In a move underlining New Mexico’s growing prominence in the national film industry, plans are underway for the construction of extensive new studio space in central Santa Fe.
City officials have announced that new film production facilities are set to go up at the 64-acre former site of the Santa Fe University of Art and Design.
In a development agreement with Aspect Studios, which is based in Santa Fe, the city’s Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency has announced a plan that will not only see the building of new sound stages, but also a restaurant and residential space.
“This is not just a plan, it’s a commitment to Santa Fe’s future,” Johanna Nelson, director of economic development for the city, remarked in a statement.
Referencing the historic and vast campus known simply as Midtown, Nelson said the project at the site “represents the intersection of creativity, community, and opportunity.”
Continued Nelson: “Our partnership with Aspect Studios will invigorate this district and ensure everyone in our community benefits from its success.”
As envisioned, the Aspirant project, which is in keeping with the two-year-old Midtown Master Plan and Community Development Plan, is seeing the extension of what is described as a “studio village,” designed to provide the latest film production technology as well as housing.
The development agreement is set to go before the Santa Fe City Council for review and a vote on December 11.
November 21, 2024
By Garry Boulard
Photo Courtesy of Unsplash
