What do you think Albuquerque needs to make it look like a real city (Las Cruces: how much, theatres)

[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.

[countryrush]

Why would you want it to look like a big city? It has all the things big cities have to offer except you can actually see the stars at night, unlike a larger place. Adobe skyscraper huh? Well, that's a good idea and everything but where is the money gonna come from for all those things? And I don't think adobe is a strong enough material for something like a skyscraper, I quess a similar type of material the looks like it would work. But adobe is just basically mud with a few extra things mixed in. We used to have The Beach but that closed down for financial reasons, no customers and they needed a new filter system that they couldn't afford. There is Cliff's, thats kind of like Six Flags. Besides the no money thing, how are we going to get all these businesses to come to Albuquerque?

[SandKMcVaugh]

Well from a Truck Drivers stand point...I think Albuquerque is too....city like as it is. Traffic...a lot of people...and a HEADACKE to get thru. But! from the stand point of a person. I like the town the way it is...it's special and has a charm of it's own. I remember delivering sod for one of the High Schools in town and what amazed me was how much into history and customs the town has! Ever since I've been looking into moving to NM.

BTW
and Adobe Skyscraper is awful ugly...if you don't beleave me go to Las Vegas and look at the one Downtown....ooops you can't the City demolished the out side of the building and put up marble last year....tells you what they thought of the Old Court House....Yes Albuquerque does need something to set it apart from the mundane...

[catman]

I like Albuquerque the way it is. I think it would destroy its character to put a Six Flags and skyscrapers (even adobe ones) in. I may be moving there from Ft Worth, and I don't want to move into a homogenized big-city atmosphere. I want to move to Albuquerque, not Dallas, New Mexico.

[finmqa1]

I don't think ABQ will ever lose its charm by adding a few modern/urban developments throughout the city. I'm not advocating a 1000ft high rise in Downtown but surely a few 4 to 500 ft buildings would not harm the city. Having an urban core is vital to the city, it will help bring in high paying wages and hopefully stop the endless sprawl of NE/NW Abq, and Rio Rancho. I don't think we could build buildings high enough to block the views of the Sandias!!!!!!!!

[kaforeman]

Originally Posted by councilor j

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.

What sets it apart is how charming and pretty it is right now. There are just enough tall buildings that you can see downtown from a distance, and the buildings are distinctive enough to identify the city. When we were coming into ABQ by train last week, I looked toward downtown but the entire skyline was blocked by ONE TREE. Of course, the tree was close and the city was far away, but I still thought it was pretty funny, and again, charming.

I've been to Chicago and New York and Boston and other big cities with big skylines, and it does NOT look welcoming. It looks intimidating! And the big buildings block the light and the view.

I think the skyline is just right. You start stacking people up in high buildings and you lost the unique character of New Mexico.

[stormweary]

Have you ever been to Washington D.C.? It has a big city feel without skyscrapers. ( I think its because no building can be higher than the Capitol)
Does Alb.have an arts center?

[brikag]

not to brag, so, please forgive me. as a world traveler, i have seen the greatness and plunders of the great cities. everyone one would like that great utopian city. but face it, we're human and falible. as an observer and photogragher of this great world, i have witness and photographed many cities.
what would it take to make ABQ a great city, or a real city? I have visited ABQ several times and i can see potential in the city. this is a list that should be seriously debated:
1. light rail system with a positive intergration of existing bus line.
2. use of C.N.G./hybrid buses
3. housing of the homeless with proven programs of recovery.
4. incentives for corporations to move to ABQ
5. incentives for local business to set up in downtown.
6. increase police presence.
7. plan more events in downtown, ie. street fairs, art shows, local band
concerts.
8. make the roads pedestrian/bike friendly.
9. enhance a certain industry, ie. silicon valley, starbucks seattle, wall
street, hollywood. make it stand out and different. here's an idea,
aerospace.
10. recycling programs.

those are just a few that i have seen make a REAL city stand out from the rest. get involved with your community and support change for a better tomorrow.
i'm done ranting....

[kaforeman]

Originally Posted by stormweary

Have you ever been to Washington D.C.? It has a big city feel without skyscrapers. ( I think its because no building can be higher than the Capitol)
Does Alb.have an arts center?

I'll need you full-time residents to add to or correct this, but from memory I can state that ABQ has many arts venues and centers, not one center. It also has unique places like the national Hispanic Cultural Center, at least one art museum (or museum that has a large art collection). There are many performing arts venues, as we found when we tried to find local theatre performances on one of our visits. There are also arts programs and theatres at the UNM campus, like Popejoy Hall. Overall, we have been very impressed by the emphasis on the arts that we found in ABQ.

[kaforeman]

Originally Posted by brikag

I have visited ABQ several times and i can see potential in the city. this is a list that should be seriously debated:
1. light rail system with a positive intergration of existing bus line.
2. use of C.N.G./hybrid buses
3. housing of the homeless with proven programs of recovery.
4. incentives for corporations to move to ABQ
5. incentives for local business to set up in downtown.
6. increase police presence.
7. plan more events in downtown, ie. street fairs, art shows, local band
concerts.
8. make the roads pedestrian/bike friendly.
9. enhance a certain industry, ie. silicon valley, starbucks seattle, wall
street, hollywood. make it stand out and different. here's an idea,
aerospace.
10. recycling programs.

those are just a few that i have seen make a REAL city stand out from the rest. get involved with your community and support change for a better tomorrow.
i'm done ranting....

The city currently as the RapidRide shuttle that goes from one end of the city to the other along Central; the Rail Runner commuter train is connecting Albuquerque to the towns to the north and south, and eventually will go to Santa Fe. The city/state are actively wooing movie studios to set up shop in NM, and a major studio facility is planned for the Mesa Del Sol development south of the airport. I don't know about the other programs, but overall ABQ is very progressive and is always working on programs to improve the city and the quality of life there.