I'm loving the mayor these days. He referred to the "built environment" of our city in his State of the City
address, displaying his increasing sensitivity and understanding of urban issues. He's now putting our money where his mouth is with his continued support for
ABQ the Plan. An initial $20 million for the convention center, $1 million to complete an environmental impact statement for BRT along Central Ave, and now money for both the completion of the 50-mile bike loop around the city as well as for "
river work." It is not clear if that's the boardwalk that was originally supported by the committee or not. Regardless, I'm already on board. Lastly, there's been commercials dedicated to encouraging people to shop locally for the holidays. The City has gone an extra step by providing
free street parking in three city neighborhoods; Nob Hill, Downtown, and Old Town.
In other news, la Tejana Susana helped the Downs obtain a 25-year lease on Expo NM, with the unrivaled proposal to add a casino near the intersection of Central and Louisiana. Naturally, the brilliant plan set the new structure behind a sea of parking. While most people hoped for more, the outcome was about par with the golden nuggets coming out of Santa Fe these days. It's sheer unimaginative, conservative, old thinking, and there's no excuse for it given the level of interest and the prime location. (photo courtesy of the Albuquerque Journal)
