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Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
City of Albuquerque offering $500 grants for community block parties
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The City of Albuquerque is giving out $500 grants to support block parties in certain parts of the city. The purpose of the grant is to foster community engagement through business- and neighborhood-led events that highlight public spaces through music, food, art, and more, according to a news release from the city. ESPN's 'SportsCenter' is hitting the road to film in Albuquerque, cities across America 'Great cities are built by great communities, and this grant helps celebrate the people and neighborhoods that make Albuquerque special,' said Mayor Tim Keller in the news release. 'Whether it's music, food, or just good conversation, we're excited to help residents turn their streets into spaces for connection and celebration.' The grant funding is being distributed by the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency and the block parties must be held in one of the 22 designated Metropolitan Redevelopment Areas across Albuquerque. Those areas are highlighted on the map below and can be found by clicking here. Applications must be submitted at least 60 days before the event date, and they will be reviewed on a rolling basis until funds are depleted. Before applying, the city said applicants must collect verifiable signatures of support from at least 70% of the businesses or property owners on the party block(s). Only the blocks receiving the 70% or more level of support will be included in the party block boundaries. 'Block parties are a powerful way to build community and bring energy back to our streets,' Terry Brunner, MRA director, stated in the news release. 'Whether you're a local business, a neighborhood group, or just someone with a great idea, this grant helps make it happen.' MRA sponsorship can be used to pay for permits, insurance, social media ads, hire a DJ, an ice cream truck, or rent games, according to the city. Funding is awarded competitively, emphasizing free entry to the block party or free activities. Applicants can receive up to two awards a year; however, priority will be given to new applicants. To learn more and apply, visit For questions, please contact Mara Salcido, project manager, at msalcido@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
City of Albuquerque looking for input from business owners about downtown parking
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – There might be plenty of high-rise parking garages, but there are still plenty of complaints about a lack of downtown parking. Now, the City of Albuquerque is asking for ideas on how to fix it. 'That's kind of a big debate amongst the public and our businesses. Some folks think there's not enough parking and some think there's too much,' said Director of Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency Terry Brunner. Story continues below New Mexico Crime Files: Grocery store worker hands out semen-tainted yogurt Film: These productions were filmed at White Sands. Have you seen them? New Mexico News Insiders: Who Will Fix New Mexico's Mental Health Problems? News: Governor's Office: Operation Zia Shield is different than situation in California The city hopes to soon settle that debate by getting answers about what is or is not working with downtown parking. Now in the middle of their first major parking survey in almost a decade, the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency said there are plenty of gaps the city needs to fill in for drivers. 'They want to know about pricing, they want to know about safety. About convenience and when parking is available and where it's available,' said Brunner. The action comes as part of the Downtown 2050 Redevelopment Plan. There are at least 21,000 parking spaces downtown, but the city said a big part of the issue comes down to how and where people like to park. 'We're looking at also trying to understand what people's desires are around walking and parking to understand how far away they're willing to park from a place that they want to go,' added Brunner. After conducting a public survey, next week the city will get feedback from downtown businesses and organizations virtual meetings on Monday June 16 at 4 p.m. and Tuesday at 12 p.m. It's something local performing arts center, FUSION, hopes to weigh in on. 'The more parking we have, the more people will come downtown. We have parking, we just need to better utilize it,' said Executive Director of FUSION, Dennis Gromelski. Another priority, adding more way-finding kiosks downtown to help get people to places they can easily park and eat. There will be another meeting next week about that topic. The downtown parking study should be done by summer. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Construction starts at problematic Central Ave. bridge underpass
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It's been on pause for around a year, but the city is finally restarting work, fixing one of the most notorious stretches of sidewalk in Albuquerque. Story continues below Crime: Parent speaks out after gun found on Albuquerque Public Schools campus Don't Miss: Which ABQ restaurants has Guy Fieri visited on 'Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives'? National: Pope Leo XIV celebrates first Mass, calls his election both a cross and a blessing It's been around for almost 100 years, but these days, not a lot of people dare to walk under the railroad tracks on Central Ave. because of problems with campers, drug use, and vandalism. The revamp to fix that is now kicking into high gear. The first step in fixing the downtown portion of the ongoing 'Rail Trail' project is to replace the Central Ave. underpass with a new pedestrian bridge and crossing ramps. 'People for years have crossed at an underpass there, or maybe you've ridden your car under the bridge. We'll now have two ramps that take you up and over that bridge area,' said Terry Brunner, Director of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency. On Friday, crews started removing unused railroad tracks at the Central Ave. crossing, where eventually people will be able to walk over. In the coming weeks, they'll pour concrete to form a new 18 to 22-foot-wide ramp up to the bridge, alongside the Alvarado bus station. The updates also include an interactive 'Neon Tumbleweed' art piece that lights up at night.'It's going to provide a lot of very interesting shadowing images, and like I said, we would have images on the pavement that people can ride their bike over, they'll be able to ride and walk through the middle of the sculpture,' said Brunner. Albuquerque City Councilor Joaquín Baca said the project is a big deal. 'Whether you know it's people walking between businesses, between hotels, whether it's people biking across connected to the rail trails or other bike trails. Just general business being able to walk back and forth, it's going to have a huge, huge impact,' said Baca. Some people at the station on Friday said they're also excited for the change, saying the old underpass was not ideal. 'Because it's really hard right now to get to it, you only have one area to get here. If they open up the bridge over here, it's going to give us more access,' said Danny Hardage, train rider. 'Very dangerous down there because there was homeless people staying under there, and at night you didn't know who you were going to run into,' said Matthew Cordova, train rider. The city said the project is estimated to cost between $16 and $18 million. That money is a combination of city and state funding. ABQ Ride said the construction work will also impact at least three of their routes along Central and First Street, starting the week of May 19. To see what routes will be impacted, you can visit their website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
City of Albuquerque unveils redevelopment plan for downtown
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – There's a new plan the city hopes can breathe new life into downtown, and KRQE News 13 is getting a look at what big projects could take top priority over the next few decades. Story continues below Trending: In-N-Out Burger eyes property in northwest Albuquerque Sports: ECHL announces plans for professional hockey team in Rio Rancho Crime: Deming mother accused of abusing kids enters plea After months of gathering opinions, the city's finalized its new 'Downtown 2050″ plan, which says better parking and new shade are some of the biggest priorities. Some business owners say they would be a welcome change. 'This is our home, this is our neighborhood. And everybody down here is really optimistic that the city of Albuquerque is reinvesting into Downtown,' said Mark Baker, owner of 505 Central Food Hall. Some consider it the heart of Albuquerque, and in 2025, downtown is still a hub for workers, restaurants, and events. A new roadmap called the 'Downtown 2050 Redevelopment Plan' is now outlining what the city should focus on changing, including adding more trees for shade, widening sidewalks, and installing more art. Albuquerque Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency Director Terry Brunner said the plan is important for a critical part of the city. 'It does contribute a lot to our gross receipts and our tax revenue. It's the place usually tourists go first to figure out what's happening in your town, and it's also a site where people work, live, and play these days,' says Terry Brunner, Director for the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency. Other priorities include adding more wayfinding kiosks and finally helping people figure out where to park. 'Well, we would love to see an app being used so that if people are coming downtown,n they know where the available spaces are, or how many spaces are in the parking garage, or what's the current rate,' says Brunner. The plan also outlines filling vacant buildings with pop-up shops and temporary retail stores. Baker said that while the area has grown in some ways, there's more work to be done to make it better. 'And this is a unique neighborhood, that's very important for keeping our young people in Albuquerque and attracting new people to our state,' says Baker. MRA Director Brunner said the city is aiming to tackle these improvements over decades. They estimate the collection of initiatives could cost millions, and that money, which will most likely come from Albuquerque City Council. The city has already launched wayfinding improvements, and they're asking for people's opinions on how best to do it. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Is there progress being made on major housing developments in southeast Albuquerque?
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The city has given some nice tax breaks to four big housing projects in southeast Albuquerque, but months down the line, some of those projects have yet to see much work. Almost all of these projects are located on Central Ave., many of which have funding to start but still have more permitting, hiring, and funding challenges to meet. Story continues below Education: 'Distraction-Free Bill' to curb cell phone use in schools set to go into effect Crime: Santa Fe man accused of killing wife during an argument Resources: How New Mexico families can get money for groceries this summer 'We've had a huge historic underinvestment in this area, and absolutely, before things get more expensive or the landscape gets more uncertain, it's time to act and do what we have to do now,' said Nichole Rodgers, Albuquerque City Councilor. She is pushing to get more housing in her district, including four projects for which the city already approved redevelopment tax breaks that could collectively save millions. 'These all happen to be kind of off the Central corridor, which is really nice to see, too. That's very important for access to the art transit route and reinvigorating central a bit in preparation for the centennial,' said Terry Brunner, Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency Director, CABQ. But each of those projects still has a long way to go, including the 'SOMOS' development, which will mix affordable apartments with commercial space at Central Ave. near Louisiana Blvd. The developer, Sol Housing, said their permits and contractor are set, but they need nearly $5 million to close the gap. 'Our target date is kind of early May, so hopefully within 30 days we should be breaking ground and going vertical,' said Felipe Rael, executive director of Sol Housing. Another project, the Highlands Central Market and Residence Inn, would be across from Presbyterian Hospital with a food hall and long-stay hotel. Titan development is still working on permits. 'This one is really about local economy, business development, economic development,' said Rogers. Near Nob Hill, the 16-unit Garfield townhomes have started utility work. Meanwhile, one of two towers on San Mateo near Central Ave. is looking for contractors before work begins to convert offices to apartments. 'These are out-of-state developers that are kind of new to the New Mexico market, so we want to get them in the game as soon as possible. And those towers are also something that the community is just really interested in seeing get done,' said Brunner. Across the four projects, if they come to fruition as planned, the city says it will add around 313 new units of housing. None of the projects has solid dates so far for completion. A funding boost for the 70-unit SOMOS project is slated for city council review next week. Developers are looking for $6 million from federal grants. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
