Titan Development, Onset Hospitality partner on Albuquerque food hall project

New Mexico’s Titan Development is joining forces with Virginia-based Onset Hospitality to bring the vision for its latest project to life.

Onset, a food hall developer and operator, will take on the responsibility of curating and managing a food hall that Titan has under construction on Central Avenue near Presbyterian Hospital, the New Mexico-based company announced on Tuesday.

“Titan welcomes the partnership of Onset Hospitality and looks forward to the addition of quality food options that will serve visitors, nearby employers and guests of (nearby hotels),” said Ben Spencer, co-founder and partner of Titan Development, in a statement.

Titan, a real estate investment and development firm with offices in Albuquerque and Austin, Texas, broke ground on the project — the company’s first food hall — in August. The development, tentatively expected to reach completion in the second quarter of 2027, will feature a five-story Residence Inn by Marriott with 126 rooms and a food hall on the ground floor.

The food hall, dubbed Highlands Central Market, is currently slated to include up to 12 food and beverage vendors, none of which have been determined yet. Onset will take the lead on vendor recruitment and build the lineup with a focus on “strong local and regional concepts,” according to Titan Vice President of Development and Asset Management Matt Lammers.

Officials have said the project’s food hall component will provide a much-needed amenity for the east Downtown neighborhood, as well as employees and visitors of Presbyterian Hospital. The project could also serve as a recruiting incentive for the hospital.

Jay Coldren, founder and president of Onset Hospitality, expressed support of that vision in Tuesday’s announcement.

“We see the Highlands Central Market as a gathering space and community hub for the city that celebrates Albuquerque’s cultural identity for locals and visitors alike,” Coldren said in a statement. “This partnership allows us to serve the needs of the neighborhood while creating a destination dining experience that highlights the richness and vibrancy of New Mexico’s culinary scene.”

Onset Hospitality joins the project with four years of experience developing and operating food halls worldwide. But Coldren has worked in the industry for much longer — helping grow food and hospitality ventures such as Time Out Market, Edition Hotels and Dean & Deluca.

In the earlier days of his career, Coldren lived and worked in Santa Fe as an independent food and beverage operator at the Inn of the Anasazi and the Inn & Spa at Loretto, he told the Journal. It was during that time that Coldren said he fell in love with the region’s warmth, hospitality, people and food — particularly the green chile.

“It’s sort of soul-filling to be back in that region,” Coldren said. “It’s a wonderful place to be and I just love going there, so any chance I get to be in the market, I’m super excited to take.”

Onset and Titan finalized their partnership in February. Coldren said the company’s development and operating agreements are generally 10 years, but the intention is to be involved for the long haul.

The first few months of the partnership will include behind-the-scenes design work, which Coldren said will aim to incorporate themes and “a vibe” specific to New Mexico and its rich history.

Onset’s team will then taste-test food from potential vendors as part of its curation. The hiring process and building a local team — which Titan officials said will include roughly 40 permanent jobs across the food hall and hotel — will begin about three months before opening. Vendors will likely be announced about six months before.

“It sort of ramps up over time, and we’re in the early stages right now,” Coldren said. “But we’re just thrilled as can be to be there. I think the Titan people are fantastic. They’re very sensitive and specific about what they want to achieve here, so we’re just super excited to be back in the neighborhood.”

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