Organ Mountain News report

LAS CRUCES - The Las Cruces City Council approved four new metropolitan redevelopment areas during its regular meeting Monday, March 17.

The newly designated MRAs are the Amador Próximo and South area, Apodaca and Lift-Up area, East of Solano neighborhood area, and Mesquite District area. These additions follow earlier designations made in March 2023 for the El Paseo and South Solano area and the West Picacho area.

Areas identified for redevelopment typically exhibit signs of deterioration or blight due to factors such as a lack of investment by property owners, poor infrastructure, crime, housing challenges, and declining commercial and residential real estate values.

Designating these locations as MRAs allows the city to implement redevelopment plans aimed at reversing deteriorating conditions. The city’s next step is to create specific plans tailored to each new area.

In 2022, Las Cruces hired Groundworks Studios, a consulting firm, to evaluate potential redevelopment zones. The firm assessed physical and socioeconomic indicators, aligning with the city's broader planning initiatives, Elevate Las Cruces and the El Paseo Corridor Community Blueprint.

In other action, the council approved submitting a grant application to the New Mexico Department of Transportation seeking funds for traffic signal improvements at Lohman Avenue and Walnut Street. The city requested $300,000 from the state and committed $100,000 locally. The intersection previously received $533,333 from a Municipal Arterial Program grant in fiscal 2025, and the proposed upgrades aim to improve traffic flow and safety.

City Council meetings and work sessions can be viewed on the city’s YouTube channel.

The next work session will take place at 1 p.m. Monday, March 24, 2025, in Council Chambers at City Hall, 700 N. Main St.