The Ferris wheel idea is dead. So what should be at Delmar and Skinker? Another auto-oriented fast-food joint a la Taco John’s? A parking lot? A park? A traditional building?

{H3 Studio}

The Skinker DeBaliviere Neighborhood Plan calls for a mixed-use building much like that adorns the rest of the Delmar Loop. The proposed form-based code in the TOD Plan for the Delmar Loop and Forest Park DeBaliviere Metrolink Stations placed the parcel in the Boulevard Type 2 category, with heights of 3-12 stories and 40 to 130 feet. The FBC would set no parking minimum.

{The lot is about as big as 4400 Manchester}

The parcel is currently zoned F. Neighborhood Commercial with height limit of 3 stories or 50 feet. Parking minimums are:

Office Uses:

< 7,500 SQ FT: No Off-Street Parking Requirement > 7,500 SQ FT: One (1) Space Per 1,250 SQ FT in excess of the 7,500 SQ FT

Primary Retail Uses:

< 3,000 SQ FT: No Off-Street Parking Requirement > 3,000 SQ FT: One (1) Space Per 700 SQ FT in excess of the 3,000 SQ FT

Residential Uses:

One (1) Space Per Dwelling Unit

Secondary Retail Uses:

< 7,500 SQ FT: No Off-Street Parking Requirement > 7,500 SQ FT: One (1) Space Per 1,250 SQ FT in excess of the 7,500 SQ FT

Apartment Blockers – Parking rules raise your rent

Meeting current height and parking regulations, I could fit 25 apartments, 5000 sf of retail space, and 31 parking spots. An elevator and ground-floor apartments are included because the neighborhood plan identifies senior-compatible housing as a need in short supply.

Some parking would be within the building.







If we can get over our parking fetish and not take the government-mandated requirements as sacred, we can go taller, making the land more productive, thus increasing further the tax base without increasing tax rates to help make the city solvent. And more people living in the neighborhood means more to patronize local businesses without bringing a car. Four stories- 36 apartments, 0.78 parking spots per dwelling unit. Five stories 47 apartments, 0.53 parking spots per dwelling unit. I wouldn’t go above five so as to not dwarf the New Cote Brilliante Church next door.

{From Greater Central Avenue Albuquerque}

Assuming one person per bedroom, the three-floor configuration is at 69 people per acre, four-floor 100 per acre, five-floor 131 per acre. In order for the city’s population to be 600,000, its land must average 15 people per acre.

{Delmar and Union. This in on a parcel smaller than Delmar and Skinker}

That’s my vision, what do you think should be at Delmar and Skinker?