Another Española business has closed it’s doors, leaving the space it occupied vacant and the building owner searching for a new tenant.
Goodwill Industries of New Mexico, next to the Española Pathways Shelter on Riverside Drive closed after Goodwill officials decided not to renew the lease with the shelter, Pathways Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Dena Moscola said.
Pathways has owned the building since 2022.
Merchandise and other items belonging to Goodwill have been removed, and the windows of the building have been boarded by Pathways for security purposes.
Goodwill Industries of New Mexico’s Chief Marketing and Donation Acquisition Officer Melissa Stock said the decision not to renew followed years of challenges at that space. She said the “unhomed folks,” who reside in the lot behind the building made it difficult for customers to enter and exit at times, and they started fires.
“It was a difficult situation for our customers and for our employees, she said.
The parking lot, which was too small to accommodate the number of customers they were receiving, was another obstacle, she said.
In a text, Stock suggested that affected Española customers should consider traveling to other Goodwill locations for their needs.
“Shopping, donating and career assistance are only 20 minutes away at our Santa Fe store,” she said.
Moscola said that Pathways is considering multiple options for how to use the building going forward. They may utilize it themselves, or they may again rent it out to, “an agency aligned with our mission of community well being development.”
“If anyone reading the article is aligned with our mission and interested in exploring renting the space, they can email me,” she said.
The property’s future is up to the Pathways board, which meets on June 24. A timeline for a decision has not yet been developed and it’s unclear whether any decisions about the future use of the property will be made during that meeting.
“We understand that business owners, employees, residents, and visitors have experienced challenges related to public safety, sanitation, and quality-of-life issues, and we take those concerns seriously,” Española City Manager Michael Ortiz said in a response to an email. The email asked what businesses experiencing strain as a result of the homeless population can do. “At the same time, we recognize that homelessness is a complex issue that affects vulnerable individuals and families who are often facing a combination of economic hardship, housing instability, mental health challenges and substance use disorders. Addressing these issues requires thoughtful, coordinated, and sustainable solutions …”
He said city officials “welcome continued dialogue with business owners and community stakeholders and are actively exploring opportunities to strengthen partnerships, improve coordination of services, enhance public spaces, and identify long-term solutions that address the root causes of homelessness.”
Those interested in the former Goodwill property can reach Moscola at dena@espanolapathwaysshelter.org