25th Anniversary
New Mexico MainStreet is celebrating 25 years of helping communities revitalize their traditional "Main Street" areas. That's 25 years of historical preservation, nurturing artistic development, growing businesses and forging a shared communal identity. Throughout 2009-2010, MainStreet will be planning many exciting events to honor the past and celebrate the present. Please check back regularly to find the latest information on contests, meetings and community activities.
As part of its 25th Anniversary celebration and promotions, New Mexico MainStreet is publishing a calendar of events featuring events held from May – December 2010 in designated MainStreet communities.
LT. Governor Diane Denish has lent her support to the Celebration through this letter, and New Mexico MainStreet Director Rich Williams declares 2010 as the Year of MainStreet in this announcement.
MainStreet 25th Anniversary Poster Unveiled in Silver City
MainStreet 25th Anniversary commemorative poster
The year-long 25th Anniversary celebration of New Mexico MainStreet continued with the unveiling of the 25th Anniversary commemorative poster at a ceremony held in the courtyard of the Silver City Museum. The event included the reading of a proclamation from Governor Bill Richardson declaring Saturday, May 15th as “Silver City MainStreet Day.”
The poster was created by Glorieta artist William Rotsaert and depicts an idyllic main street scene that encapsulates positive expression of downtown revitalization. Mr. Rotsaert specializes in illustrating the historic buildings and cultural landscapes of New Mexico.
The event included messages from both Congressman Udall and Senator Bingaman’s offices, as well as speeches from Deputy Cabinet Secretary Toni Balzano, Mayor James Marshall, State Representative Rudy Martinez and local MainStreet leadership. Also included in the event was the awarding by the Economic Development Department of two framed pictures to Silver City MainStreet of Silver City’s “Then and Now” contest winning entries.
Over the last eight years, 49 new businesses have been created on Silver City's MainStreet, resulting in $4 million in private reinvestment.
“Then and Now” MainStreet Photo Contest Winners
New Mexico MainStreet selected the winners for their “Then and Now” photo competition. First place goes to Silver City MainStreet project for their photos of Bullard Street. The “Then” photo depicts Bullard Street, the main street of historic downtown Silver City, while the street was flooded in 1910. The photo is from the well known Whitehill Collection housed at the Silver City Museum. In 1983, 40% of the downtown storefronts in Silver City were boarded up. A local MainStreet project formed in 1985, and 25 years later, the “Now” photo shows many of the historic buildings, dating from as early as 1881, with active businesses and a vibrant mixed-use district along Bullard Street. Silver City MainStreet wins a cash prize of $500 for their first place entry.
 Silver City Bullard St 1910 |
 Silver City Bullard St 2010 |
Artesia MainStreet wins second prize with their photos of the Artesia Train Depot. The railroad came to Artesia in 1894, and the original wooden frame depot was built in 1897. The “Then” photo shows the depot in the late-1930s. By 1967, passenger service was discontinued, and in 1972 the depot was closed. In 1998, Burlington Northern donated the structure to the City of Artesia. The “Now” photo shows the renovated depot, which now houses the Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Center.
 Artesia Train Depot Then |
 Artesia Train Depot Now |
Downtown Action Team in Albuquerque claims third prize for photos of the Alvarado Hotel in the 1930s with a steam locomotive and the Alvarado Transportation Center with the RailRunner in 2009. The Alvarado Hotel, a Mission Revival style building, was constructed in 1902 and served as one of the many Harvey Houses along the train route. The hotel was demolished in 1970. In the early 2000s the Alvarado Transportation Center (ATC) was built on the site of the original depot borrowing architectural elements from the Alvarado Hotel. The “Now” photo shows the ATC with the New Mexico Rail Runner Express arriving at the station.
 Alvarado Hotel 1930's |
 Alvarado Transportation Center 2009 |
The winning photos along with many of the other submissions will be featured in a commemorative booklet celebrating New Mexico MainStreet’s 25th Anniversary. The booklet will be released in August 2010.
25th Anniversary Symposium
Local Living Economies: Thriving on MainStreet
For 25 years, New Mexico’s MainStreet programs have served as leading builders of vital local economies throughout the state. We’ve reclaimed our commercial architectural heritage, helped launch new businesses, created jobs, grown local leadership capacity, celebrated and preserved culture, and enhanced the community qualities that define the best of life in New Mexico.
Our work is not done. How will we capitalize on our past performance to face the challenges of the next 25 years? This symposium will begin the necessary dialogue. We’ll learn from the achievements of the local living economies movement, explore strategies with a response panel of national, state and local MainStreet leaders, and discuss priority actions in an open forum.
See flyer for more details.