possible economic development project that is working its way to fruition and may locate here. Castelion was recently revealed as the company behind Project Ranger in Sandoval County. It's developing hypersonic missiles and plans to build a manufacturing and test facility. It's considering a 1,000 acre property just west of Rio Rancho in unincorporated Sandoval County for this facility that's expected to create 300 permanent jobs initially.

Like with the Pacific Fusion facility, it is considering several sites apart from here and may make its decision on where to locate the facility within the next month. They say that it could ultimately mean 1,000 permanent jobs for the area once the facility is completely built out over the next decade.

The Sandoval County Commission will consider approving a $125 million IRB package for the project at its meeting next week.

https://www.abqjournal.com/business/...0d80e1ad4.html

A manufacturer of long-range, hypersonic missiles is considering building a major facility in Sandoval County, a decision that could generate hundreds of jobs and a multi-million dollar boost to the local economy.​

The company, California-based Castelion Corp., is looking at an area on a stretch of Paseo del Volcan and aims to build the facility on 1,000 acres of undeveloped land that state and local officials say could generate $659 million in its first phase of operation.

Company officials said at least two other sites outside of New Mexico are in play, but did not disclose which ones. The three sites were whittled down from 40 initial locations across a dozen states, company officials said.

It is unclear when the company could make its decision, although state officials said one could be made within the month.

State Economic Development Secretary Rob Black said the expansion could mean high-tech jobs and advanced manufacturing "that keeps New Mexico on the map for national security and economic opportunity alike."

"This is a game changer if we win this project," Black told the Journal. "Having a private sector company that represents really what is the next generation hypersonic missile systems building their facility here, building their equipment and their manufacturing here, will improve supply chain infrastructure for both defense-related industries (and) nondefense."

Indeed, if Castelion chooses New Mexico, it would be seen as a big victory.

Government and company officials project that the first phase of the Castelion development would also bring with it an investment of more than $101 million and up to 300 jobs — including engineering, technician and executive roles — with annual salaries averaging over $100,000.

Aside from the proximity to the state's national labs, as well as New Mexico Tech and Spaceport America, the Trump administration's focus on defense funding will likely be a boon for the company as it continues to grow.

The Trump administration plans to spend more than $1 trillion nationally on defense. While the Defense Department's budget request is slightly lower than last year's, $150 billion in mandatory defense funding was also included in the reconciliation bill Congress passed over the summer. In New Mexico, the Department of Energy budget request asks for roughly $1 million more in New Mexico than the 2025 fiscal year.

Castelion officials said they are working with the Department of Defense to rapidly scale up the production of hypersonics, which is a priority for the U.S. as its adversaries, like China, are rapidly developing and fielding the technology.

In New Mexico, the company’s rocket motor production would serve as a facility for the manufacturing and testing of next-generation hypersonic systems. The site would house multiple operations — from integration and manufacturing buildings to test sheds and office space — spanning anywhere from 250,000 to 300,000 square feet, company officials say.

The company, founded in 2022, was started by former SpaceX executives Bryon Hargis, Sean Pitt and Andrew Kreitz.

Tech Crunch reported in July that the company, valued in the billions, is raising a $350 million Series B led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and Altimeter Capital. The new round follows a $100 million Series A round that closed in January.

To help incentivize Castelion, the Sandoval County commission on Wednesday will look to approve a 30-year, $125 million industrial revenue bond, or IRB, package that is essentially a payment in lieu of taxes. It will allow the company to free up money that it can use for construction and during operation.

Wayne Johnson, Sandoval County manager, told the Journal on Friday that it has already secured the land needed between 29th Avenue and King Boulevard, near Paseo del Volcan, for Castelion’s operations. That includes nearly 467 acres the county purchased from Amrep, a landholder and developer, and another 550 acres it is leasing from the State Land Office. The land will ultimately be subleased to Castelion by the county, Johnson said.

Black said Friday the Economic Development Department is considering both Job Training Incentive Program funds — which incentivize businesses to make new hires by paying a portion of the cost in wages for on-site or classroom training — and Local Economic Development Act money. He did not say how much either incentive would amount to. The state will also expedite additional support for road infrastructure along Paseo del Volcan, he said.

“These are investments that we were planning to do, but this creates the justification to expedite those investments for better road service for the whole community, but in particular, for the development site as well,” Black said.

Castelion officials said the tip-to-tail production of these hypersonics is an "inherently safe operation" and would not pose a risk to the community. Specifically, the project and site have to go through a Defense Department certification, and the plan has already been reviewed by Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory, they said.

The project has been in the works for some time, with organizations like Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance and Sandoval Economic Alliance playing a key role in helping the company see New Mexico as a viable location for its operation.

While the first phase is expected to have an immediate impact — company officials are targeting the third quarter of 2026 for initial operating capability — Castelion’s presence could grow to more than 1,000 workers over the next decade.

Johnson compared the economic impact of this project to that of Intel when it first came to the area, saying this is “the type of game-changing impact” that could transform the area.

“The county in particular, we’ve been able to meet all of the objectives to make this thing a reality,” Johnson said. “I believe we’ve got a good track record with the company, and I believe that puts us in a great position.”

[ABQalex]

The new river crossing, freeway interchange and roadway project is underway in Los Lunas. It recently had its groundbreaking ceremony. Below is a story by KOAT today talking about the project.

https://www.koat.com/article/new-int...affic/65897707

LOS LUNAS, N.M. — Drivers south of Albuquerque can expect smoother traffic soon as construction begins on a new interchange in Los Lunas.

The project aims to reduce congestion on Main Street, currently the only exit from I-25 into Los Lunas and the sole crossing over the Rio Grande in the area. This limited access has long created bottlenecks during peak travel times.

The new interchange will be located about a mile and a half south of Main Street at Morris Road.

It will include a bridge spanning the Rio Grande and provide connections to Highway 47, offering an alternative route for drivers and easing pressure on existing roads.

This addition will be the longest bridge over the Rio Grande due to environmental design requirements, which extended the bridge span and increased project costs.

Planning for the interchange began in 2001, reflecting decades of research and preparation.

"I wish it could have been done sooner," Mayor Charles Griego said. "But, I think the proof is in the pudding. I think once it gets done, once it gets completed, I think it's going to be a very positive part for the community. I think this project allows us to do some other planning where we expand our roadways."

The project is funded through a partnership between federal, state, county, and Village of Los Lunas resources. Construction is expected to take approximately four years to complete.

Once finished, the interchange will improve traffic flow and support future roadway expansions in the growing community.

Here are a few nice pics of Los Lunas from its profile on the Homes.com website. They include a nice recent aerial pic showing the progress on the Facebook/Meta data center project, as well as the new Amazon facility.

https://www.homes.com/local-guide/los-lunas-nm/

[ABQalex]

The city and the county announced the allocation of over $80 million in funding from the state for affordable housing projects and projects to combat homelessness.

The projects include the 240-unit Tierra Linda Apartments on the Southwest Mesa that broke ground today during the press conference. They also include the first and second phases of the 272-unit West Mesa Ridge apartments on Coors Boulevard, which apparently is under construction as well.

The money will also go towards acquiring the Juniper Flats project on the east side, which is a hotel conversion project with 204 units that will be dedicated to helping seniors exit homelessness and will be renamed as "Gateway Senior" The money will also fund the acquisition and conversion of the hotel at 4th Street and I-40, as well as the acquisition of the Poblana Place development on 4th Street in the North Valley for affordable housing.

Several other projects and initiatives will be funded and helped along with the money, including the Lomas Tower project in Downtown Albuquerque, home repairs to keep people in their homes, and Homewise's affordable homeownership project on the Westside.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...less-projects/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The City of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County recently acquired $80 million in funding from the state to allocate to housing projects to fix the ongoing housing problem. There are 10 city and county projects on the list to get the funding. With a goal to create over 1,000 units in the next year, some funding will go to new projects, and some will help finish ongoing projects.

“We are committed to getting a thousand people off the street who are currently homeless this year,” Bernalillo County Manager Cindy Chavez said.

The goal of the money is to fill gaps in the housing system, from getting homeless people off the streets into transitional housing with the services they need, to providing affordable housing vouchers, to keeping people and families in their homes. “So creating over 1,000 units of multi-family and single-family homes in the near term and longer term, and that includes facilities that will take housing vouchers,” New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions Cabinet Secretary Sarita Nair said. “Because that’s been a gap. We’ve had vouchers and nowhere to put them. Now we have a place to put them.”

The funding will also expand the Gateway Center. It will double the capacity for men and women, but also focus on seniors and young adults.

Speaker of the House Javier Martinez (D) said it was difficult to get the funding, and other parts of the state gave him pushback. “Over 70% of our unhoused population comes from other parts of the state,” Martinez said. “Why? Because here is where the services are.”

Bernalillo County divided the money into three pots: gap financing, purchasing properties at risk of becoming market-rate, and transitional housing for families. “From these pots, the money coming to the metro is 77% going to housing, 23% $19 million going to homelessness that includes prevention, and we’ll be funding an estimated 1,062 housing units and 925 beds for people experiencing homelessness,” Nair said.

A little over $1 million will be used for home repairs to complement HUD programs, and $1.5 million will be used for rapid rehousing.

Albuquerque Health, Housing, and Homeless Director Gilbert Ramirez said investing in vouchers and building more affordable housing all need to be done in parallel to succeed. “People don’t just fall into housing,” Ramirez said. “They need case management to get there. Sometimes they have financial hardships, credit dings, warrants, substance use issues. Our goal is to make sure we have all those services in place to get them to successful housing and stay housed.”

These projects and investments are targeted at working families and to get people off the streets. Some of the other projects city and county leaders are excited about are the hotel and office conversions into housing. The funded projects include the Poblana Place Apartments, Sombra del Oeste, Tierra Linda, the Wells Fargo Building, West Mesa Ridge A and B, Juniper Flats, Gateway and Youth Homelessness Facilities, home repair, and rapid rehousing.

All of the money has to be used by June 30 of next year, so city and county leaders plan on acting fast to get the money spent and buildings built.

The city has a detailed breakdown of the projects and initiatives with the exact funding amounts for each on their website.

https://www.cabq.gov/health-housing-...ing-investment

[ABQalex]

The mayor gave his state of the city address this past weekend at the Bio Park. As part of this he posted some highlights and infographics on his social media accounts touting his accomplishments. One that I found interesting is to do with housing construction. He says that the city has permitted 16,000 single family homes and 7,000 apartment units.

https://www.instagram.com/mayorkeller/





I'd be interested to know what time frame we are talking about here, whether it's over the last four years or whether it's over his entire time in office. I know there are a lot of apartments being built in the city, but Rio Rancho supposedly has the lion's share of single family homes being built in the metro area.

Northwest Albuquerque, the Southwest Mesa and Mesa del Sol certainly keep Albuquerque proper in respectable territory in terms of new home construction, but 16,000 seems high to me, especially if we're talking recently or over the past four years. That would be an average of 2,000-4,000 new homes per year in the city alone, when official numbers by the Census Bureau for the entire metro area over the last eight years show most years below 2,000 permits issued for both SFH and multifamily units.

https://www.census.gov/construction/bps/msamonthly.html

But perhaps the Census Bureau information is off, incomplete and incorrect, which I've often suspected that it may be.

Apartment construction is still surprisingly robust even if it has fallen a bit recently from our recent high of about 5,000 units under construction across the metro area. Albuquerque proper usually sees the lion's share of development of this housing type in the metro area.

We are sitting at about 3,100 units under construction right now across the metro area. That's according to my listing of projects and what I know about the project statuses. The Tierra Linda and West Mesa Ridge projects have pushed us over 3,000 units again after several project completions brought that number down earlier this year.

Apartments Under Construction - 3,137 units

Bedrock at The Trails - 344
Sonata at The Trails - 247
Tierra Linda - 240
Cielo Alameda - 218
Sandoval Flats - 218
The Dillon - 218
Senary by Allaso - 209
Juniper Flats - 204
San Roque - 137
Amare Rio Rancho - 128
West Mesa Ridge Phase I - 128
The Eleanor Rio Rancho - 126
Allaso Olivine - 105
La Serena - 102
Griegos Farms - 90
Farolito Senior Community - 82
SOMOS Apartments - 70
Felician Villa Phase II - 66
Calle Cuarta - 65
Tower Plaza - 49
Route 66 Flats - 48
Enchanted Hills Townhomes 3rd Phase - 38
The George at Country Club Plaza - 37
Rio Grande Boulevard NW Apartments - 29
Saranam - 25
Vista Bosque Townhomes 2nd Phase - 24
Garfield Townhomes - 12
12100 Copper Avenue NE - 4
12016 Copper Avenue NE - 2

We have a pipeline of about 9,600 units that are proposed and in some stage of development. I'll post that listing below but it's a running list that I haven't really had a chance to edit and look into the status of each project lately, so take it with that caveat in mind.

Apartments Proposed - 9,593 units

Aldea del Rio - 500
Woodbury Apartments - 420
Uptown Transit Center - 409
Santa Ana Pueblo Apartments - 336
The Preserve at Woodmont - 333
Motel 21 site/La Curva - 315
Thompson Thrift Apartments - 300
Transport Street Apartments - 256
Unser & McMahon - 256
Los Diamantes Rio Rancho - 250
The Downtowner - 240
Paseo & Kimmick - 238
JLM Living Albuquerque - 231
Allaso Highlands - 228
Larson Capital Management Homes - 210
The Lofts at Winrock - 207
Titan Development Sawmill - 199
Universe View Apartments - 196
Volcano Road NW - 195
Sunset Apartments - 191
Markana Flats - 190
5301 Central NE - 180
Elevate @ 3rd + Lomas - 174
Pan American Freeway Motel Conversion - 169
Los Lunas Transportation Center - 168
View House Apartments - 163
Rosarito Street Rio Rancho - 156
Cibola Loop NW - 155
10801 Golf Course NW - 153
Inca Road Rio Rancho - 150
Sawmill District Apartments - 140
Scottish Isle - 130
Unity Park Living - 130
Vista Manzano - 130
300 San Mateo NE - 110
The Strider - 108
Wells Fargo Building - 104
Renova at Wyoming - 102
The Sixty Six - 96
Alameda/Barstow NE - 93
Journal Center planned 1 - 72
Palindrome Barelas/The Romero - 72
West Mesa Ridge Phase II - 72
West Mesa Ridge Phase III - 72
601 Central NE - 68
Hopeworks HQ - 68
Carmel Apartments - 66
6th and Coal SW - 60
Plaza Luna Lofts - 57
Bataan & Churchill Phase II - 53
Adagio at The Trails - 52
Pacificap Sawmill Arts Center - 50
San Mateo Manor - 50
Baatan & Churchill SW Phase I - 46
Casitas del Camino - 46
5130 Sequoia Road NW - 46
501 Central NE - 44
Ed Romero Terrace II - 42
Fourth Street Plaza - 40
Wellesley & Silver - 40
UNM Apartments 1 - 36
VIC Albuquerque - 33
7330 Carmel NE - 33
1000 San Mateo SE - 32
Aztec Court - 30
Sandia View - 30
MX at Petroglyph - 28
Lead/Coal Townhomes - 24
12610 Summer NE - 22
Domingo Road NE - 21
Vista Bosque Townhomes 3rd Phase - 22
Sycamore Square - 20
7011 Signal NE - 16
Coal Flats - 9
Sigma Chi/UNM Apartments 2 - ?
Journal Center planned 2 - ?
Unser Crossing mixed-use - ?
Unser & Golf Course - ?

I think this all shows that we have done a lot of building recently, still have a lot going on, and that we do have a lot to look forward to in terms of development across the city, especially with the more urban projects like the Sawmill District, Uptown Connect, the Downtowner, etc.

Hopefully national issues don't negatively affect this momentum and activity in Albuquerque too much going forward!

https://www.homes.com/local-guide/al...=gy71zfmdxyk7l

[ABQalex]

Albuquerque Business First has a story about Intel in New Mexico. They say that it looks like we've seen all the job cuts that the company will make in the state. Let's hope that's so!

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

It’s no secret that Intel, one of New Mexico’s largest employers, is facing choppy waters: After celebrating its Rio Rancho expansion in 2024, the company announced a 7% trim of its New Mexico workforce last month, axing over 200 jobs. The company reported a staggering $19 billion loss in 2024, and its share price sunk 60% in 2024 — its worst year on record.

A New Mexican might read national headlines and worry about the state’s own billion-dollar stake in the company’s success. But, at least for now, Intel’s New Mexico operations appear to be insulated from future upheaval: The company says it's “done” with layoffs in the state, and its Rio Rancho packaging operations will be vital to its new strategy, according to a recent interview with an Intel spokesperson.

Much of the legacy semiconductor giant’s turmoil has been related to its chip foundry business and its lagging response to competitors like NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) and AMD (NASDAQ: AMD). Many of the chopped jobs were related to these functions, as the company scraps plans for chip facilities in Germany and Poland, stalls its Ohio foundry, and consolidates operations in Costa Rica into Vietnam and Malaysia.

As a result, Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is turning toward packaging — for which its Rio Rancho facility is a centerpiece — as it resets its course. Intel’s Q2 2025 earnings call emphasized planning for future products and services, including future packaging technology.

"New Mexico is home to Intel’s leading advanced packaging hub and plays a vital role in our global manufacturing network,” said Kiana Caccione, an Intel spokesperson. “The innovations being developed and manufactured at our Rio Rancho site are critical to delivering on advanced packaging production, capacity and needs to our foundry customers."

The company’s global factory network is a “competitive advantage” for which the Rio Rancho Fab 9 and Fab 11X facilities are the “first operational site for mass production of Intel’s 3D advanced packaging technology,” according to a company statement. Fab 9 is Intel's “first co-located high-volume advanced packaging site,” the statement reads, “marking an end-to-end manufacturing process that creates a more efficient supply chain.”

“Intel has been a great partner for this community and for Sandoval County for many, many years,” Sandoval County Manager Wayne Johnson said. “There's no indication that I see that that relationship will change.”

New Mexico saw a 7% workforce reduction — much slimmer than California, which is seeing 22% cuts, or Oregon, at 10%, according to respective local reporting.

“I think that's another indication that this particular plant is pretty stable,” said Johnson.

New Mexico’s skin in the game

Intel began operations in Rio Rancho in 1980 with 25 employees on a former sod farm. Since, the company has invested north of $7 billion in its Rio Rancho facilities, in addition to winning a $16 billion industrial revenue bond in 2004.

All told, the value of New Mexico’s incentives — in the form of tax abatements and rebates — could be as high as $2.7 billion, according to data from a D.C.-based subsidy tracker.

After this year’s layoffs, the company will employ about 2,900, according to an Albuquerque Business First survey. It must maintain a headcount of over 2,484 in Rio Rancho until 2031, before it triggers staggered clawback penalties that start at a 100% refund of incentives this year, and drop to a 25% penalty by 2031, according to the economic agreement between the company and county.

Sandia National Labs' new leader also told state lawmakers this week that they don't expect any more job cuts by them here as well.

https://sourcenm.com/2025/08/25/sand...ier-this-year/

Sandia National Laboratories Director Laura McGill anticipates “no further job losses” following layoffs for approximately 400 people to be completed by October, she told Source NM on Monday.

McGill, who assumed leadership at Sandia in May, presented an update Monday for lawmakers attending the Science Technology and Telecommunications committee meeting in Albuquerque. She gave an overview of the labs’ programs, which primarily focus on nuclear weapons research, and employ most employees at the main campus in Albuquerque.

In June, McGill initially announced proposed 1% to 3% cuts of Sandia Labs’ workforce of nearly 17,000 people, a departure from the job growth Sandia had reported every year since 2011.

On Monday, she confirmed to lawmakers that 2% of employees took a voluntary severance package, offsetting costs from higher salaries and reducing overhead. The restructuring will be complete by October, according to Kenny Vigil, a spokesperson at Sandia Labs.

After the meeting, McGill told Source NM that the job losses were mostly in “support positions,” which she described as non-contract work for federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Defense or the National Nuclear Security Administration.

“Instead, it’s all the other things we do to support those activities, around administrative work, the planning work and all the other things that have to be in place to do the technical work,” McGill said.

In response to emailed questions seeking greater specificity about the eliminated positions, spokespeople at Sandia said just over three-quarters are from Albuquerque and the remaining layoffs are at the Livermore, California location.

McGill faced questions from lawmakers on the labs’ future and potential federal fallout, given the Trump Administration’s cuts to science grants and medical research. McGill noted that the laboratories do not have their full budgets yet, but she expects static funding or increases for nuclear weapons work, despite cuts to U.S. Department of Energy programs.

The NNSA received a $6 billion increase to its budget for designing, handling and storing nuclear weapons, and contracts with the NNSA account for more than 60% of Sandia’s work, McGill told lawmakers.

“As far as the federal budgets go, we’re in great shape,” she told lawmakers.

Rep. Joy Garratt (D-Albuquerque) asked McGill if the laboratories had received a directive regarding “diversity, equity and inclusion,” which the Trump administration has vowed to cut from universities and the federal government.

“We’ve had some direction from the administration to talk about our outward-facing websites, but it hasn’t affected anything we’re doing internally,” McGill said. “We continue to support all our employees. We just believe in belonging.”

After the meeting, McGill told Source NM she hopes to reassure the workforce that further layoffs are not coming.

“We know there’s a lot of needs out there, but I can say we fully expect our programs to continue to be supported,” she said.

[ABQalex]

Max Q at Kirtland announced the construction of two new commercial structures totaling 15,000 sq ft. Dunkin' will occupy 2,100 sq ft of space in one of the structures and they are marketing the rest of the space for other tenants. The NewSpace Center is also apparently under construction at the development.

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

An innovation campus connected to Kirtland Air Force Base recently broke ground on two new buildings to expand its retail infrastructure. The MaxQ@Kirtland innovation campus announced Aug. 27 it broke ground on the new buildings, totaling 15,000 square feet, a press release shows.

Located just north of the Sunport at the intersection of Gibson Boulevard and Carlisle Boulevard, MaxQ@Kirtland is a 70-acre, high-tech innovation campus designed to support the mission-critical needs of aerospace and national security tenants.

Insight Construction, the general contractor for the project, is expected to finish construction on the two new buildings in the second quarter of 2026.

Dekker is the architect for the project, which will cost $3.35 million, a MaxQ@Kirtland spokesperson said.

The new buildings will join Northrup Grumman (NYSE: NOC), Kirtland Credit Union and NewSpace Nexus on the campus.

“There's an undeniable buzz happening at MaxQ right now,” said MaxQ@Kirtland’s Kevin Yearout. “The recent addition of several new retail and tech partners is giving shape to the kind of ecosystem that can attract top-tier innovators and entrepreneurs, foster collaboration with the AFRL and help unlock the full potential of the central Space Valley region.”

As part of its groundbreaking announcement for the two new buildings, MaxQ@Kirtland also announced that Dunkin’ would be a tenant in one of the buildings, the release shows.

Dunkin’ will go in building U and occupy 2,100 square feet, the spokesperson said.

MaxQ@Kirtland is partnering with CBRE brokers Scott Whitefield and Shóna Martinez as part of its effort to continue growing its campus, the release shows.

https://www.crexi.com/lease/properti...max-q-kirtland







In the layout above you can see a 2-story office structure that is proposed just to the east of the existing Northrop Grumman facility. It looks like it will be an expansion of their presence at Max Q. Below is a rendering that I posted awhile back over at SSC that shows the existing Northrop Grumman facility with the proposed 2-story structure visible in the left background.

[ABQalex]

The new Indian Pueblo Kitchen has opened at the Sunport’s food hall. Below is a story from KOB-TV and pics of the space from a post on the Albuquerque Foodies group on Facebook.

https://www.kob.com/news/top-news/in...erque-sunport/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center held its soft opening for the new Indian Pueblo Kitchen location in the Albuquerque International Sunport.

That new restaurant is inside the Sunport, right after the TSA area. Passengers can get a taste of our authentic cuisine at the sit-down restaurant or with the to-go items.

The Indian Pueblo Kitchen is among more than a dozen businesses opening in the Sunport’s new food hall.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/albu...0766773448076/





Here's a great pic of the New Mexico Piñon Coffee location which also recently opened at the Sunport in the A concourse area. It was posted last month on LinkedIn by the city’s CAO, Samantha Sengel.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update...8741564788736/



Spirit Airlines will end its flight to Las Vegas and exit the Sunport next month as part of its recent bankruptcy filing. They had a presence here for only about three years.

https://www.krqe.com/news/national/s...ruptcy-filing/

(NewsNation) — Spirit Airlines will end flight service to 12 cities starting in October.

The cut to service comes less than a week after the budget airline filed for bankruptcy for the second time amid financial losses. The airline now carries $2.4 billion in long-term debt, most of it due in 2030.

CNBC reports that the following cities will be impacted by the service cuts in October: Albuquerque, New Mexico; Birmingham, Alabama; Boise, Idaho; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Columbia, South Carolina; Portland, Oregon; Salt Lake City, Utah; as well as Oakland, San Diego, Sacramento and San Jose in California.

In a statement to CNBC, Spirit apologized for the inconvenience these cuts may cause, adding that it will be reaching out to customers to notify them of their options.

Spirit, known for its bright yellow planes and no-frills service, has struggled since the COVID-19 pandemic and is fighting to rebound amid rising operational costs and its mounting debt.

In a statement posted to social media on Friday, CEO Dave Davis defended the decision to file for bankruptcy, arguing the move will help Spirit in the future.

“Spirit took a proactive step to build a stronger foundation and future for our company. We have voluntarily entered the Chapter 11 restructuring process to ensure the long-term success of our airline — so we can continue to serve our Guests well into the future,” Davis said.

Competitors have been watching closely to see what Spirit will do next. Both United and Frontier announced Thursday they’ll be adding new flights to cities this fall and into early 2026.

The Sunport recently updated its passenger statistics through July on it website. Traffic is still down year-over-year but the losses each month are getting smaller as the year goes on. In July, the Sunport saw 504,902 passengers, down 1.4 percent from July 2024's 512,188 passengers. Total traffic for FY25 was 5,357,264 passengers, down about 2 percent from FY24's 5,471,678 passengers.

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

Here are a few nice pics of the Sunport that were taken back in June and posted on New Mexico Magazine's website recently in a story about the upgrades taking place with the Dream of Flight renovation. There are more to be found at the link.

https://www.newmexicomagazine.org/bl...port-upgrades/

[ABQalex]

CNM opened its new $57 million Skilled Trades Center on the main campus last week. As part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony they also celebrated their 60th anniversary.

https://www.facebook.com/FrankenCons...QGX2RF4uvzNJsl











https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerqu...ure-workforce/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A facility designed to train the next generation of trades workers in real-world conditions is now officially open at Central New Mexico Community College’s Main Campus. On Wednesday, CNM gave the public its first look inside the brand-new Ted Chavez Trades and Technologies Center — a $57 million project built to expand access to skilled trades education and address growing workforce needs across the state.

The center isn’t just new — it’s what CNM calls a “living lab.” Designed for hands-on, practical learning, the building features a number of outdoor training areas, allowing students to experience conditions they’re likely to face on job sites.

“A lot of times, they have to climb on a roof, it’s 102 degrees out there. They’re working on a [HVAC] unit. How do you get students ready for real-life experience?” said Marvin Martinez, CNM’s physical plant executive director.

One of the most prominent features of the center will be a tiny house project, which will bring students from multiple trades together — including carpentry, electrical, HVAC, and welding — to build the structure from the ground up. It will be built outside on display for all CNM students to see as they pass by. “It’s open in the walkway so that students can see and learn and get excited about the trades,” Martinez said.

Even the building’s architecture plays a teaching role. Glass walls, exposed ceilings, and color-coded piping and wiring reveal the inner workings of plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems. These features allow students to see exactly how systems come together in a functioning facility. “Each utility has a different color — that way students can see, ‘This is my field, this is what I do, this is how it goes into a building,’” Martinez explained.

Inside, the center boasts the largest welding lab in the southwest — a major expansion that CNM said will help shorten long-standing waitlists for the high-demand program. “Being the largest welding lab in the Southwest region gives us the opportunity to start removing that waitlist and getting students trained and out to work,” Martinez said.

The electrical lab provides a building frame, where students will learn how to wire outlets and light fixtures. “There might be some plumbing pipes put in just so that they learn how to work around them,” said Martinez. “This is where they start getting the experience on how to actually do the work that they’re learning theoretically in the books.”

With New Mexico expecting more than 5,600 construction-related job openings in the next seven years, CNM President Tracy Hartzler said the new facility arrives at a critical time. “This kind of building allows employer and industry and student interactions to help them develop their careers, and enter, and really fill a critical workforce need,” Hartzler said.

The New Mexico GRO Fund, a state appropriation that provides scholarships and internship support for vocational students, partners with the facility—helping cover the cost of internships and apprenticeships for CNM students even while they are still enrolled.

CNM said the Ted Chavez Trades and Technologies Center can serve up to 1,000 students, with classes set to begin September 22. The $57 million project was funded through a combination of state and local government support and CNM’s own funds.

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













CNM originally opened in 1965 as Albuquerque Technical-Vocational Institute. It occupied the old University Heights School structure at Coal Avenue and Buena Vista Drive SE. The main campus has steadily grown and they have various satellite campuses across the metro area as well. CNM currently enrolls about 29,000 students across all of its campuses. It was recently ranked as the 22nd-best community college in the country, part of New Mexico’s showing as the second-best state for community colleges.

https://www.newsweek.com/community-c...g-best-2112210

[ABQalex]

The federal government under the current administration has decided to cut nearly $12 million in funding for the Rail Trail from a RAISE grant award that was won for the project under the previous administration. This is most likely in retaliation for Albuquerque’s status as an immigrant-friendly or sanctuary city. The Albuquerque Journal story below also raises the prospect that the $25 million RAISE grant award for the Uptown Transit Center and Uptown Connect project will be in jeopardy as well, though that hasn't been rescinded as of yet. The mayor is indicating that the city will sue and fight to keep the funding for the project(s) intact.

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/arti...772acc576.html

The U.S. Department of Transportation withdrew an $11.5 million grant from the city of Albuquerque for the planned construction of the Rail Trail, a 7-mile loop for pedestrians and cyclists around Downtown and Barelas.

"We are going to stand up for Albuquerque and prevent the Trump Administration from pulling money from a project the people of Albuquerque want," Mayor Tim Keller said in a statement Thursday. "We will see you in court."

This funding cut comes after the Department of Justice put Albuquerque on a list of sanctuary cities it claims don't comply with federal immigration laws. In a news release, the Justice Department said sanctuary cities would be at risk of losing federal funding, amid other unnamed consequences.

"Sanctuary policies impede law enforcement and put American citizens at risk by design," U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement in August when the list was released.

The Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant is $11.5 million and amounts to nearly 30% of the Rail Trail's total funding. The rest of the $39.5 million budget is from city or state funds. An additional $3 million in federal funding was earmarked by the U.S. Senate.

In a letter the city received Tuesday, the U.S. DOT said that the project "no longer aligns" with the department's new priorities under the Trump administration, namely in promoting car-centric projects. It also lists that funding was revoked to ensure "taxpayer dollars are used efficiently in ways that maximally benefit the American people and improve their quality of life."

The U.S. DOT did not respond to a request for comment about whether this funding cut was connected to the DOJ's threat to cut funding.

The mayor's office declined to comment on a possible connection between the city's immigrant-friendly policies and federal funding cuts.

One local politician said an executive order Keller issued in July was to blame for the funding cuts.

"The mayor's reckless sanctuary executive orders and his decision to kick federal law enforcement out of our transfer center make it clear he has no concern for the safety of Albuquerque, let alone the Rail Trail," said City Councilor Dan Lewis.

The July executive order reinforced Albuquerque's status as an "immigrant-friendly city," a directive that was first established in 2018. That order forbade city employees from assisting Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Under former President Joe Biden, the city received an additional $25 million RAISE grant for the Uptown Connect project. There have been no cuts to the Uptown Connect project, said city spokesperson Madeline Skrak on Thursday.

The city Transit Department was not aware of any cuts to other federally funded projects, Skrak said.

Despite cuts, the city is forging ahead with construction on the Sawmill and Central crossing portions of the Rail Trail project, which is already underway, according to a news release. The Sawmill section is set to open in late fall, while the Central crossing will open sometime in 2026, the release details.

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

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The U.S. Department of Transportation wants to cut grant funding for the Rail Trail project, according to Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller. The city said it received a letter from the U.S. Department of Transportation on Tuesday, saying it would not give Albuquerque an $11.5 million grant.

The department said they are focusing on car-based projects, not people-based projects like the Rail Trail. The mayor’s Office said it will fight to keep these funds, which were awarded in 2022.

[ABQalex]

Here's a story from the Albuquerque Journal about Cinelease Studios and the recent listing for sale of their property. The company president says that it doesn't mean the end of their presence here and touts their desire to lease the property for at least ten years as proof of their commitment to New Mexico. However, their planned expansion looks unlikely, unless any new owner wishes to make that sort of investment. The story also gets into Cinelease's leasing of warehouse space and new deal with Netflix Albuquerque Studios. They also point to this as proof that they are "doubling down" on their presence here.

https://www.abqjournal.com/business/...eb60bb02c.html

A major Albuquerque film facility is on the market, but its current owner isn’t going anywhere.

Cinelease Studios — a division of Cinelease Inc., which offers facilities, services and light and grip equipment to film and television productions across North America — is selling its roughly 500,000-square-foot film campus at 9201 Pan American NE with the intent of renting it back for 10 years, Cinelease President Mark Lamberton told the Journal.

The property was listed for $33.9 million roughly three weeks ago, Lamberton said.

“We’re going to stay there,” Lamberton noted. “The reason we’re selling is we own no locations. We lease all our locations with the exception of this one, that our previous owner bought at the time because it just made sense for them.”

Cinelease Inc. was recently acquired by Zello, a private investment company headquartered in California, just over six weeks ago, Lamberton said.

“The idea is to sell this, lease it back, continue to run and manage it, and then we can kind of reallocate that money toward things we’re going to need in that market to grow,” Lamberton said.

The lighting and grip provider first established a presence in Albuquerque in 2007, leasing a former warehouse at 531 Gallatin NW. The company expanded and bet big on the Duke City when it purchased the former I-25 Studios on Pan American Freeway and rebranded the facility as Cinelease Studios — Albuquerque in 2022.

The massive studio features five sound stages spanning more than 100,000 square feet; 41,000 square feet of office space; five acres of backlot space; 75,000 square feet of flex space; 34,000 square feet of storage; more than 15 acres of parking; and a cafeteria that can seat 200 people, according to a fact sheet the company provided. The film site spans 45 acres with around-the-clock gated security, the fact sheet said.

The property has hit the market more than a year after Cinelease announced it would invest $95 million into expanding the Pan American facility over five years.

None of the plans to expand the facility’s studio space have panned out yet, Lamberton said, adding the company would “need help from somebody that would want to own the real estate to take that on.”

Cinelease has laid a foundation for expansion by investing millions into improving the facility “to get it to a level where it could handle that type of expansion,” Lamberton said.

Since acquiring the campus in 2022, Cinelease has enhanced sound stage infrastructure, renovated production offices, expanded and paved parking lots, upgraded fire and safety systems, relocated the main entrance off the frontage road and constructed a multi-lane, 24-hour manned security gate, the property fact sheet said.

But whether the studio expansion takes place will be up to the property’s future buyer, Lamberton said.

Industry slowdown

The property’s availability comes as New Mexico’s film industry has experienced a slowdown over the last several years, fueled in part by SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023 and productions opting to shoot overseas.

The amount film productions spent in New Mexico decreased from roughly $740 million in fiscal year 2024 to $323 million in fiscal year 2025, according to a June economic impact report from the New Mexico Film Office. However, the number of productions increased from 62 in FY24 to 76 in FY25.

The report attributes this to a greater share of smaller-scale projects taking place over the past year. Productions had an average budget of $4.25 million in FY25, down from an average of more than $12 million per project in FY24.

“The data reflects New Mexico’s continued relevance as a production destination, particularly for higher-budget projects when industry conditions are favorable,” the report said.

Some of the productions that have filmed at Cinelease Studios-Albuquerque include “Unbroken,” “The Cleaning Lady,” “Stranger Things” and “El Tigre.”

CBRE, the commercial real estate company responsible for listing the Cinelease property, touts New Mexico’s competitive film incentive program and network of studios and crew as draws for purchasing the property.

The buyer would essentially be investing in the property by purchasing it, and in return, would benefit from collecting steady rent from a guaranteed tenant for 10 years, as the Pan American facility is “essential” to Cinelease’s operations in New Mexico, CBRE said.

“It’s our flagship location. It’s not just the film stages and the productions that rent there, but also the equipment that is rented for those productions or anywhere else in New Mexico goes out of this facility,” Lamberton said.

Netflix partnership

The move to sell and lease back the property has already opened up new opportunities, with the company recently signing a long-term lease with Netflix for a roughly 20,000-square-foot warehouse at Netflix Studios Albuquerque, where Cinelease — a preferred vendor of Netflix — will store and provide equipment.

The partnership will increase the number of large productions Cinelease can support, as well as create an “added convenience” for productions coming to Netflix Studios Albuquerque, Lamberton said.

“By doing this long-term leaseback, that’s going to allow us to do this deal with Netflix,” Lamberton said.

The expansion with a location at Netflix is an indicator of Cinelease’s optimism about the status and direction of New Mexico’s film industry, Lamberton said.

“We really do think it’s going to get busy,” he said.

The Cinelease president said he hopes the long-term nature of both the partnership with Netflix and the leaseback terms of the Pan American campus listing set the record straight on Cinelease’s future in New Mexico.

“It’s important to us to make sure people know that not only are we not leaving, we’re doubling down on the market,” Lamberton said. “We really do believe in the market. We want to take it bigger there and we’re making the investments to do so.”

[ABQalex]

Here's an update on the planned redevelopment of the former Rio Rancho Country Club/Chamisa Hills property in Rio Rancho. Their city council unanimously approved the redevelopment plan at a meeting last night. This is a surprising turn after it seemed the project would be abandoned after a highly contentious meeting earlier this year. It has faced massive opposition, but it looks like the development team has managed to tamp down much of that opposition since then.

The plan includes the creation of over 300 residential units, along with commercial and office space.

https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico...in-rio-rancho/

RIO RANCHO, N.M. (KRQE) – A big development proposed to go in an old golf course in Rio Rancho took a big step forward on Thursday. The vote came after residents spoke up about the project. Residents spoke up for and against rezoning the area of the one-time golf course that has sat empty for nearly 10 years. The rezoning paves the way for developers to move forward with their Chamisa Hills Master Plan.

The plan would include turning that empty space into new homes, shops, and offices. Some residents said they’re concerns had been fixed, others still had questions about traffic safety. Thursday night, councilors and the mayor praised the developer, who is also behind Mesa del Sol, for addressing neighbors’ concerns. “This hasn’t been an easy process by any stretch of the imagination, but I think it’s been thoughtful in that it’s incorporated a lot of comments, a lot of input, so that the community really feels involved in this decision,” said Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull.

City councilors unanimously approved zoning changes, allowing the project to move forward. The master plan will continue to go through different planning meetings. Developers are still years from breaking ground on any homes.

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/albuq...nt-plan-again/

RIO RANCHO, N.M. – City councilors approved the Chamisa Hills Master Plan to revitalize the vacant land once known as Club Rio Rancho.

The decision came after months of delays because some people had major concerns over the plan’s blueprint.

So, city councilors sent developers back to the drawing board. Now, people say they were pleased with the updates and city council agreed. They approved the amendments, and the project is moving forward.

The master plan will convert the old golf course and country club in Rio Rancho into space for new homes, retail and trails. The land has been barren and desolate since Club Rio Rancho closed in 2016.

Neighbors were worried the plan did not address traffic, drainage, and open space maintenance. That’s what developers updated when they represented their outline Thursday night.

People were overall satisfied with the attention to detail and their concerns.

“We attended all of the recent meetings hosted by Jerome and by Steve. In our view, he has put a lot of time and effort into outreach. We strongly support the vision for Chamisa Hills. We ask that you approve the master plan. It is time to move forward and convert that 280 acre eyesore into something unique for the City of Rio Rancho,” said a Rio Rancho resident during the meeting.

But there is still a question mark in the blueprint. With an influx of families moving into the new development, some people are worried about their tiny neighborhood streets turning into high traffic roads.

Some folks want to turn at least one neighborhood road into a cul-de-sac to prevent thru traffic.

“Without a cul-de-sac at the top of our street, Calle Suenos will become a dangerous cut through corridor. Family, kids and seniors will pay the price and daily risks of noise, dust and congestion. The truth is the road was never designed for the kind of burden,” said Jack Autry during the meeting Thursday.

The Chamisa Hills Master Plan and its zoning ordinances were approved Thursday night.

Residents and city councilors made it clear they want to see something new come from the area.