This week, the City of Albuquerque announced that it is acquiring the old Bernalillo County space located in Civic Plaza to serve as City Hall.
All total, the move will cost $11 million, according to KRQE.
“It was an agreement we had with the county, and each of us had first options to buy from the other if one of us moved out," Pat Montoya, Director of Albuquerque's Department of Municipal Development told KRQE. "So, we weren’t forced into this. I think it was just the perfect marriage, and it just worked out pretty well.”
The $11 million acquisition is not entirely comprised of the purchase price. About half of the price tag will go towards upgrades to the space to ensure it is able to meet the needs of the city, as well as to cosmetic changes like new carpeting, paint and lighting, KRQE reports. According to city officials, the plan has been in the works ever since the city learned that the county was moving out of the space.
The move will allow the city to consolidate their departments in a more organized way, a positive for the employees and "so much easier for the public," Montoya said.
The city's legal department will be able to occupy one entire floor. The Parks and Recreation Department will be moving into the building, as will the Senior Affairs Department and the Water Authority, meaning many of the city's crucial departments will now be operating out of the same building.
On top of the $11 million price tag, the city and county split the $950,000 cost of renovating the eatery located on the bottom floor of the building, according to KRQE.