ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – After years and years of construction, the first major addition to the Winrock Town Center is just about ready to open.

Plans to redevelop the old shopping mall into a new mixed-use neighborhood have been in the works since 2007. There’s been several delays over the years, but construction crews are hustling to finish the crown jewel in time for the summer.

Darin Sand with the Goodman Realty Group believes the Winrock Redevelopment Project is about to enter a new era.

“This community space has been in the plans from the beginning, and now we’re at the point where we’re almost going to open it up for the entire community,” said Sand. 

The roughly two acre park includes a new playground, an outdoor performance space, and a small lake stretching from end to end.

The walking bridge and planned water fountain feature are nice on their own, but Sand expects the new bar with a patio overlooking the lake will be a main attraction.

“I don’t think there’s a bar like this in the entire city over the water,” Sand said.

Sand says the new park will open in early June, offering a new venue for small concerts, farmers markets, wellness fairs, and even weddings. But that’s just the beginning.

Construction crews are currently working on the so-called “Portland Building” on the south side of the park. It’s already home to several medical clinics and will soon include new class A office spaces, a new comedy club, and a few spaces for retail and restaurants.

Crews are also working on a new hotel and other nearby businesses – all small pieces of the massive 80-acre redevelopment project.

“There’s so much happening on this one site, that it’s more than we’ve ever done at one time,” Sand said. 

Sand says a new five-story building on the north side of the park – right next to the Dillard’s – is likely the next big project on their to-do list, and it will include apartments.

“We hope to do construction by the start by the end of the year, or early next year,” said Sand. 

Sand says a 1,000 car underground parking garage is already complete, bringing their grand vision closer and closer to reality.

“Once this park is open June 8, it’ll be a whole new vision of what Winrock is for the community,’ said Sand. “You can live here, you can work here, you can have your medical needs met here, you can shop here, you can be entertained here, you can eat here, you could stay here and not go anywhere else and have so many needs met right here.”

The new park is expected to open on June 8, about two months from now. But Sand says he’s not sure if the patio bar will be completely ready by then.