News & Events

Carrizozo picked for economic development project

18 September 2013


Article By:  Ruidoso News   | Dianne Stallings

 

The town of Carrizozo, the Lincoln County seat, is one of seven rural communities in New Mexico awarded technical assistance and services from the newly-created Frontier Communities Initiative.

Gov. Susana Martinez announced the names of the municipalities Friday. Signed into law by Martinez in April, the initiative is a community economic development partnership coordinated through the Economic Development Department's MainStreet Program.

"This program will strengthen some of our treasured historic communities in New Mexico by creating economic development projects in the heart of some of our most treasured historic rural communities in New Mexico," the governor said. "With this start, we are confident that these communities will be able to attract more business interest for their areas. We are looking forward to reaping the benefits of this outstanding program."

The Frontier Communities Initiative is tailored to historic and traditional commercial centers in communities under 7,500 in population and not currently a MainStreet or Arts and Cultural District Program. The initiative is intended to provide technical support for communities to develop a catalytic economic development project within a traditional or historic commercial district such as a court house square or village plaza.

Sixteen communities applied through a competitive application process in partnership with their counties, Council of Government (COG) or municipality. The application required a community to identify one catalytic economic development project to enhance the commercial district. In Carrizozo, that economic development project marked for assistance is branding and image development of its historic village commercial center.

The other communities and their projects are:

* Columbus - Restoration of the gazebo on the historic village plaza.

* Hurley - Streetscape in their historic commercial town corridor.

* Madrid - Business and Entrepreneur development for the historic village core.

* Historic Route 66 (Moriarty section) - Design pedestrian safety and infrastructure improvements.

* Santa Clara - "Wayfinding" and image development for the historic village center.

* Wagon Mound - Facade improvements in the historic village.

Another round of community selection and awards is dependent on legislative funding.


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