El Vado developer planning new project along Central

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The people behind the 2018 restoration of El Valdo Motel want to do the same thing to the north side of Central Avenue in Albuquerque.

The vision for “La Curva” – named after where Central curves over the river – is to have a community gathering place, including a food hall, a taproom to show off lowriders, and 315 multifamily apartment units.

However, there’s a big hurdle they have to get over.

The La Curva development plan would put three new buildings on the Siesta Trailer Lodge. One would go right over Jose Salazar’s trailer.

 “You won’t find another cheap place over here in Albuquerque to park a trailer,” said Salazar. 

Jose Salazar has been a resident of the Siesta Trailer Lodge for 17 years and isn’t worried. 

“Like I said, I don’t think they’d be able to touch this place,” said Salazar. 

He says the property owners have owned this land for generations and doesn’t think they will sell.

KOB 4 spoke with two of the family members claiming ownership and they are at odds with what to do with the land.

Whatever happens next, Salazar isn’t sweating it.

Representatives with the city Planning Department say they don’t have any paperwork as the developers have not finished the first step with the pre-application review team.

Meanwhile, the developers are hoping to land some financial assistance from the city this summer.

Palindrome Communities sent KOB 4 a breakdown – part of what they are seeking is:

• $8 million from the city’s Department of Family and Community Services
• $3 million from the city’s Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency

They say if the city signs off this summer, work could be finished by the end of 2025 to help the city meet its goal of adding 5,000 places to live before then.

Keith Bandoni, a shareholder of the company that owns the land where Siesta Trailer Lodge operates as a tenant said in a statement: 

“We are early on in the project and looking forward to the possibilities of what this can do for the community as a whole.”