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  #221  
Old Posted Apr 29, 2014, 4:19 PM
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JetBlue, ABQ feeling the love

By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer

It’s now been a year since Albuquerque and Jet Blue first hooked up, and both parties are still feeling the love.

Airline and city officials are touting Jet Blue’s first foray into the market – a highly incentivized nonstop flight between Albuquerque and New York – as a success.

From its launch April 22, 2013, though the end of March, the daily nonstop flight between the Albuquerque International Sunport and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport served a total of 69,271 passengers, according to Sunport data.

The route had its best month in July, carrying a total of 7,969 travelers for an average of 257 per day. It saw the lowest traffic in January, with 3,357 total travelers.

Jet Blue serves the flight with a 150-seat Airbus 320.

“We are pleased with the performance on the New York-Albuquerque route thus far,” Jet Blue spokeswoman Réal Hamilton-Romeo told the Journal via email.

Officials with the Sunport – which has supported the route with incentives valued at more than $800,000 – are even more effusive.

“I think they’ve absolutely been a success,” Sunport spokesman Dan Jiron said.

Having suffered several years of declining passenger traffic, the Sunport cut an aggressive deal to land Jet Blue, the facility’s first new major carrier since 2007. As part of a two-year arrangement, the Sunport waives Jet Blue’s landing fees and discounts baggage claim, ticket-counter usage and other fees by 75 percent.

Including a one-time, $200,000 expenditure to market the route – the Sunport’s only direct expense – the value of the incentive package reached $823,363 by March.

The Sunport has billed Jet Blue $315,318 during the same time stretch.

Jiron said the deal was worth it.

http://www.abqjournal.com/391499/biz...-the-love.html
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  #222  
Old Posted Apr 29, 2014, 5:34 PM
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KISS rockers’ restaurant coming to Albuquerque

By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer

Are you ready to rock and roll all night — or at least until closing time?

A restaurant brand founded by KISS front men Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley is coming to Albuquerque this summer, the company has confirmed to the Journal.

Work on Rock & Brews Albuquerque is already underway at the former site of Coronado Crossing (previously Zea restaurant) on Montgomery just west of San Mateo. It is slated to open in August, the company said.

Simmons, Stanley and their fellow founders will host a formal grand opening for the restaurant, likely in September.

It will join just a handful of Rock & Brews currently open around the world, though the chain is in expansion mode.

“Rock & Brews is a concept that excites rockers of all ages in a family-oriented, rock-inspired atmosphere that invokes a celebratory sense of community gathering,” Simmons and Stanley said in a joint statement.

Franchisee Rock & Brews Southwest LLC is bringing the brand to the Duke City through an agreement for locations in New Mexico, Arizona and Texas.

Partners in the venture include Matt McMahon, who brought the Outback Steakhouse chain to Albuquerque in the mid-1990s, and Tim Tracy, former general manager of the Outback restaurant at Interstate 25 and Jefferson.

http://www.abqjournal.com/391458/biz...buquerque.html
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  #223  
Old Posted May 2, 2014, 4:39 PM
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City seeks $15 million to remove barriers between Downtown and EDo

Damon Scott
Reporter-
Albuquerque Business First

The north and south pedestrian underpasses from Downtown’s First Street and Central Avenue to East Downtown have long been dark and uninviting.
That’s part of the reason the city is seeking a $15 million grant in conjunction with the Mid Region Council of Governments to transform the Central Avenue railroad underpass and bring it above ground.
The Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant is part of a long-term initiative that would make it easier for pedestrians to move from several Downtown destinations to East Downtown and the proposed Innovate ABQ site.
Innovate ABQ, which would be at Central and Broadway Boulevard, is a collaboration between the city and UNM. The site is where the former First Baptist Church sits.
The pedestrian improvements would also tie into the First Plaza Galeria, where CNM plans to open an education center, and the Albuquerque Convention Center.

http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerq....html?page=all
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  #224  
Old Posted May 2, 2014, 8:53 PM
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New Downtown plans include entertainment district

Damon Scott
Reporter-
Albuquerque Business First

A city-owned plot of Downtown land could become a public-private commercial entertainment district.
The land is on the northeast corner of Central Avenue and First Street, adjacent to the Alvarado Transportation Center and the Theater Block, which features the Cinemark 14 Downtown. It has operated as a dirt parking lot for years and recently was paved with asphalt by the city.
City officials say the city will issue a request for proposals (RFP) soon, something they want to be a public-private collaboration.
The entertainment district is part of an overall effort by the city and others, including the Mid-Region Council of Governments, UNM, CNM and the private sector to transform Downtown, particularly near its border with East Downtown.
The city announced Friday that it is seeking a $15 million grant in conjunction with the MRCOG to transform the Central Avenue railroad pedestrian underpasses, bringing it above ground.

http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerq...-district.html
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  #225  
Old Posted May 5, 2014, 9:43 PM
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Super Downtown? City embarks on massive plans

Damon Scott
Reporter-
Albuquerque Business First

If the city’s Downtown Albuquerque plans coalesce as hoped, could the real and perceived barriers between the corridor and East Downtown melt away?
Last week, the city announced a slew of plans to revitalize Downtown. Those plans include an attempt to harness the momentum and opportunity already taking place with its EDo neighbors.
All the activity would have big implications for the city’s commercial real estate industry.
Perhaps the biggest opportunity for the city are the plans to transform the old First Baptist Church site at Central Avenue and Broadway Boulevard, which has sat vacant for years. Through a city partnership with UNM and others, the property is set to be purchased so that plans for Innovate ABQ can begin.
Innovate ABQ involves a lot of public-private entities, and its goal is to develop an Innovation District to spur new jobs and economic development. The site is across the railroad tracks, which puts it in the EDo corridor.

http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerq...a=twt&page=all
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  #226  
Old Posted May 5, 2014, 9:44 PM
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Oppedahl: Innovate ABQ purchase ‘imminent’

Dan Mayfield
Reporter-
Albuquerque Business First

The purchase of the former First Baptist Church site Downtown for Innovate ABQ is “imminent,” said the head of the city’s Economic Development Department, Gary Oppedahl.
“I think a lot people have been hearing me say we’d like to do that, now I know we’re going to do that,” he said.
The University of New Mexico has been negotiating to purchase the former church for several months.
Also, Oppedahl said, engineers from Dekker/Perich/Sabatini toured the old church Downtown and told the city it can save the large landmark sanctuary, as well as the building on the far south side of the seven-acre lot.
Innovate will be able to kick off its programs sooner, possibly this year, in the two-story, 45,000-square-foot building, he said.

http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerq...medium=twitter
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  #227  
Old Posted May 6, 2014, 4:56 PM
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Downtown plans pick up

By Alex Goldsmith
KRQE News 13

The heart of Albuquerque is still beating, but not as fast as it needs to.

“Successful cities have successful downtowns,” said Gilbert Montano, Mayor R.J. Berry’s chief of staff.

That’s part of why downtown Albuquerque has been the sight of big dreams and disappointments as city leaders have tried and tried to make downtown successful.

Albuquerque has a built-in disadvantage.

“As cities grow they tend to grow out and that’s what our typical policies have allowed,” said Michaele Pride, an architecture and urban planning professor at UNM. “This is one of our most dense areas but the activity on the street doesn’t reflect the mass and volume of building space.”

And with nearly 190 square miles of space, there’s been room to grow away from downtown. But Pride says a need for a more efficient infrastructure and use of resources is another reason why trying to better use downtown is vital.

Montano says there’s plenty of space to use. He calls Civic Plaza one of the city’s most under-utilitzed parks and acknowledges the Fourth Street Mall is in need of a big face lift.

But the good news is signs of change are either already here or in the works.

The Fourth Street Mall is set to get an overhaul over the summer. The plan is to open it up to more cars and hopefully, more business.

Albuquerque’s Convention Center is in the middle of a big renovation of its own.

Plans for Innovate ABQ, a collaboration between UNM, the city and the private sector, are moving forward at Central and Broadway. The Rail Yards are starting to come to life.

http://krqe.com/2014/05/05/downtown-...tm_source=t.co
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  #228  
Old Posted May 6, 2014, 4:56 PM
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Rail Yards Market draws thousands; will it accelerate development?

Damon Scott
Reporter-
Albuquerque Business First

The first Rail Yards market drew thousands of attendees to the city development just south of Downtown this weekend.
Organizers said a conservative attendance estimate was about 4,000 for the May 4 event, which took place in the 27,000-square-foot Blacksmith Shop on the 27-acre property.
Eric Griego was one of a dozen people involved in organizing the event. The former Albuquerque city councilor is a longtime resident of the Barelas Neighborhood, which abuts the Rail Yards at 1st Street and Hazeldine Avenue SW.
“It was great, we were overwhelmed and overjoyed,” Griego said. Griego also sits on the Rail Yards Advisory Board, which includes representatives from the Mayor Richard Berry administration and city, county and state officials, as well as neighborhood representatives.
What the Rail Yards might look like in the future is being negotiated under a master development agreement with California developer Samitaur Constructs. Samitaur is led by land-developer couple Frederick and Laurie Samitaur Smith, who tout one of their specialties as developing areas in blighted urban neighborhoods to spark activity and job creation.

http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerq...a=twt&page=all
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  #229  
Old Posted May 13, 2014, 3:26 PM
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What Are the Most Unexpected Brewery Cities in the U.S.?

outsideonline.com

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Portland, Denver, San Francisco, Seattle, and Milwaukee might be the U.S.’s most widely acknowledged beer cities, but don’t discount the underdogs. Here are five unexpected brewery towns worth rooting for.

With two dozen breweries in this southwestern hub of just more than 500,000 residents, Albuquerque is set to become a heavy hitter on the craft scene. In 2011, the Duke City’s La Cumbre Brewing Company took home top honors from the Great American Brew Festival for its Elevated IPA. New Mexico is high on hops, with breweries facing off each summer in the state’s IPA Challenge. Other acclaimed taprooms include Marble Brewery and Tractor Brewing.

http://www.outsideonline.com/adventu...in-the-US.html
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  #230  
Old Posted May 13, 2014, 5:51 PM
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Downtown’s Copper Square has potential buyer

Damon Scott
Reporter-
Albuquerque Business First

The almost 95,000-square-foot Copper Square office building in Downtown Albuquerque is under contract with a potential buyer.
John Henderson III, a director at NAI Maestas & Ward and a commercial real estate veteran, said he’s reported the property as a “sale pending” with the Commercial Association of Realtors (CARNM).
Henderson is not disclosing the potential buyer or terms but said that due diligence is underway. The building at 500 Copper Ave. NW was previously listed for $2.9 million.
Copper Square’s size recently increased. Henderson said the previous measurement of 65,592-square-feet rose to 94,275-square-feet after a new appraisal. Some speculated it would be a good candidate for a conversion to living units.

http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerq...r.html?ana=twt
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  #231  
Old Posted May 14, 2014, 1:48 AM
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Are you the only Albuquerque-ian on this board?

Good job on the updates BTW
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  #232  
Old Posted May 14, 2014, 2:58 PM
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Are you the only Albuquerque-ian on this board?

Good job on the updates BTW
That seems to be the case.
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  #233  
Old Posted May 14, 2014, 4:49 PM
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Albuquerque Convention Center face-lift on track for August completion

Staff
Albuquerque Business First

Completion of the massive $25 million renovation of the Albuquerque Convention Center is entering the home stretch.
Bradbury Stamm Construction said the time line for an August completion is on target. Lawrence T. Peterson, vice president of business development for Bradbury, said phase two is progressing well with new ceilings, doors, wall finishes and carpet.
“The ballroom balcony is underway with new structures, glass walls and doors looking over the Civic Plaza,” Peterson said. “The bell tower structure along Third Street has been completed, as well as the structure for the grand entry.”
Peterson said part of phase two includes installing energy-efficient LED light fixtures and a new state-of-the-art digital temperature control for the air conditioning and heating systems.
The exterior is being transformed as well, from designs by project architect Dekker/Perich/Sabatini. The exterior has been repainted, and stucco is being redone on some areas.

http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerq...-on-track.html
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  #234  
Old Posted May 15, 2014, 4:29 PM
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FedEx Ground may deliver massive facility to Albuquerque

Damon Scott
Reporter-
Albuquerque Business First

A massive FedEx Ground complex could land on Albuquerque’s Westside.
The multimillion-dollar facility would be near Unser Boulevard and I-40 and close to 200,000 square feet. The city’s Central and Unser Transit Center is nearby, as is a new Bruckner’s truck facility.
Russell Brito, manager of urban design and development at the city’s planning department, said the Environmental Planning Commission has approved the FedEx facility. Brito said a final sign-off is still in the works with the Design Review Board pending the resolution of some drainage requirements with the Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Flood Control Authority (AMAFCA) and city hydrology.
“FedEx’s agent has indicated that they are close to a conclusion and will make submittal to [the Design Review Board] soon,” Brito said.

http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerq...0&t=1400167805
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  #235  
Old Posted May 19, 2014, 3:07 PM
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Route 66 revitalization plan advances

By: Erica Zucco,
KOB Eyewitness News 4

The city says it's one step closer to implementing the Route 66 Action plan. The Environmental Planning Committee has approved the initial plan draft, and has recommended it for approval to city council.
66 Diner is one of a few places left in Albuquerque that serves your meal with a side of nostalgia.
"The Golden Age, the 60s, the nostalgia - which is part of New Mexico too," one patron said.
The city wants to bring that feeling back to the rest of the "Mother Road."
"I think it'll bring more visitors, especially to downtown, which is needed," one Albuquerque resident said.
An in-depth draft of the plan details what's ahead, including preservation of historic motels and milestones, financial perks for developers who build homes and shops to fill in gaps that dilute Route 66, a Route 66 visitor's center and improvements to solve a problem that hurts residents as much as visitors.

http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S...0#.U3odzNJdXZg
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  #236  
Old Posted May 19, 2014, 9:51 PM
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Mayor to NAIOP: ‘We are facing the jobs challenge head-on’

Damon Scott
Reporter-
Albuquerque Business First

Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry took his economic message to a sold-out crowd of hundreds of real estate executives, politicians and business leaders Monday.
The keynote address came in front of NAIOP, the commercial real estate development association, with an active and influential New Mexico chapter.
“We are facing the jobs challenge head-on,” Berry said. “We have a chance to diversify our economy here and across the state. We have to start growing our own.”
Berry was selling his Innovation District initiative, which has a lot of moving pieces. Those pieces include Innovate ABQ, the center point, at the former First Baptist Church on the edge of Downtown and East Downtown. That project is moving forward, Berry said, and will, he expects, create a “beehive affect” within its radius, which includes UNM and Downtown.
Downtown revitalization is also a huge piece of the economic puzzle, said Berry, referencing renovations of the 4th Street Mall, Convention Center and the Tiger Grant that he is seeking to transform the barrier between Downtown and East Downtown. Add Bus Rapid Transit to the mix too, which is currently in the development stage with the feds, and the new Living Cities grant. Berry thinks the revitalization of the Rail Yards is gaining momentum, too.
Berry spent much of his speech talking about the creative class. He said the economic trajectory of jobs in the U.S. is centered on that sector of the workforce that seek high-paying, knowledge-based jobs. Service sector jobs are on the increase, too, but working-class jobs such as manufacturing have largely taken a dive, he said.
Berry said Downtown is important because of its potential to become a live-work-play environment.

http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerq...34386&page=all
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  #237  
Old Posted May 20, 2014, 2:50 PM
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ABQ mayor announces new Downtown plans, Microsoft partnership

By Dan McKay
Journal Staff Writer

Mayor Richard Berry told business leaders this afternoon that he hopes to spark new redevelopment Downtown by offering a 1.75-acre swatch of city-owned land to developers, perhaps for an “entertainment hub.”

He and a representative from Microsoft Corp. also announced that the company will launch a “Digital Alliance” program in Albuquerque to help interest youngsters in science, technology, engineering and math.

Both efforts are part of the city’s plan to promote the east-Downtown area as an “Innovation District” that attracts students, researchers, entrepreneurs and others. The University of New Mexico, for example, is buying the old First Baptist Church site at Broadway and Central to serve as the headquarters of a high-tech research and development zone.

Berry said the city is preparing to seek proposals from developers interested in building an “entertainment hub” nearby, on a city-owned parking lot north of First and Central. The land, valued at roughly $1.4 million, lies just across the railroad tracks from the First Baptist site.

“I think this will be another great catalyst to draw people Downtown,” Berry told hundreds of business leaders and others gathered for a luncheon of NAIOP, the commercial real-estate development association.

The city could sell the land cheaply or lease it to a developer, depending on the interest generated by a request for proposals. The RFP will come in the next week or two.

http://www.abqjournal.com/402934/new...rtnership.html
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  #238  
Old Posted May 20, 2014, 10:05 PM
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That seems to be the case.
I'm here, too.
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  #239  
Old Posted May 21, 2014, 2:26 PM
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I'm here, too.
Yay!!!
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  #240  
Old Posted May 21, 2014, 3:01 PM
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Albuquerque among the best places to bike to work

Gary Gerew
Assistant Editor-
Albuquerque Business First

According to a look at the numbers compiled by NerdWallet, Albuquerque is among the top 20 urban areas to take your bike to work.
Since 2000, the share of bicycle commuters in the country’s population has increased by more than 61 percent, according to the website.
NerdWallet’s analysis looked at the best cities for cyclists by focusing on several factors in the 52 largest cities in the country.
That included the share of bicycle commuters in the total population; the number of bicyclist fatalities per 10,000 biking commuters in each city; the per capita dollar amount of federal transportation funds allocated to bike and pedestrian projects in each city; and the number of miles of bicycle lanes, paths and routes per square mile.

http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerq...k.html?ana=twt
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