Las Cruces Community Partners FAQ’s

1. Why is downtown redevelopment important?
   • The sociology of cities is that they need a core and a heart to grow from.
   • The city core creates a sense of place and reflects the culture and personality of the city
   • Great cities have a sense of arrival, you know when you have arrived
   • As the central place of government downtown is often the first place that businesses and tourists visit to determine the vibrancy of a city
2. What are the benefits to downtown redevelopment?
   • Promotes the cities:
     • Character and culture
     • Sense of place
     • Quality of life
     • Economic development
     • National trend for urban living
   • Balances the flight to the suburbs and urban sprawl
   • Allows the population to efficiently grow central to existing infrastructure and services
3. What is the Infill Zone?
   • The central zone designated by the city to promote the development of vacant parcels that are surrounded by existing infrastructure and services
   • City ordinance provides economic incentives for development in this zone

4. What are the key assets for downtown redevelopment?
   • Committed City government
   • Years of planning and community involvement
   • Strong residential neighborhoods on adjacent to downtown
   • Good master plan in place
   • Good support of stake holders
   • Strong existing employment in one and three mile radius
   • Recent infrastructure improvements to re create Main Street Las Cruces
   • Recent investment of local, state and federal government to locate new offices and facilities
5. What are the obstacles to downtown redevelopment?
   • Local cynicism that it will never happen (It has taken a long time to correct the problems of the past when main street was closed to develop a downtown mall)
   • Small town lack of vision
   • Suburban developers and businesses who do not understand the benefits to a strong downtown core
6. Does the City government support the redevelopment?
   • The city government totally supports downtown development
   • City council recently approved the funding for a new civic plaza
   • City council and TIDD board recently approved the priorities from the 2013 Design Charrette led by Place Makers LLC
7. Who is the Downtown Las Cruces Partnership (DLCP)?
   • `Is a downtown non-profit formed to serve the downtown stake holders, building owners and businesses
   • Has played a major role for the last 20 years to forge the revitalization and redevelopment of downtown and main street
   • Is an active member of Main Street New Mexico
   • Play an active role as a bridge between the private and public
8. Who is leading downtown redevelopment?
   • The city
   • DLCP
   • LCCP
   • Private building owners and developers
9. What is the Metropolitan Redevelopment Area (MRA)?
   • The MRA was formed by City ordinance to define special benefits and to meet the state and federal requirements to obtain funding and tax incentives
10. What is the TIDD?
    • The TIDD allows the city to designate property taxes in the defined district to support funding of infrastructure and public improvements for the downtown district
    • The tax revenue can be used to initiate bond financing for specific projects
11. How is redevelopment paid for?
    • Infrastructure and public improvements are funded by the TIDD
    • Private funding is required for private development and is the basis for the public private partnership
12. Who are the downtown planners?
    • In 2013 the City contracted with Place Makers LLC to update the 2005 Plan prepared by Sites Southwest
    • In 2014 the City council approved the new Downtown master plan prepared as part of the October 2013 Design Charrette led by Place Makers and City staff
    • Place Makers LLC is currently working with city staff to prepare a new Smart Code for Downtown
13. What is the Farmers Craft Market?
    • The downtown Farmers Craft Market is now an official 501c3 non profit authorized by the CLC to hold the Farmers Craft Market on Main Street each Wednesday and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 1:00PM
    • The Market was designated as the top in the US in 2013 and has 300 plus local vendors
    • The Market is a major draw for downtown and has Thousands of visitors each week
    • The market is a great exhibit of local, art, crafts, culture and music.
14. Who coordinates special events?
    • Special events are coordinated by the City downtown Coordinator and or DLCP
    • The City coordinator is currently Andy Hume and DLCP executive director is Carrie LaTour
15. What are the major attractions downtown?
    • Theatres; Three theaters that host live performances
    • Museums and Library
    • Restaurants
    • Farmers Market
    • Art Galleries
    • Retail and service providers
    • City and Federal offices
    • Adjacent vibrant residential communities of Alameda and Mesquite
    • New residential apartment under development
16. What is the employment in the downtown MRA?
    • Over 1600 businesses employing more than 12,000 people working within a 5 minute drive of downtown for an average payroll of approximately $450M
    • 4500 in the central MRA
    • 13000- in one mile radius
17. What are the major opportunities for down town?
    • Restaurant and entertainment venues
    • Urban residential apartments, townhomes and condos
    • Retail and service providers
    • Hotel and hospitality options
    • Art Galleries
18. Who is the City downtown coordinator?
    • Andy Hume, ahume@las-cruces.org phone 575-528-3048

Learn more about downtown Las Cruces at:

• Downtown Las Cruces Partnership
• City of Las Cruces