Reviving Mainstreet in the Dona Ana + Las Cruces Communities (2012)

REvIvING MAINSTREET 2012 DOÑA ANA + LAS CRUCES

COMMUNITIES

Design + Planning assistance center

sPring 2012

school of architecture + Planning university of new Mexico

CREDITS + ACkNOwLEDGEMENTS

creDits

facilitators

NM MainStreet Progam Associates

Elmo Baca

William Powell, WH Studio, LLC

Charlie Deans, Community by Design

Downtown Las Cruces Partnership carrie latour, Director

village of Doña Ana Heritage + Preservation Committee

Daniel Sambrano, President

Jenny carbajal, vice President

Mary Jane garcia, nM senator

sa+P faculty

Michaele Pride, Professor of architecture

susan frye, lecturer of landscape architecture

John Barney, adjunct assistant Professor of landscape architecture

Mark childs, Professor of architecture + Director of Urban Design Certificate Program

Claudia Isaac, Associate Professor of Community + regional Planning

chris wilson, Professor of landscape architecture + Director of historic Preservation + Regionalism Certificate Program

sa+P graduate students

alexandria leider, Mla

Amy Smith, MARCH

Brandon Johnson, Mla

christie green, Mla christopher olivas, March

David vesica, Ms arch erin Burtch, Mla hang Ding, Mla Javan chapple, March

Meredith ellis, Mla rachel Bakker, Mla Romila Jogdand, MLA roxie carpenter, Mla sida li, Mla

acknowleDgeMents

The following institutions and people provided invaluable support and assistance to the Doña ana and las cruces Design Projects and DPac studio:

New Mexico MainStreet unM school of architecture + Planning

Downtown Las Cruces Partnership

Village of Doña Ana Heritage + Preservation Committee

CONTENT

001

002

003

004 El

005

006

007

Comida y Communidad, Doña ana

, Doña ana

, las

008 Comun: Compuertas, Comida y Communidad, las cruces

009 La Llorona Park, las cruces

010 The Cyclery Brew Pub + Bike Shop, las cruces

011 Illuminating the Hydro-Landscape, las cruces

012 Convergence, las cruces

013 Las Placitas de Las Cruces, las cruces

014 Scents of Color: Art walk, las cruces

015 Downtown Historic Neighborhood, las cruces

INTRODUCTION

DPac + nM Mainstreet 2012

Michaele Pride, Professor of architecture

the DPac studio encourages broad-based thinking about urban design and planning.

As Landscape Architects and Architects we collaborate in a process of research, community participation, urban and site inventory, analysis, programming, site planning, design and recommendations for project implementation. We tackle the design process at multiple scales as we consider regional trends and characteristics, transportation issues, economic conditions, unique development and architectural patterns, local history, community climate, and community goals via the stakeholders.

This year (2012), the Studio returned to two previous DPAC communities—Doña Ana Village and downtown Las Cruces. Addressing these communities concurrently this time presented the opportunity to consider how they are connected and the context they share.

In cooperation with the New Mexico Mainstreet Program and local community organizations, DPAC students held conversations with local stakeholders, studied the communities and their larger context (in person and through secondary sources) to identify assets and challenges, and uncover strategies that build upon the region’s history and existing strengths, preserve and restore valuable ecologies, make the most of scarce resources (water), and make places that are safer and more comfortable for residents, business owners, and visitors alike.

while Doña ana village and the city of las Cruces lie within the same Mesilla Valley, emerge from the same history, and share the same watershed, they are very different places.

Doña Ana Village maintains a strong connection to its spanish colonial past and agricultural traditions. on the other hand, las cruces is the urban hub of Southern New Mexico—a crossroads between north and south, east and west, indigenous peoples and pioneers, cowboys and conquistadors. Nevertheless these communities are interconnected and interdependent.

Doña Ana Village hosts the most intact stretch of historic El Camino Real, culminating in the cherished historic church, our lady of Purification. Since our first DPAC project there in 2001, a central church plaza has been recreated and a cluster of original adobes are being restored for community use. Yet, the village is also one of 37 huD-designated colonias in Doña Ana County, reflecting disproportionate levels of poverty, underdeveloped infrastructure, and substandard housing. Can new development in the Village core help support economic development, while still maintaining a quiet charm for residents?

las cruces has experienced a high rate of population growth in recent years, due largely to its attraction for retirees. nonetheless, the traditional downtown and Main Street still struggle to attract business and visitors, even as they work to correct the long term effects of their urban renewal era pedestrian mall. Can Main Street become home to the City’s celebrations, by developing an arts and culture District and new public spaces?

RESEARCH + ANALySIS

001 Settlement Patterns + Demographics

alexandria leider, Mla

rachel Bakker, Mla

002 Civic Services

roxie carpenter, Mla sida li, Mla

003 Zones

Javan chapple, March

christopher olivas, March

004 Agriculture

christie green, Mla

005 Ecology

Brandon Johnson, Mla

Romila Jogdand, MLA

006 Movement

David vesica, Ms arch

hang Ding, Mla

007 Recreation + Events

Amy Smith, MARCH

erin Burtch, Mla

Village of Dona Ana - services

food distribution

meals

children youth

food distribution

social interaction

children youth

women young adults working adults migrant workers retired senior disabled

women young adults working adults migrant workers retired senior disabled

meals

social interaction

health services in home care

health services in home care recreation tness

Las Cruces - services

recreation tness

education gathering space

Las Cruces - services

education gathering space

food distribution

meals

children youth

children youth

women young adults working adults migrant workers retired senior disabled

women young adults working adults migrant workers retired senior disabled

food distribution

social interaction

meals

social interaction

health services in home care

health services in home care recreation tness

recreation tness

education gathering space

education gathering space

Doña Ana

Doña ana historic District

Doña ana village

agricultural area

Las Cruces

Downtown Las Cruces

Mesquite District

Alameda Depot District

Industrial Development

Suburban Development

Transportation: Bus System

Public transit service in the region operates in the central portion of Doña ana county in the las Cruces area. Roadrunner Transit is a fixed bus route service with nine local routes. In addition, there are three routes serving the nMsu and Dacc main campus and shuttle service from the Mesilla Valley Mall to the DACC East Mesa campus.

The New Mexico Department of Transportation provides two regional Park & Ride routes.The Silver route provides service from central Las Cruces and nMsu to white sands Missile range. the

Gold route provides service from downtown Las cruces, nMsu, and anthony to el Paso, texas sun Metro public transit system. Roadrunner Transit also offers curbto-curb service via Dial-a-ride for persons with eligible disabilities and for eligible senior citizens. Other private and specialized transit services operate in the las cruces area.

source: city of las cruces

Transportation: Bicycle System

in-roaD Bicycle facilites network Building

Complete Streets is an important part of developing a safe and well-connected bicycle network. A tiered bicycle network has been proposed in order to better establish priorities for selecting new bicycle projects and improvements to existing streets. All new thoroughfares should be constructed with in-road bicycle facilities.

source: city of las cruces

SCHEMATIC FRAMEwORkS

The schematic frameworks were presented to both the Doña Ana and Las Cruces communities on March 23 and 24. During the presentations the community members that attended were given comment sheets and stickers to give feedback and let the students know what schematic projects should be further explored and fully designed.

Both communities were very receptive to the ideas that the students brought forward from the community meetings and their research.

The topics explored were Agriculture, Community identity, sustainability, and recreation + Revitalization. Each group looked at ways to enhance the two communities but also how to connect them to the greater valley region.

001 Celebrating Agri-Cultural Heritage

christie green, Mla

christopher olivas, March

Meredith ellis, Mla roxie carpenter, Mla

002 Identity, Arts + Culture

David vesica, Ms arch rachel Bakker, Mla

Romila Jogdand, MLA sida li, Mla

003 Intersecting Sustainability

Brandon Johnson, Mla

hang Ding, Mla Javan chapple, March

004 Recreation + Revitalization

alexandria leider, Mla

Amy Smith, MARCH

erin Burtch, Mla

celeBrating agri-cultural heritage

the vision of reintroducing traditional agricultural practices as ecological and cultural backbone to the valley, provide the opportunity to proclaim, celebrate and educate about the agri-cultural heritage of Dona ana and las cruces. the celebrations would occur daily and seasonally, participated in by locals and tourists via smalland large scale “celebration centers” located in central Dona ana, along the Dona ana-las cruces country corridor, in downtown Las Cruces and in peripheral connective areas. These agritourism themed connective celebration centers provide opportunities for celebrating pecans, chiles, cotton and heritage vegetables, acequias, New Mexico’s seasonal bounty and agricultural wisdom through model traditional farming methods, harvest festivals, trolley rides, horse-drawn cart rides, heritage crop stands, community kitchen and outdoor cooking plaza, historic El Camino Real Promenade, urban infill gardens, heritage crop food bistros and interactive crop labryinths. food and traditional food-growing practices are honored and celebrated explicity, visually and actively as proud proclamation of La Mesilla Valley’s rich heritage.

Goals

• Increase vitality and profitability of Dona Ana and Las Cruces economies through resilient farming practices and agritourism opportunities.

• Attract visitors to Dona Ana County with diverse experiences and products offered year round.

• Decrease consumption from aquifer as primary water source for development and agriculture while increasing aquifer replenishment opportunities.

• Develop construction codes and ordinances requiring use of grey water to flush toilets and harvest precipitation.

• Incorporate traditional cultivation techniques as resource conservation strategy and agricultural practice model for arid communities.

• Celebrate local culture and agricultural heritage through food, water, fecundity, and festivity.

iDentity, arts + culture

a strong and unique sense of identity is crucial in perceived and economic value of a place to both its citizens, visitors, and business owners. Creating a point of destination must be done with a clear vision, culture, and image. These objectives allow a person to identify with a place’s physical setting, activities, and meaning. The benefit of this approach is an increase in investment and tourism, as well as community development that reinforces local identity and identification of citizens with their city.

intersecting sustainaBility

the city of las cruces and the village of Doña ana have both asked for designers to compose plans for the revitalization of their urban cores, in order to do so one must consider the environmental and social impacts of design interventions. The intersecting sustainability design seeks to achieve the goals outlined by both las cruces and Doña Ana while putting the cities in sync with their surrounding environments in order to reduce their environmental impacts. In order to do so, 4 primary systems were considered in this design process in order to help the region achieve a sustainable future.

-Hydrology + Geomorphology

-Climate + Energy

-regional ecology

-Human + Fauna, Health + Access

recreation + revitalization

By focusing on the creation of trails and nodes, we hope to provide enhanced connections between individual communities in the Mesilla Valley; between communities and the Rio Grande River; between Doña Ana and Las Cruces; between Las Cruces’ historic neighborhoods; and between Main Street Las Cruces and New Mexico State University. We hope to create clearer pathways to these resources while recommending growing the industry to support recreation through the creation of retail stores, bike sheds, bike rentals and places for refreshment and entertainment along walkable and bikeable trails.

Downtown Las Cruces will provide bike and trail resources as well as restaurant and entertainment venues along Main street and in the proposed Plaza space. The block that currently holds the

Old City Hall will be redeveloped into a multiuse park. These recreational and entertainment spaces aim to provide reasons for tourists, college students and people of all ages and abilities in the local communities to come to the Historic District of Doña Ana and Main Street Downtown of Las cruces, and increase the vitality of these spaces.

Doña ana’s historic District and Main street las Cruces will serve as two nodes/destinations along a trail based on El Camino Real and a second trail based along the regional acequia system. The historic buildings in Doña Ana will be developed as a café in conjunction with its community kitchen, a bike and trail resource and an entertainment space for passersby and the local community.

FRAMEwORk PLAN

Doña Ana Projects Page 12

Framework Goals + Strategies

this strategic plan for Doña ana and Las Cruces encourages economic development and tourism and supports community building by celebrating local agriculture, lifestyles, history, and traditions. By using sustainable methods in design we are encouraging and practicing environmental and cultural stewardship and responsibility, and ultimately providing comfortable places that cater to residents and visitors of all ages and backgrounds.

Las Cruces Projects Page 13

La Llorona Park, las cruces roxie carpenter, Mla

Wayfinding, Doña ana alexandria leider, Mla + rachel Bakker, Mla

Comun: Compuertas, Comida y Communidad, Doña ana christie green, Mla

Illuminating the HydroLandscape, Doña ana Brandon Johnson, Mla + hang Ding, Mla

El Camino Real Streetscape, Doña ana David vesica, Ms arch

Community kitchen, Doña ana christopher olivas, March

Community Courtyard, Doña ana Meredith ellis, Mla

Proposed Doña Ana - Las Cruces

Trolley Route

Proposed Doña Ana - Las Cruces

Trolley Stops

Wayfinding, las cruces

alexandria leider, Mla + rachel Bakker, Mla

Comun: Compuertas, Comida y Communidad, las cruces

christie green, Mla

The Cyclery Brew Pub + Bike Shop, las cruces

Amy Smith, MARCH

Illuminating the HydroLandscape, las cruces

Brandon Johnson, Mla + hang Ding, Mla

Convergence, las cruces

Javan chapple, March

Las Placitas de Las Cruces, las cruces

erin Burtch, Mla

Scents of Color: Art walk, las cruces sida li, Mla

Downtown Historic Neighborhood Corridor, las cruces

Romila Jogdand, Mla

Proposed Bike Trail

Proposed Doña Ana - Las Cruces

Trolley Route

Proposed Doña Ana - Las Cruces

Trolley Stops

SITE SOLUTIONS

001 Wayfinding, Doña ana

alexandria leider, Mla + rachel Bakker, Mla

002 Comun: Compuertas, Comida y Communidad, Doña ana christie green, Mla

003 Illuminating the Hydro-Landscape, Doña ana Brandon Johnson, Mla + hang Ding, Mla

004 El Camino Real Streetscape, Doña ana David vesica, Ms arch

005 Community kitchen, Doña ana christopher olivas, March

006 Community Courtyard, Doña ana Meredith ellis, Mla

007 Wayfinding, las cruces

alexandria leider, Mla + rachel Bakker, Mla

008 Comun: Compuertas, Comida y Communidad, las cruces christie green, Mla

009 La Llorona Park, las cruces roxie carpenter, Mla

010 The Cyclery Brew Pub + Bike Shop, las cruces Amy Smith, MARCH

011 Illuminating the Hydro-Landscape, las cruces Brandon Johnson, Mla + hang Ding, Mla

012 Convergence, las cruces Javan chapple, March

013 Las Placitas de Las Cruces, las cruces erin Burtch, Mla

014 Scents of Color: Art walk, las cruces sida li, Mla

015 Downtown Historic Neighborhood Corridor, las cruces Romila Jogdand, Mla

wayfinDing

Wayfinding is an important tool to increase the accessibility of a place to both its residents and visitors. Landmarks, signage, pathways, and environmental cues help people navigate their surroundings by situating them in the larger whole. These cues will become a coherent system that seamlessly connects the destination points, and is aesthetically appropriate to the identity of the area. This system will create a positive impression and sense of security, comfort, and well-being.

Areas of Opportunity

• Identify corridors to access Doña Ana within the Mesilla Valley and from the interstate, by identifying crucial signage points to direct and inform the user.

• Showcase destination points and places within the historic district through a series of historic informational signage.

• identify recreational routes along the acequia and develop a signing program to inform and direct.

• identify needs for lighting to identify corridors and increase safety.

• Using wayfinding devices to make the historic district accessible to multilingual and handicapped persons through contrasting colors pictorial imagery, and a scaled high relief map of the El Camino Real historic area.

Jumpstart Project - Billboard Marketing

vehicle Directional signage

lightpole Banners + Pedestrian Directional signs

Doña ana historic District interactive Map

Acequia

coMún: coMPuertas, coMiDa y coMMuniDaD un cuento De coMo las

acequias se aliMentan la viDa

coMMunal: heaDgates, fooD anD coMMunity a story of how acequias nourish life

Acequias, the historic lifeline of communities and agricultural production in New Mexico, persist as meandering elements in our landscape that supply water, sustenance and cultural connection to times and lifestyles past. Common respect for and replenishment of this precious water resource shaped traditional landscapes and communities. spanish language, crops, cultivation practices and traditional food dishes coevolved in relationship with the acequia. Words spoken, rows tilled and irrigated, crops harvested, prepared, cooked and shared at celebratory fiestas were borne from the acequia.

Doña Ana, New Mexico, the oldest traditional village in southern New Mexico, embraces the acequia as source of sustenance and community connector. Doña Ana residents communicate in Spanish, grow food, share recipes and celebratory feasts, continuing cultivation and culinary traditions of centuries past. the agri-cultural heritage lives and breathes in the homes and fields along the acequia.

with the intention of preserving, educating, and celebrating these traditions centered around the acequia, an edible acequia paseo with small nicho gardens along the way, offers demonstration gardens for locals and visitors. these gardens, situated in connective areas between Doña Ana and Las Cruces, are organized according to traditional recipes and stories of traditional food and agricultural methods, practices, ingredients and lore. the voice and vehicle for expressing, sharing and celebrating these stories is food grown with acequia water. Visitors may listen to and read spanish-spoken stories and recipes at the Entradas where shady respite offers a glimpse into local heritage.

here, you are invited to stroll, taste, listen, learn and rejoice in sustenance and story!

typical entrada

acequia Paseo

Downtown las cruces

entrada capulin

entrada de la Joya y Jardin de chicos

la Joya

Jardin de chicos

illuMinating the hyDro-lanDscaPe

In southern New Mexico, the combination of infrequent and intense precipitation leads to an abundance of water quality issues within the region. the village of Doña ana and the city of las cruces are uniquely positioned to address issues regarding water quality and management in the region. By studying and analyzing regional agents, a creative and effective management plan can be implemented to reduce the environmental impact of development in the region. The plan detailed in this project explores a variety of strategies for addressing water quality issues within the corridor.

watershed Management

Doña ana’s rural context lends itself to a restorative approach management plan. Because the village is sited along the

Doña Ana Arroyo, the village suffers from serious erosion issues that contribute to the rapid incising of tributary and soil loss. the proposed management plan seeks to reduce the effects of

intense runoff throughout the site with a plan that strategically uses vegetation and other natural mediums to reduce the waters velocity, allow suspended sediment to drop from the tributaries load, allow water infiltration, and remove any pollutants that may have entered the flow of water from upstream.

Circulating Infrastructure

The site located to the north-west of the church and plaza has potential far beyond its current use as a detention pond and overflow parking area for events and festivities within the village. The design proposal seeks to remediate some of the issues the community has stated while acknowledging the function of the site and creating a pleasurable experience for the community and visitors.

watershed Management Strategies

- Weirs and baffles are used to cause the tributaries to meander that flow through the site.

- Detention ponds are used to reduce the water’s velocity, allow it to stop and pool in specific locations.

- Additionally, the detention ponds allow the water to infiltrate the soil.

- the detention pond also serves as a waterfall to celebrate the rare rainfall events and when inactive, serve as murals and a climbing wall to provide an aesthetic and recreational experience for the community.

Circulation Diagram

Parking Diagram

2

el caMino real streetscaPe

Opportunity

• to increase the accessibilty of Doña ana’s rich cultural and architectural heritage for visitors and local residents to enjoy and experience.

• to further enhance the historic architectural narrative.

• To promote local economic development and employment opportunities for the village residents.

Design Strategies

• strengthen the historical experience and physical identity of the Camino Real route along Cristo Ray Road by implementing historically sensitive streetscape elements. Fostering historic infrastructure and economic development.

• Construct a community kitchen as part of the Cultural Heritage complex to promote locally produced food products, agri business, cultural

identity and local economic opportunities. the producers can pay for kitchen use by producing food products to be sold in the cafe and gift shop.

• Renovate the historic Wertheim (pink buildings) buildings, one to house a cafe that promotes local traditional food and its culture, and the other to continue its historic use as a retail store to sell locally produced arts and crafts and food products. Both functions supporting the community kitchen food production use, and stimulate local economic development and cultural awareness.

trellis with grape vines proposed cafe

proposed gift shop existing cultrural heritage center

Jumpstart Project-Historic Village Entry Marquee

Proposed streetscape Design

Proposed tree lined entry + historic village Marquee

coMMunity kitchen

The Doña Ana Community Kitchen and Cafe fuses architecture with landscape. Heritage and culture are used to create an experiential architecture that unfolds for visitors, through each individual’s movement through space and time. The new Community Kitchen and Cafe will engage the existing De la o visitor center buildings. as visitors move through the historic site they will experience both 17th and 21st century architecture and landscape, with different views into the new green courtyard. Rather than an addition of a mass, the new elements exist in complementary contrast with the original 1800s architecture.

The Design

As you enter the first courtyard from Cristo del Rey Rd, visitors will pass between two of the existing buildings. Over the entrance will be a wooden trellis that extends into the green courtyard, from there visitors will see the community kitchen; as you walk through this greenscape you will also see the cafe that serves and sells local food made in the kitchen. At night the courtyards will be lighted, drawing visitors to the events and activities going on in these courtyards.

Jumpstart Project-Pergola

Cafe and Community Kitchen with Planted Courtyard

Courtyard from Beneath Jumpstart Pergola Project

cafe courtyard

Community Kitchen + Cafe Floor Plan

Environmental Diagram/Site Section

coMMunity courtyarD

Community is the most fundamental aspect of Doña Ana. It is the life and vitality of the town. The heart of Doña ana is a sacred place, containing historic buildings, traditions, and relics along el Camino Reál. With the changing of technology, and new behaviors, there is a sense of disconnect with the old traditions and with family. There is a disconnect with our roots. I propose a place that is designed for community member to come together.

the space behind the historic buildings presents the perfect place for a traditional courtyard that can hold community gatherings and celebrations. It will provide a sense of place for the people of Dona ana, and give purpose to the surrounding buildings. There should be a sense of comfort, happiness and food; there should be family and friends. The community courtyard is designed to serve this function in a basic way and a traditional way.

Jumpstart Project - Banco With Community Made Tiles

church Parking lot on sunday Morning

Celebration on the low stage

Community Garden + Seating Area

saturday flea Market in church Parking lot

wayfinDing

Wayfinding is an important tool to increase the accessibility of a city to both its residents and visitors. Landmarks, signage, pathways, and environmental cues help people navigate their surroundings by situating them in the larger whole. These cues will become a coherent system that seamlessly connects the destination points, and is aesthetically appropriate to the identity of the area. This system will create a positive impression and sense of security, comfort, and well-being.

Areas of Opportunity

• Identify corridors to access downtown Las cruces and the Mesilla valley, and crucial signage points to direct and inform the user.

• Within the downtown and historic district, identify destination points and a network of routes between those points.

• Identify critical wayfinding points along the interstate and introduce elements to direct visitors to downtown

• identify recreational routes and develop a signing program to inform and direct

• identify needs for lighting to identify corridors and increase safety.

• Create gateways/celebrated entries into downtown and historic district.

• Using wayfinding devices to make the downtown and historic district accessible to multilingual and handicapped persons through contrasting colors and pictorial imagery.

Museums / Theatres

Branigan Cultural Center

Museum of Art

Museum of Natural History

Railroad Museum

Black Box Theater

Community Theater

Rio Grande Theater

Civic Amenities

United States Post Office

Library

Federal Courthouse

Las Cruces City Hall

Police Department

Sites / Architecture

Cemetery

Churches

Historic Churches/ Historic Church Sites

Historic Buildings/ Historic Sites

Transportation

Bike Lockers

Bus Stop

Transportation Center

Bus and Trolley Stop

Trolley Stop

Parking

Information Kiosk

Public Restrooms

Jumpstart Project - Billboard Marketing

coMún: coMPuertas, coMiDa y coMMuniDaD un cuento De coMo las acequias se aliMentan la viDa

coMMunal: heaDgates, fooD anD coMMunity a story of how acequias nourish life

Acequias, the historic lifeline of communities and agricultural production in New Mexico, persist as meandering hydrating elements in our landscape that supply water, sustenance and cultural connection to times and lifestyles past. Common respect for and replenishment of this precious water resource shaped traditional landscapes and communities. Spanish language, crops, cultivation practices and traditional food dishes coevolved in relationship with the acequia. Words spoken, rows tilled and irrigated, crops harvested, prepared, cooked and shared at celebratory fiestas were borne from the acequia.

Doña Ana, New Mexico, the oldest traditional village in southern New Mexico embraces the acequia as source of sustenance and community connector. Doña Ana residents communicate in Spanish, grow food, share recipes and celebratory feasts, continuing cultivation and culinary traditions of centuries past. the agri-cultural heritage lives and breathes in the homes and fields along the acequia.

with the intention of preserving, educating, and celebrating these traditions centered around the acequia, an edible acequia paseo with small nicho gardens along the way, offers demonstration gardens for locals and residents. these gardens, situated in connective areas between Doña Ana and Las Cruces, are organized according to traditional recipes and stories of traditional food and agricultural methods, practices, ingredients and lore. the voice and vehicle for expressing, sharing and celebrating these stories is food grown with acequia water. Visitors may listen to and read spanish-spoken stories and recipes at the Entradas where shady respite offers a glimpse into local heritage.

here, you are invited to stroll, taste, listen, learn and rejoice in sustenance and story!

Urban Pathways

Jardin del agua

COMUN:

Downtown las cruces

Downtown las cruces

Doña ana

Doña ana

Jardin del coración

Jardin del agua

la llorona Park

Concept - Deceleration

la llorona Park is uniquely situated as one of the few riverfront parks on the legendary Rio Grande. It is a place where one can quietly contemplate the mesmerizing flow that brings life to the surrounding Chihuahuan Desert. As the slowing currents of a gradually dwindling Rio Grande allow sediments to settle out, they also support a higher density of species in and along its banks.

Strategy

The density of species will be increased by providing a variety of habitats including: playa (areas of periodic inundation), permanent wetland, and Chihuahuan Desert. It is especially important to provide a corridor of habitat for the many species that migrate through this region, their numbers have dwindled as it has been extensively developed for urban and agricultural uses. the proposed design will provide shade, amenities for human travelers, who use a variety of transportation methods, activities for children and the young at heart, and habitat educational opportunities. access to the Rio Grande will be preserved, and sustainable practices will be employed.

large shrubs (10’x10’)

whitethorn acacia - acacia constrica

southern chokecherry - Prunus serotina

Medium Shrubs (5’x5’)

four wing saltbush - atriplex canescens

Sand Sage - Artemisia filifolia

Mormon Tea - Ephedra aspera

rock sage - salvia pinquifolia

Small Shrubs (2’x2’)

Turpentine Bush - Ericameria laricifolia

scrub live oak - quercus turbinella

Broomweed - Gutierrezia sarothrae

Desert Four O’ Clock - Mirabilis multiflora

Jumpstart Project - Native Plantings

Gabion Maze

interactive wetland Model

the cyclery Brew PuB + Bike shoP

there is a unique opportunity in las cruces to draw the community together over recreation activities, and enjoyment of the beautiful natural environment. Downtown Las Cruces is in the center of these activities and will be a focal point for the existing and proposed trail systems. The project will welcome the community and create a gathering place that was lost after urban renewal as well as provide much needed connections.

The Cyclery is designed as a retrofit for a cityowned building that will become a hub for existing and proposed trails. the principle design concept is to provide downtown a place where families and trail users can gather, a rooftop view to the Organ Mountains, bike and canoe rentals, and a place that can house events such as weekend workshops, special festivities, summer movie nights, and races.

The proposed bike trail from downtown to the Rio Grande will enhance downtown’s connection to the rest of the city. the trail goes through the historic Alameda Depot Neighborhood, to Hadley Street, and on to the river.

Bike Station

2nd floor Plan

1st floor Plan

illuMinating the hyDro-lanDscaPe

In southern New Mexico, the combination of infrequent and intense precipitation leads to an abundance of water quality issues within the region. the village of Doña ana and the city of las cruces are uniquely positioned to address issues regarding water quality and management in the region. By studying and analyzing regional agents, a creative and effective management plan can be developed and implemented to reduce the environmental impact of development in the region. the plan detailed in this project explores a variety of strategies for addressing water quality issues within the corridor established.

Streetscape Intervention

Because of las cruces urban context, the development of large swaths of land for the purpose of remediating and filtering the water is unfeasable. Downtown Las Cruces is also noted as a non-point source pollutant area. thus, the most practical design strategy is to use the existing street corridors to interrupt the flow of water, and serve as a living filter between urban surfaces and natural systems that flow through the region. As water moves off roofs, parking lots, and streets, sidewalks could be designed to allow the water to be filtered by phyto-remediating plants.

Design Strategies

• Use curb cuts to allow street surface water to enter swales along the streets, to be cleaned of non-organic pollutants and hydrocarbons that have built up on the roads surface.

• Partitioning a portion of the sidewalk, digging swales into the sidewalks, and covering them with metal grates to allow surface water from roofs and other surfaces on city blocks to be cleaned, with the potential for infiltration before moving further down stream.

• using different types of vegetation on the primary slope direction of the east-west axis to help with soil stabilization and hydraulic control.

• using vegetation on the north-south axis as a buffer to remove pollutants from the streets, before it has the chance to move further downstream with a suspended load of pollutants.

Remeidating - Parking

retaining what’s urban

retaining what’s urban

convergence

The Parking Lot Dilemma

Parking is an essential requirement for a successful commercial space to thrive; however its common implementation is extremely detrimental to the environment and consumes excessive amounts of real estate. a parking structure should provide adequate parking while reversing its environmental impacts to that of a positive influence. The goal of this project is to rethink the demand of highdensity parking and find a better solution, one that will promote positive environmental conditions and atmosphere while simultaneously promoting economic development.

Project Direction

Short-term project direction is to revisit existing parking lots and transform them into green spaces; in order to counteract the current negative environmental impacts and create enjoyable spaces for increased downtown usage. The repurposing of existing parking lots will be impossible without addressing the need of parking, which will be done by multi-level parking structures strategically positioned around downtown. They will be situated strategically to retain parking convenience while fueling further economic development downtown.

Long-term direction is the eventual redevelopment of these now available green spaces into mixeduse commercial/retail space, greatly aiding the revitalization efforts of downtown Las Cruces.

Jumpstart Project - Parking Lot Redesign

Southeast Corner Isometric View

Central Plaza

section looking north

las Placitas De las cruces

vision

The creation of several small plazas will help downtown to become a center for community gatherings and celebrations, as well as a companion destination to events happening all over the las cruces region. Events can happen anywhere. The development of several small Placitas within the Las Cruces Downtown Mall will provide creative permanent spaces and fluctuating larger spaces that can facilitate events of varying sizes. A placita can host a singular event or be one of a series of venues spread throughout downtown, allowing the entire mall to function as a plaza.

Jumpstart Project - Folding Stages for Fluctuating Spaces

Permanent Placitas

Musician’s Placita

the actor’s Placita

st genevieve’s Placita

sense of color: art walk

color represents the diverse culture of Las Cruces. The iridescent color is an important identity marker of Las Cruces, and the design is intended to address it. color is carefully used to create a visual connection and continuity between the two historic neighborhoods.

The Art Walk itself would become an attraction to mingle with people from different cultures. By trying to preserve and utilize the existing structures, the potential of the space is discovered. sustainability is the discipline of the design, and light structures are prioritized to pay respect to the site. Interactivity is promoted to create a fun place for people to go, and create a vivid indoor atmosphere.

Jumpstart Project - Shades

Crosswalk

Rainbow Wall

Downtown historic

neighBorhooD corriDor

The walking tour is like a treasure hunt that starts at the rio grande theatre and continues along Griggs Ave. The “game” leads players from historic building to historic building, providing information about the buildings along the way. This corridor creates a connection between the two historic neighborhoods, enhancing the vernacular, cultural, and historic identity of the neighborhoods as they merge together in downtown, where they become more contemporary.

Design Elements

• Pedestrian friendly streets.

• Grower’s Market

Encourage Grower’s Market along east-west corridor.

• Plaza street include the surrounding open spaces into the street.

Jumpstart Project - Electronic Walking Tour Signs

Corridor Enhancements of the Mesquite District

typical section of griggs ave

APPENDIx

resources

Doña Ana Plaza Plan, DPAC 2001

Doña Ana Visioning Process, Resource Center for Raza Planning 2001

Downtown Las Cruces, Metropolitan Redevelopment Area (MRA)

Plan, New Mexico Mainstreet + Community by Design 2007

Las Cruces Downtown Revitalization, Comprehensive Urban

Design and Planning Services, Sites Southwest 2007

Design Principles For Downtown Revitalization: Las Cruces, NM, DPAC 2008

usgs Maps

las cruces visitor’s guide

google earth

Book Designed by: rachel Bakker + alexandria leider