New buildings planned for Central and Broadway

[anvplayer video=”5043390″ station=”998127″]

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- The University of New Mexico unveiled a new master plan for the old Baptist Church property at Central and Broadway.

Five new buildings, each between four and five stories tall, will be part of Innovate Albuquerque. They will provide new working space for research and start-up businesses.

The site would serve as the trail head for the city’s new Rail Trail– with space on the ground floors for retail shops, restaurants and breweries.

"We’re really thinking about mixes of use at the ground floor and the many spaces that are going to support that and also draw people in from outside the area," said Stephen Coulson of Perkins & Will architecture firm.

"We are going to convert 26,000 square feet of the education wing into a hatch labs concept," Coulson added.

Hatch Labs is planning to offer the space to local stem users who need space to build businesses– with the goal of keeping people in Albuquerque.

The company says it is close to announcing a start date for the project.