Great Blocks on MainStreet

• Focusing on a viable core two-to-three block commercial area, Great Blocks on MainStreet is an innovative and intensive design redevelopment project within the MainStreet district resulting in “shovel-ready” construction documents. This program is funded by the State of New Mexico through its Capital Outlay Grants. It is funding restricted to these main street projects.

• Amount awarded to date: $550,000

In 2016, New Mexico MainStreet (NMMS) provided Great Blocks on MainStreet design services to MainStreet de Las Vegas (MSLV) and the City of Las Vegas to plan a catalytic $2.2 million investment in public infrastructure improvements along Railroad Avenue and East Lincoln Streets.  Under contract to NMMS, Sites Southwest prepared a conceptual plan, construction drawings and an estimate of construction costs.

MainStreet de Las Vegas, City of Las Vegas and NMMS are currently seeking financing for this construction-ready project.  This document sets forth a comprehensive strategy for ensuring that the critical public investment will catalyze maximum private investment in real estate and business development.

Great Blocks on MainStreet Program

New Mexico MainStreet launched its Great Blocks on MainStreet program in 2014.  It is an innovative redevelopment and placemaking program targeting significant public infrastructure deficiencies within New Mexico’s historic and traditional commercial cores.  Those deficiencies remain serious barriers to attracting new private sector reinvestment, building renovation and rehabilitation and business expansions or start-ups.  In the rural commercial core, public infrastructure has lagged behind changing market needs for commercial properties.  Often the last major public improvements date back more than 70 years.

The 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.  (American Public Transportation Assoc, 2014)

Great Blocks on MainStreet Plan for Las Vegas 

The Las Vegas Great Blocks on MainStreet Conceptual Plan (March 2016) calls for construction of many key improvements to Railroad Avenue and East Lincoln Street, two streets that form the backbone of the community's historic railroad district.  These would include new street surfaces, curbs, gutters, drainage systems, sidewalks, pavement treatments, street trees, landscaping, irrigation systems, lighting, street furniture, and pedestrian and vehicle safety features.  Construction costs are estimated to total $2.1 million.

Railroad Avenue is planned as a two-lane street with parallel parking and wide sidewalks on both sides. The east side of the street is wider, allowing for the walkway to function as a multi-use path that accommodates both bicycles and pedestrians.  This bikeway will eventually be expanded to include a trail connecting with the Gallinas River Trail to the south. A small sidewalk plaza and mid-block crossing at the Castañeda Hotel improves pedestrian access and enhances the streetside entry to this historic property. 

An improved East Lincoln Street is envisioned as both a street and a part-time pedestrian plaza, which can be closed off to vehicular traffic during events. This tree-lined corridor utilizes permeable paving and subsurface wicking to sustain the trees. Street grade along Lincoln Street is elevated, with low mountable curbs, to enhance the pedestrian experience.  Gateways at the Grand Avenue intersection mark the entrance to the railroad district, while steel railroad rails embedded in the roadway recall the history of the site.  Sidewalk extensions and paved crossings throughout the project area make pedestrian crossings safer.

Recent and Current Public and Private Investment in the Project Area 

Pioneering public and private real estate development projects in the railroad district have helped to establish a promising investment climate for the Great Blocks on MainStreet project, which will in turn catalyze further private investment in the project area.  In conjunction with building owner, business owner and new investor excitement stimulated by the Great Blocks on MainStreet plan, the following reinvestment projects are demonstrating the potential for the area.  

• The railroad depot, constructed from 1898 to 1902, was restored in 2004 for $1.4 million.

• Around 2010, Rough Rider Antiques rehabilitated a dilapidated 5,000-square-foot building at an important corner across from the depot, establishing a thriving retail anchor.

• In 2013, the owners of the Wells Fargo Building, a beautiful, three-story brick landmark built in 1908, completed a full exterior and interior rehabilitation for retail, office and residential.

• In 2015, Buena Vida Physical Therapy and Wellness, rehabilitated a handsome 1902, two-story commercial building and relocated and grew its thriving practice to thirteen employees in 5,000 square feet.

• Owners have begun an ambitious rehabilitation of the Castañeda Hotel, the 1898 jewel in Fred Harvey's chain of railroad hotels.  Work is underway at the 25,000-square-foot landmark to create 25 hotel rooms and restore key attractions like the ballroom, arcade porch, lobby and gardens.

Existing Building Inventory, Business Activity and Employment

Over time, as the Railroad Avenue and East Lincoln Street blocks become reclaimed and revitalized, the positive economic impacts will undoubtedly spill over into other streets, the community as a whole, and indeed, the greater region.  For this analysis though, the Great Blocks on MainStreet project area is defined to include only those properties immediately fronting the planned Great Blocks improvements.

The Great Blocks on MainStreet project area possesses a rich variety of substantial assets that are conducive to a range of business, residential, and mixed use development.

Buildings:  The project area includes about 30 privately-owned buildings that total 170,000 square feet.  Most of these are currently underutilized and await reinvestment.  While lack of maintenance is apparent, most of the building stock is in sound condition and built of quality materials that afford cost-effective rehabilitation and reuse.  While in some cases substantial neglect is endangering buildings' futures, recent years have seen increasing attention from property owners to their building assets.  There is a renewed interest in the district due to the work of the MainStreet program over many years, the excitement of the Castañeda project, and the prospects of the Great Blocks on MainStreet public infrastructure improvements. 

Vacant Land:  Four vacant parcels, totaling 60,400 square feet provide key development opportunity sites.

Zoning:  Most of the project area is zoned C-2 Central Business District.  An area adjacent to the railroad tracks is zoned M-1 Light Industrial.  The Castañeda property is zoned C-1 Neighborhood Commercial.

Historic Resources:  For decades, the area has been recognized as comprising many historic resources that are important to local, state and national history and culture.  The superior materials, railroad-era architecture and historic setting make for a unique district that, with further investment, will attract customers from near and far.  Many of the district's buildings are listed within the Railroad Avenue Historic District on the state and national historic registers.  Six are designated as "significant," including three that are likely to receive a stimulus for rehabilitation and reuse from the Great Blocks project (Moonlight Welding, Rawlins and Gross Kelley PNM buildings).  Seven additional structures are designated as "contributing" to the identity of the historic district.  (State Register of Cultural Properties and National Register of Historic Places, 1979) 

Businesses and Employment:  Eleven businesses are located in the project area.  These include an antique store, a take-out pizza store, auto body and welding shops, offices for the electric utility, two salons, a plumbing services and supply headquarters, a physical therapist, two loan companies, and a medical marijuana dispensary.  These establishments provide 48 full-time jobs for the community.

MSLV / NMMS Revitalization Services Strategy

MainStreet de Las Vegas has established an Economic Transformation Strategy (ETS) that outlines a comprehensive set of actions that will leverage the Great Blocks public infrastructure investment to stimulate private building facade restoration, building rehabilitation, business development, and district promotion and marketing.

Capacity Building and Technical Assistance Services Provided by NMMS:  To assist the community in successfully implementing its ETS, New Mexico MainStreet will work with MainStreet de Las Vegas and other local revitalization partners to help build local capacity and will provide technical assistance to help ensure successful project achievements.

• Communications Strategy:  Assist MainStreet de Las Vegas with a comprehensive public relations and communications approach that builds community buy-in and supports private investment and business development activities.

• Taskforce Development:  Assist with the establishment of  appropriate implementation teams needed to recruit new businesses, initiate property development projects and acquire financing for building rehabilitation and revitalization projects. 

• Capacity-Building and Project Technical Assistance:  Provide educational and technical assistance needed to enhance the skills, knowledge and processes of project leaders, partners and task force members.  

o   Organization: Enhance the ability of local leaders to engage stakeholders, manage project deliverables and timelines, coordinate tasks, identify and collect project and economic performance metrics, and ensure timely reports to the Economic Development Department.

o   Promotion: Assist program leaders in branding the Great Blocks district, designing an image-building and marketing plan for the area, creating signature events, and helping business owners with their promotion and marketing strategies.

o   Design: Provide design, architecture and historic preservation guidance to property owners, business owners and local teams performing facade improvements, building rehabilitations, land development, and public space enhancements.

o   Economic Vitality: Assist local teams in their efforts to analyze market opportunities, create business strengthening, expansion and recruitment programs, and help property owners to plan their rehabilitation projects and acquire financing.  

• Resource Development:  Connect project leaders to financial resources that support projects including operational funds, matching funds or in-kind donations for façade improvements or building rehabilitations, and incentives for business development and/or historic preservation projects.

Revitalization Services Provided by MSLV:  MainStreet de Las Vegas will provide the following property rehabilitation, business development, and promotion and marketing services in the Great Blocks project area.  These actions will leverage the Great Blocks public infrastructure investment to stimulate private building facade restoration, building rehabilitation, business development, and expanded consumer markets.

• Property Rehabilitation:  MainStreet de Las Vegas will work with its revitalization partners to assist property owners in rehabilitating their properties for adaptive re-use.

o   The goal is to achieve six private building full interior and exterior rehabilitations plus six additional facade or other building improvements in the project area within five years of completing the Great Blocks on MainStreet public infrastructure project.

o   Assist property owners to establish sound rehabilitation plans for their properties.  Coordinate the technical assistance services provided by NMMS.

o   MSLV will establish a property rehabilitation incentive grant program that will grant a total of $10,000 to property owners each year. 

o   Help property owners to use state and federal historic preservation tax credit tools to help finance their projects.

o   Assist building owners to connect with local and state financial institutions and nontraditional lenders.

o   Assist building owners in preparing their financing applications.

o   Assist building owners with the building permit process.

• Business Development Program:  To ensure that the local economy fully benefits from the public infrastructure investments, MainStreet de Las Vegas will work with revitalization partners to implement a comprehensive business development program.

o   In partnership with organizations like the Small Business Development Center, provide training and networking services to enhance the performance of existing businesses and help new start-up ventures.

o   Help existing businesses with their expansion planning to seize new market opportunities created by the catalytic investments.

o   Assist property owners to prepare their properties for desired tenancies, plan building rehabilitation projects, acquire financing, and market business locations to prospects.

o   Assist building and business owners in preparing their business plans and loan applications.

o   Conduct business recruitment activities to market the Great Blocks area and entire MainStreet district to prospective new businesses.  Cultivate prospects and assist them to develop and achieve their business plans. 

• Promotion and Marketing:  Create a brand for the Great Blocks district, design an image-building and marketing plan for the area, create signature events, and help business owners with their promotion and marketing strategies.

o   Involving stakeholders, develop a brand for the Great Blocks district.

o   Design an image-building and marketing plan for the area.

o   Develop advertising campaigns to market the district and its business clusters.

o   Create promotions and business events that help businesses achieve cooperative and cross promotions. 

o   Provide technical assistance to businesses to help them strengthen their marketing efforts.

Economic Development Impacts

The public improvements constructed for the Las Vegas Great Blocks on MainStreet project will catalyze private owners of vacant buildings to rehabilitate their buildings to house new businesses, stimulate owners of buildings with existing businesses to make improvements to their locations, propel existing businesses to expand, and boost sales for other businesses in the district.  The following chart presents conservative estimates of economic impacts based on realistic prospects for building and business reinvestment in the Great Blocks project area.  (These impact estimates do not include the Castaneda project nor a potential future adaptive reuse of the Gross Kelly / PNM Building.)

SOURCE:  New Mexico MainStreet and MainStreet de Las Vegas, based on field surveys, and data from National Complete Streets Coalition, American Public Transportation Association, Urban Land Institute, Wisconsin Main Street, and New York City Department of Transportation.