Recently the University of New Mexico announced the state’s first In-N-Out Burger would land in the developing South Campus Tax Increment Development District. The TIDD uses a portion of new gross receipts taxes and property taxes generated within its boundaries to finance public infrastructure to support economic development.
David Campbell is the new executive director of Lobo Development Corporation, which is overseeing the buildout of the area. Campbell has held many roles over the years, including city attorney, planning director and city manager. He has also served as CEO of Mesa del Sol, a planned community south of the Albuquerque International Sunport with a mix of residential, industrial, and commercial uses. Campbell was also a diplomat with the U.S. Department of State. He spoke with KUNM about the TIDD before the most recent announcement.
DAVID CAMPBELL: It's going to bring in needed community services, things that the people who live and work in that area really need -- places to shop, places to eat, transportation services that don't currently exist. It will also provide a gathering spot for Lobo Nation. Imagine what happens when we win the game or, dare we say, the championship. We want someplace nearby to celebrate. And finally, we'll return benefits to UNM’s academic service, economic development, and athletic missions in ways that we really can't anticipate. We expect that the area south of The Pit and the current baseball field will develop in a mixed-use and commercial kind of area that will include shops, stores, food, likely some lodging as well. In the area around the stadium and The Pit, we expect to have some gathering spots that will be where you have a place to go and get a hamburger and some refreshments before the big game after the big game or on any given day for those people who live and work in the area.
The whole idea of a tax increment district [development] (TIDD) is that right now with vacant land, there is no tax, there's no money being returned to the public for this asset that is very valuable land if developed. The idea is that you would take the amount of taxes that are now going to be generated from this enterprise and apply some portion of that to helping the development get off the ground to put in the public streets, the curbs and gutters, the water, and the sewer and so on. And that will help generate the kind of economic activity that we want and will also return a benefit to UNM.
KUNM: And how is the initial development financed?
CAMPBELL: That’s the magic secret sauce is to figure out what balance of public and private incentives and development finances and so on can be put into service. The law under which Lobo Development Corporation operates is actually a very strong, powerful law to do this kind of development that will benefit the public. I'm also grateful for the flexibility it gives us to take private investors, to take public investments and merge them together. And I should also mention that it's important that we look at the mission of the university. There is a great science and technology park already started north of Cesar Chavez, and there is room for that mission to be expanded as well.
KUNM: What about housing? Will that be part of the mix?
CAMPBELL: We expect that it will be. By doing this as a mixed-use development, we have the possibility of creating not only the service sites but home sites in the area as well.
KUNM: Does construction or plans have to be approved by the city council or the county commission? What is the process?
CAMPBELL: As a legal matter, UNM is a governmental entity in and of itself and doesn't need to get the approval of the city. That said, having worked at the city, having been the city planning director and the city attorney, I know that collaboration and coordination of these things goes a long way in having a successful development.
So, the TIDD is this area generally, that's south of Cesar Chavez, west of University east of I-25 and north of Gibson, that's the largest part of the TIDD. There are other parts of it, including the northwest corner of University and Central, and Central and Girard are also in the TIDD. But there are other areas outside the TIDD that Lobo Development is working on, including what's called the Lomas Corridor -- so from I-25, East to the hospital on Lomas is an area that is in redevelopment.
KUNM: David, thanks for talking with me today.
CAMPBELL: Thank you, Megan, for your interest in this. The process of land development is not done solo in Albuquerque. It's done in with a lot of collaboration and work with neighborhoods and stakeholders and all the other entities, so I hope you'll count on me to come on your air and talk about those things and encourage some community dialogue and communication and I thank you already for this opportunity.
KUNM's license is held by the University of New Mexico but it is independent from the university.
