Las Cruces Sun-News POSTED: 07/24/2015 07:26:07 PM MDT
By Diana Alba Soular
LAS CRUCES >> An energetic crowd gathered Friday morning in front of a monument to the historic St. Genevieve Catholic Church in downtown Las Cruces to mark a momentous occasion: a ceremonial groundbreaking for a new civic plaza.
It was a day at least two decades in the making, said several plaza proponents at the event.
Mayor Pro Tem Greg Smith noted the location is in the midst of a historic neighborhood, near the historic church site and within a few blocks of the also-historic El Camino Real route, Acequia Madre irrigation channel and a dance site for a Native American tribe.
“This is a great spot; you couldn’t ask for a more perfect location,” he said. “This day we are making history, folks.”
Former Las Cruces Mayor Ruben Smith addressed the audience, holding up a copy of a 1994 study that identified a civic plaza as a key part of revitalizing the city’s historic center. And he gave a nod to a lengthy list of Las Crucens who contributed their energy to the work back in the project’s early years, when the city’s population was about 63,000. But many have since died, he said.
“The list goes on and on,” he said. “These are the people who started with us 20 years ago and are no longer with us today.”
Smith thanked supporters who’ve carried the project through to the point of starting construction, saying: “I congratulate all of you on this wonderful endeavor.”
City councilors unveiled a sign announcing the project, and along with a number of other dignitaries, turned over shovels of dirt in a ceremonial gesture. The actual work — demolition of a Bank of the West drive-through and removal of the monument on the 1.95-acre site — is set to start Aug. 3, according to city officials. Construction will take about a year.
Wilma Hutson, who lives in the Mesquite Historic District, just east of the downtown, said she was “very excited” about the project because it will add beauty and art to the downtown.
“And with that, it should bring in some business,” said Hutson, who attended the groundbreaking.
City officials have hailed the plaza as a showcase feature in a long-range plan for revitalization after an unsuccessful renewal project of the ’60s and ’70s. Another major project was reopening the Main Street route to vehicles after it was closed for decades as part of an unsuccessful outdoor pedestrian mall.
Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima thanked a list of elected officials ranging from former U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., to former Gov. Bill Richardson to current state lawmakers for their support of downtown revitalization.
“And last, but not least, the city of Las Cruces — you, our residents,” he said. “I know there’s time where you wonder ‘What in the world is the city doing?’ but we have a lot of faith and trust in our city management team. And thank goodness (the plaza) is here.”
Jessie Sanchez, a vice president of Citizens Bank of Las Cruces, said it was a “great occasion” to witness the civic plaza groundbreaking.
“It’s something that can be utilized by everyone in the city,” he said. “I think it’s going to an a venue for events. They can have an orchestra, bands playing — open it up to individuals from all over New Mexico.”
State Rep. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, whose district includes the downtown, said the plaza will create “exciting possibilities” for the area.
“We’re going to have many good years of community and special events ahead,” he said.
City Councilor Miguel Silva, whose district includes downtown, said during a trip to Spain in 2012, he visited the Sagrada FamÃlia basilica, which is a century-long construction project. He said he was inspired by the dedicated workers building the project because “to me, those were the angels that were building the cathedral that’s going to be standing years beyond their lives.” He said a “lot of people” have been involved in the plaza project — something he hopes will “be here 100 years down the road.”
“With this plaza, I hope we’re having a momentous event, and I hope it doesn’t take us 100 years to make,” he joked. “But I think what we’re making here is something momentous in that we’re re-establishing that focal point in the city.”
Bank update
Through a go-between developer, Las Cruces Community Partners, the city bought most of the land for the plaza from Bank of the West, which has a four-story building just north of the plaza site.
Though the bank’s drive-through has been sold, the bank will continue operating from the multistory building at 201 N. Church Street. In addition, the bank branch will be open extended hours on Saturdays — 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. — through the construction, according to a Bank of the West news release.
George Stanfield, executive vice president of the Rocky Mountain Division at Bank of the West, said in a statement that the company is “proud to participate in the revitalization of downtown Las Cruces.”
“The new plaza is an important expansion for our community, and we continue to remain committed to providing excellent customer service as the renovations progress,” he said.
Meanwhile, as the plaza is being built, the multistory building will undergo a renovation “into a state-of-the-art facility which will include a ‘media wall’ with digital screens featuring financial tips and other useful information; a walk-up, deposit-accepting ATM; and a night deposit service — all ways customers may choose to conduct their financial transactions outside of business hours,” according to the news release. Those renovations will be done by early 2016.
The last day of service for the downtown branch’s drive-through is close of business July 31, according to a posted announcement.
Bank of the West directed customers who want to continue using a drive-through to a bank branch at 795 S. Telshor Blvd.