Albuquerque Development Thread

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Yes, a Downtown parking garage really could cost $15.5 million

Stephanie Guzman
Reporter
Albuquerque Business First

When Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry proposed last week that $23.5 million from the city's lodgers' tax should go towards four Downtown projects, the price tag that received a lot of attention was the $15.5 million that would be earmarked for a new 400-space parking garage.
The garage would be part of the One Central development, which proposes commercial spaces and 76 market-rate apartments on the northeast corner of First Street and Central Avenue. City officials said the parking garage would be city-owned, and will likely be a pay-to-park lot, however details are still under discussion.

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Molina’s Downtown digs to get $12 million in upgrades

By Richard Metcalf
Journal Staff Writer

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Molina Healthcare’s consolidation of back-office operations Downtown, enabled by a California investment firm’s purchase of a seven-story office building, was one of three deals whose back stories were described Monday at a luncheon meeting of NAIOP, the commercial real-estate development group.

Broadly hailed as a major stepping stone in Downtown’s revitalization, Molina’s consolidation from two offices in the North I-25 submarket brought about 800 workers to 400 Tijeras NW, a 420,589-square-foot office building long associated with telephone giant US West, successor Qwest and now CenturyLink.

Once a hive of activity housing 1,000 workers and what is believed to have been New Mexico’s first call center, CenturyLink’s presence had shrunk to about one-third of the building due to technology and a changing business model, said Tom Jenkins of commercial real-estate services firm CBRE.

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Albuquerque’s architectural peaks

By Charles D. Brunt
Journal Staff Writer



Although you seldom hear the words “Albuquerque” and “skyscraper” in the same sentence, you may have wondered about the few tall buildings that create the Duke City’s skyline and, for nearly three decades, epitomized the city’s evolution from large town to small city.

Built from the early 1960s to 1990, the city’s five tallest buildings remain integral parts of Albuquerque commerce. But they each have histories – and even some mysteries – that few city residents know.

But first, some perspective: If you stacked all five of Albuquerque’s tallest buildings on top of one another, they would total 1,293 feet – just 43 feet taller than New York City’s Empire State Building – the fifth-tallest building in the United States with a roof-level height of 1,250 feet.

The tallest building in the U.S. is New York City’s One World Trade Center, at 1,776 feet.

The world’s tallest building is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, at 2,717 feet.

Albuquerque’s tallest buildings may not qualify as skyscrapers, but the views from their rarefied top floors are spectacular.

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Urlacher's entertainment center project moves forward with UNM regents vote

Stephanie Guzman
Reporter
Albuquerque Business First

Lobo football star Brian Urlacher's entertainment and retail center across the street from Isotopes Park should break ground next year.
The University of New Mexico's Board of Regents approved a long-term ground lease with the developers of the project Friday, Dec. 11.

The project will be built on one acre on the southeast corner of University Boulevard and Avenida Cesar Chavez. The property is currently a parking lot used during Lobo football and Isotope baseball games.
The development includes a 25,000-square-foot restaurant and bar, and a 10,000-square-foot outdoor pavilion with large TV screens to stream sporting events. There will also be smaller retail spaces, a tap room and nightclub.

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UNM's entertainment district plans could include high-end hotel

Stephanie Guzman
Reporter
Albuquerque Business First

The entertainment and retail district, set to start construction soon on the University of New Mexico's south campus, already has plans for a restaurant with former Lobo and NFL football star Brian Urlacher's name on it.
Now the developers behind the project say a high-end hotel could be added to the mix.

The entire development, which is sure to spark more business and projects near UNM's sporting venues and Isotopes Park, is significant for both the school and companies seeking to get in on the action.

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Imperial in color
[IMG]Imperial Color by mgs11, on Flickr[/IMG]

[Prahaboheme]

How many developments are currently under construction in Albuquerque?

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Originally Posted by Prahaboheme

How many developments are currently under construction in Albuquerque?

Check out this article
Projects under construction in the Albuquerque area now: interactive map

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Rapid transit's worth might be more than you think, new reports say

Blake Driver
Reporter
Albuquerque Business First

Two new reports say Albuquerque Rapid Transit will improve access to jobs and residences and spur upwards of $3 billion in new property development near the transit corridor.
Business owners and concerned citizens have been vocal in their opposition to the city’s plans for a new rapid transit system along the Central Avenue corridor, claiming that construction during its implementation could put struggling stores out of business and criticizing the city’s planning of the project as “piecemeal” and uninformed.

But the new studies project ART's improvements to the current bus system to be well worth the pain.

The Mid-Region Council of Governments released a report in December showing that one of the major benefits of the new system could be access to more jobs and residences due to the combined effect of increased service frequency, reduced transit travel times and greater reliability.

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Albuquerque Rapid Transit initiative to receive $69 million

Blake Driver
Reporter
Albuquerque Business First

Albuquerque is slated to receive $69 million from the Federal Transit Administration toward the construction of the controversial Albuquerque Rapid Transit initiative along Central Avenue.
President Barack Obama released information about his proposed 2017 budget Tuesday morning, and Mayor Richard J. Berry tweeted it to his followers.

Initially, planners were hoping to receive $80 million toward the $100 million project, which was increased recently to $119 million to cover design changes made in response to suggestions and concerns raised at neighborhood meetings. Changes include pedestrian lighting, improved sidewalks, additional traffic signals to improve traffic movement, landscaping, and road safety audit recommendations for San Mateo Boulevard, among others, according to project manager Dayna Crawford.

[southtucsonboy77]

Originally Posted by mgs11

Albuquerque Rapid Transit initiative to receive $69 million

Blake Driver
Reporter
Albuquerque Business First

Albuquerque is slated to receive $69 million from the Federal Transit Administration toward the construction of the controversial Albuquerque Rapid Transit initiative along Central Avenue.
President Barack Obama released information about his proposed 2017 budget Tuesday morning, and Mayor Richard J. Berry tweeted it to his followers.

Initially, planners were hoping to receive $80 million toward the $100 million project, which was increased recently to $119 million to cover design changes made in response to suggestions and concerns raised at neighborhood meetings. Changes include pedestrian lighting, improved sidewalks, additional traffic signals to improve traffic movement, landscaping, and road safety audit recommendations for San Mateo Boulevard, among others, according to project manager Dayna Crawford.

Additional traffic signals on Central? Or did they mean enhanced traffic signals? For Rapid Transit you would want priority green lights and less potential interruption of any traffic signals. In general, and I've always been impressed with Albuquerque's willingness to think BIG even though they've failed in some projects, I'm surprised that the City didn't go for a light rail (Phx) or streetcar (Tucson) system. They're "sexier" and attract more dense developments.

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Originally Posted by southtucsonboy77

Additional traffic signals on Central? Or did they mean enhanced traffic signals? For Rapid Transit you would want priority green lights and less potential interruption of any traffic signals. In general, and I've always been impressed with Albuquerque's willingness to think BIG even though they've failed in some projects, I'm surprised that the City didn't go for a light rail (Phx) or streetcar (Tucson) system. They're "sexier" and attract more dense developments.

I don't know where they would put more traffic signals. They are on almost every block. Streetcar was attempted several years ago but they NIMBYs won that battle.

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Bernalillo County considering which Downtown office building to purchase

Stephanie Guzman
Reporter
Albuquerque Business First

Discussions are set to begin next week on whether Bernalillo County should purchase Downtown's First Plaza Galeria or the former PNM building Alvardo Square.
The county's Board of Commissioners will have a closed door session on the matter March 15.
Bernalillo County wants to move out of One Civic Plaza in order to consolidate all of its departments under one roof.
It started negotiations with the owners of the 282,500-square-foot Alvarado Square in April of 2015, but those negotiations failed to materialize.

First Plaza Galeria was brought to the table last year, and the commissioners voted to spend $75,000 to study the possibility of purchasing the 316,000-square-foot building.

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Abbey Brewing, Crackin’ Crab and more joining Downtown grocery store

By Jessica Dyer
Journal Staff Writer
Albuquerque Journal
[IMG]imperial building renters by mgs11, on Flickr[/IMG]

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Milk, bread, eggs and … a pint of Monks’ Ale?

Abbey Brewing Co. has confirmed it will open its first taproom as part of the new Downtown Albuquerque grocery store project. The brewery, which makes its beer at the Monastery of Christ in the Desert in Abiquiu as well as in Moriarty, is one of three local businesses that confirmed this week their plans to join Silver Street Market in the nearly complete Imperial Building. The other two are restaurants: Crackin’ Crab Seafood Boil and a variation of Sophia’s Place.

The three will occupy ground level space at the four-story, mixed-use building at Second and Silver SW. That leaves just four commercial suites available, and the developer said a leasing deal is close for the largest among them.

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City Council votes 7-2 to approve funding for ART transit system

By Dan McKay
Journal Staff Writer
Albuquerque Journal

The word “boondoggle” came up more than once.

But a noisy four-hour debate late Monday didn’t soften City Council support for the plan to transform Central Avenue into a rapid transit corridor with a nine-mile network of bus-only lanes and canopy-covered bus stations.

City councilors voted 7-2 in favor of Albuquerque Rapid Transit, a priority of Mayor Richard Berry, who hopes to see service start by September next year. The council resolution authorizes the acceptance of nearly $70 million in federal money for the project.

“Of course, it’s going to cause some disruption and make people fearful of change,” said Councilor Don Harris, who described it as a tough decision. But “this is a rare opportunity. I think we need to take it.”

Berry called ART a “catalytic project” that will help inject new life into Central Avenue.

“It’s great for transit,” he said in an interview. “It’s great for economic opportunity. … We’re going to have a more thriving Main Street because of it.”

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Dorms, offices going up at InnovateABQ this summer

By Kevin Robinson-Avila
Journal Staff Writer
Albuquerque Journal

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Developers will break ground this summer on a six-story building at the Innovate ABQ research and development site Downtown, providing new, high-tech facilities for University of New Mexico programs plus five floors of student housing.

It’s the first planned building for Innovate ABQ at Central Avenue and Broadway Boulevard, where UNM is working with the city, the county and private partners to create a research and development district in the heart of Albuquerque.

The 160,000-square-foot building will open by August 2017 and cost $35 million. It will be located on the northeast corner of the seven-acre property, which UNM acquired in 2014 for the Innovate Albuquerque project that UNM and others began planning in 2013.

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Innovate ABQ Renderings
[IMG]innovate-abq-rendering-1 by mgs11, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]Innovate ABQ_Elevations by mgs11, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]2015-02-16 - Board-01 by mgs11, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]2015-02-16 - Board-01 by mgs11, on Flickr[/IMG]

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This vote could have a big effect on ABQ development

Stephanie Guzman
Reporter
Albuquerque Business First

The city's comprehensive plan update, the rules that govern new development in town, kicked off in February 2015. A key document that will change development in Albuquerque is set to go before the city's Environmental Planning Commission this summer.

The city's planning department aims to submit the new comprehensive plan at the end of April for a June commission hearing.

The rewritten plan has come together during the past year through community meetings and focus groups.

"The [comprehensive plan] is being updated to reflect new realities, new market demands and to propose a more proactive approach to planning for the future that is better able to adjust and then address demographic, economic and other potential changes," the planning department said.

The comprehensive plan sets goals and guidelines for neighborhoods, land use, transportation, housing, open space and more. Changes to the plan call for more mixed-use development, placemaking and pedestrian-oriented neighborhoods. You can read all 13 chapters here.

The document also addresses the changing demographics of Albuquerque as the population grows, which will be hard considering different groups of people want different things. The document acknowledges while millennials and baby boomers want semiurban lifestyles, more than half of respondents to a survey by the Mid-Region Council of Governments still want to live in a rural area.

"An ongoing challenge our region will face is how to protect rural lifestyles in the future despite an influx of more people," the document says.

To do that, the document suggests more infill development, especially development focused around urban centers and in different growth corridors, while staying away from sprawl.

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Lawsuit Filed Against ART

BY DENNIS DOMRZALSKI
ABQ Free Press

A group of seven Albuquerque residents and 10 businesses were set to file a lawsuit Monday to stop Mayor Richard Berry’s $119 million Albuquerque Rapid Transit Project.
The lawsuit, to be filed this morning in state District Court in Albuquerque, seeks an injunction to stop the project. It alleges that in approving ART, Berry’s administration and the Federal Transportation Administration violated the National Historic Preservation Act and the federal Administrative Act. It also alleges that the 10-mile-long ART project along Central Avenue is a public nuisance and constitutes the taking of property by the government.
“The proposed corridor will require the destruction or impact of well over 48 Historic Landmarks that are registered with the National Historic Registry and the destruction of well over 217 trees of historic and environmental significance to the communities involved,” the lawsuit said.
“The proposed corridor will require at least 18 months of construction, which will devastate local businesses along the corridor and eliminate their access to customers during construction and after construction, as the project will prohibit left hand turns on Central Avenue.”
The suit also said that the process by which the project was approved by the feds was a sham and that environmental, traffic and historic preservation studies either weren’t done, or were incompletely done.

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UNMH takes next step toward new $500 million project

Stephanie Guzman
Reporter
Albuquerque Business First

An Albuquerque-based architecture firm that has designed many University of New Mexico Hospital facilities was awarded the contract to create a new development plan for a replacement hospital.
FBT Architects, along with Omaha, Nebraska-based HDR, an architecture and engineering firm, will help UNMH determine the new hospital's scope, space and staging requirements. It's not the first time the two companies have partnered. They are both currently working on the UNMH Children's Psychiatric Center.
UNMH has plans to replace its main facility on Lomas Boulevard north of the main campus, with a new adult acute care and behavioral health hospital. The university has said for some time that its existing adult acute care facility badly needs an upgrade. The existing 308-room hospital, built in the 1950s, can't accommodate modern equipment, has small teaching spaces, and patients have to share bathrooms and have a lack of privacy in the hospital's semi-private rooms.