ONLY ON ABC-7: City of Las Cruces to discuss future of “eyesore” building

Just in: A local architect confirms two new restaurants should open by next summer! Scroll to the end of the article for the details.

For ten years, a commercial property on Amador Avenue and Main Street in Las Cruces has been fenced off, under construction and seemingly abandoned to the public.

“It looks terrible,” said Robert Barreras, who owns a window tinting shop next door. “I would just like them to finish it or knock it down.”

Doña Ana County owned the 8,950-foot property until 2008, according to records. After that, an El Paso man named John Hoffman acquired the space, bulldozed the old building and seemed to start construction on a new building. Nothing has come to fruition yet.

“These buildings that are not getting finished are definitely making (downtown) look bad,” Barreras said.

“I’ve been receiving numerous complaints and concerns about the ‘eyesore,'” said City Councilwoman Kasandra Gandara, who represents district one. “I was hoping we could put it on the agenda to have a discussion. Maybe this gentleman will be amenable to possibly selling.”

The rear of the property is littered with trash. Barreras said the property has at times, attracted vagrants looking for shelter.

“There are times when I catch them sleeping here,” Barreras said.

The property is just south of the entrance to downtown Las Cruces, which has attracted new restaurants, shops and a microbrewery in the past few years.

“It could be an exciting opportunity for retail and restaurants,” Gandara said. “Really, the gateway into the downtown and the Amador Project. There are some exciting things, I think, an opportunity for that area.”

“Definitely some restaurants,” Barreras said. “It would make it easy to kind of get some lunch next door or something like that. Some foot traffic would be nice.”

When ABC-7 reached out for comment, Hoffman directed ABC-7 to a local developer and builder named Bob Pofahl.

Pofahl’s partner, Steve Newby, confirmed that two restaurants will be headed to the space: “Famous Frank’s Chicken and Waffles” and “Twisted Chile.”

Newby said construction will start in the spring of next year and end by that summer.