A rendering of what RBMM developers are proposing to do on County’s land on 20th Street. Courtesy/LAC
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
So many plans have been proposed for the 3 acres of Los Alamos County-owned land on 20th Street. It was going to feature an extended-stay hotel; then sub-dividing and selling parcels to bring in businesses was considered; now a new plan is being proposed.
Los Alamos County Council first heard about this newest proposal during its July 29 meeting. An ordinance to sell the property to RBMM developers to bring a mix of housing and retail space was introduced during its Aug. 5 meeting and a public hearing on the sale will be held Aug. 26.
The proposal is to sell the land to RBMM for $1.7 million, Housing and Special Projects Manager Dan Osborn said.
The plan, he said, is to construct approximately 285 housing units that range from one to three-bedroom market-rate rental apartments as well as approximately 25,000 square feet of retail space and a wrapped cast-in-place parking structure. It won’t be all steel and concrete, the plan is to integrate the property into the adjacent Canyon Rim Trail system as well as offer a public park.
The County would contribute to this development, too.
Osborn reported that the County will contribute $3.6 million, on a reimbursement basis, to the design and installation of a new traffic signal at 20th Street and Trinity Drive, intersection improvements and road striping to connect to the downtown, which would include pedestrian crossings on Trinity Drive, expanded street parking on 20th Street and street lighting improvements.
This investment is worthwhile because it will help Los Alamos achieve the goals outlined in many County plans, Osborn said, and that goal is to revitalize the downtown area.
“The ability to provide housing appropriate for changing consumer preferences in a high-tech, high-skill workforce can be achieved by integrating urban living into the downtown,” Osborn said. “These areas include mixed-use retail space, providing amenities like restaurants, bars, shops, commercial services and public spaces. The adopted County plans and the DTLA (downtown Los Alamos) rezoning district anticipate and encourage the necessary and appropriately higher density mixed use buildings that include buildings up to seven stories in height. This level of development ensures the critical mass of people and shops for effective placemaking in support of a vibrant and thriving downtown community…”
RBMM representative Russell Brott echoed this sentiment.
“Our project places strong emphasis on increasing residential density in a thoughtful way, which is crucial to create a lively downtown eco-system,” Brott said. “By incorporating a diverse mix of housing types, including more family friendly units, we can support long-term residents and attract new ones who want to live close to work, shops and services. Importantly, our design encourages walkability through compact, pedestrian-friendly development where daily needs are accessible without relying on cars. This helps activate downtown streets, support local businesses and fosters spontaneous social interaction – key ingredients for a thriving urban core.”
He added that this project is a chance to strengthen the physical and visual connections between the Canyon Rim Trail, 20th Street and Ashley Pond Park through new pathways, trail linkages and public amenity spaces like an expanded Central Park playground and small amphitheater aimed at getting people to explore and gather.
This does come at a price; as Councilor Ryn Herrmann noted, the property will not offer workforce housing.
“We are looking at the spectrum,” Osborn said. He pointed out the RBMM is a part of the 9th Street Apartment affordable housing project and higher rents can subsidize retail spaces, allowing small businesses to move in.
“(It) just gives us a little more flexibility in being able to get those shops into a vibrant area with a high residential base to spend that money, to be able to go to those shops …,” Osborn said.
Should this project move forward, Councilor Randall Ryti wondered what the timeline would be for the project.
Osborn said there would be due diligences included in the development agreement, then the purchase of property would need to be closed and then ground could be broken on the development. The drop-dead date for beginning construction would be 63 months after closing. While this sounds like a long time, Osborn said the developers are motivated to get going as quickly as possible.
Once the due diligence is completed, Brott said construction is expected to take two years.
Councilor David Reagor wondered about parking on the property.
Osborn said the parking would be internal to the building and it would be structured parking. There would be about 400 parking spaces.
RBMM’s Marcel Montoya added that there would be four levels of parking with one level below grade.
Council Vice Chair Suzie Havemann asked what the timeline would be for the public improvements.
Osborn said it was anticipated that everything would be finished by the time a certificate of occupancy is awarded.
Havemann also asked about any sustainability measures the project would take. Montoya said the hope is to have the project get certified gold by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, but the project’s design will incorporate sustainable measures by nature.
This is not the first proposal the council has reviewed for the 20th Street property. In 2019, it approved an ordinance adopting an economic development project for public support, which is a grant of 6 parcels on 20th Street, to TNJLA LLC. TNJLA LLC planned to build an 86-room extended-stay hotel on the land as well as a conference center that would accommodate between 250-300 people. However, the economic development agreement was terminated in 2022 when TNJLA was unable to provide sufficient evidence to the County for securing a construction financing commitment.
In 2023, the County sold one of the parcels of land to Cyndi Wells of Pet Pangaea to construct a two-story building that would provide 7,500 square feet of retail space for the pet supply business and four apartments on the second floor. The purchase agreement also was terminated.