Rendering of a multi-use development on County-owned land on 20th Street. The County Council unanimously approved an ordinance to sell the 3-acre property to RBMM during Tuesday’s meeting. Courtesy/LAC

By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com

The Los Alamos County-owned land located on 20th Street has been vacant for a long time but perhaps that will now change; the for-sale sign is being removed in hopes that in its place there will be a mixed-use development.

During its meeting Tuesday night, County Council unanimously approved an ordinance to sell the 3 acres of land for $1.7 million, the appraised value of the property, to RBMM Development LLC and Brott Real Estate LLC.

The plan is that RBMM will construct approximately 285 housing units, which will be market rate rental apartments, as well as about 25,000 square feet of retail space and a wrapped cast-in-place parking structure.

RBMM also promises to integrate the Canyon Rim Trail into its development plans and offer a public park.

According to agenda documents, included in the purchase agreement are the following:

• A $10,000 due diligence earnest money deposit will be provided.
• The developer is obligated to pursue final approval for a complete site plan application.
• The developer will provide and execute all necessary easements for the development, including for the
• Canyon Rim Trail, which will be incorporated into the final site plan and shown on the final plat.
• The developer will provide public benefits through on- and off-site public improvements.

For the County’s part, it will provide, on a reimbursement basis, approximately $3.6 million for trail connections, design and installation of a new traffic signal, intersection improvements and road striping, expanded on-street parallel parking and streetlighting.

Throughout the course of the project being constructed, Councilor Beverly Neal-Clinton wondered how the County’s financial interests would be protected.

Housing and Special Projects Manager Dan Osborn said during the due diligence period, the site plan approval process and the permit approval process, there will be different off-ramps, so “if something is found during that time, either party can cancel the contract and just depending on who cancels the contract, gets to keep the money, so there are a number of different off-ramps for that, should they decide not to proceed with the project, we would get a little bit of money from the earnest side, if we were to decide to terminate for some reason there would be cost to us on that.”

As far as the public improvements, Osborn emphasized that those dollars are on a reimbursement basis.

“It is actually much cheaper for them to do that because it relieves us from having separate mobilization costs, separate contracting costs … it is a net savings to the taxpayers,” he said.

Councilor David Reagor asked if there are any penalties included in the contract if the developers fail to complete the project on its timeline.

Osborn said there are no penalties but added it is in everyone’s best interest to finish the development on time. Regarding the deadline for the project, it is expected to be finished in 2033.

However, “We believe everyone is motivated to get it going much sooner than that … 2028,” Osborn said.

As far as what could be found in the commercial spaces, Councilor Randall Ryti and Vice Chair Suzie Havemann asked what type of businesses could be expected.

Osborn said no preferences are given but the hope is that it will be retail.

Council Chair Theresa Cull wondered what the pricing would be for the rental units.

RBMM Representative Russell Brott said there is no pricing plan yet, but said the goal is to have the rental units at market rates so that the prices for the commercial spaces can be affordable to businesses.

“We want to create this active energy between Ashley Pond and the Canyon Rim Trail and one of the best ways for us to do that is to activate the retail spaces as quickly as we can,” he said. “So, for us to go in lower than it might otherwise be in terms of return on investment makes sense for us to do that.”

Developing 20th Street has had a rough history. Other development projects such as an extended-stay hotel and conference room were approved but abandoned so some at the council meeting wondered if this new project would be successful.

Speaking during public comment, resident Lisa Shin wondered about the sale price and if the property was worth more. She also pointed out that while there’s a wish for commercial spaces to be affordable, RBMM is not contractually obligated to do that.

“The immediate need for small businesses in our town is affordable space to rent and own,” she said. “I keep hearing story after story of entrepreneurs being forced out of their location due to terminated leases and they incur devastating revenue losses due to moving costs and closures.”

She urged the County to put something in the contract to guarantee that retail spaces be affordable.

Ryti also commented it would be good to have more conditions, but he said he realized that it would be harder to negotiate.

Brott assured council that the objectives for this property are to enhance the community.

“We want to make this family friendly,” he said. “We want to make this a place that feels safe and clean and like a nice home for people who want to live in Los Alamos in an urban-like environment.”