Mesalands given ALCO building

By Steve Hansen

QCSun Correspondent

La Placita Plaza Inc. has donated the site of Tucumcari's former ALCO store to the Mesalands Community College Foundation, the college announced Friday in a news release.

The 40,000-square foot building located on Historic Route 66 will be used "to support the growth and expansion of programs and services offered at Mesalands Community College," the release said.

"The College is always appreciative of the support that we receive from the Mesalands Community College Foundation," Mesalands President Thomas W. Newsom said in the news release. "This gift from La Placita Plaza is yet another demonstration of the incredible support Mesalands Community College receives from our community partners."

Ted Williams, owner of La Placita Plaza, said the agreement for the donation became final on Wednesday. While he is donating the building itself, he said, he is retaining the parking lot in front of the former ALCO store, where he said he plans to develop another retail center.

Pat Vanderpool, executive director of the Greater Tucumcari Economic Development Corporation, said he is working with Williams to develop plans for the new commercial development.

"In the long and short run," Williams said, "this arrangement will benefit us. We will all work together."

Craig Currell, vice chair of the Mesalands Foundation, said the foundation is "very excited" about the opportunities the new building brings to Mesalands.

"We want to thank La Placita Plaza for giving the Mesalands Foundation such a special gift," Currell said.

He said the foundation and the college have just begun to formulate plans for the ALCO space.

The store shut down in early 2015, after ALCO Stores, of Coppell, Texas, the Tucumcari store's owner, declared bankruptcy in October 2014.