By Cade Guerrero

In a tiny pocket of Columbia and Gibson in Albuquerque, N.M, lies former real estate agent Alan Senescu’s diamond in the rough. The Albuquerque native provides a storage facility, giving people of many trades a place to either store their belongings, provide lessons in the arts or local musicians the availability to hold their jam sessions. Now, 27 years later after buying the property, Senescu reflects on his tenants, the niche business unfolding and the journey ahead.

Senescu spent his summers swimming at the Sunport Pool, just right across from the facility. Returning the following summer seeking to invest in surrounding properties, he noticed the then beat down unit.

“I had a total of about $15,000 or so looking for a laundromat or car wash to buy.” Senescu says, “I saw more and more graffiti on the sale sign of this place and wondered what the deal was!”

The owner went through a series of negotiations after a deal six months prior with the city fell through when issues with a buried gas tank complicated the agreement. Senescu brought in an environmental professional who deemed the property to be safe, thus giving Senescu the opportunity to close a deal.

The projects filled up quickly for the former Lobo who obtained his degree in architecture. He started with the block work, which led to framing the heavy duty garages. With the finishing touches of developing the units, Senescu intended the place to be a place to put your storage, but the facility provided a different purpose.

“My brother had a rock n’ roll band and I built him a spot for his group. So they played here for a while and the word spread amongst Albuquerque musicians.” Senescu says, “Local acts started coming here to rehearse, so almost all these units contain bands.”

One of the more fascinating aspects of Senescu’s facility, the music. Albuquerque based bands such as Russian Girlfriend who have been around since 2014 and released their newest album “In the Parlance of Our Times” this past June, and Sweet Nothin’, the act who also been around for 6 years with their debut album “New Generation” which released in 2019.

“I always say, don’t forget me if you make it big.” Senescu jokes.

The cloud of creativity doesn't stop there, Senescu has his own show of art swirling in the close knit facility. With his knowledge of architecture and life adventures, he has created different murals around the area. A little montage of art pieces rest right in front of his office, and it doesn't stop there. Within his office, are some of his paintings, collections of vintage cameras, and wood and glass work he has implemented into the structure of his building.

“I eventually want to finish what I started, and that’s completing my mini-museum.” Senescu explains, “It will be a display of all my collectibles and art, and developing an outdoor lounge

You can follow Cade Guerrero on Twitter @LePetitSheriff.