The City of Las Vegas, New Mexico and Main Street de Las Vegas are excited to announce that the groundbreaking for Phase 1 and 2 Great Blocks construction to renovate the Historic Las Vegas Railroad District will be held at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, March 2nd at the corner of Railroad Avenue and Lincoln Street. Las Vegas Mayor Louie Trujillo will lead the ceremony and speakers include New Mexico Main Street Director Daniel Gutierrez and New Mexico Economic Development Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes as well as Main Street de Las Vegas Board President Reina Fernandez.
The New Mexico Main Street Great Blocks Program is structured to catalyze economic reinvestment into commercial property. It is a comprehensive, innovative, and intensive initiative that focuses on streetscape vitality, placemaking, creative economy enhancement, safety, and pedestrian accessibility. These public improvements are designed to leverage building and business owner reinvestment. In case studies across the country, enhanced pedestrian street design has shown to increase retail sales, attract new businesses, and create new jobs.
“With this groundbreaking, Las Vegas is beginning a vital project that will renovate the Historic Railroad District and complete construction on two blocks in the heart of downtown. This project will improve pedestrian access and public infrastructure, and direct traffic to the businesses in the district. Capital Outlay and Great Blocks projects are challenging and rewarding – congratulations to Las Vegas for starting this process,” Economic Development Department Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes said.
“Capital Outlay investment has a ripple effect in the community because it encourages business and property owners to invest in a district with improved public infrastructure and visible improvements. These projects also improve public safety and economic vitality in a community. New Mexico MainStreet is thrilled to support this project and congratulates Las Vegas on this groundbreaking,” New Mexico MainStreet Director Daniel Gutierrez said.
For this project, MainStreet de Las Vegas received $352,000 in Capital Outlay funding in 2021, $400,000 in Capital Outlay funding in 2019, $150,000 in Capital Outlay funding in 2018, and a planning grant for $70,000 in 2016. This construction project would complete two of the corners of this project and set the stage for an Event Street along Lincoln, which is the eventual goal. It would do this by positioning Lincoln with two pedestrian friendly intersections, one at each end of the street, and the newest intersection would act as the gateway to the Train Station and the newly renovated Castaneda Hotel. The Lincoln and Railroad upgrades would also include drainage improvements at the intersection, which are substandard and as people may remember, Main Street’s offices in the depot flooded because of this a few years ago.
For more information contact MainStreet de Las Vegas at 505.617.6800.
###
For Immediate Release: February 23, 2022
Contact: Michael Peranteau/MainStreet de Las Vegas
Phone: 505.617.6800 or 505.257.8770
Download PDF
Pingback: Las Vegas Great Blocks Groundbreaking - New Mexico MainStreet