LCCP would like to extend our warmest congratulations to our good friend Eddie Martinez of Zia Engineering. It is a privilege to have you on the Las Cruces Community Partners team, and it is a pleasure to work with you to improve our great city!

You can read more about Eddie from the El Paso Times 04/19/2015, Page E01

Consultants have long history, see bright future

By Alexia Severson

LASCRUCES>> Raised in Las Vegas, N.M., Edward Martinez moved to Las Cruces to study civil engineering at New Mexico State University. After working for consulting firms in Las Cruces throughout the 80s, he later took a job in Las Vegas, Nev., where he lived for about eight years. But something was missing.

“What I realized is that everything in Vegas was new,” Martinez said. “Most of the city had been built within the last 30 years and coming from New Mexico, you’re used to a culture that goes back centuries.”

So Martinez started looking for a way to move back to Las Cruces. That opportunity presented itself when an engineering firm called Terracon offered Martinez a position in which he would open up offices for the company in New Mexico.

About three years later, in March 2000, Martinez decided to start an engineering firm of his own called Zia Engineering & Environmental Consultants, LLC., located at 755 S. Telshor Blvd., Suite F-201, where the firm is currently located.

“I started Zia (Engineering) mostly doing environmental consulting and some engineering services throughout the western U.S. right from the get-go,” said Martinez, president and CEO of Zia Engineering. “By the end of the first year, I had four or five employees and by the third year, I think we had 15 or so.”

The firm now has about 70 employees in Zia Engineering offices throughout the U.S., including Albuquerque, El Paso and Iowa, as well as clients ranging from small, private, industrial, local and state agencies to large federal contracts on military installations, according to Martinez and the Zia Engineering website.

Martinez said one of the things that makes his firm unique is that from the start, Zia Engineering has been set up as if it were a big company.

“The product we put out and the type of work we did right from the get-go was more typical of engineering firms that were substantially bigger than us,” he

Zia Engineering President Edward Martinez, a NMSU engineering graduate, sits in his office with blueprints. Martinez opened his business in 2000. The company has since grown to a staff of more than 70 employees in locations throughout the country.

said. “And yet, at the same time, we were able to be more cost competitive because we were small, and that’s still kind of the intent in the way we structure things. We have the general capability to give the flavor of a much larger company.”

Martinez said Zia Engineering has several projects in the works, including two local high profile projects.

“One is the (Downtown) plaza project and we’re doing the civil design work associated with that and we’re very integrated into that project,” he said. “We’re also the engineers for the redevelopment of the old Las Cruces Country Club (the Park Ridge project).”

The Downtown plaza will be located on Main Street, off Griggs Avenue, across from the Rio Grande Theatre, next to the Bank of the West and will include a roofed stage on the south end, a sundial feature in the middle and a water splash pad on the north end, according to downtown- redevelopment.com.

Martinez said he hopes construction associated with the plaza project will begin in the next few months.

“Once we start, I would envision no more than 14 or 15 months for it to be completely done, if not sooner,” he said. “There’s a lot of moving parts associated with it, but we’re basically at the end game now.”

As part of the downtown redevelopment, Martinez said he has plans to move the Las Cruces Zia Engineering corporate office into the Bank of the West building Downtown sometime this fall.

“We believe in Downtown and with City Hall right there and with what we do, it’s just, in the longterm, a better location,” he said.

Martinez said he is amazed that Zia Engineering has been going for 15 years. “It doesn’t seem like it’s been that long and I’m very proud that we’ve made it to this milestone,” he said. “I don’t see by any means that this it. I think there’s definitely still a lot that we want to accomplish, a lot that we want to do and we want to continue to grow.”

Martinez said one of his proudest accomplishments since starting Zia Engineering is getting to work with such a close-knit and talented staff.

“One guy started with me as a technician and now he’s an engineer, and in the time that he’s been with me, he’s gotten married, had three kids and one of them is getting ready to go off to college,” he said. “I have another employee who started with me as a receptionist … and she just got her Professional Engineering Registration and she’s turned into this amazing woman.”

Outside of the office

Outside of his work at Zia Engineering, Martinez said he enjoys spending time outdoors and staying active by going running, participating in triathlons, playing golf, mountain biking, hiking and fly fishing. He also enjoys reading.

By Todd G. Dickson
From the Las Cruces Bulletin 4/3/2015

Acting as the Downtown Tax Increment Development District (TIDD) board Monday, March 30, the Las Cruces City Council approved a slightly revised design for the new Downtown Plaza.

Main features of previous designs remain in place, with a roofed stage on the south end, a sundial feature in the middle and a water splash pad on the north end. The plaza will be located on Main Street off Griggs Avenue across from the Rio Grande Theatre adjacent to the Bank of the West.

The plaza will be rectangular, with two side streets added, between the plaza and the Municipal Court building and bank.

Trees will line the plaza, with an additional row of trees on the other side of the partial street that can be blocked off and added to the plaza grounds during larger events.

Susan Henderson of PlaceMakers said the revised plan was developed from input by residents and the councillors.

While most of the plaza will have a surface of scored, stained concrete, there will be grass around the splash pad, along with two small lawns to the north of the splash pad.

Although originally a round sundial was envisioned, an elliptical sundial is better, because the markings can be adjusted to tell correct time, Henderson said.

The council did approve recommendations to have rows of stairs extended around the front-facing portions of the stage that will rise three feet above ground level.

The proposal called for a 30- by 40-foot stage, but Henderson said the stage could allow an additional 10 feet in front to accommodate space for a conductor, as requested by Ruben Smith, former Las Cruces mayor and Downtown business owner. His suggestion to tilt the metal roof for improved acoustics also was welcomed by Henderson and the council.

While some, such as Mayor Pro Tem Greg Smith – no relation to Ruben Smith – had concerns about adding side streets, Henderson said it was important for the plaza to be closely tied with the businesses along the re-opened Main Street than the Municipal Court building. Smith said if that portion looks like a street, people are going to use it less.

Smith, who opened up discussion on the plaza plans through social media, said his main concern was trying to counter those who later complain that they weren’t included in the planning for the new plaza after it’s built.

Sharon Thomas, a former city councillor and mayor pro tem, said she liked the design and felt there was good general agreement on the stage.

“Let’s proceed,” Councillor Gill Sorg said. “Let’s get ’er done.”

Henderson said looks can be deceiving. The Las Cruces plaza will essentially have the same square footage as the plaza in Santa Fe, she said.

Doa Ana County Commission Chairman Billy Garrett, who is an ex-officio member of the TIDD board, said the plaza’s concept of becoming both a performance space and a park works as an extension of Downtown revitalization efforts.

“This is reestablishing a very important civic space in the heart of the city,” he said. “This is really about setting a framework for the future.”

Garrett said a good plaza will attract new business and development to Downtown.

Smith won concessions to put off decisions about graphic design elements. While Smith said he wished more of his revisions had been backed by the board, he acknowledged that a number of concerns raised did get incorporated in the design.

“The reality is that even the best of plans can be executed poorly, and the worst of plans can sometimes be overcome by creative execution or at least well-planted ivy,” Smith said on Facebook. “The plan adopted by the council yesterday was certainly not the worst, and I continue to have high hopes for a plaza that is a source of pride.

“The ongoing issue is that Las Cruces has perennially set the bar too low. As long as I am associated with decision making here, I will continue to press for setting the bar higher.”

Reposted from the Las Cruces Sun News 03/30/2015
By Diana Alba Soular

LAS CRUCES >> A final design for the downtown civic plaza got the go-ahead from city councilors on Monday, setting the stage for the transfer of ownership and groundbreaking at the site of the Bank of the West drive-thru.

The council, in a meeting of the city’s Tax Increment Development District board, in a 4-1 vote adopted a few site plan changes that had been recommended by Mayor Pro Tem Greg Smith, who has a background in architecture, going into the session. But they rejected others.

Overall, the adopted changes to a previously existing plan were small enough to avoid further delaying the time line for the project, the plaza developer and designer said.

Plaza design consultant Susan Henderson of PlaceMakers, said the work could get underway in “less than six months,” depending on how long it takes for an impending sale of land for the plaza to be completed.

Developer Bob Pofahl of Las Cruces Community Partners said the changes approved by councilors on Monday will require some tweaking of architectural and engineering plans, but not large-scale changes. The company has a contract with the city to both buy the land for the plaza from Bank of the West and build the improvements.

“It was a key step forward,” he said of the vote.

Approved

A change proposed by Smith that was passed by councilors relates to artwork for two key features in the plaza proposal: a water splash pad on the north end and a sun dial planned to be built into the pavement at the center of the courtyard. Smith proposed holding off on the final appearances of those features so the city can find an artist or artists to design them.

Henderson said LCCP would basically leave space in the plaza for the artwork to be added, either in conjunction with the construction or after it.

Councilors also adopted Smith’s proposal to incorporate one of two utility boxes for the plaza into the design of the stage, eliminating it. Smith had sought a revamping of the architecture for a second utility box proposed for the northwest end of the plaza, but other councilors didn’t support it.

They also didn’t back Smith’s proposals to eliminate one of two proposed new streets that would line the east side of the plaza or to shrink the size of a planned stage for the plaza. City staff said, however, it’s possible for the street to be closed off to vehicles when it’s not needed as a street.

Smith, in a presentation to the council, said he wanted to avoid mistakes of decades past when an attempt to revitalize the downtown failed. Also, he said he wanted to avoid mistakes made in other civic plazas, such as Albuquerque’s. He said he didn’t feel councilors had been given enough input into the proposed plaza design before Monday.

“The process to this point has not been as inclusive as I would have liked it to have been,” he said.

Henderson argued against several of Smith’s proposals, saying the existing design was crafted after a lot of public input over the past two years. Also, it incorporated some City Council-supported additions, such as the proposed water feature.

Henderson said the elimination of a street would have been a big design change, had it passed, and could have caused more project delays. She said PlaceMakers’ expertise is in the design of public spaces and what makes plazas successful is the activities, such as businesses, in the buildings that line it.

“In our country, you can’t do that without egress,” she said, referring to the proposed new streets.

Doña Ana County Commission Chairman Billy Garrett, a non-voting member of the TIDD board, said he thought councilors were on the right track with the plaza design.

To start the meeting, City Manager Robert Garza said a vote Monday was important in the civic plaza progress.

“We really need some decisions today,” he told councilors.

Other concerns

Hilary McDaniel-Douglas, artistic director for Project in Motion, a nonprofit aerial dance group, advocated for the stage to be built to accommodate aerial dancers and other types of unique performances, which are becoming a trend.

“There are a lot more nontraditional forms coming in,” she said.

McDaniel-Douglas said she was also concerned about the use of paving stones in the plaza, which can be hazardous to dancers.

Smith proposed using pavers or bricks as the plaza’s main surface, instead of scored concrete in the existing plan, but that proposal didn’t gain traction.

Former Las Cruces Mayor Ruben Smith, unrelated to Greg Smith, asked if the roof of the planned performing stage could be angled to boost the acoustic projection.

Henderson said that was a good idea that can be included. Also, she said steps will be added around three sides of the plaza, a request of Smith’s.

There was also debate about the type of trees that should be planted in the plaza. Some people advocated for cottonwood trees, which would maximize the shade but use more water than an alternative, the Chinese Pistache. But Garza said he recommended the Chinese Pistache, which has a smaller canopy but is one of four tree types on a list of recommended trees for planting in the city.

City Councilor Miguel Silva participated in the meeting by phone. Councilors Olga Pedroza and Ceil Levatino were absent.

Reposted from the Las Cruces Bulletin 1/16/15
By Todd G. Dickson Las Cruces Bulletin

As plans for a Downtown plaza come closer to completion, Las Cruces city councilors are trying to decide what kind of stage it should have.

Acting as the Downtown Tax Increment Development District (TIDD) board, City Council – with Dona Ana County Commission Chairman Billy Garrett – met Monday, Jan. 12, to review all the options.

City staff presented a rendition of the plaza – to be located in the area where the Bank of the West drive through windows are now – showed a tree-lined plaza with a water feature on the south end and a permanent, raised 30- by 40-foot stage on the south end, with an arched roof attached to four square pillars.

City Councillor Ceil Levatino said she liked the concept, adding that grass could be added to the northeast corner by water feature in response to a concern raised by Garrett that the concept had only a large paved area and no lawns.

Much of the TIDD discussion revolved around whether there should be a permanent stage and, if there is a permanent stage, how large it should be.

Mark Johnston, director of Parks and Recreation, said every foot of raised stage requires 20 feet of ramp for compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act, the ramp need only be along the rear of the stage.

Speaking for a group of Downtown business owners, former Mayor Ruben Smith said they want the stage to be a permanent structure and the proper size. During concerts, business owners want the sound to carry all along Downtown’s Main Street so patrons can also enjoy the performances, he said.

Smith said a large, permanent stage would help bring more events to Downtown.

Mayor Ken Miyagishima said he also favors a permanent stage with some kind of portable stage available to expand if needed, and also could be used at other locations in the city.

City Manager Robert Garza said he favored a permanent stage because it would be more cost-effective, based on estimates of long-term operations. A permanent stage, he said, would provide “a full-time venue for full-time activities.”

City Councillor Gill Sorg said he favored a permanent stage with shade feature.

Mayor Pro Tem Greg Smith said he wasn’t totally convinced that a permanent stage is the way to go, but added he was leaning toward starting off with large flat area and using temporary stages until more events prompt the need for a permanent stage.

For the sound to really carry, a wall may be needed, and Smith said he was concerned that a wall greater taller than 3 feet tall could obscure view, considering the Downtown revitalization effort reopened Main Street to give greater visibility to the remaining older buildings.

The mayor pro tem agreed the large arch roof concept is minimally intrusive to the view.

Councillor Nathan Small countered that an open area would be too much of “blank canvas” and agreed that a permanent stage would likely be more cost-effective. The design and decoration of the stage could be used to illustrate the city’s history and culture, he said.

City Councillor Olga Pedroza said she wanted to see cost comparisons for the different options before making a final decision.

The council as the TIDD will need to make a decision relatively soon, as a final plaza design is needed to close the deal with the Bank of the West for the city to acquire the property.

City Councillor Miguel Silva said the final decision should balance aesthetics with functionality. Silva said he would like to see a stage with both permanent and non-permanent features. A stage would complement Downtown signature events, such as SalsaFest, Country Music Festival and Chile Drop, he said.

The water feature on the north end could be a fountain or a water splash play area for children to enjoy. There also was discussion of having a sundial somewhere on the plaza.

The council also reviewed a variety of street projects to spend $7.46 million from the portion of TIDD money set aside for road improvements. The projects are all related to the eventual return of two-way traffic to Church and Water streets.

Garza said a special TIDD board meeting will likely be held to vote on the final plaza design.

By Alta LeCompte Las Cruces Bulletin

A 38-page, graphics-heavy document will come under official and public scrutiny Monday, Jan. 12, when the Las Cruces City Council holds its first discussion of a proposed new zoning code for Downtown.

At a work session following the 1 p.m. meeting of the Tax Increment Development District (TIDD), the council will devote time to the code written by Place­Makers LLC, the firm that conducted the October 2013 charrette to gather public input on the community’s vision for Downtown.

Both senior city planner Andy Hume andHazelBorys,principalof PlaceMakers, said the form-based code proposal should contain few surprises, since its concepts have been under discussion since the 1990s.

“There were no significant changes from the work the public saw during the charrette, just some minor functionality edits,” Borys said. “Most of the discussion was relative to smaller technical details … and (to) assure the process continues to be as transparent and simple as possible.”

The logic of form-based zoning regs

Since the goal for Downtown is its evolution into a vibrant core where people work, live, eat, shop and pursue cultural and recreational activities, the code actively encourages mixed-use development, Hume said.

He said the city’s current conventional code focuses on how space should be used and aims to separate uses such as residential and commercial. While it doesn’t explicitly prohibit mixed uses, doesn’t encourage them. “The form-based code makes it more explicit, saying a mixed use is a good use,” Hume said.
He said a revitalized Downtown, encouraged by form-based zoning, might have a building with ground-floor retail space, second floor offices and residential space on the third floor.

“There’s plenty of activity Downtown from 8 to 5, but after 5 there’s nothing,” Hume said. “It’s so important to a high level of vibrancy.”

Certain uses already outlawed in the conventional code would continue to be dis-allowed Downtown under the form-based code, Hume said.

“A form-based code goes into more detail regarding buildings than a conventional code,” he said. “But it doesn’t go into regulating use of building materials, that it’s OK to use adobe but not brick, stucco but not wood, for example.

“It has a lot to do with achieving human scale, considering how a building interacts with the sidewalk and street, how it works within the context of human scale.”

He said although Downtown needs a little more density, Las Crucens don’t want buildings that overpower the neighborhood.

“One of the things we heard, even at the charrette, was, ‘We’re not Manhattan; we don’t want gargantuan buildings,’” he said. “And that makes sense.”

Parking integral to development

Since the vision is to develop city-owned parking lots behind Main Street’s commercial buildings, the city will have to address the availability of parking through regulations in the near term and garage construction later.

The new code introduces the concept of “shared parking by right.”

“Parking is not currently by right,” Hume said.

He said shared parking by right means people who work Downtown would have parking privileges from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and when they pull out in the evening there would be opportunities for other uses, such as for restaurant goers.

Signage and other communication, enforcement and possibly resident stickers would be required to make the parking system work.

“If we’re looking at an opportunity for single-family home construction on the periphery of Downtown, the code promotes rear access to off-street parking. It’s been done quite a bit in the Alameda Depot district because there’s not a lot of garages,” Hume said.

“We may enter into a situation where for the first time in a long time parking Downtown would be paid for,” he said. “We may have to get used to it.”

He said an earlier parking study that was updated in 2012 did suggest eventual garage construction.

“Garages are not a code issue,” Hume said. “As development occurs, infrastructure is continually looked at. The next large infrastructure project is probably a garage to eliminate problems.

“Parking garages are not cheap. When we have large projects like the Federal Building, they built an underground garage.”

Vetting the proposal

Hume said staff is seeking council’s approval to go ahead with soliciting public input on the proposed form-based code.

If council agrees, he said he will develop a time line that will likely include stakeholder meetings and public input sessions through February.

“I don’t anticipate this dragging on for a long time, but we don’t want to just scoot it through,” Hume said.

He said adoption of the draft code would be by a council vote to repeal and replace the current code for the central business district.

“It would require an ordinance change, which means at least two council meetings,” he said.