Walkable Albuquerque, Almost a Surprise

Walkscore has evaluated the data amongst the largest US cities and our own growing metropolis has been ranked a respectable 21st. Considering we are the 33rd (I think) largest city in the country, I think that's quite admirable. Now if we could only convince ourselves that we are ready for real mass transit options, imagine how our scores would improve. Imagine if the surrounding cities (Rio Rancho, Bernalillo, Los Lunas, Belen, South Valley) invested in walkable neighborhoods - and no, i'm not talking about subdivisions with neat trails and parks. Oh the possibilities...

Not So Expo New Mexico

An aerial view of the Expo area shows just how much space is being consumed by land that could be adding value to our tax base. Don't get me wrong, I'm not of the "grow, grow, grow" mantra, I just believe that this land has served its purpose and it is time to evolve. The Arabian Horse Show and PBR Rodeo Series are not returning any time soon. The Scorpions have moved on to the City of Vision but no gutters. Even the Downs are on their way to Moriarty. So what do we do with all of this land?

Some have suggested a new arena and expo center. Don't we already have one that we are currently paying for downtown in need of hotel rooms? The same thing will be necessary at this location except this location has zero in the way of infrastructure. Some people counter that the expo grounds provide greater access for the greater public. I would have to question whether they lived anywhere west of I-25 because this location is much more isolated and has far greater limited access from the freeways. In addition, the RailRunner provides direct access to our existing convention center/(possible arena).

Many citizens argue that investing in major public transit systems such as light-rail is a waste of money because of the high initial cost of implementation. What they nearly always forget to take into account is the effect such infrastructure has on its environment. For example, increasing the amount of buses along Central Ave will never convince a developer to spend his money on a location when he knows that a city can, at any moment, redirect such forms of transit. Conversely, if a city spends money on transportation infrastructure such as rail, a developer knows that he/she can expect a certain level of traffic near his development for some time to come - potentially till the building is paid for.

To make a long story short, it's going to take an investment from the public to change how our city is growing. We can't expect the "market" to do it for us. We'll never convince a developer to give us the arena we want without paying him/her back. There is no private company in the world that builds and operates a revenue generating mass transit system because it does not exist. These are basic infrastructure projects only we can invest in and build. We'll always have a Dallas/Phoenix-like city as long as we piss and moan about our quality of life and lack of options if we aren't willing to make the effort to change ourselves. It's like your home; if you aren't making investments in upgrading or maintaining, then it's probably not increasing in value.

Salt Lake City, a place laid out much like our very own metropolitan area has made the initial investment and now the nearby cities are literally fighting over who will get the right to obtain a train stop for commuters along with the walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods associated with this type of development. See the pictures below. Wouldn't this site be a terrific location, between downtown and uptown, to capture such a new form of development?


The amount of space available at Expo New Mexico lends itself to hundreds of uses. From new office space, single family detached homes, urban living, parks, soccer fields, etc. Oh the possibilities...

Fresh Renderings

I think this looks better than what they advertised early on in the design process as seen on BAT, here (scroll down).

The North side of the building along Silver Ave.
Courtyard View.
Overall plan.
I wouldn't mind the windmills as they were a bit whimsical and cool looking. I definitely think this design is slightly more elegant than the generic looking structure they originally proposed. Overall, I would have liked to have seen another level or two. Additionally, I hated that this concept provides a garage on three sides but I forget that the Lead overpass covers most of the southern facade. Hopefully the parking structure is attractive and arty like the PNM garage. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that the property to the west provides some increased density. Eight stories isn't too much to ask for is it?

Get It Together Already

Touching on a topic that is quite near and dear to me is Albuquerque's lack of ability to keep young intellectual capital. Young professionals that move here to work for up and coming technology companies as well as our established institutions are often faced with the prospect of remaining in the city with great outdoor activities, a little funky culture, neat little museums and aquarium, or move on to cities that contain the types of amenities and varying nightlife that is so desirable among late 20 through early 40-somethings.

Meanwhile, cities such as Des Moines, Omaha, Oklahoma City, etc. are investing in their inner cities attempting to raise their status among liveable cities. All this effort is to ultimately attract the companies we take for granted that are landing and growing in our very own backyards. They are investing in the beautifying of their civic parks, building arenas and concert halls, building amazing pedestrian bridges over newly developed riverfronts and selecting world-renowned architects to design stunning public libraries. They are actively supporting the networks that are encouraging indie musics latest names as well as supporting artists in an effort to build on their current assets.

Mayor Chavez, on the other hand, appears to be gung ho on making our city a place for families. Meanwhile, he's forgetting about the 50% of adults whom command greater disposable income whom are increasingly looking to dwell in cities that provide them the quality of life that assists them in maintaining a desired quality of life. With companies like Fidelity, Schott Solar, Advent, and a slew of other nascent companies, we now have the companies from which to bank our future. But what is somehow being forgotten is the maintenance and update required in our growing city. In the last decade, we've added an interchange, small updates to our museums and that's all I can remember. In the meantime, we have created tax increment financing districts to subsidize family-friendly sprawling developments dependent on a driving public and expanded utility services in a metropolitan area that is rapidly approaching 1 million residents.
Last month the New York Times released a study which showed the average distances people commute to work. Our county did not prove to be friendly to those looking for jobs close to home. Increasingly, people have moved to the west side where jobs have been slow to come. Furthermore, instead of investing in downtown and encouraging companies to locate downtown, the city has taken no responsibility in any part of this "planning." When Blue Cross Blue Shield was looking for a location to build it's new headquarters, it was rumored that the final decision was made by a managed who based it on its proximity to her home. The city, instead, should have been at the table and suggesting a location that currently remains an empty parking lot or decaying property somewhere nearer to the inner city where workers could potentially take the bus or Rail Runner. I won't complain about the architecture of the new facility because I am a big fan, but I detest the location because it is literally on the edge of the city limits.
Similarly, while the RailRunner has been in operation for nearly two years, zero transit-oriented development has been built to take advantage of the current market. These villages, in other cities, have become interesting centers for citizens of all types to live, work and play. The live, work and play tag is becoming so cliche it's almost annoying but there is great value in the concept. Cities across the country are striving to develop mass transit in an effort to create these districts because of the revenue they generate due to the demand by citizens looking for such a lifestyle. Somehow, our city has managed to stifle and squander this opportunity.

Bad Council, Bad

What a mistake the council has made in rejecting this project. The neighborhood nimby's shouldn't have the power that this city has granted them. What a terrible precedence. This is the type of project that the city should be encouraging along Central Ave. From the Rio Grande up to San Meteo. What a great transition from an urban avenue (Central) to a neighborhood. I hope Sheffield Partners continues its efforts to develop in our sometimes impossible city.

Traffic Congestion

A brilliant plan. I was skeptical at first but how is this not a terrific option? Rail-Runner, Rapid Ride, Convention Center proximity, maintenance of the existing Baptist church, aesthetically pleasing train track awnings. There will always be naysayers who will whine and complain. Traffic congestion and parking shouldn't even be an issue when discussing this project as it lies in the core of our downtown. People should not have the option of parking in a lot 200 feet from the door as there is plenty of on-street parking and parking garages within a quarter mile of the facility as designed. As far as I'm concerned, the Fairgrounds need to be developed into a mixed-use community a-la Mesa del Sol for mixed-income residents complete with beautiful public spaces for weekend soccer matches and picnics. Expo centers are mere relics as "the city" is the new arena for such activities.
Over on DukeCityFix, someone said that Albuquerque needs to study other cities and stop thinking for itself. I must second this motion. Dozens of cities have taken this route and none have been disappointed with the results. Charlotte is one of those cities (shown above) where they have managed to build an arena and transit station a block apart. As a result, a new office building, Four Seasons hotel and performing arts center have followed. Albuquerque is falling behind in offering its citizens the amenities people look for in a hometown. Despite the opinions of some, there are plenty of young citizens making lots of dough in the Duke City. Sadly, we're often forced to hit the road to Denver, Phoenix, Dallas, Chicago, San Francisco, etc. to see our favorite bands and get a taste of city life. ABQ has so much to offer and it is so close to offering the variety and flavor that is so desirable for young folk but for one reason or another, the small minded, conservative people tend to get their way in our city and, thus, finds itself static while cities like Omaha, Des Moines, Tulsa, Austin, Charlotte, etc. make impressive progress in recreating their cities and attracting college educated residents who actually stay awhile.

I say stop wasting our money on repetitive studies and BUILD IT ALREADY!

More Downtown Housing

This is terrific and surprising news. A new 72-unit mixed-income, 4+ story mixed-use building on Lomas and 2nd. Nice! With the new brewery a few blocks north, redevelopment of the Plaza Maya, and now this, perhaps this will be the foundation for new life on downtown's north end. All we need now is for a developer to coin the area a catchy four letter word like NoDo, NoLo, etc. Then we'll be on our way.

I always thought 1st Street, north of the Convention Center, would make an awesome main street neightborhood with retail and entertainment.

Wrong and Right

Greetings from Tejas. I thought I was moving here for the money which would, obviously, mean an improvement in quality of life, but I was wrong. What I gained was about 5.2 million more neighbors and the associated "amenities" that accompany such populations like pro sports, live music from nearly anyone you'd ever want to see, as well as the ability purchase imported goods from any store you could ever think of. What they don't tell you in the fine print is what traffic is like in a city that believes roads will satisfy the masses and associated headaches it causes when trying to live life. And as we all know, time is money.


After driving around this city for nearly a half a year and observing development patterns along with discussions concerning these topics, I can't help but feel like our own Duke City has been watching and mimicking the wrong city all along - Dallas, TX.

We have a frontage road along I-25 just like most roads in the metroplex. We encourage sprawling development for the sake of our growing tax base without regards for future associated infrastructure needs (although I will say that Dallas fell in love with toll roads some time ago). The largest similarity I see between the cities is an overall disregard for downtown. In a city that recently became the 4th largest in the country, downtown Dallas' peers would be places such as Cincinnati and Cleveland. The city has done nothing to make improvements in years, it would appear. Meanwhile, cities such as Seattle, Denver, San Francisco, Chicago, Atlanta and the list continues, these places are throwing money at their inner city infrastructure because they have seen what just slight improvements have done for the reputations and for their tax bases.

Meanwhile, three hours to the south, Austin is moving along like a Bugatti Veyron with all 16 cylinders at max efficiency. They have done a decent job of catching up on freeway construction that lagged for a couple decades, they have managed to develop a reputation for outdoor sports (in Texas!), and they have managed to plan and implement a downtown that is quickly becoming the best CBD in Texas and possibly even the region. There are several emerging neighborhoods, high ends restaurants and bars, modest restaurants and bars, theatres, hotels, new office buildings, and even several new condo towers. Best yet, no one is complaining about all the partying occuring both 6th and 4th street....and Red River.

The key here is and always will be collaboration. Austin's leaders have embraced the power of a revitalized core. Mayor Marty can tout our revitalized core all he wants but he's never done a thing to get it to where it is at this early stage of redevelopment. The arena and the streetcar/light-rail projects are essential if our town is to ever make a move toward becoming the type of city Austin, Denver, Portland, etc. have become. We're quickly gaining kudos for our new industries and our bikeability. How much harder is to go the extra step and kick this revitalization into high gear already?

HDIC - Really?

The Business Weekly published an article describing the Jonathan Rose projects that should begin to take physical shape within the next several weeks. They speak of 191 residential units of which 66 are to be rental units (weren't they originally saying 110?) and a collection of residential units from $261,600 to $495,650. I don't even want to get into a long rant here but wtf? Didn't they try that with the Gold Avenue lofts with little success? Aren't there enough townhomes over in the Silver Lofts phase I and II? Not to mention, these residential units will be on the ground level across the street from a regional transit center. Is this the right context for three levels (and if we're lucky, 4) of residential? Not that it can't be done but I can't think of a single city in the world that has done this without using a ginormous park to separate uses. My hope in Jonathan Rose is nearly lost. HDIC holds the cards to something I am not confident they even understand. We can't find a developer willing to make an investment that is not reminiscent of what we'll be seeing in ABQ Uptown's "urban setting?"

Civic Pride

Once again I'm taking this opportunity to compare my new city to my home. For years now I have heard nothing but the negatives about the city of Dallas, from its horrible traffic and conservative attitude to its general lack of physical appeal. After a month of exploration, I can attest to the horrible traffic but the other two are yet to reveal themselves. Now, granted, my viewport has not yet reached across the metroplex into the Fort Worth side but the sheer enormity of this city isn't conducive to simple exploration in limited time.

I'll begin with the infrastructure. There is an obvious lag in infrastructure just as you can see in every major city across the country. Most major freeways and interchanges within the city are crumbling and are no where near meeting the demands of a daily rush hour. However, there is an obvious effort to not only catch up, but rebuild aesthetically pleasing projects to meet demand for decades to come. I'm not a fan of the lone star that's plastered on everything but it is a symbol of pride and is rarely mistaken for anything other than that.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is also working hard to change the minds of onlookers with it's impressive bus schedules and it's light rail and commuter rail lines. According to the downtown business alliance, over 33% of the 110,000 downtown employees ride the train to work daily. Simply impressive. Equally impressive is the transit oriented development around several of the stations, particularly Mockingbird Station. This project is hardly inconspicuous driving down 75. From the train, the footprint of the next phase of the project is nearly mind blowing.

I bring all this up only to bring light to what I see as a shortfall in too many projects that pass through the planning department in ABQ. The ATC, ABQ Uptown, the Big I. Granted, each project was nice, but just that, nice. Our very own union station resembles a small city bus station from 1900 instead of a 21st century multimodel facility. ABQ Uptown looks no better than a shopping center in a midwestern suburb. And now the city and state are paying to beautify our interchange at a price that would be a decent start to a new interchange over on Paseo Del Norte.We talk about light-rail. We talk about transit oriented development. We talk about large civic projects left and right but yet we don't feel that we deserve anything more than a landscaped median.

I think it's about time we dressed this city up and deck her out for the big ball. We must hold planners and developers accountable for our built environment. Yes, those Sandia Mountains sure do give us something beautiful to gaze upon, but having to peer beyond uninspired, generic architecture, smog and weeds sure does put a damper on things.

Furthermore, I had the opportunity to attend the Texas State Fair. After also having seen the Iowa State Fair I now fully believe it is time to let go of our fairgrounds in its current location. Main St, Tingley and the Downs are mere shanti homes compared to their peers.

Central and 8th

Does anyone have detailed information? Developer? Renderings? sounds impressive (see comments)...

Big D - D for Development

Today I had an opportunity to see what downtown Dallas looks like in the daylight and I can safely say that our nation's fourth largest metropolitan area really lacks a true core. Don't get me wrong, 125,000 people work in a variety of small, classic midrise buildings to some impressive, modern skyscrapers. However, there's a significant lack of attention paid to landscaping and general "curb appeal." According to their website, there are less than 3,000 residential units located in the CBD. There appears to be an effort in an area called the West End that's tucked into a corner of the CBD. It's an old warehouse district that's been converted to offices, restaurants and bars. The interesting thing about this area is it's somehow generic feel. I can't tell if I'm in the Old Market area of Omaha, a section of Lodo in Denver, or Pioner Square in Seattle. These areas have become so alike as though General Properties or Simon developed them and Dallas adds to this feeling by allowing chain restaurants to overrun the area. Regardless, it's a start in a CBD in need of variety and excitement.

Fortunately, once you cross the central expressway you come to the Uptown area complete with multi-story apartments, condos and highrise condominiums and hotels. This area has what the new urbanists refer to as the "there there." It has a sense of place that draws many people to it for it's interesting shops and restaurants as well as it's scale, density and cleanliness. The multitude of apartments in the area draw thousands of young professionals to the area in droves and it is this sense of place that I'm pretty sure is what's missing the most in our beloved Duke City.

At the beginning of the decade, Mayor Baca made a commitment to downtown revitalization that set the city abuzz with excitement for rebirth. That sense of place has slowly developed with the ABQHigh loft apartments but unfortunately, there has been little effort to build upon that success. HDIC tried to cash in on the trend by jumping directly into the condo market across the train tracks without realizing that 100 apartments does not constitute a market. Developer after developer have come to build more and more for-sale condos but what all these developers fail to recognize is that it takes youth to create the type of urban community that most people desire...and youth aren't looking for mortgages, just a comfortable and exciting community be a part of.

Don't Mess with Texas

This is officially my last blog (for now) as a Burqueno. As of Friday, I will be a citizen of the city of Dallas, Texas. I think this is karma for talking so much smack about that state that's like a whole other country but it is an opportunity and job that I couldn't refuse at this time.

Alas, I plan to stay on top of the news here in the Q and will blog from time to time as these big projects start to break ground in and around downtown. I will also discuss a bit about Dallas and how it may relate to our beloved Duke City.

Tim

Of Thoughts and Freeways

Upon my return from a weekend trip to greatest city on the planet, San Francisco, thoughts of development and comparisons of structural factors that create places have filled my mind. What makes a city "work"? Is Joel Kotkin right when he argues that cities are attractive because they are cheap? Or is it Richard Florida's hypothesis regarding the creative class that wins this debate? Ooh, I know, maybe it's a balance of both.

Anyhow, our fair city is in the middle of a struggle to determine how our future will shape up. Will we invest our money in a freeway loop and further interstate expansions or will we invest that money in mass transportation systems? Ooh, I know, maybe it can be a balance of both.

After this trip, I'm reminded of San Francisco's decision to squash plans for a rather elaborate freeway system in favor of what we have come to know. More recently, the city changed a portion of the onramp to the 101 from an elevated expressway portion to a typical street, pushing the expressway further out of the city center. Boston comes to mind at this juncture as they've spent a decade relocating their expressway below ground to stengthen their urban form and continuity.

I think that what makes this decision so difficult for our city to make is that we are not only a city center in a middle of a mega urban region. We have far more interests at stake here with everyone from farmers to suburbanites to urban dwellers. It's no wonder we have such a difficult time making decisions. Here is where our sector plans and neighborhood associations come into play. It is up to us to determine what our future holds.

For a few minutes here, however, I'd like to assume the duty of determining that future for everyone. Draw an imaginary line along Coal to San Mateo, along San Mateo to I-40, I-40 to the Rio Grande, and back to Coal. For this entire area, I'd like to see only urban development lining every major street. No more setbacks, no more drive throughs, FAR requirements, and limited parking requirements. Outside of that boundary, business as usual. However, I think new developments should follow the Mesa del Sol model and be entirely master planned with new urbanistic ideals. Oh, and I'd like to see a preservation of intercity farmland.

Attempting to not oversimplify the entire argument, we need to create a need to build upward as opposed to outward. In a heartbeat, I would support an urban growth boundary to nudge development in that direction. However, I'm unsure that I live in a city whose ideals tend toward a socialistic approach that would suggest that we're all in this together. It's the wild west here and I get the feeling that far too many people only care about their home and the 150 feet surrounding their property.

Uptown Girl

What we were promised. (above)

Alright, as if I felt that ABQ Uptown was not living up to its hype before, have you seen the La Bella Spa that is opening? This two story structure faces THE PARKING LOT. Streetside along Indian School is a wall and a couple of doors.

Who's the architect on this projoect? That's right, it's supposedly this state's leader in design. I won't drop any names but we all know who they are as their name is posted on every corner that a major project is occuring.

This is a sign that things aren't right. However, hopefully ABQ Uptown will be reason enough for people to ask for better design with all of downtown's upcoming projects. Since no one will ever actually get that urban feeling in uptown, downtown through Nob Hill along Central Ave. will easily become the people's favorite.

Speaking of good design, did you see this? Cities like Vancouver and Portland did not happen because the city let developers run amok, instead you get Houston. Hell, ABQ Uptown is what happens when you trust a developer, sadly. It's not even mixed use! It's segregated! But I digress....

That Whole Arena Thing

Where will I park? Won't it be too congested downtown? Is that really the best location for such a venue?

Before the city throws an approximately $300 million project on our ballots in the fall (or spring), the officials really need to begin to address the issues that the voting, and paying, public are going to have with the project.

Anytime a project is proposed anywhere in this city, the first question that arises is always, "Will there be enough parking?" It's like a knee jerk reaction - or a violent, unnecessary heave if you will. What people don't know is the cost associated with the ability to have a parking spot for each and every individuals pretty little automobile or big-ass, over sized, under-used, impeccable truck. A single space in a parking garage will run in the realm of $15,000 dollars per space. I won't defend my number but I will say this is a decent average number. That's a lot of money for space that will sit empty most of the time. Let's say the center had an event every night, the space would still sit empty for 20 hours a day. Add that price tag to the potential revenue lost by not developing that parking garage into inhabited space, whether that be office, residential or retail, and you're talking major dollars to subsidize something that could be making money for the entire city.

Between the Convention Center, Civic Plaza, the new garage on 2nd and the Acropolis on 3rd and Copper, you've got over 2,000 spaces and each within two blocks of the arena. Add in the street parking in the vicinity and the lot on the east side of the tracks, we're probably near 4,000 spaces. 4,000 cars with 4 people per car gives you a full arena, 16,000 people. Take some of those people and put them on trains and busses or even, (hold your breath for this one), walking and biking, and you can see that there is hardly a need for a whole lot of parking.

"But what about the congestion?" Seeing as downtown already handles 25,000 employees daily with ease, events at the center should be a walk in the park. Don't get me wrong, it's like as "convenient" as walking two acres of parking spaces like at your local Wal-Mart, but it's still hardly an issue.

Regarding the arenas exterior design, I've found my favorite rendering; this one for a new arena in Seattle as they scratch and claw to keep their Sonics.

On the interior, I'm fairly sure we'll see the U-shape configuration that allows for future expansion without a need for extra land. As you can see in the photo of Omaha's Quest Center, one end of the arena has only a lower bowl seating area.

I've got my fingers crossed that we'll see some renderings come out of Garfield Traub in the near future. I don't have solid information regarding the architect involved with the selected team but I'm assuming HOK is involved. I've also heard rumors that Bart Prince might be involved as well. I'll always take Tony Predock, too.

Summer 2007

Alright. I know. I went far too long without a post. I'm sorry. But in my defense, I've been traveling about a bit, applying for jobs and changing place of residence. Alas, I have pics to share that I'll use to make my not-so-creative post.

So, while we get to observe three residential projects being erected simultaneously (BelVedere, Anasazi and Silver Lofts), we got a peak into what the future may hold with the Blue Dot's rendering of Packard Place. We can only hope for this project's success so one day we may have views similar to this:


OK, maybe that's a bit extreme but the density and modern architecture would be a terrific addition.

Behind closed doors, deals are being ironed out to give us a project that will potentially prove to be a boon to downtown development and popularity...


Hopefully the architecture we (might) get is more inspired, but even this project is encouraging residential and office development in a historically depressed area.

So combine an already healthy residential construction market to the opportunity to capitalize on nearly 1 million annual visitors to the area via arena events. Then throw in an already positive press about declining vacancies...

...and we will likely see new plans for more of these:


And while developers and investors flock to our bustling city to design our latest skyline-changing architectural gems that scrape the clouds, we'll hope the developers and planners work together to leave public space for which we will pay artists vast sums of money to give us giant, shiny legumes such as this one:

In the meantime, we get to gaze upon this brilliantly simple project...


...while we await official renderings and press releases regarding our favorite gossip piece:
Thank you, "Roswell", for granting me permission to use your rendering :)

Proposals, Proposals

Last weeks 30-story tower proposal plus news about other developments finally making headway has this place buzzing. Finally! A good topic was raised by Brendisimo which I feel is an important question the city needs to be asking: What does the future hold regarding the densification of the city?


I have thought a lot about this and concluded that I like the idea of moderate densities along select major corridors such as Lomas, Central, San Mateo, University, 4th St., and perhaps a bit more on West Central beyond the Rio Grande. I think most of those Boulevards and Streets are wide enough to support light rail or streetcars and most are lined with strip malls that could easily be converted to 3 to 6-story mixed-use developments. I really think this city has an opportunity to do something unique by United States standards by going with this style of development. Many citizens in our city enjoy the sunny skies and vistas that I think would be washed out by canyons of tall structures. This photo below is of Barcelona. I think this could be a terrific model for the area around Central and SanMateo with slightly lower densities elsewhere.



HOWEVER, I think there should be a line drawn around downtown where the sky's the limit. I don't foresee us ever building anything aboove 50 stories, and I'm not even sure that's a possibility with the soils and aquifer.

And lastly, speaking of possibilities; I think the post office facility at Lomas and Broadway will be the next major development in the downtown area. Hopefully the post office will see the potential for the area and decide to build a new facility sooner than later. I say we aim for 10,000 new residents and 5,000 new jobs downtown by 2015. What say ye?

30-Story (possibly more) Condo Tower - The Residences at Packard Place

Thanks to Mario, UrbanABQ is able to break a little news - ok, huge news. Here is it everyone, the kind of development we've all been quietly hoping and wishing for our downtown skyline:

From their website:

"[The Company has assembled eight city lots in the downtown Albuquerque area providing a floor plate of 30,000 square feet. BDC plans to develop the tallest high-rise condominium towers in New Mexico containing 408 residences priced from the low 200’s to one million dollars in the penthouse suites. Packard Place will be located in the core of Downtown Albuquerque’s West End. The development will include retail/commercial space on the ground level, 8 levels of parking containing over 700 parking spaces, a 30,000 square foot community floor and 20 floors of residences.]"

Renderings to come

More Downtown Residential..finally...

Ok, it has finally been posted. Jonathon Rose finally added the downtown Albuquerque project to their website and here is the rendering:

According to the website, the near side of 2nd St is to have 53 live/work studios, 140 mixed-income units and a 210-space parking garage. The second phase, on the west side of 2nd St. is to have 76-136 townhomes depending on the demand and market at the time of construction.

I am excited at the idea of nearly 300 new residences downtown. Also, 140 apartments (if that's the correct assumption) is a welcome addition to the condo happy area. I have no doubt the apartments will fill up upon completion seeing as the AHS loft apartments and San Felipe Apts are filled and have waiting lists the last I heard. I wish we would get a little more density seeing as this is officially the CBD. 6 stories? 8? That's not too much to ask for I don't think.

Anyhow, it's nice to see this project moving forward. A rendering is just what the doctor ordered in a time when we haven't seen many proposals come forward.