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New Mexico businessman Jim Long remembers the awe he felt as a kid traveling along Route 66, enamored by the neon signs, unique diners and history he encountered along the way.

Long 鈥� now the founder and CEO of Heritage Cos., which owns many of the state鈥檚 prominent hotels and culturally significant properties 鈥� is hoping to instill that same sense of discovery into Nob Hill Center, formerly Nob Hill Business Center, at 3500 Central SE along old Route 66.

Heritage acquired the 47,315-square-foot property in March of last year, announcing plans to 鈥減reserve and revive the historic shopping center,鈥� Long previously said. Now, more than a year later, Long shared that Heritage鈥檚 vision for the property includes a renovation and leasing revamp effort slated to begin this year.

In addition to the new name, the project will include upgrading the property with a new patio, classic awnings, fresh bold accent colors, new signage, Route 66-inspired murals by local artists and an enhanced street presence through improved softscaping, lighting and pathways.

The aim of the upgrades is to create 鈥渁 walkable, light-filled destination that feels both nostalgic and newly alive,鈥� according to a flyer outlining Heritage鈥檚 vision for the property.

Heritage will get started on the property鈥檚 new awnings in about two to three months, but construction on the remaining architectural upgrades will likely begin this fall and wrap up early next spring, pending the necessary permitting and a review from the city鈥檚 Landmark Commission. 

The U-shaped property, built between 1946 and 1947, was New Mexico鈥檚 first modern suburban shopping center, according to its website. Today, Nob Hill Center is home to several tenants, including a New Mexico United shop, Gecko鈥檚 Bar & Tapas, La Monta帽ita Food Co-op and Organic Books 鈥� but the tenant lineup will look a little different in the coming years.

Over the next couple years, Heritage will be looking for tenants to fill both the property鈥檚 existing vacant spaces and spaces that the owner expects to be vacant soon. 

One of these spaces is a former Italian restaurant by the name of Scalo, which closed in August after the owners were hit with a sexual harassment lawsuit and failed to find a buyer for the eatery.

The space will remain a restaurant in Heritage鈥檚 plans for the property, Long said. Several prominent chefs have toured the space and are considering it, he added, but nothing official has panned out yet.

The center also has two small retail vacancies, but the majority of the tenant overhaul will occur in about two years 鈥� when the bulk of the center鈥檚 current leases expire, Long said.

Heritage is also expecting the departure of some tenants for other reasons, including New Mexico United, which will close its Nob Hill shop when the soccer team鈥檚 new facility is built. The company plans to add a patio to the space and fill it with a dining option, Long said.

La Monta帽ita鈥檚 presence in the center is also up in the air, as Long said the community-owned grocery store鈥檚 growth is making the Nob Hill location a difficult one to operate out of for logistical reasons. But the co-op is a tenant Heritage hopes to keep, so Long said the company is in talks with La Monta帽ita about building them a new location on the corner of Amherst and Silver SE to help meet their and their customers' needs.

If that occurs, it鈥檚 unclear who would fill that space. Long said it probably wouldn鈥檛 be a grocery store, but it would be a tenant that aligns with the company鈥檚 overall vision for the property. 

鈥淲e see this as an opportunity to revitalize the center, invest some capital in the property to bring it to a different level of physical condition and then carefully curate a collection of tenants that we feel will be the right mix for the future of this asset,鈥� Long said.

In Heritage鈥檚 view, the right mix includes tenants that are all local, independent and offer 鈥渟omething rare, nostalgic or handcrafted,鈥� the company鈥檚 flyer says.

鈥淲e're not necessarily looking for big brands with a big balance sheet, we're looking for somebody who does something very unique and very special,鈥� Long said, adding that Heritage is seeing high demand for rare finds and experiences across its properties.

In addition to handcrafted, the company wants to 鈥減lay off the strengths of the area鈥� and create a vintage retro feel at the center by attracting tenants that fit in some of the following categories: antiques and found items, records and vinyl shop, retro game store, comic books, candy store, leather goods and hat shop.

Supporting local startups will also be a priority for the center, Long said.

鈥淭he Nob Hill Center is not a mall or marketplace,鈥� the company鈥檚 Nob Hill Center flyer says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a curated community of local visionaries, artisans and local chefs who embody the timeless appeal of Route 66: adventure, authenticity and Americana.鈥�

Over the last several years, the center 鈥渓ost some of its luster,鈥� due to challenges with ART bus construction, COVID closures and a shifting retail landscape, Long and the flyer said. But with a selective tenant plan and some of those challenges now behind Nob Hill 鈥� as well as this year being the centennial of Route 66 鈥� Long said he thinks now is the time for a project like this.

鈥淚t鈥檚 all positive going forward,鈥� Long said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of new food establishments that have been opening, and they鈥檙e doing well. So things are really shaping up nicely for Nob Hill, and it鈥檚 exciting to be part of that.鈥�

Kylie Garcia covers retail and real estate for the Journal. You can reach her at kgarcia@abqjournal.com.