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| Wilson & Domenici Applaud HUD |
March 07, 2000 |
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Washington, DC—Congresswoman Heather Wilson and Senator Pete Domenici applauded today’s announcement that the Department of Housing and Urban Development had released the EDI Special Project Grant to Bernalillo County. The $277,500 will be used to conduct a feasibility study, develop the business plan and do the preliminary design of the proposed exposition center and transportation museum planned for the old railway shops in the Barelas neighborhood in Albuquerque.
“In its current form, the proposed exposition center/museum looks like it will be a tremendous addition to downtown Albuquerque and the revitalization of the Barelas area,” said Wilson. “This funding will help take the project to the next step. I look forward to continuing to work with representatives from the BNSF, the Urban Council and the county to ensure that this project continues to move ahead as planned.”
“I’m pleased this funding is now available. It can be used to further promote progress on this plan to add to the vitality of downtown Albuquerque,” Domenici said. “A lot of pieces still have to fall together for this to ultimately succeed, but these resources should prove helpful in that overall effort.”
Last year, Wilson secured the federal grant to help Bernalillo County conduct a feasibility study on the BNSF site, including the Wheels Museum. The funding, provided through the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) Economic Development Initiative Program, became law in October as part of the FY 2000 Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development and Independent Agency Appropriations Bill.
The Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Railway and the Urban Council recently signed a purchase agreement for the 27.32-acre old Santa Fe railroad repair property in Albuquerque as a site for a proposed exposition center. Under the terms of the agreement, the Urban Council made a $100,000 down payment on the purchase, with the complete $2.5 million balance due in 90 days.
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