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New Mexico Main Street outlines multi-step path for Santa Fe revitalization
Summary
State Main Street officials described a tiered program of project-based pilots, an accelerator and full Main Street designation, said initial city interest could focus outside the downtown core and that city financial commitments vary by community size.
New Mexico Main Street officials told the Santa Fe City Council Quality of Life Committee on March 20 that the state program can support place-based downtown and corridor revitalization in Santa Fe through a staged process of project-based pilots, an accelerator phase and a full Main Street designation.
The presentation matters because Main Street status unlocks technical assistance, statewide capital-outlay funding and membership in the national Main Street network — resources city staff said could be directed to corridors that are not the historic downtown.
Daniel Gutierrez, director of the New Mexico Main Street program, said the state program is an asset-based community economic development program and a coordinating office within the New Mexico Economic Development Department that supports 32 district designations, arts-and-cultural districts and project-based initiatives across the state. He said New Mexico Main Street provides free technical assistance through five state staff and a network of contractors that include architects, planners and nonprofit organizational specialists.
Amy Barnhart, a New Mexico Main Street revitalization specialist, described the program’s “Main Street approach,” a four-point framework (economic vitality, design, promotion and organization) that the state uses to develop an economic transformation strategy customized to each district. Barnhart said communities normally progress from a first project-based initiative to a second round, then into an accelerator that requires meeting organizational benchmarks, and finally to graduation as a full Main Street program with a local staff person, a functioning board and projects in each of the four points.
Staff from Santa Fe’s Office of Economic Development said the city has already used ARPA funds to hire an economic development specialist focused on downtown and corridors and that the specialist could work with New Mexico Main Street to identify the most appropriate local areas for a program. Gutierrez noted that although the state Main Street office is based in Santa Fe, the city has not previously had a designated Main Street district; the state has run project-based work in Siler/Rufina, the Airport Road corridor and Agua Fria.
Committee members asked about local commitments and costs. Gutierrez and Barnhart said project-based initiatives require no city financial commitment, but entry to the accelerator and full program carries a municipal contribution that the state tiers by community size. They said Albuquerque’s highest tier is about $75,000 and that smaller communities typically pay less (Barnhart referenced a $20,000 figure for the accelerator and suggested a $25,000 starting tier for small rural areas). Gutierrez offered to share the state’s two‑year MOU template and a breakdown of tiered contributions.
Councilors discussed whether the downtown or other corridors would be better candidates. Councilor Garcia and Councilor Faulkner recommended focusing on corridors such as Airport Road, Cerrillos Road and the Siler/Rufina area rather than downtown, arguing those corridors need investment in everyday economic activity for residents. Gutierrez and Barnhart said the program is flexible: it can fund large infrastructure projects via state capital outlay (the state program said it has reallocated about $38 million in capital outlay over five years to local Main Street projects) and also run small project-based initiatives to build local capacity.
Gutierrez said the state frequently works through a three‑way partnership: the state coordinating office, a local nonprofit Main Street organization (the revitalization partner) and a local government partner that often acts as the fiscal agent for capital outlay. He added the state pays membership fees and conference registration for local programs’ affiliation with Main Street America.
Barnhart and Gutierrez offered to provide Santa Fe with examples and case studies, an MOU template and a list of accelerator benchmarks; committee members asked that staff also present to the Economic Development Advisory Committee.
The committee did not take a formal vote on starting an application process. Members asked staff to distribute the state MOU and example case studies, and to continue conversations with New Mexico Main Street about which Santa Fe corridors would be appropriate candidates for project-based pilots or accelerator work. The presentation concluded with committee members asking for follow-up materials and for the presenters to appear before the Economic Development Advisory Committee.
Looking ahead, New Mexico Main Street staff said the typical path involves (1) one or two project-based initiatives to establish capacity and demonstrate results, (2) an accelerator period with organizational benchmarks and a municipal funding commitment, and (3) graduation into a full Main Street program that can access capital-outlay dollars for public infrastructure projects.
