A vacant lot that was once the site of a popular neighborhood shopping mall in Albuquerque could become the new home to an emergency services center.
Located at the intersection of Kathryn Avenue SE and San Mateo Boulevard, roughly 7 miles to the east of downtown Albuquerque, the facility would be used for first responders serving calls specific to behavioral health and homeless issues.
Mayor Tim Keller has proposed the center, which would cost around $7 million to build, as part of a significantly larger $140 million infrastructure spending plan.
That plan, to be reviewed by members of the Albuquerque City Council, will eventually be presented to voters in November as a general obligation bond.
Located in an area of mostly small commercial structures and some apartment housing, the Kathryn/San Mateo site was formerly the home of the Parkland Hills Shopping Center.
That mall, dating to the 1960s, was closed in 2005 and subsequently demolished some 5 years ago.
If built, the new emergency response service could be a part of a larger multi-use public safety complex.
By Garry Boulard
