Members of the House Appropriations Committee may soon decide whether to approve upwards of $10 million in federal funding to repurpose a former Walmart store in Albuquerque’s International District.
The building, which was constructed in 1994, is located at 301 San Mateo Boulevard SE and has been vacant since the spring of 2023 when Walmart decided to cease operations there.
In the more than two years since, City of Albuquerque officials have tried to purchase the building with the idea of either turning it into another store or using it for some other purpose but have never been able to meet the company’s asking price for the property.
A member of the Albuquerque City Council, Nicole Rogers, has now asked the New Mexico Congressional delegation to approve $10 million in funding to purchase the freestanding 206,000-square-foot building, which sits on an 18-acre site.
The request must be approved by no later than September 30 when the current fiscal year officially ends.
Walmart said it closed the San Mateo store due to its financial performance. On a regular basis the retail giant closes its outlets for such reasons, having just announced in July plans to shutter around 100 other stories nationally.
Repurposing efforts in recent years have seen former Walmart stores turned into housing, community centers, indoor storage units, and car washes, among other uses.
September 23, 2025
By Garry Boulard
Photo courtesy of Albuquerque City Council
