Map Courtesy LAC
Courtesy LAC
BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com
County Manager Anne Laurent is recommending that Los Alamos County Council approve a purchase agreement for property at 1183, 1377 and 1399 Diamond Drive, calling the purchase strategic “to enable progress on some of the Council’s goals of Economic Vitality and Quality of Life.”
The agenda for Tuesday’s meeting, which was distributed by email after 11 p.m. Friday, is the first notice to the public of the proposed purchase of the property for $9.8 million. Land transactions are discussed in closed session by Council under an agenda that apparently does not have to name the property to be discussed.
The description of the agenda item notes that several years ago, the Council funded a Social Services Hub capital project.
“The project has not moved forward for two main reasons: 1) Not having a site to build a new facility on; and 2) not having the Community Health Plan completed to inform the scope of the facility needed. The purchase of these Diamond Drive properties will enable the vision, public engagement, and design work to coordinate with the almost completed Community Health Plan that will be presented to Council on December 17, 2024,” the agenda packet states. “Additionally, housing, small retail or restaurant opportunities or maybe an idea that arises from a public engagement process could be considered. Furthermore, this property is adjacent to the Los Alamos High School and the UNM-Los Alamos campuses and may offer impactful collaboration opportunities.”
Details about the properties as follows are included in the staff presentation:
“Since 1183 Diamond Drive has tenants, the existing building will remain while the leases are active. Staff anticipates starting with visioning, public engagement and preliminary designs for developing 1377 and 1399 Diamond Drive – the former Metzger’s garage and c-store building and Andersons Market where Morning Glory used to be. This effort could take most of the 2025 calendar year. Step two would be land use entitlements and approvals and design development in 2026 along with detailed design progress assuming the project progress momentum remains. Construction could not start any sooner than 2027 and hopefully before 2029 depending on approvals. Assuming the new development includes a Social Services Hub, this would allow the current Social Services offices, Health Commons, and other Social Services contracted services to move into a new facility and offer enhanced services.
“1183 Diamond, commonly known as Boomtown, could be redeveloped once the building is vacated. Since this parcel’s redevelopment is at least four to five years away, the future uses and needs may be different than they are today. However, the focus on local business and housing opportunities, or exchanging this property opportunities to create these opportunities elsewhere is supported by Council’s goals and the community feedback received in the recent National Community Survey (NCS).“
Courtesy LAC