An effort is now officially underway in Albuquerque to bring new life to a part of a major thoroughfare in the city that has seen better days.
Menaul Boulevard runs east to west through the city, parallel with Central Avenue, and, according to New Mexico Department of Transportation figures, sees upwards of 25,000 vehicles a day.
But the stretch of the boulevard just to the north of Interstate 40 and east of Interstate 25, where a sizable portion of the structures were built between the 1950s and 70s, has seen a growing number of store closures and both blighted and vacant properties in recent years.
A Menaul Boulevard business owner survey conducted by the City revealed concerns centered on vandalism and property crime, as well as loitering and a large number of people experiencing homelessness, not to mention poor lighting and a dearth of general visual attractiveness.
Now members of the Albuquerque City Council have given their approval to what is officially being called the Menaul Metropolitan Redevelopment Area Plan.
That plan is specifically designed to provide financial incentives for private development projects on the avenue, while also “identifying and removing barriers and constraints that have been discouraging private investment.”
The plan is also calling for a greater investment in transportation and public infrastructure projects on Menaul, while encouraging “public-private partnerships for larger projects.”
By Garry Boulard
