Downtown revitalization. It’s a big undertaking, and the city is working toward it with the release of its Downtown 2050 Metropolitan Redevelopment Area Plan last month.
According to the city, the Downtown 2050 Metropolitan Redevelopment Area Plan provides recommendations for land use, transportation, development regulations and public investment to guide both public and private redevelopment efforts. The comprehensive planning document sets goals for expected outcomes and includes policies, objectives, incentives and tools to guide development projects while focusing on Downtown Albuquerque’s unique culture.
The Chamber has long been an advocate of Downtown transformation. as it’s one of the organization’s Bold Issue Groups (BIG).
Doug Majewski, chair of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce’s Downtown Transformation Bold Issue Group and CEO of Hartman + Majewski, was part of the advisory committee for the project. He’s also offered testimony in support of the plan for the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) in Downtown Albuquerque.
The goal of the Downtown 2050 Metropolitan Redevelopment Area Plan is to make Downtown Albuquerque the best mid-sized downtown in the USA. The strategies in the plan are:
- Make Downtown a “pedestrian-first,” “park-once” place with excellent pedestrian, transit and bicycle facilities.
- Make Downtown New Mexico’s premier pedestrian-oriented “urban place.”
- Preserve and enhance the character of the neighborhoods that surround Downtown.
- Have at least 20,000 people living within one mile of the Downtown Core and 5,000 living within the Downtown Core by 2050.
- Create Downtown as an exciting “urban retail destination.”
- Maintain Downtown as New Mexico’s largest employment center and the Region’s Center of Economic Activity.
- Make Downtown Albuquerque a vibrant, urban 24-hour destination for arts, culture and entertainment.
- Make Downtown and the Historic District a “Tourist Destination.”
- Create new parks, open space and plazas that are easily accessible to Downtown residents, workers, students and visitors.
- Develop, maintain and market Downtown as if it were a single mixed-use project.
Majewski said the Chamber understands:
- Successful and thriving cities have vibrant downtowns, bustling with people.
- That successful downtowns have a diverse economic base, with adequate housing, shopping and dining options, entertainment venues, public transit and open spaces that support congregation and recreation.
- That this takes investment – and a Tax Increment Financing mechanism will capture and invest additional revenue for Downtown development projects, up to twentyfold.