University of New Mexico, With a Handful of Big Projects, Hoping for November Bond Approval10/3/2022 ![]() Depending upon the results of this November’s election, the University of New Mexico may soon see the construction of a long-anticipated Center for Collaborative Arts and Technology, which is slated to go up on the main Albuquerque campus. The idea behind the center, besides housing teaching space for the creative arts, is all about saving space: currently, the school’s College of Fine Arts has various functions located in 13 separate buildings. The new multi-story center will bring all those functions together under one roof, and will include technical and equipment labs, as well as performance space for the music and theater departments. In November, New Mexican voters will decide on up to $215 million in general obligation bonds to fund a host of higher education facility projects across the state. Of that total, $89.2 million will go for various works at UNM. Besides the collaborative arts and technology center, UNM officials are also hoping to see built what is being called the Children’s Psychiatric Center, which will be a part of the UNM Health Sciences Center on the north campus. The psychiatric center will encompass 24,500 square feet and will be dedicated to diagnosing and treating a wide variety of children’s mental healthcare issues. The GO bond is also slated to fund a series of facility projects on the Gallup, Los Alamos, Taos, and Valencia UNM campuses. By Garry Boulard
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![]() Affirming that an 85-year-old apprenticeship program is still the most effective way of training workers, the Department of Labor has announced that it is newly committed to the well-trod Registered Apprenticeship system. In a press release issued by the agency, the Registered Apprenticeship system was hailed for its role in “helping U.S. workers, particularly those from underserved communities, to access good-paying, family-sustaining jobs.” In declaring its ongoing commitment to that program, the Labor Department simultaneously announced its decision to dismantle what is known as the industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Program, which it said had created a “duplicative, lower-quality system that was not in the best interest of workers and industries.” Industry-recognized apprenticeship programs are operated by trade and industry groups, as well as individual businesses and non-profit organizations. Labor unions have complained that such programs are inefficient and lacking in a full array of safety and skills training. The Department of Labor’s action comes in response to an executive order issued by President Biden early last year. The federal Registered Apprenticeship program was launched in 1937, initially focusing on programs for the construction, manufacturing, and utilities industries. Beginning in the late 1940s, the program also began to offer firefighter, emergency medical technician, and police training. By Garry Boulard ![]() A movie house that opened to great fanfare in May of 1957 in downtown Greeley, Colorado, featuring the hit musical Oklahoma!, is being listed for sale for $1.7 million. The opening of the Colorado Theater in what was then a city of around 23,000 people made the front page of the Greeley Daily Tribune, with opening night featuring city officials, klieg lights, and a local high school pep band. It was noted that the new theater could seat nearly 900 people, with a screen capable of showing the latest CinemaScope offerings. The building served as a movie house for nearly two decades until it was purchased by the University of Northern Colorado Foundation, hosting any number of concert and opera events. UNC moved the operations of the Foundation Hall to another location in 2019. Located in downtown Greeley at 1514 8th Avenue, the building, measuring nearly 15,600 square feet, sits on a just-over 1-acre site on a commercial block that has seen a good deal of redevelopment in recent years. A modern four-story structure housing around 220 apartments was built some 3 years ago at 8th Avenue and 16th Street, with other apartment projects for an area just to the north of the University of Northern Colorado being discussed. The building, advertised as a candidate for multi-family and retail redevelopment, is being listed with the Waypoint Real Estate firm of Fort Collins. By Garry Boulard |
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