[Neighbors] Route 66 nostalgia powers revitalization of Nob Hill Center. Heritage Cos. to revamp tenant mix, make physical upgrades over next two years

[Rebecca & David Steele]

Right on, Sam and Karin! I totally agree! The new parking rules will keep
people from shopping at the Co-op. This developer does not care about being
a neighborhood partner. Rebeca Steele.

On Fri, Apr 10, 2026 at 9:26 PM Sam Bawcum via Neighbors_nobhill-nm <
neighbors_nobhill-nm at mailman.swcp.com> wrote:

> So, Jim Long/Heritage envisions a community retail environment in which
> "We're not necessarily looking for big brands with a big balance sheet,
> we're looking for somebody who does something very unique and very
> special”, that would "play off the strengths of the area”.
>
> And yet, he considers the presence of La Montanita, a proven home-grown
> retail anchor and bulwark of Nob Hill for 50 years, as ""...a difficult
> one to operate out of for logistical reasons., giving preference to
> high-risk niche businesses (“antiques and found items, records and vinyl
> shop, retro game store, comic books, candy store, leather goods and hat
> shop”) and restaurants (average 1st year failure rates of 17% to 30%, and
> 5 year failure rates of 50%). A primary factor for the high rate of failure
> amongst these “handcrafted” retail ventures is high rent, minimal capital
> investment in actually maintaining the property, and the ever increasing
> rental rates.
>
> Rarely do retail property owners and managers vet businesses for
> sustainable planning and long-term financial stability. If the business can
> pony up the initial rent and deposits, that’s all that matters to the
> owner/management. Hence the high turn-over rate, and vacancies, in which
> the rent is increased between tenant occupancies in an upwardly spiraling
> unsustainable manner.
>
> As far as the paid parking setup, how are restaurants going to attract
> customers who must dine and dash within 1 hour? That is unless these
> "restaurants" are little more than drive-by pizzarias and coffee shops.  I
> don't think that falls into the category of "visionary" local chefs.
>
> Don’t be fooled by this so-called visionary.  The only true vision is
> projected increase in revenue at the expense of truly sustainable
> home-grown businesses and the community at large. They have no intention of
> compromising their profit motive over maintaining a sustainable thriving
> retail environment in Nob Hill.
>
> We require quality over quantity, long-term sustainability of short-term
> profitability.
>
> Nob Hill Main Street, and the local business association, and all Nob Hill
> residents should be scrutinizing and imposing as much oversight as possible
> upon any of Tom Long/Heritages designs in Nob Hill, holding them to account.
> *Sam Bawcum*
> FP-C,NR-Paramedic
> Flight/Critical Care/Remote/Offshore
> BSMT, AAS-EMS
> *+1 505.710.8418 *
> (Cell, WhatsApp)
>
>
> On Fri, Apr 10, 2026 at 3:56 PM kingkb via Neighbors_nobhill-nm <
> neighbors_nobhill-nm at mailman.swcp.com> wrote:
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I, too, saw this ~ looks pretty hopeful for nice work to come at Nob Hill
>> Center. Also nice to hear of hopes of keeping the Coop:)
>>
>> Thought I'd share a heads up I recently got that is worth attention.
>>
>> Apparently, parking will be (or has) significantly changed. The area
>> behind the Coop is no longer offering unlimited time for free parking. What
>> I heard (I had walked) is that you will need to scan a code from a parking
>> sign in order to get one hour of free parking. After that, it's expensive
>> (I was told $75 and up).
>>
>> Now, if someone out there knows this is not correct, I will thank you
>> bunches for setting me ~ and everyone I just cautioned ~ straight!
>>
>> Karen on Hermosa
>>
>>
>> On Apr 7 2026 10:02 AM, meyster1--- via Neighbors_nobhill-nm wrote:
>>
>> Forwarding this item from this morning's ABQ Journal for your interest.
>>
>> We still have a couple of newsletter routes that need delivery. If you
>> can help please email newsletter at nobhill-nm.com
>>
>>
>> New Mexico businessman Jim Long remembers the awe he felt as a kid
>> traveling along Route 66, enamored by the neon signs, unique diners and
>> history he encountered along the way.
>>
>> Long — now the founder and CEO of Heritage Cos., which owns many of the
>> state's prominent hotels and culturally significant properties — is hoping
>> to instill that same sense of discovery into Nob Hill Center, formerly Nob
>> Hill Business Center, at 3500 Central SE along old Route 66.
>>
>> Heritage acquired the 47,315-square-foot property in March of last year,
>> announcing plans to "preserve and revive the historic shopping center,"
>> Long previously said. Now, more than a year later, Long shared that
>> Heritage's vision for the property includes a renovation and leasing revamp
>> effort slated to begin this year.
>>
>> In addition to the new name, the project will include upgrading the
>> property with a new patio, classic awnings, fresh bold accent colors, new
>> signage, Route 66-inspired murals by local artists and an enhanced street
>> presence through improved softscaping, lighting and pathways.
>>
>> The aim of the upgrades is to create "a walkable, light-filled
>> destination that feels both nostalgic and newly alive," according to a
>> flyer outlining Heritage's vision for the property.
>>
>> Heritage will get started on the property's new awnings in about two to
>> three months, but construction on the remaining architectural upgrades will
>> likely begin this fall and wrap up early next spring, pending the necessary
>> permitting and a review from the city's Landmark Commission.
>>
>> The U-shaped property, built between 1946 and 1947, was New Mexico's
>> first modern suburban shopping center, according to its website. Today, Nob
>> Hill Center is home to several tenants, including a New Mexico United shop,
>> Gecko's Bar & Tapas, La Montañita Food Co-op and Organic Books — but the
>> tenant lineup will look a little different in the coming years.
>>
>> Over the next couple years, Heritage will be looking for tenants to fill
>> both the property's existing vacant spaces and spaces that they expect to
>> be vacant soon.
>>
>> One of these spaces is a former Italian restaurant by the name of Scalo,
>> which closed in August after the owners were hit with a sexual harassment
>> lawsuit and failed to find a buyer for the eatery.
>>
>> The space will remain a restaurant in Heritage's plans for the property,
>> Long said. Several prominent chefs have toured the space and are
>> considering it, he added, but nothing official has panned out yet.
>>
>> The center also has two small retail vacancies, but the majority of the
>> tenant revamp will occur in about two years — when the bulk of the center's
>> current leases expire, Long said.
>>
>> Heritage is also expecting the departure of some tenants for other
>> reasons, including New Mexico United, which will close its Nob Hill shop
>> when the soccer team's new facility is built. The company plans to add a
>> patio to the space and fill it with a dining option, Long said.
>>
>> La Montañita's presence in the center is also up in the air, as Long said
>> the community- owned grocery store's growth is making the Nob Hill location
>> a difficult one to operate out of for logistical reasons. But the co-op is
>> a tenant Heritage hopes to keep, so Long said the company is in talks with
>> La Montañita about building them a new location on the corner of Amherst
>> and Silver SE to help meet their and their customers' needs.
>>
>> If that occurs, it's unclear who would fill that space. Long said it
>> probably wouldn't be a grocery store, but it would be a tenant that aligns
>> with the company's overall vision for the property.
>>
>> "We see this as an opportunity to revitalize the center, invest some
>> capital in the property to bring it to a different level of physical
>> condition and then carefully curate a collection of tenants that we feel
>> will be the right mix for the future of this asset," Long said.
>>
>> In Heritage's view, the right mix includes tenants that are all local,
>> independent and offer "something rare, nostalgic or handcrafted," the
>> company's flyer says.
>>
>> "We're not necessarily looking for big brands with a big balance sheet,
>> we're looking for somebody who does something very unique and very
>> special," Long said, adding that Heritage is seeing high demand for rare
>> finds and experiences across its properties.
>>
>> In addition to handcrafted, the company wants to "play off the strengths
>> of the area" and create a vintage retro feel at the center by attracting
>> tenants that fit in some of the following categories: antiques and found
>> items, records and vinyl shop, retro game store, comic books, candy store,
>> leather goods and hat shop. Supporting local startups will also be a
>> priority for the center, Long said.
>>
>> "The Nob Hill Center is not a mall or marketplace," the company's Nob
>> Hill Center flyer says. "It's a curated community of local visionaries,
>> artisans and local chefs who embody the timeless appeal of Route 66:
>> adventure, authenticity and Americana."
>>
>> Over the last several years, the center "lost some of its luster," due to
>> challenges with ART bus construction, COVID closures and a shifting retail
>> landscape, Long and the flyer said. But with a selective tenant plan and
>> some of those challenges now behind Nob Hill — as well as this year being
>> the centennial of Route 66 — Long said he thinks now is the time for a
>> project like this.
>>
>> "It's all positive going forward," Long said. "There's a lot of new food
>> establishments that have been opening, and they're doing well. So things
>> are really shaping up nicely for Nob Hill, and it's exciting to be part of
>> that."
>>
>> Sent from my iPad
>>
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