EDo News & Views
Editor
Rob Dickson
Publisher
Lara Simon
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EDo Neighborhood Association
Board of Directors
President
Randi McGinn
McGinn, Carpenter, Montoya and Love, P.A.
Vice President
David Mahlman
Mahlman Studio Architects
Secretary
Doug Majewski
Design Group
Treasurer
Marc Bertram
Hotel Parq Central
Daniel Blackwood
The Evolution Group
Bill Fleming
The Fleming Company
Antonio Garcia
ZuK Design
Lauren Greene
The Grove Caf� & Market
Art Hayman
Highland Pharmacy
Pat Keene
Artichoke Caf�
Terry Keene
Artichoke Caf�
Michele Meade
Chez D'Or Salon
Bevin Owens
Compass Companies
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Huning Highland Neighborhood Association
Board of Directors
President Amberley Pyles Vice President Karla Thornton Secretary Bonnie Anderson Treasurer Joaquin Garofalo Ryan Bromberg Ann Carson David Donaldson Phoenix Forrester Moises Gonzalez Steve Grant Kathy Grassel Liam Hoch Lee Spittler |
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First Baptist Church Update
The church ceased operations at Broadway & Central in 2010 with a move to their new west-side facilities. So what's next for their buildings and those vast parking fields?
Reliable sources tell ENV that following an April 2011 completion of fire damage restoration (from a Fall 2010 fire), Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) will purchase the entire property. They plan to use all existing buildings for an arts magnet school, following their own renovation efforts.
We are told the Noonday Ministry will be moving to a new facility at 2nd & Menaul around November 2011. This facility will also conduct church services for First Baptist church members for whom the west side is not convenient.
The parking fields will remain as such for now. The EDo and Huning Highland Neighborhood Associations will continue to encourage the City to purchase the parking areas from APS, and redevelop them over time.
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EDo's newest eatery opens this Spring with the arrival of Holy Cow at the former Bob's Fish & Chips.
Featuring burgers, sandwiches, salads, soups and shakes, along with an outdoor beer & wine garden seating up to 90, Holy Cow plans to serve lunch and dinner Monday through Sunday, adding a breakfast menu on Saturday and Sunday. Up to 50 patrons may dine indoors.
Partners David Boyd, Christopher Medina, and Michael Wewerka have extensive experience in the restaurant, design and construction businesses. Boyd and Medina have been involved with such eateries as The Compound and Geronimo in Santa Fe, and Albuquerque Coffee Roasting Company, Raw, and Sauce locally. Wewerka designed and built out Pizzeria Farina in EDo for the Owners, among his many works.
We wish them well and look forward to seeing everyone dining al fresco at EDo's first "public house."
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EDo & Huning Highland Announce Shared 2011 Goals
The Boards of our two area neighborhood associations are communicating closely on ways to improve quality of life for all our residents and businesses, and to continue the great progress we have made since the Albuquerque High renovation began in 2001.
For the coming 12 to 24 months, both associations will be working with Mayor Berry, Councilor Benton, City professionals, and the private sector to accomplish the following:
1. Complete the parking management plan. This plan involves painting parking spaces and crosswalks on and all around Central Avenue, adding parking meters to commercial locations, and establishing a neighborhood permit program. 2. Make Highland Park a more beautiful public space that is safe, clean and constantly occupied by responsible citizens of all ages from our neighborhood, as well as folks from all over our city.
3. Upon completion of all the great improvements to the Special Collections Library at 423 Central NE, make it a lending library for our community, and program lectures, music, and film performances in Botts Hall for everyone in Albuquerque to enjoy. (See article below).
4. Convert the 2 bus stops near Central & Edith into Rapid Ride stops. Add bus shelters to all other stops on Broadway & Central.
5. Put Central Avenue on a "road diet" as with the demonstration project for West Central being implemented this year. Click here for more information.
6. Improve Lead and Coal Avenues west from I-25 to Broadway in the same way they are being improved east of I-25. Click here for more information.
7. Install 4 neighborhood entry signs (2 on Broadway, 2 on Central) that say "Welcome to the EDo and Huning Highland Neighborhood."
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Highland Park Improvements Meeting
Wednesday, February 9th
 Councilor Isaac Benton and the City Parks & Recreation Department are holding a public meeting on Wednesday, February 9th at 6:30 pm at Hotel Parq Central (806 Central Ave SE) for a presentation and discussion of possible renovations at Highland Park. Please contact Diane Dolan at Councilor Benton's office at 768-3186 or [email protected] if you have any questions.
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Hotel Parq Central Update
Hotel Parq Central at 806 Central SE in EDo just completed its first 100 days. The news is very favorable. Managing Director Yancy Sturgeon tells us that bookings over the holidays were very impressive and the entire hotel was close to being SOLD OUT during their inaugural New Years Eve celebration.
The occupancy continues to build each month. With warmer weather just around the corner, they are looking forward to increased activity in The Apothecary Rooftop Lounge.
Sturgeon noted that many guests staying with them are taking advantage of the luxury shuttle service to and from our other neighbors: Presbyterian, Lovelace, the Heart Hospital and the University of New Mexico.
Recently, they hosted a reunion luncheon for more than 45 former employees of the Santa Fe Hospital. It was a great opportunity for the hospital employees (some of whom worked at the hospital for more than 40 years) to share stories with the Hotel Parq Central staff and ownership.
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Special Collections Library Update
We spoke with Dean Smith of the City of Albuquerque. He is responsible for the renovation of this beautiful facility at 423 Central NE in EDo.
1. What are the key components to the renovation project? Bringing electrical up to code, providing ADA compliant restrooms, and preserving the building. Botts Hall acoustics and lighting are being improved so library presentations and neighborhood meetings held there will be more enjoyable. The windows and stucco are being repaired and re-painted.
This renovation represents only a fraction of the work needed, but focuses on the most pressing issues. Much more work needs to be funded and done. But for now the building is better protected, and will be more attractive and inviting.
2. When will it be complete? Sometime this Spring. We hope to re-open in late Summer or early Fall.
3. How will the building be different when it re-opens? The architects have strived to return some of the original look and feel. Original colors have been unearthed and matched. Windows and doors have been restored ,including some that were covered up in the 1970s. Light fixtures have been selected like the original 1950s pendants.
4. Would the City consider making this library a lending/book request/book return location, in addition to special collections and genealogy? Data and power for modern libraries are being provided, allowing the building to be used for multiple functions including holds, pick-up, and returns. When and if we are able to add those services depends on funding available for staffing and equipment.
5. Would the City consider adding benches and shade to the landscaped area at the corner, to make it more of a public space? There are benches available in the courtyard area of the building. As a result of community requests made when the renovations were planned, benches were only installed within the gates so there would be some supervision by staff during regular open hours.
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EDo Attorney Represents Billy the Kid
What's it like to be the attorney for an outlaw who has been dead for over 130 years? That's what EDo-based lawyer, Randi McGinn of McGinn, Carpenter, Montoya and Love (and volunteer President of the EDo N.A.), found out when she represented New Mexico's most famous legend of the Old West - Billy the Kid.
Ms. McGinn was asked to investigate and determine whether there was a historical basis for the claim that New Mexico Governor Lew Wallace made and then broke his promise to pardon Henry McCarty (Billy the Kid's real name), if he would testify against 3 men who gunned down a one-armed lawyer on the streets of Lincoln, New Mexico.
After 6 months of research, including 4 hand-written letters from Billy to Governor Wallace, Ms. McGinn determined that not only had such a promise been made, but that the "outlaw" kept his end of the bargain and the Governor did not. Based on this research, she filed a petition with outgoing Governor Bill Richardson to pardon the Kid.
Although Governor Richardson found there had been a broken promise by Wallace, he declined to grant a pardon because, rather than waiting to be executed at the end of a hangman's noose, the Kid broke out of jail, killing the 2 deputies who were guarding him.
To view a copy of the petition click here. |
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