RIO RANCHO, N.M. (KRQE) – It’s been a quiet island in the desert for years, but a piece of the Rio Rancho City Center could take new shape quickly under a new state-level initiative. A 43-acre, triangular lot in Rio Rancho is one of dozens of properties now being marketed by the state as a “shovel-ready” lot. It’s all part of a newer “Site Readiness” project through the Economic Development Department, where the state says companies can build big, fast.
The Rio Rancho City Center, placed geographically in the middle of the city limits, was initially planned to be a hub when it was built in the early 2000s. But as people began moving to the ‘City of Vision,’ they flocked south closer to Albuquerque to be closer to their work, and neighborhoods continued to grow away from the center.
“The city really hasn’t grown out here yet,” Rio Rancho Mayor Greggory Hull said. “But we are starting to because we put in roads like Broadmoor, and that has created a lot of connectivity into this area.”
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With an event center, city hall, college campuses, and a medical center, project leaders hope that with more development, the city center can become a busy urban gathering place. The state Economic Development Department’s ‘Site Readiness‘ designation helps bring them one step closer…