New furniture has already been installed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory newly-leased Employee Training Center on East Road in Los Alamos. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Los Alamos National Laboratory has announced the signing of a five-year lease at 195 East Road in Los Alamos. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
The former TRK building at 195 East Road will begin housing LANL employees May 17. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com
Los Alamos National Laboratory announced Thursday the signing of a five-year lease for a building at 195 East Road in Los Alamos. One floor of the 49,000-square facility has been completely remodeled and appears to be ready to go.
A news release from LANL beginning May 17, a group of employees will move in and once COVID restrictions are lifted and the first level of the building remodel is complete, the new Employee Training Academy housed there will accommodate more than 120 employees and a variety of hands-on training and qualification spaces.
Building owner Matt Miles told the Los Alamos Reporter Thursday that he is happy to do business in Los Alamos and be part of the community. He noted the many improvements to the building that have taken place since he purchased it some three years ago, including an elevator making it completely ADA accessible. Miles said the architects did a great job and he is very pleased with the outcome.
Miles also noted the striking views from the large glass windows and the proximity of the facility to the Canyon Rim Trail as well as Smith’s Marketplace and other businesses in town. With the upcoming completion of the nearby roundabout along with new sidewalks, landscaping and parking area, Miles believes the building will be pleasing to the eye at the entrance to town.
“The East Road building is a smart choice for the Laboratory as we expand our mission and require more modern training facilities,” said Laboratory Director Thom Mason.
Mason mentioned during a virtual community meeting a week ago that LANL had leased property in Los Alamos but did not give any details at that time.
The LANL news release says that with Los Alamos County in Turquoise and Governor Lujan-Grisham planning for New Mexico to re-open in late June, Los Alamos residents are wondering how the Laboratory’s presence downtown will look post-pandemic. It states that the former Community Partnerships Office on Central Avenue will continue to be leased by LANL post-COVID to house Communications Arts & Services.
Central Park Square has also undergone a significant remodel and has been transformed into a high-density telecommuting hub for LANL’s business services organizations. The Bradbury Science Museum on Central Avenue is in the process of revitalizing exhibits and remodeling office space in preparation for a potential early-summer reopening, the release says.
Brett Simpkins, left, and Kelly Beierschmitt conduct a walkdown at the former TRK Building on East Road. Photo Courtesy LANL
Remodeling continues at 195 East Road, which is expected to be fully occupied this winter. Photo Courtesy LANL