BACA STREET
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This French-themed bedroom window display was designed by Kateryna VanHeisch, owner of The Raven. While the cast iron and toleware 19thcentury bed, the colonial chair upholstered with an Uzbek suzani, and a set of decorative wall panels from the 18th century are all French, the chandelier is a reproduction of an 18th-century Italian candelabra, and the silk butterflies add just a bit of whimsy.
The City Different different Santa Fe may be a city defined by adobe walls, wood vigas, and charming portales, but sometimes locals crave something else: the different City Different. At Baca Street, distinctive art, contemporary design, eclectic fashion, and inspired food converge. “It’s not big box stores or downtown boutiques,” says Zane Fischer, partner in the web design and development company Anagram. “It’s a mix of high-end, low-end, funky, sophisticated, and contemporary. This is where the real Santa Fe hangs out.” The wedge-shaped neighborhood is the Cerrillos gateway to the Railyard and is handily connected to the North Railyard by the Acequia Trail Easement, a walking and cycling path that links to Santa Fe’s 214 TREND Fall 2015
extensive trail system. Its convenient “downtown adjacent” location and cool vibe has attracted artists and craftspeople for years; today, a new breed of designers and entrepreneurs join the mix to form a community unlike any other in the city. At once noticeable is the architecture. In contrast to the classic adobe buildings that make up Canyon Road and other high-traffic destinations, Baca is unique— an assemblage of warehouses and light industrial buildings that are magnets for creative professionals. New buildings, like the sharply defined steel and concrete structure that houses Yares Art Projects and Santa Fe Modern, echo an industrial sensibility while introducing an edginess to the neighborhood’s aesthetic.
Santa Fe Modern, a contemporary furniture business with work by local artisans, was originally located on Pacheco Street. Owner Jeff Holbrook bought the business nearly two years ago. “When we were offered space in this building, I jumped at it,” he says. His instincts were right on, as his move to the Baca/Railyard neighborhood in July has been a boon. “We’ve seen a tremendous increase in traffic simply because of this location,” Holbrook says. Neighboring Molecule, a contemporary residential and contract furniture retailer working with local, national, and international designers, was constructed out of shipping containers. The building and its owner, Adriana Siso, have been
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Baca Street Neighborhood offers an alternative to classic Santa Fe style