A hidden hacienda: 1677 Cerro Gordo #9

Sep. 3—Sometimes it's as much the realtor as the property that draws you in. Take Tommy Trujillo, who's showing the house (and technically, the two lots it sits on) at 1677 Cerro Gordo #9. It'd be almost impossible not to respond — wantingly — to the house, the subdivision it's located in and the area around it. (It lies beyond Canyon Road and Upper Canyon Road, on the other side of the Santa Fe River from both.) There's also the allure of the rural feeling and the house's Old World architecture. All that's missing from the immediate area, really, are Puebloan ruins or adobe churches built in Spanish Colonial style or inspired by it.

Responding to a realtor's not just a matter of personal taste, who I myself respond to in particular, or a matter of feeling that simpatico vibe you get with some folks but not others. Trujillo, who's part of Keller Williams, has an easygoing nature, a relaxed energy, a hominess and transparency — and they all add up. But when they're combined with a certain je ne sais quoi, you're almost sold on the house without realizing it.

And Trujillo, in this case, has a decided advantage over other realtors: he lives, literally, in the house overlooking the Cerro Gordo house he's trying to sell. This is not to dis any of his fellow realtors. But he lives right there, in the house directly behind #9 and he has for over 20 years. He has raised his children there and taken part in almost every collective decision made by the Shayakin subdivision HOA over the years. He has more of an investment in trying to sell this house because he is part of the community to which the future owner will belong. That future owner will be Trujillo's neighbor and perhaps his fellow HOA board member. The buyer will become a member of not only the Shayakin community, but also the Santa Fe community. (Trujillo is quick to note that, ethically, he cannot choose who buys the house, nor can he have any say or sway over who makes an offer.)

And while Shayakin is what's referred to as a "subdivision," its very neighborliness points out the rather unfortunateness of such a word. Instead of subaddition, which would mean an "adding to," subdivision implies separation (or worse, a disagreement that leads to tension or hostility), a dividing—within a community—as opposed to a coming together, living together, supporting one's neighbor (no matter what their political affiliation, their ethnicity, their religious beliefs, etc.). But I digress.

Wood, water, nature

Originally an area that locals used to refer to as The Barrios, Spanish for "the neighborhood," Cerro Gordo also served as home base (probably into the early 1900s) for leñeros, woodcutters or wood carriers. These were "the guys who chopped wood," as Trujillo calls them, and brought it down from Cerro Gordo to sell in what is now known as Burro Alley. (The block-long "alley," for foot traffic only, that connects San Francisco Street and Palace Avenue, near the Lensic Performing Arts Center. Since 1988, it has been a popular attraction, thanks to Charles Southard's bronze sculpture of a life-size, wood-laden burro—and since Instagram came along in 2010, a very popular spot for selfies.)

Clearly, the Cerro Gordo property Trujillo represents is steeped in history and in nature. From the deck outside the two upstairs bedrooms (the main bedroom and one next to it) and from the yard outside, one can kick back and watch hikers walking trails at Picacho Peak, Atalaya Mountain, Thompson Peak and the east-facing mountains of the Pecos Wilderness. Those on the Dale Ball Trails often mistakenly end up in someone's Shayakin driveway. (Trujillo graciously offers them water and redirects them to the trail.) "During the spring runoff, below in the valley, when they release the water for the Santa Fe River, you can listen to the water at night," he says.

The nearby Two Mile Pond (formed by the old Two Mile Dam) and reservoir have recently caused concern and sparked controversy. During the summer, the city drained the pond to about half its normal size. Upset locals see the lake as key to maintaining a green and riparian space. The wildlife Two Mile Pond supports includes beavers, turtles, and blue her-ons and ospreys, among other species.

House of the sun

As for Shayakin, which, according to Trujillo, means "house of the sun" in Navajo, the now-gated community has 14 lots with 12 houses in it. Number 9 has two lots, so there's room to add a casita, if the new owner so desires. When the Shayakin development was first laid out in the late '70s, there were but four original owners. The first house was built there in the '80s. Number 9 was built in 1991 by Fred Klein.

The majority of the people living in Shayakin are primary owners. "These are their homes. It's where they live," says Trujillo. "We're a really close-knit community, and we have a level of sensitivity toward each other." Moreover, each homeowner takes a turn serving on the HOA board. "So you're very involved," adds Trujillo, "but it's also very private." (HOA fees are an astoundingly low $800 a year.)

Considered exclusive when it was first laid out, Shayakin remains exclusive today, but little known. "When you're driving up Canyon or Cerro Gordo, you're driving back in time. It's quiet here, and very few people know about it," says Trujillo, who worked as Santa Fe's director of parks and recreation under former mayor Sam Pick. "We're middle-class folks who were lucky enough to get into a great neighbor-hood. You wouldn't know it was here unless you have a reason to come here. And people here seldom sell. So this [house that's for sale] is a rare opportunity."

The homes themselves are old school: each Shayakin house adheres to the Pueblo look. "You can't go crazy with the colors," says Trujillo. "Nothing over the top. People here are sensitive about maintaining that Santa Fe Style." Don't expect anything modern: no aluminum, no glass. "It wasn't built that way," says Trujillo, "but if you're looking for vintage, this is it."

The ultimate hacienda

Vintage, yes—from the vigas and the adobe to the portals. The Cerro Gordo home Trujillo has listed is two stories, one of only two in Shayakin. (The other is the house at the top of the development.) There are steps, but after all, these homes were built on a mountain. In fact, Cerro Gordo translates as "fat hill." Says Trujillo, "Naturally you'll have some slopes and steps." With regard to the wood used in the construction, he adds, "As the wood ages, it gives the wood floors and, in particular, the vigas, a patina that's warm and enveloping."

To give visitors a first impression they won't soon forget, Trujillo likes to bring them in through the main door, which opens into a living room with views and a 22-foot-high ceiling. If that's not showy enough, there's the downstairs bar. Originally built as a walk-in safe, it took Chuck Caswell of Fabuwallous two weeks to hammer out the concrete and open it up. (Trujillo's home also has a walk-in safe, but he's kept it as is.) Along with the impact made by the high ceilings and the bar, there's the tile work. Some of it has a retro feel; some is richer in quality and detail. All of it, though, is one of a kind.

"This house," says Trujillo, "is the ultimate hacienda."

A hidden hacienda: 1677 Cerro Gordo #9