BY PHILIP GURSKY
Representative for
1735 Central Investment, LLC
Los Alamos
To continue our transparency with respect to redevelopment of the old CB Fox building, the Developers of this project are taking this opportunity to provide more public information on what our project is and does, who the Developers are and our commitment to the vitality of this Community Dept.
The Project
When we set out to return this major building to life, we focused on meeting long-sought community needs and desires for downtown Los Alamos. We will have a boutique hotel centered on high-quality full-service guest rooms and services, multiple food and beverage options for hotel guests and the community alike, a new live performance venue and gathering space for up to 250 guests and smaller retail spaces. The functions of the project, when complete, will include:
First, the entire second floor, with a new addition above what was the old CB Fox kid’s store, will house a boutique hotel with twenty rooms of generous size and unique character to meet needs of overnight and short-term guests, extended stay visitors in Los Alamos on longer business or family stays, and even as a base for visitors exploring the many wonders and attractions of Northern New Mexico.
Second, the food and beverage options in the building will be:
(a) a Food Hall in what was the old movie theater space on the first floor, which will have multiple food options and be open during the daytime, with seating for up to 250;
(b) a first-floor bakery café facing Central Avenue, seating 30 to 40 people to serve
hotel guests and locals too, open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
(c) a new rooftop bar and grill on the third-floor rooftop, with indoor and outdoor patio seating for 100 guests, featuring full-service fine-dining, while enjoying our extraordinary surrounding views;
(d) a private dining room on the ground floor for larger dining parties and private events such as fundraisers, rehearsal dinners, family reunions and the like, with a separate entrance and elegant design;
(e) A portion of the Food Hall can be sectioned to create separate space for hotel and restaurant events that do not require the entire Food Hall, such as wedding receptions,
school reunions, holiday parties, and hotel guest events; and
(f) an online-order prepaid grab and go service accessed from the bakery café entrance on Central, with short term loading parking out front;
Third, the food hall will be converted in the evenings into a live performance venue, that will include an elevated stage, seating for between 100 and 250 people, with food and drink service, as well as serving as ballroom space for the hotel when needed.
Fourth, by using free-standing kiosks in the Food Hall and smaller retail spaces facing Central, the building will become home to a variety of retail users. Activity from building retail spaces can help drive traffic to surrounding retailers as well as retail customers enhancing Food Hall vitality.
The floor plans for all three floors, which have been provided at every public meeting,
are below for readers to review.
The Developers The Developers are comprised of two development groups. One headed by Matt Miles, and the second headed by Steve Miszkowicz.
Leadership Circle is based out Montrose, CO, but has had significant investments in Los Alamos for more than a decade, including development of the Natural Grocers Store and renovation of 195 East Road containing Anytime Fitness and LANL training facilities. Steve Miszkowicz’s investment group, based in the Chicago area, has just purchased the Old Motel 6 across from Ashley Pond, and is commencing its conversion into 70 units of workforce housing. All these projects, totaling tens of millions of dollars of capital and financing, have been or will be developed using only private capital.
The Developers have requested County participation in the form of a LEDA agreement for the CB Fox project, to assist in the cost of bringing a vacant facility in need of complete interior demolition and renovation, up to code, in preparation for bringing it to life. The Developers are providing approx. $13 Million in equity, cash capital and financing. While it is proposed that the County provide $4 Million in LEDA grant funds and a $2 Million loan to make the project economically feasible. In return, the Developers will generate millions of dollars in new tax revenue for the County, repay the LEDA loan with $250,000 annual payments, create dozens of new jobs, and add significantly to downtown activity and foot traffic.
As a further assurance of our commitment to the project, the Developers will use additional private resources to complete redevelopment of the building prior to receiving reimbursement of a single dollar of LEDA loan or grant proceeds from the County.
Our team has strong connections to Los Alamos and the development community. Philip Gursky has more than 45 years of development experience, including multiple restaurants, nightclubs and related facilities across the Country. He is a project principal and will be the onsite manager for the Project. He grew up in Los Alamos, and, following a career in development, returned to Los Alamos 16 years ago and has been involved in County public service and new project development and consulting here since.
Jyl De Haven, who is a Commercial Broker with Collier’s International, will be the Leasing Agent and Marketing Director. She is another Los Alamos resident with decades of experience in marketing and commercial leasing, and years of involvement in leasing and marketing, as well as community involvement in Los Alamos.
Our professional services team, including the architects, engineers and restaurant and lodging consultants, are all New Mexicans and among the best in their fields. When we are in operation, we will also source and use, whenever feasible, local and regional vendors and contractors.
The Developers look forward to bringing a new and vibrant facility to the heart of downtown, while saving an iconic building so much a part of Los Alamos’ downtown and history. It is our objective to help bring greater life and vitality to Central Avenue and our traditional downtown area.
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