New Mexico Main Street reports $1.7 million capital award for Tucumcari Great Blocks project

A representative from New Mexico Main Street presented the 2024 annual service delivery report and briefed the commission on technical-assistance and grant outcomes for the City of Tucumcari, including a $1.7 million capital award for the next phase of the city’s Great Blocks project.

The Main Street representative told commissioners the program provided roughly $10,000 in grant-writing technical assistance, approximately $23,000 for wayfinding project assistance, about $7,000 in promotion assistance and other technical-assistance services at no cost to the city. The largest item noted in the packet was a $1,700,000 capital outlay award for the next phase of the Great Blocks project. The representative said construction documents were completed by Stantec and that the city is awaiting a three-party contract between the state, the county and the city; once the contract is executed, staff expects to begin the project. The representative said awardees are being processed in batches and the city’s start date is dependent on state contracting and audits being posted.

Why it matters: The capital award for the Great Blocks phase represents a large state investment in downtown improvements and wayfinding that could change the look and function of central city streets and public space.

Commissioners asked about the project timeline; staff said they hoped to start in June but the start date will depend on contract execution. The Main Street representative asked the commission to note the variety of assistance Main Street provided during 2024, including design support for the Odeon Theatre, an art incubator program, and a forge accelerator program.

Staff said they will notify the commission when the state contract is received and when construction scheduling is firm.