Our mission at the Downtown Action Team is to “Elevate Albuquerque”, to become the best mid-sized city in the United States. While our Clean Team Ambassadors are busy making Downtown Albuquerque a clean and welcoming place, many of our staff are busy with special projects. Many of these projects have a long-term beneficial impact on the quality of life in Downtown Albuquerque, and therefore take longer to implement.

Projects – Ongoing:
Winter Market – Establish an ongoing, year-round farmers’ market in Downtown
Pop-Up Retail – Procure new business talent and promote new, engaging, and creative retail space
Street Trees – Infill
Crowd-funding
Fence at Alvarado Urban Farm
Downtown Growers’ Market
New Mexico True Marketing Campaign
Volunteer Programs
USDA Habitat Project -

Projects – Complete:

Francis Tinnin Pocket Park:
In 2010, the Downtown Action Team and students from the Gordon Bernell Charter School partnered on a community development project at the corner of Gold Avenue and 2nd Street. After months of planning, gathering materials and  reaching out to community businesses, the students constructed the park over a two day period. Phase 1 of the park is now completed, featuring xeriscape plants in a raised bed, trees, a shed, and a bench.  While the first year of the park might seem humble, a $10,000 grant from the Albuquerque Community Foundation was obtained to really bring the park to life in 2011.

Currently the students and faculty at Gordon Bernell are working on Phase 2 of the project, which
includes new landscaping, WiFi, water catchment system, additional seating, lighting and a mural attached to the brick facade.  Students at Gordon Bernell will produce the artwork that will be featured in the park and students will be employed to maintain and make improvements to the existing park amenities.  The park has become a favorite project of the students and they are excited to complete the park on Earth Day in April.

Downtown Façade Improvement Grants:
Small business owners around Downtown Albuquerque are about to feel the rejuvenating power of a face lift, thanks in part to a grant provided by the federal government for Façade Improvements.  Sixteen businesses have been awarded over $160,000 in grant funding to help supplement the cost of improving their storefront curb appeal.  Projects range from new and refurbished signage to exterior lighting, painting, landscaping, historic preservation projects and much more.  Three projects are already completed and the remainder of the project will commence over the next couple of weeks.

The recipients of the grant are: La Mexicana, US New Mexico Federal Credit Union, One Up Elevated Lounge, Sister Bar, Anodyne, ABQ Pawn Shop, Cafe Lush, Cafe Green, Cecelia’s, Waco’s Tacos, Valiant Building, Salsa Baby, The Box Theatre, Dublin’s Street Pub and the new Jazzbah.

Central Avenue Railroad Underpass
The Central Bridge Underpass near the Alvarado Transit Center project provided a facelift for the entrance to the Albuquerque Downtown area in late 2009.  The bridge facade was repaired and the whole bridge, from pedestrian walkways to piers, was painted.  In addition to the paint, the Center for Southwest Research provided some historically significant photos of the developing Metro area including actual construction photos of the bridge.  The photos were turned into large, back-lit, sepia-toned glass panels displaying the enlarged version of the photos with captions highlighting the relevance of that particular photo to City of Albuquerque life and development.  The pedestrian walkway, underpass and the facade of the bridge received one more treatment that really changed the perception of the once menacing pedestrian underpass.   LED lights replaced the high pressure sodium lighting and provided a more pedestrian-friendly ambiance and revitalized the area.  The LEDs are capable of providing multiple color programs.  For example, in the holiday season the lights are set to fade into various shades of red and green.  They are able to change to over 1600 shades of color and have numerous effects to compliment and enhance the color change.  If you haven’t seen our beautiful bridge in a while, take a drive down in the evening and enjoy the renovated entrance to Downtown!