Downtown Evolution (Hope: apartments, neighborhoods, income)

[cglore]

This thread won't discuss skyscrapers pro or con. Having lived here 30 years ago and then just recently, and having visited annually between times, I want to opine that while downtown may not be a draw for some, the amount of positive change especially in the last 10 years is phenomenal. There are good residential neighborhoods on nearly every side of downtown, not the case at all 10 years ago.
there is new housing right in downtown, and more coming. If we could figure out how to bring more jobs downtown all the better. I just can't sit still when opinions are expressed that downtown has nothing positive.

[Zoidberg]

Downtown is definitely a better place than in 2002.

But I don't think it needs more jobs. It'd be nice to fill the glut of office space, but there are already way too many people who commute into downtown for the number of jobs already there.

Perhaps if a major office building became apartments for lower-income but working people, both the issues of too much office space and too many commuters could be resolved. If nothing else downtown has excellent access to transit.

[N8!]

I agree with the OP. Having grown up in circa late 70's ABQ, downtown has made a gigantic transformation for the better.

[Cornflakes]

I've certainly always enjoyed living downtown, but it still has a long way to go. Improvements made over the past 5-10 years have definitely been impactful. Hopefully the city council doesn't let its forward progress wane under new districting.