New Library Opening In Albuquerque

After 17 years, Albuquerque will be getting a new library. The multimillion dollar building was brought about after the city’s council approved a $45 million dollar bond package which will be aimed at bringing more growth to the area.

Esperanza Library, was shut down in 2001, leaving many of the residents, including city councilor Ken Sanchez upset.

“I myself and a lot of the residents were devastated because it was a part of my community for so many years,” Sanchez said. “I grew up going to that library and I felt like a part of me was taken away. I think this is a way to give back to the community.”

The library will have the largest community room (other than the main library) able to house 150 people. It will also feature an enclosed young adult section and a quiet reading room.

There are plans to offer tutoring services and resume reviewing services on top of being filled with over 75,000 books.

The printed word won’t be the only thing available in the new library according to Dean Smith, Director of Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Libraries.

“We'll have a large amount of computers in this building,” Smith said. “We’ll have state of the art Wi-Fi. We've got a very strong fiber connection in this building.”

The council is hoping that the library will bring other things to the area.

"We hope this will be an anchor and draw in other amenities like I said a small theatre or drug stores,” President of the West Mesa Neighborhood Association Louis Tafoya stated.

On top of increased literacy rates, they are hoping to see other improvements to the area such as increased property value in the surrounding neighborhood.

The Central & Unser Library is due to open Saturday April 18th. Everyone is welcome to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday the 18th at 10 AM for food, activities and performances. It’s only a 20 minute drive away from Sandia Village Apartments.


Additional sources referenced:
KOB4
Albuquerque Journal

Shipping Container Shopping Center to Open In Albuquerque

 

Living in a shipping container might not sound like a dream come true, but to some it will be reality. Brian Stark of StarkJames architecture firm is in the process of having the 10,000 pound containers moved into place in Phoenix for the commencement of the construction. The 16 containers will be transformed into 8 one-bedroom apartments. Each of the apartments will be made up with all the accoutrements of any other apartment: bathrooms, wood floors, an abundance of windows and HVAC. However, you might be waiting a while to get into the apartments.

From the Albuquerque Business Journal:

“Kathleen Santin, an investor in Containers on Grand, said there is plenty of interest in the unique development in a city not readily known for unique architecture.

“We have 135 people on the waiting list,” she said.”

Nearer to home, construction has already begun on the Green Jeans shipping container center. Located only 25 minutes away from Sandia Apartments on Carlisle and I-40, the center will be home to offices, shops and restaurants all housed in shipping containers. Built around entrepreneur Roy Solomon’s hydroponic farm, Solomon hopes that the farm will serve as an educational tool for children to learn about where their food comes from. The farm will also hopefully turn into a year-round farmer’s market.

Solomon is currently looking for tenants for his center according to Jetson Green:

“He already signed with Santa Fe Brewing Co. which could be up and running by the summer. According to his concept for the center he would like it to include an eatery, a coffee shop, a wine bar, a flower bar, a spice depot, as well as various health and nutrition-based businesses.”

If the center meets the expectations of its creator, it is going to be an exciting development for the area. Keep an eye out for the Green Jeans Shipping Container Center, due to open by Memorial Day.

Sources consulted:

Jetson Green

Albuquerque Business Journal

Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum

Albuquerque is the balloon capital of the world. In fact, the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is currently in the running for the nation's top cultural festival in a USA Today poll, and draws visitors from all over the world each year. If you're currently going through Balloon Fiesta withdrawal, there is a simple solution - visit the Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum! The museum is family-friendly, making it a fun and educational way to spend an afternoon together! Plus, it's only a 15-minute drive from your home at The Resort at Sandia Village, so if you decide to take a spur of the moment trip, it's easily accessible!

What You'll Learn
History, science and recreation are all topics covered at the museum. The museum shares its focus between New Mexico ballooning history and international ballooning history, including background information on women in ballooning. The scientific principles behind what allows a hot air balloon function and specific scientists and their roles in the advancement of ballooning technology are explored, as well. While balloons were at one time used in war, today their main function is recreation and entertainment. These subjects are explained through interactive, multi-media exhibits.

Upcoming Events
The Great New Mexico Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival
April 11 | 11 AM - 4 PM

While ABQ is known for ballooning, it is also known for its love of the green chile and New Mexican cuisine! On April 11, the two combine for an ABQ first:

Get excited for the first ever food truck festival in Albuquerque! Come check out a delicious array of cuisine from 20 food trucks from the area. Featuring everything from Latin American Street food with a New Mexican flair, to Green Chile Bacon doughnut burger, to there will be something for everyone, not to mention beer! -City of Albuquerque

Albuquerque Renaissance Faire
May 12 | 11 AM - 7 PM

When you think of a Renaissance Faire, turkey legs, jousting and knights in shining armor probably come to mind. Visitors can find all of these at the Albuquerque Renaissance Fair, in addition to a kids area, archery demonstration and adults only tavern!

When was the last time you paid a visit to one of our city's most treasured attractions, the Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum? If you love the museum as much as we do, make sure you give it a vote in the aforementioned USA Today poll!



Sources consulted:
Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau
City of Albuquerque

Fiestas de Albuquerque

Can you believe March is nearly over and Spring is here? The spring is bringing some exciting events to the ABQ, including a celebration of Albuquerque itself - Fiestas de Albuquerque! On April 18, you can explore the eras of Albuquerque's history through music, dance and other fun activities! See below for more event information, courtesy of ABQ 365:

Event Details

April 18, 2015
Time: 12-5pm
Admission: Free

Location:Historic Old Town

Rio Grande Blvd. N.W. & Central Ave. N.W., Albuquerque, NM 87104
Phone: 505-768-3556

Featuring food, live music, dance, activities and more from five major eras of Albuquerque’s history, this event will have something for everyone! As you walk through different areas of Historic Old Town you will be able to experience the awesome history of the Native American Era, learn about the founders from the Spanish Era, enjoy mouth watering delicacies and learn how to craft piñatas from the Mexican Era, and listen to live, historic music and see blacksmith demonstrations from the Territorial Era.

Join the ABQ Burger Tour

If you love a good burger, you need to make time to attend Yelp Albuquerque's "burger binge" next week! The event covers 7 burger venues in 7 days, with $5 burger specials at each venue. The burger binge starts Sunday, March 22 at Nexus. All of the details, including how to register and participating venues, are below, courtesy of Albuquerque Business First:

A burger bonanza is happening at some Albuquerque-area venues — some familiar, some off the beaten path.

Howie Kaibel told Business First that YelpAlbuquerque is organizing a "Burger Binge" that runs next week. Kaibel is the uber-connected and active community manager and marketing director for Yelp's local presence.

"I chose the burger concept because it's such a versatile food in our region of the country; it's popular and can be prepared for virtually all palates, including vegans," Kaibel said. "I asked the Yelp community for business suggestions, that's where I got most of our partners, and I sought out two new businesses."

The event features burgers at seven locations in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho from March 22-28 — one venue each day. Attendees can expect $5 burger specials with craft brews and a party atmosphere at some locations too, he said.

The seven venues offering special burgers are Nexus Brewery, The Grill on Menaul, Bistronomy B2B, Delish of Albuquerque, Fat Squirrel Pub & Grille, Flamez Burgers & More and Fork & Fig.

There's one catch — customers will be asked to check in at the venues on the Yelp mobile app to claim the special offers, said Kaibel.

Each partner is crafting something fun for the event. Nob Hill's Bistronomy, for example, is offering their Mini Menage — slider versions of popular offerings. Festivities start March 22 at Nexus, located at 4730 Pan American Freeway E. NW from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. To register for the free events and for more information, click here.

Yelp (NYSE: YELP), founded in San Francisco in 2004, hosts and markets yelp.com and a mobile app which publishes crowd-sourced reviews about local businesses.

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Golf Destinations in ABQ

Now that spring is rolling around, it's the perfect time to get back out onto Albuquerque's golf courses and enjoy the beautiful surrounding scenery. Albuquerque is even home to four of the top 10 golf courses in New Mexico! No matter what your skill level is, there is a course in our city for everyone. Here are several golfing highlights, according to Visit Albuquerque:

Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club was one of only 17 courses in America to be awarded a five-star rating by readers of Golf Digest (April 2006). This dramatic course was also voted No. 4 on "America's 100 Best Courses for $100 or Less" by Travel & Leisure Golf Magazine. Paa-Ko Ridge sits on the eastern side of the Sandia Mountains at elevations ranging from 6,500 to 7,000 feet. The club takes its name from nearby ruins which date from the 14th century.

Next to the Hyatt Tamaya Resort and Spa on Santa Ana Pueblo,Twin Warriors Golf Club was also ranked in the top 50 U.S. courses by Golf Digest (May 2005). Twin Warriors offers a unique high-desert golfing experience to players of all skill levels. This classic New Mexico state golf course is carefully routed in and around ancient cultural sites, and provides a stunning view of the Sandia Mountains.

Also located on Santa Ana Pueblo, the 27-hole Santa Ana Golf Club was called "one of America's three best true links-style golf courses" by The New York Times. This course features native grasses, subtle mounding and eight crystal- clear lakes in a peaceful setting along the Rio Grande, with majestic views in every direction.

Sandia Golf Club, which opened in June 2005, lies on the northern edge of Albuquerque across the road from pastures occupied by a herd of bison. Sandia is a world-class golf experience offering a visually stunning and strategic 18-hole golf course that was listed as one of the "Top 10 New Courses You Can Play" by Golf Magazine (December 2005). In addition, its pro shop has already earned the distinction as one of America's "100 Best Golf Shops" from Golf World Business.

Just south of Albuquerque, the Isleta Eagle Golf Course is set between the cottonwood-lined Rio Grande and the foot of a dormant volcano. The three nine-hole tracts incorporate the distinct high-desert topography of the area. Nearby is the Championship Golf Course at the University of New Mexico, an 18-hole course that has been ranked among the top 25 public courses by Golf Digest and offers a contrasting view of the Rio Grande Valley and downtown Albuquerque.

Bike Trails in ABQ

Even though it's not officially spring yet, we do turn the clocks ahead an hour this weekend, and that has us in a spring mindset. If you love to take advantage of the great outdoors and Albuquerque's beautiful scenery, get out your bike and tackle these top 10 trails, courtesy of Newscastic. Which trails do you prefer on your outdoor adventures?

Sandia Peak
Climbing to the top of Sandia Peak is a serious challenge for any rider, but one of the most scenic rides around Albuquerque. If you start in the 4 Hills neighborhood, the climb to the top is 56 miles. It’s a great ride in the summer too, because the trees provide cooler temperatures. Take a little pit stop at the quirky little Tinkertown Museum at the base of the mountain on your way back down, it’s worth the extra 20 minutes.

La Luz Trail
La Luz is great for hikers, runners and bikers alike. It can get steep at times, and is a narrow trail, so this is definitely not for beginners. The La Luz Trail is located just off of Tramway before you hit the Sandia Casino. If you hit the trail late spring and make it to the top, you'll see a fabulous waterfall from melted snow off the Sandias.  

Riverside Bike Trail
The Riverside Bike Trail is a great weekend ride. It's roughly 16 miles long, and meanders through the Bosque passing the Rio Grande Nature Center State Park, Tingley Beach and the ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden. This trail is great for families, as a large part of it is flat and paved.  

Tramway Bike Path
Tramway is great for beginners or even advanced riders who just want to take a nice scenic tour on a paved path. You can start on Tramway Blvd. near Central Ave and bike all the way down to I-25. If you want a little bit of a challenge, bike the reverse up from I-25 to Central.

Embudo Canyon Open Space
Open Space trails are great for the mountain biking enthusiasts. Embudo Canyon is no exception. There are a great network of trails that range from easy to moderately difficult.  

Elena Gallegos Open Space
Elena Gallegos Open Space also has a great network of trails on a 64-acre park, and you can’t beat the view. It’s at the base of the Sandias, and you can see Mount Taylor near Grants on a good day.  

La Llorona Loop
If you're from northern New Mexico, chances are you know the La Llorona tale. Aptly named, this looped trail follows the river and is roughly 32 miles. The loop starts and ends at the UNM Observatory on Yale Blvd.

Paseo del Mesa Trail
The new Paseo del Mesa Trail is a short ride of only eight miles. For those who love to avoid urban trails, this is a great one. This trail starts on the westside, and continues west on Unser as you ride through the Petroglyph National Monument.  

Sedillo Hill
Unlike many states around the country, riding on the highway is legal in New Mexico. The ride to Sedillo Hill is all highway, and it’s a long trek. Since you’ll be riding half way to Santa Fe, you could challenge yourself further and ride all the way and get a nice cold beer at the Santa Fe Railyards, and then hop on the Railrunner back to Albuquerque.  

Albuquerque Volcanoes Mountain Trail
These popular trails are out among the volanos of the westside of Albuquerque. This network of trails are easy to moderate as they wind through the Petroglyph National Monument. The best time to ride these trails is spring or fall because summertime can be brutal with such a lack of water and trees.