The recently completed historic remodel of the Paul Bardacke Attorney General Complex, which serves as the office of the New Mexico State Attorney General, has achieved LEED-CI Gold Certification from the United States Green Building Council.

The complex consists of the newly renovated historic Villagra Building, originally constructed in 1934, and an attached four-story office addition. Cameron Construction completed construction in March of 2006.

Some of the environmental features of the Villagra Building include energy savings of 31%, water savings of 71%, 100% wind power was purchased to offset carbon emissions from electricity use and 82% of construction waste was recycled or diverted from the landfill. Third-party commissioning of the energy systems for efficient performance of design intent was used along with Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood for sustainably harvested wood.

On the interior, low-emitting and low VOC materials were used to contribute to healthy indoor air quality along with Green Guard Certified furnishings and a high-performance ventilation system for healthy indoor air quality. Local and regional materials were preferred to reduce transportation emissions and support local economy while low-emitting and hybrid vehicles received preferred parking.

New Power Plant Project for New Mexico

Black Hills Corp. announced the signing of a power purchase agreement to provide electric power to Public Service Company of New Mexico, a regulated electric and natural gas utility subsidiary of PNM Resources.

Under the terms of the agreement, the company will provide the capacity and energy of a 149 megawatt, simple-cycle gas turbine generation facility called the Valencia Power Plant, to be located near Albuquerque.

The project is expected to cost approximately $101 million, and has a commercial operation in-service date of June 1, 2008.

The agreement is a customary tolling arrangement, where the company receives variable and fixed fees for the plant's availability and operation, and Public Service Company of New Mexico will be responsible for providing fuel for the operation.

The duration of the power purchase agreement is 20 years. The agreement also allows Public Service Company of New Mexico the option to acquire an equity interest of up to 50% in the project.

The company's non-regulated wholesale power generation subsidiary, Black Hills Generation, is responsible for the construction and operation of the facility.

Antoine Predock, Klinger Construction
Selected for Mesa Del Sol Building

Mesa del Sol has selected award-winning architect Antoine Predock, AIA, of Albuquerque to design a new 78,000-sq-ft mixed-use town center building. It will house Mesa del Sol's visitor center, business office space and retail businesses. The town center will be the hub for Mesa del Sol, a new mixed-use district located on Albuquerque's south mesa.

A groundbreaking for the new $10 million town center is anticipated before year's end. The target date for occupancy is late second quarter 2008.

The building will have a unique footprint, as it will serve both civic and practical purposes. The town center, which will be east of Advent Solar and south of Albuquerque Studios at Mesa del Sol, has an iconic design feature that includes a curved "fritted" glass curtain wall on its north side and stucco and glass on its other faces.

"The building is an urban activator on all sides: the visually permeable arcing glass wall activates an urban park to the north, the south side faces parking for convenient retail and restaurant access, and the east and west sides form the street edges," Predock says. "The arrangement of entries, and the building's openness to pedestrians focus the social life on the outdoor environment - the street, the sky and the views."

Klinger Construction is the building's general contractor. It is Klinger's second construction project at Mesa del Sol as it built the Advent Solar Inc. solar energy facility.

The local offices of CBRE will lease the office space and the local office of Grubb and Ellis will lease the retail space.

A First Look at the Newest Department
of Cultural Affairs Museum

What began as the development of a storage facility for collections at the Palace of the Governors decades ago has evolved into a first-class museum project. Construction of the New Mexico History Museum began in July 2006, and more than 25,000 cubic yards of dirt have been removed, a 108-ft tall crane has been installed, and concrete for the lower-level exterior walls is being poured. It is a monumental project that is hoped to change the way that New Mexicans and visitors understand state history and the history of the nation.

The museum's grand opening will take place in May 2009 as a component to the 100th anniversary of the museum system in New Mexico. Construction cost is estimated at $28 million.

The project was spurred by the national rethinking of the role history museums play in communities. No longer attics or basements full of long-forgotten objects, they are now places that partner in education, civic engagement and social change.

The New Mexico History Museum will be a 96,000-sq-ft, three-story facility adjacent to the Palace of the Governors. It will include permanent and temporary exhibitions that span the early history of indigenous people, Spanish colonization, the Mexican Period, and travel and commerce on the legendary Santa Fe Trail. There will be state-of-the-art facilities for the states' irreplaceable historical treasures, school-program and demonstration areas and an auditorium. Curators are planning exhibits that will feature immersive environments focusing on a long span of New Mexico's history in the 26,000 sq ft of exhibition space and galleries.

Few states have the time depth and cultural breadth of New Mexico. Most Americans learn colonial history with the settling of Jamestown or stories of pilgrims. The New Mexico History Museum will position national history in a broader cultural perspective. The museum will also incorporate a 205-seat auditorium.

T.S. Byrne Ltd is the general contractor. The architects on the project are Dagit & Saylor Architects and Conron & Woods Architects.

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