News and Events
Albuquerque Journal
Monday, June 30, 2008
Will Reborn Winrock Ring Up New Dollars?
Imagine an Albuquerque with three vibrant "downtowns," each one active enough to keep a family entertained from Saturday afternoon in the plaza to dinner at one of many restaurants and cafes to a live performance or movie. Imagine parking once at the downtown of your choice, knowing everything will be within walking distance.
With the revitalization of Downtown and the refurbishing of Old Town, such a vision is taking shape. What has been missing is a walkable Uptown. People in the Heights still tend to drive from shopping to dining to a movie.
After years in suburban mode, however, Uptown could be ready to go urban.
The new owners of the largely deserted Winrock mall have unveiled plans - dreams, really - for 83 acres of green-built retail outlets and restaurants anchored by a 16-screen movie theater and a plaza the size of Old Town's. Trolleys would connect Winrock Town Center to ABQ Uptown and Coronado, opening up dozens of additional entertainment options.
Winrock's owners plan to ask the city, county and state to make the area a TIDD, or tax increment development district. The planned community envisioned at Mesa del Sol was designated a TIDD, as was the huge West Side development planned by SunCal.
Before officials decide to dedicate up to 75 percent of Winrock Town Center's future property and gross receipts taxes to pay for its infrastructure costs, though, they will undoubtedly want to see some hard numbers. One question: Will the tax revenues generated there be an additional "increment" for the city, or will they simply be a zero-sum transfer from other parts of town?
That analysis is simple due diligence, and officials should keep an open mind about this exciting proposal. People in the Northeast Heights have waited a long time for their Uptown Saturday Night.