A Historic Convent Reimagined in Downtown Albuquerque

ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the City’s Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency (MRA) announced the completion of the Villa Agave redevelopment project, marking a significant moment in the City's ongoing efforts to revitalize communities, eliminate blighted conditions, and provide much-needed market-rate housing.

Formerly an abandoned assisted living facility, known as the St. Mary’s Convent, the site has been repurposed into 15 new housing units with improved streetscapes. It includes more than 12,000 square feet of space above-ground and a 3,000 square foot basement.

"Although working with old buildings brings additional challenges, as an architect I recognize that the most sustainable building is the one that's already built,” said architect and developer Mark Baker. “Revitalizing a building such as this one, especially in the Downtown core, has a much, much lower carbon footprint than a similar sized new build on the edge of town."

Villa Agave is a public-private partnership between MRA and Baker Architecture + Design. City Council approved MRA incentives totaling $400,000 and a Redevelopment Tax Abatement (RTA) to support the project.

“Villa Agave breathes new life into our Downtown, while still embracing the history of the neighborhood,” said Terry Brunner, Director of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency. “Through this partnership, we are working towards our goals of creating a sustainable and thriving urban core for Albuquerque residents and families.”

“We’re grateful for this project and for the developers’ commitment to helping bring new life to an existing property downtown,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “These are the types of partnerships we need to provide needed housing for our communities.”

To inquire about leasing a unit at Villa Agave, please send a text message to 505-319-1656, or message Villa Agave on Instagram at @villaagave.