Frequently Asked Questions of the “Park Ridge Master Planned Urban Village”

What is the vision Park Ridge?

A model urban village offering a mix of residential, retail, retirement and healthcare services in a walk-able, pedestrian-friendly, resort-style setting.
The village will be anchored by a state-of-the-art healthcare and retirement campus that will include assisted living, memory care, rehabilitation and fitness services.
The healthcare and retirement campus will be served by a small 42-bed full-service hospital.

How does Park Ridge support Smart Growth and Sustainable Principles?

Park Ridge incorporates 9 of the 10 Smart Growth and Sustainable Principles as published by the Smart Growth Network (www.smartgrowth.org)

Mix of Uses
Take advantage of compact building design
Create a range of housing opportunities and choices
Create walkable neighborhoods
Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place
Strengthen and direct development towards existing communities
Provide a variety of transportation choices
Make development decisions predictable, fair and cost effective
Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration in development decisions

Who are the sponsors for the Park Ridge Project?

Park Ridge is sponsored by CBI Holdings LLC and a private equity firm from Colorado.
The sponsoring firms have a proven track record in development, management and financing of major real estate projects.

What is PUD zoning?

PUD zoning is a Planned Unit Development that allows the developer to work with the City to define the mix of uses for each parcel in the development.

Why is there separate zoning for the 30-acre medical campus?

The 30-acre medical campus will be folded into the PUD in the near future. This was done in order to allow the necessary time to schedule public meetings to evaluate the various access options required to complete the PUD. A development agreement with the City for improvements to Apodaca Park and secondary access are a separate process required to complete the PUD. At such time as these access options are defined and approved by the City, the 30-acre medical campus will be consolidated back into the 110-acre PUD. The developer has spent considerable resources and will continue to spend and money to finalize the approved PUD plan for the entire acreage.

After the medical campus is approved, what guarantees or safety measures prevent Park Ridge and CBI Holdings from changing the rest of the development?

The PUD plan is designed for a specific mix of uses on each parcel. The specific uses are defined in the PUD. The street layout and parcel sizes relate to specific uses that are part of the PUD. Major changes in designated use or subdivision layout would require a concept plan amendment and additional public approvals.

Why did the developers decide to purchase the Country Club site?

CBI and its partners were considering a mixed-use development that would be anchored by a medical campus.
Several key locations were under consideration, however at the recommendation of consulting firms and NAI 1^st Valley Real Estate, the listing agent for LCCC, it was highly recommended that the developer consider the LCCC for the proposed development.
After meeting with City officials, it was confirmed that the City was not in a position to purchase the LCCC for a park. The City currently has four proposed parks totaling 1200 acres under development in key strategic locations that are the current priority for the City. The City does not have the funding to pursue development of LCCP into a park area.
After meeting with City officials, economic development agencies, residents, and financial consultants, it was determined that the purchase and development of this site would be economically feasible and would serve to revitalize this key neighborhood.
This site is considered to be the number one infill location within the City of Las Cruces and could also be considered one of the premier infill locations in the City and State.

What is the response of the surrounding neighborhood to the Park Ridge development?

The majority of residents surrounding LCCC are supportive of the project.
Over 700 residents in the neighborhood and 14 of the 18 adjacent town homeowners have signed petitions supporting the project.
A growing number of residents continue to indicate their support each week.

Is the project “wall to wall” infill?

The master plan includes open, public-use space and landscape space of approximately 15% in each individual parcel. Additional open space will be added to Apodaca Park, the Linear Park and Trail system, tree-lined boulevard and medians, and expanded buffer areas adjacent to existing developments.

Will the project improve home values in the neighborhood?

The proposed mixed-use project will bring jobs, retail and vitality back to the neighborhood.
The medical campus and retirement village will also bring high paying jobs to the area that will also support retail sales and housing activity.
With new jobs and new services, this mature neighborhood will be revitalized for families and retired residents.
Currently, home prices in the neighborhood are depressed because jobs and retail are locating in other parts of town to newer neighborhoods.
The developer has also made a conscious decision to bring a mix of uses in residential products that will not compete with existing single-family homes, but will support increased activity and sale prices of existing homes.

What are the benefits of the project to the surrounding neighborhood?

Bring new life and vitality to the neighborhood
Provide new services and amenities in a walk-able, pedestrian-friendly environment
Transform a property which has become an eyesore and convert it into a landmark enhancing the US-70/Main St. corridor to Downtown Las Cruces.
Identify, preserve and expand key neighborhood assets such as Apodaca Park, the Outfall Channel Trail, Alpha School and surrounding businesses
Transform the abandoned, dying golf course into a thriving mixed-use, resort-style development
Carefully planned open space amenities that further enhance the existing Apodaca Park
Integrated pedestrian trails, sidewalks and bike paths that allow existing residential areas to access the Park Ridge amenities and services

What are the benefits of the project to the community at large?

The proposed development will have a major economic impact on the community, bringing new jobs and services to the urban core of the City.
The development is designed to be a key retail, residential and healthcare destination for the region with southwest architectural theming, amenities and ambiance.
The development will attract consumers from the region to Las Cruces.
Las Cruces continues to be in the top ten preferred locations for retiring boomers. This retirement campus is designed to attract boomers who desire to live in a multi-generational development with major services in close proximity allowing them to age in place and remain independent longer.
Park Ridge is located near the Downtown Main Street redevelopment zone and will be synergistic to the downtown redevelopment. Park Ridge will provide key services not available, or difficult to provide in a downtown setting.

What is the impact of the development on Apodaca Park?

The Park Ridge development will have a positive impact on Apodaca Park in the following ways:
- Adding approximately 7.2 additional acres to the park
- Moving current bathrooms closer to a proposed splash park
- Fencing around a proposed Tot Park playground area
- Adding additional parking spaces and access road around new park areas
- Adding a trail system that will connect to the Outfall Channel/Triviz trail system
The only impact on the park will be corrective measures to align the current access at Solano and Madrid to meet City requirements allowing connection to Park Ridge Blvd.
- Impacts approximately .312 acres of actual park space which will be replaced by 7.2 acres of park expansion
Other proposed park open space public amenities improvements
- Additional trees
- Trail / walking pathway
- Additional grassed park areas
- Amphitheater

Will secondary access to the development have a negative impact on park safety?

The proposed secondary access at will not have a negative impact on the park as the project will provide an expansion and revitalization to Apodaca Park.
The actual impact is minimal and will be balanced by an additional 7.2 acres to the park and other improvements.
The secondary access will improve the current intersection and provide additional parking within the park area.
The increased visibility and site access to the park for City police and residents will enhance safety and security within the park area and neighborhood.

What is the economic impact of the project?

Near downtown and vital to redevelopment of the City’s central core
New employment that will stimulate home sales in the neighborhood
The $200 Million Dollar project will bring jobs and stimulus to the local economy all funded by private investment
Park Ridge will bring approximately 1300 jobs back to the central core of the city avoiding traditional urban sprawl
Physician groups planning to practice at the new hospital are recruiting new doctors and specialists to Las Cruces as part of the expanded level of care to be offered on the medical campus
Retirement center, assisted living and rehab facility will add 100 new jobs
Retail, restaurants, hotel and multi-family will provide new employment
Construction jobs will be created by the development of the project
The mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly, resort-style village designed with plazas and open space amenities will become a major retail and healthcare destination serving the entire region of Southern New Mexico, West Texas and Northern Mexico

What kinds of retail uses are anticipated in the project?

The proposed retail village is planned to be a neighborhood lifestyle center focused around plazas and placitas with multiple uses:

Community gatherings and events in the retail plaza
Retail shops
Restaurants
Coffee shops
Boutique and spa facilities
Boutique grocery store
Other lifestyle retail serving the neighborhood needs

What kind of residential uses are anticipated in the project?

Upscale multifamily residential surrounding pools, open space and recreational areas
Town homes and independent living villas
Assisted living, memory care and fitness facility
In order to support the existing residents surrounding the project, the village will not compete with single family residential neighborhoods, however it is intended to encourage revitalization and sales in these neighborhoods.

What are the amenities at Park Ridge that benefit the entire area?

The current Apodaca Park will be expanded by approximately 7.2 acres of new park space, parking and park amenities.
The park will be served by new street access with additional parking.
Park Ridge, Apodaca Park and adjacent neighborhoods will be connected by a trail, sidewalk and bike path that will also connect to the Outfall Channel/Triviz trail system
The central retail plaza will offer gathering space for community events.
Both Park Ridge and Apodaca Park open space facilities will feature new, improved and gated facilities for families with young children.
The sidewalk and trail system connected to plazas and retail space will allow senior citizens opportunities for light exercise and social interaction without the need for auto transportation.
A concierge and shuttle service will be provided to transport people within the development retail and healthcare services.
The retirement center will offer a menu of home healthcare services to Park Ridge residents and adjacent neighborhoods.
Connection to City transit services with convenient access points

What are the traffic impacts of the project on the neighborhood?

As part of the original PUD submittal, a Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) was prepared and submitted to the City. The original layout has changed and will require an amendment to the original TIA. The main changes are a reduction in the commercial acreage and increase in recreational acreage. These changes will decrease the impact reported in the initial TIA. An amendment to the current TIA is being prepared.
The current layout seeks to accomplish the following
- Limit traffic through the current neighborhoods
- Provide new and better circulation around the neighborhoods
Provide a pedestrian-friendly, walk-able neighborhood with services and uses that reduce the requirement for automobile use
Park Ridge will improve the intersections and turning lanes at Main and Camino Del Rex, and Solano and Madrid
Improve mass transit availability and access
Enhance circulation around Apodaca Park and Park Ridge with new streets and public parking

What are the drainage impacts on the area?

Extensive studies have been prepared by Zia Engineering to facilitate a state-of-the-art drainage, ponding and flood control system including:

Key de-silting basins to clean water and transport it to park ponding areas
Provide a sustainable design that allows detention of water to enhance parks and recharge the local water table
Design a system that limits the need for large, unsightly un-landscaped drainage ponds
Park/ponding areas will be landscaped with grass similar to Gomez Park, and preserve existing mature trees whenever possible

Why can’t the Las Cruces Country Club be a premier park?

City Parks and Recreation officials and board members have indicated that the City’s priority is directed towards four new park areas totaling approximately 1200 acres.
City Parks and Recreation officials indicate that the planned Premier Park for the City is the 700-acre Telshor Dam area that has already received $4.5 million in federal funding.
The new Premier Park’s open space parkland with enhanced open space and water features will serve as the key trailhead for the city-wide trail and bike system.
It would be many more years, if ever, before the City could afford to take on development of the LCCP site as an additional premier park area. In the interim, the park would continue to degrade, become a greater eyesore and depress neighborhood development and values.
Other areas of the City are under-served by parks.

What has the Park Ridge development team done to reach out to the surrounding neighborhood and community to get input for the project?

Seven community meetings to present proposed plans and amenities and receive input from residents
Numerous small group and resident meetings to receive input
Free Family Event Day in Apodaca Park featuring the Park Ridge development. Attended by over 800 people.
Numerous public meetings with City staff and departments to receive input and direction
The Park Ridge planners have responded to public input by making numerous changes, revisions and improvements to the overall plan over the past 12 months
There have been over 10 major revisions to the master plan to respond to community input

Retirement, Health Care, Medical Campus

Why is the medical campus with the retirement/healthcare and wellness center important to the project?

The assisted and independent living rehab/fitness center, served by a small 42 bed, full-service hospital, is the anchor use for the entire project.
The fast growing boomer population is driving health care and wellness as the new anchor for mixed-use developments.
New efficient models are needed to deliver health care services to this aging demographic in a way that reduces cost by providing services in a convenient, neighborhood setting.
This model allows residents to remain independent longer and reduces their living cost.
Boomer research indicates boomers prefer and are happier in multi-generational settings where they interact with people of all ages.
Only 15 % of boomers prefer age restricted communities and this percentage is expected to continue to fall according to Jane O’Connor at 55 Plus LLC.
Park Ridge is committed to a to a balanced focus to serve young professionals, families and retirees.

Why are the retirement/rehab healthcare and wellness center important to the hospital?

Today’s healthcare environment requires that healthcare providers find ways to reduce cost and increase efficiency.
Locating these services adjacent to the hospital allows patients to be discharged more conveniently and timely to less expensive recovery and rehabilitation facilities. This also allows physicians to see patients in one convenient location providing more efficient use of their time.
The rehab and recovery process typically enhances the successful patient experience. These adjacent services allow the hospital to discharge patients to less expensive rehab and recovery facilities and focus on acute inpatient care.
The typical hospital bed costs $1 -1.5 million to build. The typical rehab/recovery facility costs approximately $200,000 per bed.
Retiring boomers are attracted to locations that provide healthcare and wellness services in one convenient location.

Is a third hospital needed in Las Cruces?

The proposed hospital is not intended to impact the economic viability of existing hospitals and medical facilities. However, the hospital is planned to provide a convenient option for patients and physicians in an under-served neighborhood of the City.

Las Cruces is a growing city with increasing healthcare demands and will need to have more options in order to continue to attract new businesses, residents and the dynamic boomer retiree.
Physician groups are planning to recruit new doctors and specialists to Las Cruces as part of the expanded level of care to be offered at the new hospital.

How will the hospital be funded?

A private equity firm from Colorado is the project lender and equity partner.

Will the hospital accept all patients?

Yes, the hospital will accept all patients including Medicare and Medicaid.

Will the hospital compete or damage existing hospitals?

The hospital is not intended to compete with local hospitals, but to further enhance the level of services offered to the Las Cruces community.
The hospital is further intended to provide services to a neighborhood that is currently underserved.
The marketing focus of the hospital will be to provide new specialties, to bring back the leakage of health care services to other cities and to introduce the rapidly expanding medical tourism initiative to Las Cruces.
Medical tourism has made El Paso one of the more successful health care markets in the US and Park Ridge will provide facilities and services to attract this growing and profitable market from Mexico as well as other cities in the region.
Reality has shown that the existing hospitals were not negatively impacted when the Earnest Health Rehab Hospital was opened in Las Cruces (next to Mountain View Hospital). While being a specialty hospital, this is a larger hospital facility and campus than is proposed for Park Ridge.

Will the proposed heliport impact the surrounding neighborhood?

The proposed heliport will provide a needed emergency option for residents in the neighborhood and surrounding areas of Las Cruces.
The preferred flight path will be routed over commercial, non-residential areas, however the Pilot in Command determines the best route of flight and where to takeoff and/or land, based on weather conditions, operational needs, etc.
The proposed Heliport is intended to be and asset to the neighborhood, not a liability.
The heliport will require a separate authorization from the FAA and will only be approved if it meets FAA safety regulations and does not negatively impact the community.
The heliport will require a separate special-use permit from the City.

Will there be numerous flights generated by the heliport?

The hospital will not be a trauma center and will have limited requirement for heliport services.
The majority of heliport and trauma cases will continue to use Memorial and Mountain View Hospitals, or University Medical Center in El Paso which is the primary trauma center serving the region.

Is the heliport beneficial to the community at large?

Yes it provides the neighborhood and the community one more option for prompt emergency response.
Park Ridge is dealing with national helicopter and helicopter pad consultants to obtain the best available information on the location, design and implementation of the heliport.
The proposed heliport will be an important addition for fire and air transport officials supporting the neighborhood and community.

What about the noise impact of the heliport?

The heliport is designed to have as minimal noise impact as possible.
Careful design and engineering studies will minimize the impact of the service to the site.
The heliport is designed to land on the roof of the hospital.
This is not a primary heliport service location due to the fact that the hospital is not a trauma center
A noise study will be provided to the City of Las Cruces staff.