What do you think Albuquerque needs to make it look like a real city (Hope: rooftop, tax)

[Rob Martinez]

Originally Posted by rybert

I don't know about Photoshop... how about Photochop?

Yeah, that looks a little perverse! Circumcise that building, and add two or three more!!

[catman]

I don't understand why Albuquerque is thought by some to 'need' tall buildings in order to have a 'respectable' downtown and to 'draw people there'. Would people driving down I-40 look over and say, "Oooh, look, tall buildings! Let's stop!"? I like the more open-air feel that it has. I don't think the point is that tall buildings would block the view of the Sandias, but they would interfere with it.

[bradly]

Originally Posted by mortimer

bradly pointed out:

> ... not even the chicago spire 150 floor building could block the view ...

The tallest building in the picture is the 22-story Albuquerque Plaza Office Tower -- (351 ft). Picture a building located there about 4x that height and you have what is currently the range of the tallest buildings in the world.

Might make a good excuse for me to do some Photoshopping.

> ... honestly were talking 10,000-12,000 feet in elevation there.

Actually, buildings downtown sit at just a hair over 5,000 ft.
The top of Sandia Crest is 10,678 ft, so we have about 5,700 feet in elevation there.

wow, really ...uhh if you havent noticed the chicago spire is 2,000 ft even.

thats still....ummmmmmmmmmmm 3,700 ft left of SANDIAS aghhh!

[rybert]

I don't know... maybe we should wait to have a book written about ourt meat packing problems first (like Chicago did).

Or we could all listen to songs by the band Chicago.

Or simply eat Chicago Dogs.

Hell... let's all move to Chicago!

[sky2k]

I think ABQ needs some improvement downtown. There are many out there who think that taller buildings are bad, but they have poor reasoning behind it. The sandias will always be there. It's not like were going to look like NYC or Hong Kong...Honestly, downtown is a small portion of the city area wise...it won't block views..If you have moved to ABQ from some other big town in an attempt to feel laid back, you should live in Santa Fe or Taos. I'm sorry, but if there is one place in NM where city life can progress, let it be ABQ. It makes NO sense to me why people feel skyscrapers won't have a positive effect on the city and the way people see it. Nice cities have vibrant and tall skylines. I'm not too fond of an Adobe style skyscraper...that'll just look weird, but maybe not in Santa Fe... Adobe says "I'm old and from back in the day"...even if it looks like the new architecture building at UNM..which is nice, but not if it were stuck in the middle of downtown...UNM is completely made out of pueblo revival style buildings...in other words they all match eachother.. An adobe building would stick out way more than a taller modern one downtown. We need innovating and modern buildings. A city's downtown says a lot about the city's status/wealth. Obviously its pretty low right now....

[ABQSunseeker]

To many of us interested in downtown revitalization and what it can be, it's not just a matter of skyscrapers or not. And, in fact, if development and demand accelerate, there will be tall buildings in Albuquerque. What is far more important to me is that downtown have some sort of population density, some vigorous business activity, some focal points, something to attract people while at the same time be distinctive and reflect the flavor and character of New Mexico.

When you arrive at the Sunport, for example, instead of seeing generic glass terminal buildings, you see something that says "New Mexico" right away.

Can we do the same for our downtown? I would love to see pedestrian friendly streets, cafes and restaurants and a nice buzz and vibe. Reasons to work and play downtown.

I'm not sure an impressive large skyline says much. What do the glass skyscrapers of LA and Miami and Houston say? That those cities are economically vigorous? Maybe. But those downtowns are dead at night.

And the low rise downtown of Washington? Or even, at a stretch, Paris? They are far more interesting.

[rybert]

Agreed... downtown Houston is lame at night.

[ABQConvict]

I don't like the Sandias. They completely block my view of the East Mountains.

ABQConvict

P.S. What Albuquerque needs is jobs for its citizens, a source of clean water and food, health care, recreational facilities/parks, and a way for its citizens to get around to all of the above. Highrises and waterparks are optional when the above is taken care of.

ABQConvict

[rybert]

Are they still talking about using the brine water?

[Rob Martinez]

Originally Posted by ABQConvict

I don't like the Sandias. They completely block my view of the East Mountains.

ABQConvict

P.S. What Albuquerque needs is jobs for its citizens, a source of clean water and food, health care, recreational facilities/parks, and a way for its citizens to get around to all of the above. Highrises and waterparks are optional when the above is taken care of.

ABQConvict

Don't forget a 20,000 seat arena!!