What do you think Albuquerque needs to make it look like a real city (Bernalillo: waterparks, construction)

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by 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.

I was checking on rental homes the other day and found there are over 250 available. I started to call a rental company and was surprised to see it was in California. Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised though. I've heard about the CA speculators over there.

[ElphinKnight]

I'm going to chime in only because I am considering a move to ABQ and I have a little urban planning reading under my belt. The large central cities developed when center cities were where all the jobs were and a common trading square was necessary. Just like computers, society has moved from centralization to networks in the past 50 years. A large center city is anachronistic and will only serve to increase traffic congestion. ABQ would be smart to keep it's downtown small, and build up several other "nodes" of employment, services, and retail. A web of public transit that isn't focused on a single central station, and instead interconnects the nodes would put ABQ at the forefront of urban design in the new era of internetworked society. Without a large city-core, I tend to feel that ABQ is at a distinct advantage in that it does not have that legacy to support.

[finmqa1]

Elphin - Those are great points, and that is what the New Urbanism approach is all about. ABQ has two VERY large developments which will do just that. The 13,000 acre Mesa Del Sol Development being done by Forest City, and the 57,000 acre SunCal deal on the Atrisco Land Grant. I really do hope that these two experienced development companies stick to this approach as construction begins.

[ElphinKnight]

Originally Posted by finmqa1

Elphin - Those are great points, and that is what the New Urbanism approach is all about. ABQ has two VERY large developments which will do just that. The 13,000 acre Mesa Del Sol Development being done by Forest City, and the 57,000 acre SunCal deal on the Atrisco Land Grant. I really do hope that these two experienced development companies stick to this approach as construction begins.

I would argue that some aspects of New Urbanism produce results similar to what I am saying. Peter Calthorpe's Transit-Oriented Development is probably the closest of the bunch. The key, I think, is for jobs to be at the nodes, not just a transit stop, a grocery store, and a dry cleaner. This requires office space to be built there, 4 or 5 story buildings at the center of the nodes, and so on. Though I've certainly not been everywhere, TOD's and other New Urbanist developments all to often are "New SubUrbanist", and result in fancy strip malls surrounded by condos. That isn't helpful.

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by ElphinKnight

I would argue that some aspects of New Urbanism produce results similar to what I am saying. Peter Calthorpe's Transit-Oriented Development is probably the closest of the bunch. The key, I think, is for jobs to be at the nodes, not just a transit stop, a grocery store, and a dry cleaner. This requires office space to be built there, 4 or 5 story buildings at the center of the nodes, and so on. Though I've certainly not been everywhere, TOD's and other New Urbanist developments all to often are "New SubUrbanist", and result in fancy strip malls surrounded by condos. That isn't helpful.

Hmmm. Sounds like Vegas. One reason we are leaving after 43 years. I guess in the past 40 or so years the large shopping centers have become the new "town centers". Now they are building shopping malls all over the place that look like the old downtowns once looked. We have a huge one going in right on the Strip called City Center where you will be able to find everything you need within a short walk from your 3 million dollar condo. There is already a small version called The District, and I saw one the other day going up that will look a lot like my hometown back east.

[finmqa1]

I don't think you'll see that happen here anytime soon. It will not be one Lifestyle Center after another. ABQ is a city deeply rooted in its history, so while we may consider new ways of doing things, we always try to keep it uniquely ABQ! ABQ does not have the RAPID growth rates that PHX, LV, or LA have had historically, which has allowed us to keep things more constant and unique than those three cities.

But I won't say never!

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by finmqa1

I don't think you'll see that happen here anytime soon. It will not be one Lifestyle Center after another. ABQ is a city deeply rooted in its history, so while we may consider new ways of doing things, we always try to keep it uniquely ABQ! ABQ does not have the RAPID growth rates that PHX, LV, or LA have had historically, which has allowed us to keep things more constant and unique than those three cities.

Thank goodness, and that's why we are coming back there. Now somebody please close the door after we arrive.

[price44567]

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.

Actually, Oklahoma City has about 50,000 more people than Albq.. Living next to OKC though, do you want the problems that come with urbanization? Crime, smog, and traffic problems?

[rotorhead]

Forget skyscrapers, how about a waterpark? Since 'The Beach' closed down there's precious little aquatic activity for the kiddos unless you've got a pool in your backyard. And I don't mean some little dinky one like that hotel is building off Carlisle, I mean one with some scary-big slides, like the ones in Vegas.

Hey, it could happen, right?

[abqsunport]

yeah... I absolutly support that. Maybe a big, local themed, amusment park. Its theme could be the lost city of gold, or Cibola, or El Dorado, or something along those lines. I think that would be pretty cool too.