Del Webb is planning its first community in the heart of Albuquerque, targeting pre-retirement and retiring boomers. The active adult community builder has purchased a 284-acre parcel, which will include about 538 Del Webb homes.
The new Del Webb community is part of a larger planned 886-lot Mirehaven master plan being designed and developed by parent company PulteGroup, which includes an additional 348 units for a separate Pulte Homes community in the same master plan. PulteGroup is purchasing the property from Western Albuquerque Land Holdings LLC.
"This is the first Del Webb community in the heart of Albuquerque and is ideally located for those boomers who want to continue to work and live in the city," said Jay Gillilan, president of PulteGroup's New Mexico Division. "We know many baby boomers will continue to work as they look to semi-retire or make plans to buy their new home for the future. This will truly be a unique active adult community with its intimate size, sought-after location and physical beauty of the area."
Catering to the increasing number of baby boomers across the nation who want to live in a retirement lifestyle while still working in some capacity, Gillilan said the site is ideally situated just 10 minutes from downtown and close to hospitals, the University of New Mexico and abundant retail and services. According to a recent Del Webb Baby Boomer Survey, 79 percent of boomers ages 50 to 60 anticipate working in some capacity, even after they retire from their current job.
Located in northwest Albuquerque, the site is bordered by the Petroglyph National Monument open spaces on three sides, and near what is expected to be one of the largest regional parks in Albuquerque, Gillilan said. The site is adjacent to the Albuquerque Public Schools complex, which is home to the new Community Stadium, a 7,000-seat football stadium and a separate track and field facility that opened in August 2013; and future sporting facilities that will include baseball, softball and tennis. Across the street from the proposed City Regional Park and APS Athletic Complex, APS owns a 110-acre Educational Complex in which new K-8 and high school facilities will be built.
Gillilan said both the Del Webb and Pulte Homes communities are tentatively scheduled to open in early 2015, with possible pre-sales in late 2014. In addition to having separate amenities, the communities are currently planned to share centralized walking, hiking and biking trails and some community park areas.
Alegria by Del Webb in Bernalillo opened about three years ago as Del Webb's first active adult community in New Mexico. Gillilan said the 376-unit community has fewer than 30 homes to sell, and is unique because of its dramatic location and small-town atmosphere. This new Del Webb community will offer an in-town location, gated access and different amenities, he said.
For more information, go to www.delwebb.com