ECOterra New Subdivision - Terra Alto

Excerpt: Albuquerque Business First featured an article about our new ECOterra Community, Terra Alto.

March 4, 2026

A local developer is planning an age-restricted upscale community in Rio Rancho to meet growing demand from people ages 55 and up looking to downsize their homes.

ECOterra will put infrastructure work for its Terra Alto community Alto community in the Mariposa subdivision out for bid in the coming weeks. It hopes to select a firm to do the work in the next few weeks, according to co-managing partner Michael Cecchini.

The developer plans to begin infrastructure work in May and vertical construction in the fourth quarter of 2026. Cecchini estimated it would take five years to build out the 60-home community across two construction phases.

ECOterra, through its agent, Consensus Planning, had its preliminary plat for the development approved by a 5-0 vote during the Rio Rancho Planning & Zoning Board, Feb. 10 meeting, clearing the way for the infrastructure work.

The Terra Alto community will be on 42 acres on the westernmost end of Mariposa Parkway NE. It will offer three-bedroom homes ranging in size from 2,000 square feet to 3,000 square feet, starting at $800,000. Most homes will come equipped with three-car garages.

Amenities will include a private homeowners association park with tennis and pickleball courts and a patio building with a lounge, kitchen and restroom.

The site will not be mass graded in an effort to preserve the landscape. As a result some homes will follow pre-designed plans and homes that will be completely customized. In some cases, this will require garages to be below grade, so the house would be built above the garage, Cecchini said.

“We’ve been looking at this land for several years, and we just feel it’s really an incredible piece of land in the Mariposa development,” Cecchini said. “So, we want to not only maintain the terrain, but we also want to take in all the views that the property has to offer.”

Cecchini and co-managing member Michael Fietz believe aging locals still want high-quality homes with outdoor living and sweeping views — just with less space.

And, as the baby boomer generation approaches this age, they believe the market for this kind of product is growing.

ECOterra has not yet selected a financial institution to finance this project. Kaye Marshall, who holds degrees architecture and civil engineering will design the homes.