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El Paso is not that bad guys. There are some things that El Paso is doing right now that ABQ not. Does ABQ have a street car? Or how about a massive overhaul of construction that downtown El Paso is experiencing? I'm saying this because I'm not sure what's U/C or planned in ABQ?
El Paso is poorer than New Mexico and much poorer than Albuquerque. Again, Albuquerque brings New Mexico up, El Paso drags Texas down:
El Paso metro poverty rate - 24 percent
New Mexico statewide poverty rate - 21.3 percent
Albuquerque metro poverty rate - 18.5 percent
I'll also remind about the GDP statistics where New Mexico as a whole also leads El Paso as a metro in per capita terms:
(2015 total GDP and per capita output)
El Paso metro - $28,912,000,000 $34,461
New Mexico - $90,756,000,000 $43,526
Albuquerque metro $42,673,000,000 $47,033
OK but those figures don't make El Paso so bad per say but certain sections such as it's lower valley. That's like saying Chicago is bad because of its ghettos. Asides, income does not necessarily equate to a better quality of life.
El Paso is not that bad guys. There are some things that El Paso is doing right now that ABQ not. Does ABQ have a street car? Or how about a massive overhaul of construction that downtown El Paso is experiencing? I'm saying this because I'm not sure what's U/C or planned in ABQ?
Albuquerque is building a BRT line down Central Avenue in the heart of the most urban areas of the city. It will cost $119 million dollars which is more than the cost of the streetcar in El Paso. This is mostly because the line is twice as long as the streetcar route in El Paso. A streetcar project in Albuquerque was proposed more than a decade ago but it was shelved for being too costly at $250 million dollars back then. The BRT project was advanced by our current Republican mayor as being a cheaper alternative.
Downtown Albuquerque along with the urban neighborhoods along Central Avenue are seeing plenty of projects and construction. Our Mayor recently said that $300 million in projects were underway along the ART route. Planners estimate that the ART line could spur $2 billion in construction along the route.
The mayor also recently issued an RFP for a new tallest building in the city, offering up two city properties downtown at fair market value for the project. Proposals are due by July 1st and must be at least 360 feet tall to surpass Albuquerque Plaza which is currently the tallest building in the state at 351 feet.
Downtown Albuquerque currently has 369 residential units under construction along with another 111 soon to be underway. 103 units were completed last year as well. A new taproom and microbrewery have been opened downtown in the last year with another planned at the One Central project. Several new restaurants have opened including two on the ground floor of the Imperial Building joining the new grocery store and a hair salon. A new drugstore is also going to open at the building soon. The building was completed last year and features 76 apartments, a rooftop garden and underground parking.
The Lobo Rainforest building at Innovate ABQ has topped out at 6 stories and is scheduled to be completed in August. It was also confirmed that the Air Force Research Laboratory will occupy space on the ground floor.
One Central is under construction with its foundation being laid currently. The 429-space parking structure should be completed by the end of the year and the apartments and commercial spaces including the bowling alley should be completed this time next year.
The massive redevelopment of five city blocks across Central Avenue from Presbyterian Hospital downtown is scheduled to get underway in August. Late last year the plans for the $95 million dollar project were unveiled including two separate residential components totaling 302 units, a 100-plus room hotel, retail and commercial buildings and a food hall. The entire project is scheduled to be completed within two years.
The 34-unit Carlisle condominiums in Nob Hill suffered a catastrophic arson fire just two weeks before being completed in late November. The wooden superstructure was a total loss but the concrete, ground-floor parking deck and the metal walkways for the interior courtyard were able to be salvaged for use in reconstruction. The project was insured and reconstruction will begin next month with completion by the end of the year.
The Albuquerque International Sunport has been adding airlines, flights and passengers lately and is finally commencing with a long-planned upgrade to the pre-security areas of the facility. The project recently got underway and is going to cost $30 million dollars.
Also at the Sunport, ground was broken on a redevelopment of the northern portion of the old north-south runway. It will include retail and commercial along Gibson Boulevard where such projects have been booming lately, as well as an aviation-focused industrial center with runway access.
At the Rio Grande Zoo work is soon to begin on the new Penguin Chill exhibit. The exhibit will feature three different penguin species and is expected to open next spring. It will cost $12 million dollars.
OK but those figures don't make El Paso so bad per say but certain sections such as it's lower valley. That's like saying Chicago is bad because of its ghettos. Asides, income does not necessarily equate to a better quality of life.
Fair enough, but I was replying to a poster who was trying to trash talk New Mexico as being poor. I merely pointed out the truth that El Paso is indeed poorer than New Mexico and Albuquerque.
Money magazine has named Albuquerque as the fifth best travel destination in the country in terms of value. It cited the city's affordability and unique offerings such as architecture, local cuisine and art. It also made specific mention of the Petroglyph National Monument on the city's Westside, and the yearly Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta as things to see and do while on a trip to Albuquerque.
Here are two great timelapse videos of the Balloon Fiesta that I will re-post to give an idea of this yearly festival which is Albuquerque's largest event and single biggest tourism draw. The event has been taking place in October for nearly fifty years. It is the largest gathering of hot air balloons in the world and the most-photographed event as well. It has inspired many other ballooning events around the world to use the "Fiesta" name, from England to Japan.
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