Downtown Albuquerque continues to find its identity. On March 26, the participants in Leadership Albuquerque received a first-hand look at the area and were exposed to ideas and plans for the area.
David Campbell, Leadership ABQ Chair, said the focus of the day was “Downtown Transformation.”
“The Chamber believes every large successful American city has a vibrant downtown, and the best downtowns are places where people can live, work and have fun experiences. They are places to meet, to do business, and to experience art, shopping, food, culture, history and music,” Campbell said. “Albuquerque is our nation’s 32nd largest city; we need a Downtown that rivals the other cities within or near the top 30.”
The Chamber has polling regarding Downtown Albuquerque, and residents say they don’t spend time in the area because:
- They often don’t feel safe as they are concerned about crime and homelessness.
- Crime data has historically identified Downtown as a high-concentration crime area.
- There is a very visible homeless presence in the greater Downtown area.
- Many residents don’t come Downtown because they don’t have a reason to as there aren’t enough amenities, events, activities or opportunities to draw them into the area on a regular basis.
“So, we’re trying to address both sides of the coin, in partnership with the city, to overcome the challenges that prevent residents, visitors and businesses alike from wanting to be Downtown,” Campbell said. “Simultaneously, we want to broaden the uses of Downtown – create opportunities here for enjoyment, work and living.”
Campbell said Downtown Albuquerque has such a unique and interesting history and culture.
“The Rail Yards is a great example of a historical asset that is a transformative redevelopment opportunity for this area,” he said. “We have to think big, and we have to fight for investment in Downtown. It’s very easy to get parochial as a community and pit Downtown versus other neighborhoods/areas. We need to emphasize that a thriving Downtown would benefit our community as a whole – no question.”
The day included conversations with the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency, which is doing a lot of the legwork when it comes to revitalizing Downtown.
Leadership Albuquerque first met with Terry Brunner, Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency director and Mayor Tim Keller’s chief of staff.
Brunner told the cohort about the city’s plans for Downtown — which includes securing funding for the Rail Trail, passing new state legislation and local ordinances to expand development incentives, and mitigating the negative effects of crime and homelessness.
The group walked along Central Avenue and saw The Rail Trail and public improvements along Route 66. They were also educated on Downtown Boutique Grants.
The trip included a stop at the KiMo Theater, which has been a hub for entertainment in Albuquerque since the early 1900s.
Leadership Albuquerque participants also got a glimpse of Arrive, a new hotel on the corner of 7th Street and Central Avenue.
Lunch was at Ex Novo Brewing Company which is one business that is helping spur the excitement of being Downtown. Ex Novo has picked up national recognition for its beers as well as for having award-winning chef Marc Quiñones at the helm of the culinary side. The Chamber thanks Ex Novo for its hospitality to Leadership Albuquerque.
After lunch, Jeremy Oswald, of Citizens Bank and Leadership Albuquerque’s vice chair, introduced Harold Medina, chief of the Albuquerque Police Department.
Medina retired from APD in 2014, having worked his way up from patrol officer to the rank of commander. After a stint as chief of police for the Pueblo of Laguna, he returned to APD as deputy chief in 2017, overseeing all APD Field Services. He was later appointed APD chief by Keller and has served in the role since.
After Medina gave his presentation, it was time for Mike Loftin, CEO of Homewise, and Todd Clarke, CEO of NM Apartment Advisors, Inc., to give a presentation.
Campbell said a critically important issue that impacts the city’s and state’s competitiveness – including our ability to grow our economy and provide a great quality of life to our residents – is the availability and affordability of housing.
“We’re going to take a survey to look at the issue of housing today, in an attempt to understand how far off we are from the amount (and type) of housing our metro area needs,” Campbell said. “Housing is certainly a Downtown issue, and I hope we can talk about the importance of housing to the Downtown redevelopment conversation. But, we need the conversation to be broader than Downtown as well.”
Campbell said Loftin has over 35 years of experience in community and homeownership advocacy. Since 1986, Homewise has been helping people achieve their homeownership goals, always placing their customers’ long-term financial well-being as the highest priority. He serves on the board of Excellent Schools New Mexico and has previously served on the boards of the UNM Anderson School of Management Foundation and the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority.
He introduced Clarke, who is a former Realtor of the Year. He leads NM Apartment Advisors, a regional apartment brokerage firm, and sells apartment investments around the state. He is a fourth-generation commercial realtor and was the founder of the Commercial Association of Realtors in New Mexico. Clarke and Loftin helped the group get a handle on the housing challenge that faces the metro area.
Campbell and Oswald concluded the day with thanks for all entities involved for Downtown Transformation Day. The next Leadership Albuquerque program day is on April 22 at the Albuquerque Public Schools Boardroom in Albuquerque Uptown – for the K-12 Education program day.
