What do you think Albuquerque needs to make it look like a real city (Las Cruces: skyscrapers)

[Zoidberg]

According to wikipedia, one of the reasons Albuquerque's skyline is a bit short for a city its size is due to the soil found in the downtown area.

Fine with me.

[_yb]

There has been talk of a building taller than any that are currently downtown being built in the jefferson corridor. If it is true it will sure look out of place and only add to the poor traffic conditions in that area.

[smiles48650]

the most beautiful view of Albuquerque is from the top of 9 Mile hill at night.

[observe]

Originally Posted by _yb

There has been talk of a building taller than any that are currently downtown being built in the jefferson corridor. If it is true it will sure look out of place and only add to the poor traffic conditions in that area.

I read about it, it's being planned at the southwest corner of I-25 & Jefferson.
They're proposing a building with 27 floors which will be 5 floors taller than the tallest building downtown. I personally think a building this size is good, however it would fit in better downtown.

[rotorhead]

Its not what the city needs more of, its what ABQ needs less of to make it a better city. How about for a start:

Less graffitti. Yes, its better than it used to be, but ABQs lasting impression for many travellers is extremely unflattering, as in shabby and dirty. All the gang tags have got to go. We need to make examples of every tagger that gets caught, and insist on full financial restitution from them or their parents..

Less abandoned and decrepit properties along the route 66 corridor. Having the city insist on "historical landmark" status for every cruddy, run-down old motor lodge along Central is counterproductive, to say the least. The places that are still open seem to have a clientelle consisting exclusively of prostitutes, drug dealers, and drunk vagrants. Nob Hill is one of the cities brighter attractions these days, but the boarded-up and razor-wired wrecks are dragging it down.

Less antisocial behavier tolerated in public: How many times have you had some A-hole pull up next to you in traffic with a stereo volume that literally shakes your car? We have noise ordinances, but I've never seen one enforced against the ear-destroying bass-thumping noise polluters. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say something politically incorrect....we've got a problem with panhandlers too. I know that chronic homelessness is almost always a mental health issue and an almost intractible problem without running roughshod over civil rights, but panhandling is another issue. I've been accosted almost continuously near UNM and along the Nob Hill corridor by a whole gamut of types wanting my money. It ranges from the obviously homeless to the stupendously intoxicated to the 20-something slacker set. Nothing drives people away from a downtown, "re-vitalized" or not, faster than being constantly accosted by panhandlers, window-washers, and the obviously vagrant.

[observe]

Originally Posted by rotorhead

Its not what the city needs more of, its what ABQ needs less of to make it a better city. How about for a start:

Less graffitti. Yes, its better than it used to be, but ABQs lasting impression for many travellers is extremely unflattering, as in shabby and dirty. All the gang tags have got to go. We need to make examples of every tagger that gets caught, and insist on full financial restitution from them or their parents..

Less abandoned and decrepit properties along the route 66 corridor. Having the city insist on "historical landmark" status for every cruddy, run-down old motor lodge along Central is counterproductive, to say the least. The places that are still open seem to have a clientelle consisting exclusively of prostitutes, drug dealers, and drunk vagrants. Nob Hill is one of the cities brighter attractions these days, but the boarded-up and razor-wired wrecks are dragging it down.

Less antisocial behavier tolerated in public: How many times have you had some A-hole pull up next to you in traffic with a stereo volume that literally shakes your car? We have noise ordinances, but I've never seen one enforced against the ear-destroying bass-thumping noise polluters. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say something politically incorrect....we've got a problem with panhandlers too. I know that chronic homelessness is almost always a mental health issue and an almost intractible problem without running roughshod over civil rights, but panhandling is another issue. I've been accosted almost continuously near UNM and along the Nob Hill corridor by a whole gamut of types wanting my money. It ranges from the obviously homeless to the stupendously intoxicated to the 20-something slacker set. Nothing drives people away from a downtown, "re-vitalized" or not, faster than being constantly accosted by panhandlers, window-washers, and the obviously vagrant.

Although I think the city is making headway on the fight against graffitti, you make some good points that would help the city.

[Zoidberg]

My understanding about route 66's decrepit properties is that the city wants to raze every one of them and it's private individuals and historic organizations who desperately try to get them declared as landmarks.

Not long ago the city even tried to shut down some problem apartments, giving the tenants under 24 hours' notice to clear out. They're the accelerator, not the brake.

Otherwise, agreed.

[rotorhead]

Funny, I'd heard the opposite regarding the fleabag hotels. The owner of the place opposite the botannical gardens was in the news a while ago trying to get the historical status rescinded so he can tear the place down. Ironic, but behind the chainlink fence its still got that sign "longest continuously operating hotel on route 66", or something similar.

Historic designation doesn't have to be the kiss of death financially. It also doesn't mean it has to be exactly the same use as the original. Look at the old Jones Motor Company building, now Kelley's brew pub. Way better use of the building than another tattoo parlor or the old surplus store that was there before. The place is packed almost every night (some pretty good beer, too!)

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by councilor j

Albq. looks like a little city, something more like a Amarillo,Texas. For having 500,000 residents Albq, sure dosent have much. The Albq. skyline is small. There are city's with half the population of Albq. but they have larger skylines and more of a city feeling, like(Des Moines,Iowa,Tulsa,OK,OK City,OK, and Omaha,Nebraska. I live in Albq.and it feels like living in a oversized Las Cruces, just a town with lots of traffic and freeways.I think Albq could improve on adding more attractions such as a more attractive convention center, a Six Flags style theme park, palm trees around the Big I,
upscale shopping centers,and a better downtown area with more of a urban feel so people can live and shop in downtown.I requested to the Mayor that Albq. should build the first adobe style skyscraper. Think about it. That would set Albuquerque's skyline apart from the rest.-------------any input.

Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. What makes you think Albuq. doesn't look like a "real" city? Albuq. is one of the most beautiful and interesting looking cities in the country. I've been in Vegas for most of the past 43 years, and saw it grow from less than 200,000 to nearly 2 million. Most of that happened in just the last 20 years. Now they are building high rises all over town and they don't exactly enhance the looks of things. It makes me sad to see how this town has been ruined. It has mostly been a California invasion and I see they are now trying to take over Albuquerque too. Californians have done to Nevada what they did to their own state...they took a virtual paradise and destroyed it. You're next Albuquerque.

[rotorhead]

It wasn't a year ago that some realtors here in ABQ were squiring groups of CA speculators/investors around on field trips. One guy at Coldwell Banker I talked to saw some guy from LA buy west side houses literally by the handful on spec.

California money is already here, its behind most of the new rental houses trying to wait out the down market till they can slo-mo flip 'em at last. Its all over Santa Fe and Taos, to the detriment of the locals dealing with NMs eternally lowball job market. It's the reason there's about two acres of gorgeous granite slabs sitting at that Arizona Tile store right off I-25. I just hope its still here for us to at least break even when we sell our house.