On April 1, Mayor Tim Keller and New Mexico State Senate Majority Whip Michael Padilla held a press conference to announce that the city has swapped the city owned property at the vacant land located at 1250 Menaul NE for two state-owned properties.
“This land swap is win-win for the city and state, and it brings closure to several key land questions for city services and public spaces in the city core. There will be no safe outdoor space or transfer station on Menaul,” Mayor Tim Keller said in a press release. “The two properties we are gaining will allow the city to continue expanding important services within Solid Waste in a different area accessible to the freeway and provide amenities next to the Rail Trail.”
Just days before the announcement, Dawn Legacy Pointe withdrew its application for a Safe Outdoor Space at the property for a city sanctioned homeless encampment to house 50 women who are victims of sex trafficking, according to a blog post by local attorney Pete Dinelli. The withdrawal comes after a March 16 appeal decision by City Land Use Hearing Officer Steven M. Chavez, who granted the appeal of seven organizations, including the Santa Barbara-Martineztown Neighborhood Association; Crowne Plaza hotel; LifeRoots Inc.; Sunset Memorial Park, Greater Albuquerque Hotel and Lodging Association; Menaul School and Albuquerque Hotel Project.
After announcing the withdrawal of the application, Brad Day, a volunteer consultant for Dawn Legacy Pointe, said that he will submit another application in an effort to give Albuquerque’s homeless population new options.
“We’re not going to stop until we start making some dents in this homeless problem. … We will make sure there is no question that all the documents are there, more than enough,” Day said about future applications.
Albuquerque Journal reported that the property consists of two prime commercial vacant lots comprising 13.5 acres of land. The city swapped the land for two state-owned properties at 3401 Pan American and 401 Commercial.
According to the city's press release, the 401 Commercial NE Commercial property located northeast of the convention center will play “an important role” for the future of the Rail Trail, which is described as “a transformational pedestrian-friendly path” connecting the Rail Yards to Downtown, the Sawmill District and Old Town.
