Zócalo Lofts

Zocalo Lofts consists of three buildings with ground-floor commercial space. Two buildings have two floors of apartments above, with a full mix of studio, 1-, 2- and 3-bedrooms. The three buildings define the street edge and deftly hide tenant parking from the public gaze. An elevator tower marks the center of the development, and the building heights are designed for pedestrians at the street level. The commercial spaces along 4th Street have roll-up doors and a covered portal, which can be utilized as seating and display. Along Coal Avenue, large windows and glass doors also act as business displays and integrated building signage.

Typical residential floor plans include full bathrooms, kitchens, and comfortable living and sleeping spaces. Most units have balconies, and some units have larger roof decks. There are two common roof terraces for larger gatherings that are placed at opposite ends of the development. Besides enjoying the convenience of a downtown location, additional building amenities include mail and delivery centers, an exercise room with laundry facilities, a game room, and lounge space. Additional storage options are also available should commercial and residential needs arise.

Zocalo Lofts offers a secure parking facility for residents, tenants, and guests, with additional off-street parking for overflow. The parking arrangement is designed to address the form-based parking requirements that benefit both tenants and local businesses with a more appealing and urban streetscape.

With the existing site having been vacant for only a few years, the City of Albuquerque issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to encourage development at the corner of 4th and Coal. Below are some of the objectives included in the RFP:
Barelas MR Plan and Zocalo Lofts’ mutual goals:

• Eliminate slum, blight, decay, and deterioration in the Barelas commercial area (south of Fourth Street) and residential neighborhoods. The development significantly improved an underutilized site to a commercially viable use while providing much-needed housing for the greater community.
• Restore the economic, functional, and aesthetic value of the Barelas commercial area. The development provides over 10,000 square feet of commercial space along 4th Street and Coal Avenue.
• Preserve the environmental and historical integrity of the Barelas area, aligning with the redevelopment of Albuquerque’s downtown core. The development’s architecture and urban planning reference the Railyards building forms and pedestrian-oriented spaces.
• Create a supportive environment for the preservation and rehabilitation of structures of historical, architectural, and environmental significance. While working with the MRA, Zydeco negotiated a quid-pro-quo regarding its plan to widen the sidewalks along Coal Avenue and 4th Street. The development included working in the public Right-Of-Way to achieve more public space on 4th Street. Zydeco tied this “public Space” into a broader master plan for the neighborhood, where there would be more street parking and wider sidewalks, ensuring greater pedestrian safety.
• Develop economic solutions for the use of the Barelas commercial area and its buildings, which hold symbolic, aesthetic, and environmental importance to the Barelas residents, the Albuquerque community, and visitors. As a gateway to the Barelas neighborhood, the design of the street-level building facades was considered paramount, which also included widening public sidewalks and a covered pedestrian portal along 4th Street to best accommodate commercial interaction.
• Provide opportunities for the expansion of existing facilities and the introduction of new buildings, ensuring the retention of the symbolic and aesthetic qualities of the Barelas area. By providing wider sidewalks along 4th Street, Zocalo Lofts sets a pedestrian standard that can be successfully applied along the entire 4th Street corridor. Overtime, the Zocalo Lofts development blueprint with its pedestrian friendly sidewalks, bike lanes, portals, and commercial storefronts, as idealized by the Jeff Speck Master Plan, can be realized.
• Stimulate both private and public participation in achieving these goals for the Barelas commercial area. The design process included stakeholders from different constituencies and was able to reach a nexus of opinion on the building design and function without compromising Zydeco’s development goals. The Zocalo Lofts development continues to serve the neighborhood and attract local businesses and residents while presenting a proud neighborhood history.

The Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency awarded Zydeco the development rights to city-owned property. Zydeco worked closely with the district city councilor, the MRA, and neighborhood community groups when designing and assembling this unique development. Since the City’s property was a gateway to the Barelas neighborhood and a connector to the downtown business district, it was critical that the development be a destination and extend the downtown experience across Coal Avenue.

Zydeco’s design solution accomplishes both of these goals by creating a pedestrian-oriented environment with wider sidewalks and commercial storefronts that open directly onto the adjacent streets while leveraging the cultural strengths of the Barelas neighborhood with its strong architectural references to the city’s Rail Yard area. The Zorro Blanco development includes a new market venue designed to showcase local businesses. Zydeco’s design is a catalytic development that prioritizes both neighborhood needs and context when making development decisions.

Zocalo Lofts architectural inspiration drew from the Albuquerque Rail Yard’s remaining industrial buildings that are defined by the use of heavy masonry and tracery glass. Although Zorro Blanco utilized conventional wood framing, it mimics part of the neighborhood’s industrial past and coheres in a singular composition with its mixture of colors, materials, and fenestration choices.

Preconstruction services for Zorro Blanco began months before its groundbreaking. Starting with the planning concepts, Zydeco managed various steps in the design process to bring the project to its current conceptualization, tailoring the size and number of units, finishes, and amenities to align with the development proforma. Zydeco’s cost evaluation process involves onboarding the construction and A&E teams early, which is instrumental in setting the conditions for a successful development that delivers on the promise of its design on time and within budget.

During the preconstruction phase, the general contractor and A&E teams refined the development scope to coordinate the construction delivery schedule and best define critical development benchmarks. At this stage, city departments also participated in the construction team’s discussions to identify key development milestones and ensure the entire team was well-prepared when those milestones approached.

Zydeco played an active role in the construction administration of the development, with a construction manager on its team and as part of an integrated group of professionals consisting of contractors, subcontractors, engineers, and architects. As the development neared completion, Zydeco’s role ensured the transition from construction to property management and lease-up remained focused and well-coordinated.