Newest Aldea Master Plan Reveals Changes, Districts

The developer for the future Aldea El Paso smart code project has made several tweaks to the latest version of the Master Site Plan, including relocating two hotel sites and grouping areas into distinctive districts. And a new map shows the combined area of both the Aldea and Montecillo smart code developments, which are adjacent to each other but have two different developers.

The districts now defined by the plan are: the Rambla district, which is the town center part of the development; an office district which lines both sides of Mesa Park Blvd.; the Walmart district, which now includes a smaller building in the parking lot, most likely a destination restaurant; an anchor retail district, which is to the south of the Walmart area; a freeway retail district; two housing districts; two hotel districts which look to include two large hotels and possible ancillary buildings; and two retail/housing districts that serve as entryways into the development from Mesa. The final large district is labeled "Campus" and is defined by the number of beds available. It is unclear what the focus of this district will be, but the name may denote some sort of school. A separate "convenience center" will be located at the corner of Executive Blvd and Interstate 10.

The project website's new plans seem to focus largely on the Rambla, the wide winding tree-lined boulevard which will be the development's main town center. Conceptual images of the Rambla are included with the master plan maps, and show planned senior housing, multi-family housing, a theater, a fashion anchor, street retail, liner retail, and surface and structured parking.

The new plans also contain a new Parking Grove, which will be used by "one-time" visitors who are accessing the Rambla town center. It will be located immediately to the east of a row of multi-family housing. The grove will be bisected by Village Way, which will become a pedestrian only walkway west of the Rambla and terminate in a large staircase the leads to the new Walmart. A new street called Aldea Drive will also connect the Rambla to Mesa and terminate at the fashion anchor.

The two new hotels will now both be located at the development's main intersection, at Mesa Park Blvd. and the Rambla boulevard (an extension of Rio Bravo). Originally, only one hotel was slated for the same intersection, at the southwest corner, and another hotel was planned for the southern edge of the Rambla, nearest Executive Boulevard. According to the new plan, one hotel will be located on the northeast corner and one on the northwest corner.

The developer may break ground within the next year, based on an incentives deal it currently has with the City. It is unclear which phases will be built first, though Walmart is fully committed and may be the first area to see construction.

Aldea El Paso website: http://www.geltmore.com/aldeaelpaso.html

Previously:
Aldea Image Emerges; CA Architect Firm Lists Aldea/Montecillo as Projects
'Aldea' to Create Urban Village on West Side