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Santa Fe Midtown plan moves through city council

City of Santa Fe Planning and Land Use Division
Map of Midtown Campus

This week the Santa Fe City Council unanimously passed the Midtown master plan, a framework for how the 64-acre city-owned property in the center of Santa Fe could be redeveloped after being largely vacant for more than four years.

Nearby residents, adjacent business owners, and housing advocates testified in favor of the project in front of the city's governing body of city councilors and Mayor Alan Weber.

Raymundo Herrera is with Chainbreaker, an organization working toward access to affordable transportation and housing.

Herrera was assisted by a translator but addressed the governing body in Spanish.

“Y me enterado de cómo está la situación. Y nos gustaría apreciar estos esfuerzos que han hecho la ciudad esto demuestra participación y autenticidad en la comunidad.”

Herrera said he liked how the city worked with the community and answered their questions. He said he hoped it would be a model for communication going forward.

The master plan approval marks a new phase for development of the Midtown property.

Three RFPs were issued Friday asking for plans to reimagine and update the old college library into a new public library, rebuild the visual arts center for tech and multimedia uses, and renovate and expand the 30,000-square-foot Garson film studio that is still in use.

The plan also includes up to 1,100 housing units, retail space, and a public plaza and park.

The new master plan addresses zoning and other guiding principles for development, but the policy details that address things like equity, inclusion and culture at Midtown are in the community development plan that will be introduced at a future city council meeting. The next one is on December 14th.

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This report is part of our Your New Mexico Government project, a collaboration between KUNM radio and New Mexico PBS. Support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

Kaveh Mowahed is a reporter with KUNM who follows government, public health and housing. Send story ideas to kaveh@kunm.org.
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