>> ALBUQUERQUE RAPID TRANSIT PROJECT CONTINUES TO BE A
SOURCE OF HEATED DEBATE ACROSS NEW MEXICO'S LARGEST CITY.
WE RECEIVED QUESTIONS IN RECENT WEEKS FROM YOU ABOUT
WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF FEDERAL DOLLARS ARE NOT DEDICATED TO
THE PROJECT AS CITY LEADERS EXPECTED WHEN CONSTRUCTION
STARTED LAST YEAR.
AND SOME BUSINESSES ARE MAKING HEADLINES WITH COMPLAINTS AND
CROWD FUNDING CAMPAIGNS TO TRY AND KEEP DOORS OPEN DURING
CONSTRUCTION.
THIS WEEK WE'LL HEAR FROM TWO BUSINESS OWNERS ALONG THE
ROUTE DEALING WITH HASSLES RELATED TO TRAFFIC CONGESTION
AND DIFFICULTY ACCESSING THEIR BUSINESSES.
BUT FIRST THE HEAD OF THE ART PROJECT AND ALBUQUERQUE'S
DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SAT DOWN LAST WEEK
WITH CORRESPONDENT MEGAN KAMERICK TO TALK ABOUT
FUNDING, BACKLASH AGAINST THE PROJECT AND WHAT IS NEXT.
>> I AM JOINED TODAY BY GARY OPPENDAHL, DIRECTOR OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE CITY.
ART PROJECT MANAGER, DAYNA CRAWFORD.
THANKS FOR STOPPING BY.
>> GOOD TO BE HERE.
>> WE HAVE HEARD FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT
WHETHER THE FEDERAL MONEY WILL COME IN FOR THE PROJECT.
PRESIDENT OBAMA PUT IT IN HIS BUDGET.
PRESIDENT TRUMP DIDN'T, BUT CONGRESS STILL NEEDS TO
APPROVE THE BUDGET.
SO, THIS IS FAR FROM OVER, BUT GARY ARE YOU CONCERNED RIGHT
NOW?
>> I AM NOT CONCERNED.
I'LL LET DAYNA HANDLE THIS QUESTION BECAUSE SHE LIVES AND
BREATHES IT.
>> HE IS PUNTING TO YOU.
>> I DEAL WITH IT EVERYDAY AND I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING,
AND I AM GLAD YOU ASKED, BECAUSE IT'S A COMMON
QUESTION.
THE IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS THAT WE ARE IN THE
OBAMA BUDGET, 2017, AND THAT REALLY HASN'T CHANGED.
WE ARE STILL IN THE SAME PLACE WE ARE TODAY.
>> HASN'T BEEN APPROVED.
>> IT GOES THROUGH CONGRESS AND WE'RE LOOKING TOWARDS
PERHAPS THE END OF APRIL AS THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY TO GO
AHEAD AND VOTE AND ACTUALLY START GETTING SOME
CONGRESSIONAL WORK DONE.
WE HAVE TREMENDOUS SUPPORT FROM OUR CONGRESSIONAL
DELEGATION AND THEY FULLY BELIEVE IT IS GOING TO MOVE
FORWARD.
AS THE FTA, I JUST MET WITH THEM LAST WEEK --
[MULTIPLE SPEAKERS] >> THEY WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE
AND EVEN SO MUCH SO THAT THEY SAID, IF FOR SOME REASON IT
DIDN'T PAN OUT, THERE ARE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.
THERE ARE GRANTS.
THERE ARE OTHER THINGS WE CAN HELP YOU GET, IF FOR SOME
REASON THAT DIDN'T PAN OUT, BUT THEY WERE IN NO WAY
SUGGESTING WE ARE WERE NOT GOING TO GET THE MONEY.
>> WHAT IS THE BACKUP PLAN?
>> THAT WOULD BE WORKING WITH FTA TO COME UP WITH VARIOUS
GRANTS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT WE DIDN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.
WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE SMART STARTS GRANT APPLICATION.
>> GARY, HAS THE CITY CONSIDERED ANYTHING LIKE
SHORTENING THE ROUTE OR MAKING CHANGES TO SAVE MONEY SO IT IS
NOT QUITE AS EXPENSIVE?
>> WHAT DAYNA IS DESCRIBING, PLAN A, B, C, D, E.
WE ARE NOT CLOSE TO THAT.
THIS HAS BEEN OUR MID REGION COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT'S GOAL
SINCE 2005 BASICALLY.
SO WE ARE JUST WAITING TO SEE HOW IT WOULD BE FUNDED.
THERE IS MANY STREAMS OF FUNDING.
WE WERE FORTUNATE TO GET THE FAST STARTS GRANT FROM THE
WHITE HOUSE AND THEN THEY HAVE NEVER STARTED ONE OF THOSE
PROJECTS AND THEN PULLED THE MONEY.
>> WELL, THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS THAT NEVER HAPPENED
BEFORE.
WE ARE IN STRANGE TIMES.
>> IT IS THE OBAMA BUDGET.
>> THE PRESIDENT IS CONTROLLING THE SENATE AND
HOUSE AND MAY NOT BE AMENABLE.
>> BUT EVERYBODY AGREES THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS CRUMBLING
AND WE DESPERATELY NEED THAT KICK START, ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY, NOT JUST HERE, AND I AGREE, YOU KNOW, TO SAY IT HAS
NEVER HAPPENED, IT HAPPENS.
EVERY PROJECT THAT HAS GOTTEN INTO THE BUDGET HAS SUCCEEDED
BECAUSE IT IS SO CRITICAL TO COMMUNITIES AND WE ARE SO FAR
ALONG AND FTA IS EXCITED ABOUT IT, PRIMARILY BECAUSE WE ARE
MOVING ALONG BECAUSE WE ARE ON TRACK TO GET A GOLD STANDARD,
FIRST IN THE NATION.
>> COULD IT DELAY OR IMPACT WHEN THE PROJECT GETS DONE?
>> NO, I DON'T BELIEVE SO, BECAUSE THE CITY HAS RESOURCES
TO BE ABLE TO BASICALLY PAY THE BILLS UNTIL WE ARE ABLE TO
GET OUR FUNDING.
MUCH LIKE EVERY OTHER GRANT IN THE CITY IS TAKEN CARE OF.
>> THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CONCERN EXPRESSED BY SOME
BUSINESS OWNERS THAT CONSTRUCTION WILL DRIVE THEM
OUT OF BUSINESS.
THERE WAS RECENTLY A WATERLINE BURST THAT SHUT DOWN
RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON, SO, WHAT
STEPS ARE YOUR TEAMS TAKING TO MAKE SURE THINGS LIKE THIS
DON'T HAPPEN?
>> WE'RE ON THE BALL.
WE ARE OUT THERE.
OUR SUPERVISORS ARE OUT THERE FROM BRADBURY STAMM, A GREAT
PARTNER, TO HDR, WHO HAS OVERSIGHT AS WELL AND THE DAY
THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO, SOMEBODY HAD THE WHEREWITHAL
TO CALL PAUL DAVIS, RESTORATIVE, AND GOT ON THE
BALL AND THOSE BUSINESSES SHOULD BE OPEN.
ACTUALLY ALL OF THEM ARE OPEN EXCEPT THE DRAFT HOUSE, I
BELIEVE, AND SHOULD BE OPEN HERE ANY DAY.
AND 35 NORTH, A LITTLE BIT MORE INVOLVED, BUT SOME THINGS
YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
IT IS CONSTRUCTION.
BUT WE ARE WORKING ALONGSIDE, WE HAVE SO MANY PROGRAMS, FTA
IS LIKE, WOW, YOU ARE THE POSTER CHILD FOR BUSINESS
SUPPORT.
WE HAVE CREATED PROGRAMS HERE THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DONE IN THE
COUNTRY OTHERWISE.
YES, IT IS HARD.
WE DESPERATELY WANT TO SUPPORT ALL OF OUR BUSINESS, NOT
JUST -- I VISIT BUSINESSES DAILY AND I KNOW GARY DOES,
TOO.
HOW CAN WE HELP?
WE HAVE BILLBOARDS.
WE HAVE EVENTS.
WE HAVE AN EVENT TONIGHT.
WE HAD COFFEE WITH THE CONTRACTOR TODAY.
WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE AND I KNOW GARY DOES TOO GO EAT ON
CENTRAL AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK.
GET THAT BIRTHDAY GIFT, YOU KNOW.
THIS IS A BARN RAISING OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY
AND WE NEED TO STEP UP AND HELP THEM.
>> THE CITY ANNOUNCED THERE WOULD BE FUNDS TO HELP SMALL
BUSINESSES ALONG THE ROUTE.
ARE THOSE BEING DISTRIBUTED?
>> THEY ARE.
I THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE CENTRAL LOAN FUND WHICH IS
A SPECIAL PART OF OUR OVERALL SUPPORT BUT NAVIGATORS HAVE
BEEN OUT THERE SINCE LAST SUMMER, REALLY BUILDING TRUST
AND THEN HELPING PEOPLE WITH EVERYTHING FROM CASH FLOW TO
MARKETING TO LOOKING AT VARIABLE COSTS AND PREPARING
FOR THE CONSTRUCTION.
WE HAVE ABQ66.COM AND ALL THE WAYS TO HELP WITH MARKETING
THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING INCLUDING THE ART BEAT IN THE
STREET.
AND THE TAILORED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PIECE INCLUDES MANY
THINGS FROM ALTERNATIVE LOAN FUNDING, FROM OUR PARTNERS
WEST AND ACCION AND LOAN FUND, SBA, COMMERCIAL LENDING, BUT
WHAT YOU'RE PROBABLY REFERRING IS TO CENTRAL LOAN FUND.
>> THAT HASN'T COME THROUGH YET?
>> THE MONEY IS THERE, WE ARE GOING THROUGH THE LAST BIT OF
DOCUMENTS.
WHAT THE MAYOR SAID IS LIKE, LOOK, HE IS A BUSINESS MAN, I
AM A BUSINESSMAN.
WE KNOW HOW HARD THIS IS FOR BUSINESSES DURING
CONSTRUCTION.
THERE ARE MANY CITIES THAT JUST, SAY, WELL, TOUGH, IT IS
A PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY, WE ARE NOT GOING TO HELP YOU.
WE ARE DETERMINED TO HELP OUR BUSINESSES IN MANY WAYS.
WE'RE PAYING FOR THE NAVIGATORS AND DOING ALL THESE
THINGS.
THE CENTRAL LOAN FUND WILL BE A COOL DEAL, FIRST OF ITS KIND
IN THE COUNTRY, WHERE WE WILL BE GIVING OUT LOANS TO
BUSINESSES ALONG CENTRAL THAT ARE UNDER TWO MILLION REVENUE,
LOCALLY OWNED, FRONT DOOR FACING CENTRAL, AND IF THEY
KEEP WORKING WITH OUR NAVIGATORS THROUGH THIS, THEN
AT THE END OF THE DAY AND THEY STAY ON CENTRAL AND STAY OPEN,
THEN THE PRINCIPAL CAN BE GUARANTEED AND THEY WILL NOT
HAVE TO PAY THAT BACK.
AND THAT IS A FIRST OF ITS KIND THING.
SO WHEN YOU'RE DOING FIRST OF A KIND OF THINGS, SOMETIMES
ALL THE LAWYERS HAVE TO BE HAPPY AND THAT IS THE RIGHT
THING TO DO AND WE COULD HAVE RUSHED THIS OUT, BUT MAYOR
SAID, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GOT TO DO THINGS RIGHT AND THE RIGHT
WAY AND SO, WE'RE DOTTING I'S CROSSING T'S, HAD A
SIGNIFICANT COUNCIL VOTE LAST MONDAY WHICH CLEARED THE WAY
FOR THE WHOLE THING TO HAPPEN AND WE HAVE TO GET THE LAST
LITTLE AGREEMENTS IN PLACE AND WE'LL GET LOANS OUT IN THE
NEXT 10 DAYS.
>> AT LEAST ONE COMPANY, WINNING COFFEE, THEY ARE
HOLDING A CROWD FUNDING TO STAY?
TO STAY IN BUSINESS, IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD FOR THE CITY
TO HAVE BUSINESSES SAYING, WE ARE ON THE EDGE FINANCIALLY,
WE NEED HELP.
HOW ELSE IS THE CITY RESPONDING TO HELP?
>> CAN I THROW ONE THING IN HERE?
BUSINESSES EVERY YEAR ON CENTRAL, YOU CAN SEE A
TURNOVER OF BETTER THAN 170.
IT IS NOT THAT WE WANT TO SEE THAT HAPPEN EVER THIS YEAR OR
ANY OTHER, BUT IT IS A NATURAL PART OF THE BUSINESS CLIMATE.
WE HAD COFFEE WITH CONTRACTOR THIS MORNING AND OVER AT
DUNCAN DOUGHNUTS AND BASKIN ROBBINS, YES, I MIGHT HAVE HAD
ICE CREAM FOR BREAKFAST, AND --
>> THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE CAN TALK TO THE CONTRACTOR.
>> ONCE A MONTH THIS IS A SECOND THURSDAY OF THE MONTH.
>> DID YOU HAVE A GOOD TURNOUT?
>> WE HAD A FEW.
SOME WEEKS, SOME SESSIONS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS.
IT JUST KIND OF DEPENDS, BUT I WAS TALKING TO BUSINESS OWNER.
HE INVESTED IN AN 80,000 FREEZER REFRIGERATOR AND HE
SAID HIS BUSINESS DOWN ABOUT 10%, BUT HE ALSO MENTIONED TO
ME THAT DUNCAN DOUGHNUTS AROUND THE CITY ARE ALSO DOWN
10%.
IS IT THE FUNCTION OF THE ECONOMY IN GENERAL OR IS
EVERYBODY ON A DIET?
I THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF FUNNY.
>> SOME LONG TIME BUSINESSES HAVE CLOSED, BEEN THERE A LONG
TIME, LIKE HEY JOHNNY.
>> I WAS ACTUALLY IN HIS STORE THE DAY THEY WERE ACTUALLY
DOING THEIR SALE.
I WAS DOING A LITTLE BROWSING AND HE TOLD SOMEBODY IN THE
STORE -- HE DIDN'T KNOW WHO I WAS, I WAS JUST DOING MY -- HE
SAID, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY ASKED HIM, ARE YOU CLOSING BECAUSE
OF ART.
HE SAID, NO, THIS HAS BEEN PLANNED FOR A LONG TIME.
THE ECONOMY IS CHANGING, PEOPLE
ARE SHOPPING A LOT ON THE INTERNET AND THEY KIND OF WANT
DIFFERENT THINGS AND WE WERE READY TO MAKE A CHANGE.
I THINK IF YOU ASK HIM, I DON'T THINK HE WOULD SAY IT IS
BECAUSE OF ART, I REALLY DON'T.
>> GARY, SOME CITY COUNCILORS AND RESIDENTS WHO OPPOSE ART
AND CONTINUING TO TRY HALT FINAL EXECUTION THE PROJECT.
CAN YOU ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS?
>> HERE IS THE THING, TO ME I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS
PROJECT, THE MAYOR IS TAKING LEADERSHIP IN DOING THIS IN
HIS LAST YEAR WHERE HE IS NOT GOING TO GET THE BENEFIT, BUT
JUST THE DOWN SIDE OF IT, I THINK SHOWS INCREDIBLE
LEADERSHIP BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE THE CHANCE TO FINALLY GET THAT
URBAN CORRIDOR THAT MILLENNIALS, BABY BOOMERS AND
REMOTE WORKERS, WHICH IS THE FASTEST GROWING SEGMENTS OF
SOCIETY WANT.
THEY WANT WALKABLE BICABLE, GOOD TRANSIT, HIGHER MIXED
USE, HIGHER DENSITY, URBAN CORRIDOR.
>> THESE ARE PEOPLE LIKE MARK TALKED ABOUT, THEY CHOOSE TO
LIVE ANYWHERE BECAUSE THEIR WORK IS REMOTE.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
AND MILLENNIALS, WHO WE COMPLAIN ABOUT LOSING, ARE
LOOKING FOR THAT.
LATEST STATS ARE THAT IN MY GENERATION, 97% OF US BETWEEN
16 AND 40 HAVE OUR DRIVER'S LICENSE.
NOW THAT IS DOWN TO 77%.
IF WE ARE LOOKING AT TRENDS WE KNOW THIS IS THE RIGHT THING
TO DO. AND WE GET TO LEAP FROG OUR
COMPETITIVE CITIES LIKE AUSTIN AND TUCSON AND DENVER WHO HAD
TO DO LIGHT RAIL.
WE, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NORTH AMERICAN HISTORY, WE
HAVE A 60-FOOT ARTICULATED VEHICLE THAT RECHARGES IN
THREE HOURS.
SO WE CAN LIGHT RAIL FOR 20% OF THE COST AND DISRUPTION.
THIS IS A GOOD THING FOR THE CITY ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU
CONSIDER THE 2.8 BILLION OF TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT
AND THAT KIND OF DEVELOPMENT THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN ALONG
THE LINE ACCORDING TO TWO DIFFERENT STUDIES.
THAT IS A BIG DEAL.
THIS IS A CATALYST FOR OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY.
>> HOW WILL THE CITY MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF ART AFTER IT IS
COMPLETED?
>> WE ARE MEASURING IT ON TIME RIGHT NOW.
EVERY MONDAY, SUSIE OUT OF PLANNING SAYS, HERE IS HOW
MANY PERMITS, HERE IS HOW MANY NEW DOLLARS.
WE HAVE HAD OVER 100 MILLION IN PERMITS, 221 PERMITS, 100
MILLION IN VALUE JUST ALONG 5/8-MILE, HALF A MILE EACH
SIDE OF CENTRAL SINCE WE STARTED THE PROJECT.
THAT IS NOT INCLUDING SOME OF THE THINGS LIKE THE HIGHLANDS
WHICH IS RIGHT ACROSS FROM PRESBYTERIAN, 100 MILLION
DOLLAR PROJECT WHICH IS STARTING AND THEY --
>> RESIDENTIAL RETAIL.
>> RESIDENTIAL, RETAIL, MIXED USE, GYMNASIUMS, HOTEL,
RESTAURANT, FOOD HALL, THAT IS LITERALLY BECAUSE OF ART.
SO, THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE ARE ALREADY
MEASURING AND WE'LL MEASURE FROM A PEOPLE STANDPOINT, FROM
A NEIGHBORHOOD STANDPOINT AND BUSINESS STANDPOINT.
WE HAVE GOT A BASELINE AND WE'RE MEASURING ALL ALONG THE
WAY.
IT IS NOT JUST THE BUSINESSES.
THAT IS THE EMPHASIS BUT THE PEOPLE AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS A REVITALIZATION PROJECT WITHOUT
ANY DISPLACEMENT AT ALL.
KEEPING EVERYBODY THERE AND INVITE NEW PEOPLE IN TO AN
ALREADY GOOD CULTURE THERE.
>> WE HAVE TO WRAP UP.
BRIEFLY, WHAT CAN YOU TELL PEOPLE WHO ARE RUNNING DAILY
LATE FOR APPOINTMENTS OR THEY CAN'T GET TO PLACES.
>> BUT SHORT LIVED.
WE ARE 25% COMPLETE.
WE HAVE GOT 435 CONSTRUCTION WORKERS OUT THERE WHO LIVE
HERE, ARE WORKING THERE.
I THINK THEY ARE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND WE LOOK TO HAVE
THIS DONE THIS FALL AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME OF THIS IN
OPERATION THIS FALL.
SO, I WOULD SAY JUST, YOU KNOW, IT IS LIKE REMODELING
YOUR KITCHEN, IT IS HELL AND YOU DON'T ANY KNOW IF YOU'RE
GOING TO GET TO USE THE REFRIGERATOR OR THE
DISHWASHER, BUT YOU KNOW AT THE END IT IS GOING TO BE
SUPER COOL.
JUST KEEP THE FAITH.
IT IS GOING TO BE GREAT AND I HOPE THEY HAVE GONE OUT AND
TOURED IT ON A SUNDAY MORNING TO SEE WHAT IS OUT THERE
ALREADY.
>> DAYNA CRAWFORD, GARY OPPENDAHL, THANK YOU FOR
COMING AND TALKING ABOUT THIS TODAY.
>> OUR PLEASURE.
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