Railyard Studio Project Growing

By Lloyd Jojola

Journal Staff Writer

Sunday, October 16, 2005

A plan to build a studio complex for filmmaking at the old Santa Fe Railway locomotive repair shops site in Albuquerque has more than doubled in size, and a new investment partner has come aboard.

"When we came here before ... we were under contract to buy 11 acres of dirt," Jim Trump, president of Union Development Corp., told people attending a Friday evening meeting at the Barelas Community Center. "We are now moving to a 27-acre site."

It was announced earlier the same day that Pacifica Ventures, owner of The Culver Studios in Culver City, Calif., has become part of the development team, alongside Digital Media Group and Union Development Corp.

Elliott Lewitt of DMG said Pacifica Ventures and DMG are finalizing an agreement to purchase the entire 27-acre site from the Urban Council of Albuquerque. The purchase price was not disclosed.

Pacifica Ventures will help Union Development Corp., a member of Build New Mexico, and DMG design the project and provide operational management once it opens as scheduled in early 2007, according to a news release.

"The Yard"- the working name for the studio complex- marks the second in Pacifica Venture's planned network of worldwide studios, it was said.

"We have a series of these that we are doing," Dana Arnold, the CEO of Pacifica Ventures, said at the meeting.

Pacifica Ventures bought The Culver Studios nearly two years ago for about $126 million. Films shot at the studio include "Citizen Kane," "Gone With the Wind" and "GoodFellas."

Lewitt said in a statement that adding Pacifica Ventures as the project developer/operator "provides us with financing, experienced operators and a direct pipeline to Hollywood."

Last year, DMG and Build New Mexico announced plans to construct a complex on the north end of the railyard site.

"Prior to coming together, they only had 11 acres and it would have been very difficult to make it all happen," said Fred Mondragon, director of the city's Office of Economic Development. "It's almost tripled in size, which allows them to do so much more in terms of the additional studios and parking and things like that."

Aesthetically, Debra Rosen of DMG calls the old shop buildings "the most stunning site for studios in the country."

The preliminary plan for the $60 million to $70 million full-service film, television and digital media studio was shown to Barelas residents Friday.

Of the two huge shop buildings, the one on the north side would be used as an indoor backlot, the first of its kind in the country. The big main building would be used for the construction of sets, set storage and such. New stages would also be built to the south side of the old main building.

Retail and commercial space, possibly with residences on top, is envisioned on the north end of the mixed-use site.

Trump said more meetings with the community would be held to develop the plan.

Some changes have already been instituted based on community feedback, project representatives said- among them, moving the sound stages south of their original location to lessen the visual impact. The developers recommitted to "retain and respect the 'essence' of the old train yard" and "to save selected buildings for historical preservation." They also agreed to create the Wheels Museum on the site.

"This is from my perspective probably the most exciting project, not just in Albuquerque, but in the state," Mayor Martin Chávez said.

Still, area residents at the meeting made it known that they want to have a say in how the project plans progress.

"We want the railyard to be developed, of course; everybody wants that," said Ron Romero. "But we also want the project to be beneficial to the community.

"This is a fragile community. This could make or break it."

How parking would be handled, what type of wall or fence would surround the complex and job creation were a few subjects people touched upon.

Area resident and City Councilor Eric Griego said one important issue would be "how we maximize the public use of the buildings," or not closing them off entirely to the community.

Geno Silva, a Studio City, Calif., actor who grew up in and has a home in Barelas, sees the project "as an incredible opportunity for this neighborhood."

"A studio is a city that is a pulsating, living thing," he said. "I think this is a positive and good change."