Walmart on the Rio Grande

New website aids campaign against proposed development

Jessica Cassyle Carr [ Tue Jul 17 2012 6:14 PM ]

Photo from [link]

Wal-Mart wants to build a new store here.

The fluorescently-lit caverns of despair known as Walmart Stores aims to build another one at Coors and Montaño. This is a particularly troubling notion due to the site’s proximity to the bucolic Bosque at Rio Grande Valley State Park, the Bosque School and master designer Antoine Predock’s first major project, La Luz. A big box store is inappropriate for the location for many reasons—aside from land use, traffic and crime are also concerns—and if the development comes to pass it represents a gut-wrenching lack of foresight and self-respect on the part of the city. Residents in the area don’t want the Walmart and have been fighting the retail behemoth for months. The Taylor Ranch Neighborhood Association, which has the support of dozens of other neighborhood associations from around the city, created againstthewal-abq.com as a source of information about the proposed dishevelment. If Walmart wins it diminishes the quality of life for all Albuquerque residents—not just the neighbors. Find out ways to get in on the fight here.

Public Comments (9)

- oenophile
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Thrice the Fat of an Original WalMart [ Tue Jul 17 2012 10:53 PM ]

C'mon City Council! This is a no-brainer. This location is an ecologically significant and sensitive environmental zone which should remain off limits to further commercial or residential development. In addition to the implications listed above (traffic, crime, aesthetic calamity), a WalMart would be a redundant entity due to the proximity of a large supermarket (Albertson's) two drug/pharmacy stores (Walgreen's AND CVS), and locally-owned food/meat purveyor Keller's Farm Store. The proposed WalMart would pose a threat to the continued successful operation of those businesses which provide jobs and contribute to the local economy. It would also be the THIRD WALMART within an 8 MILE RADIUS, with the nearest WalMart location only 2 miles away (Coors & I-40). This proposition is beyond ludicrous and exemplifies the greed of a corporation that has America by the nose hairs.
- sch
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Just stating the obvious . . . [ Wed Jul 18 2012 7:14 AM ]

Dozens of sites are equivalent for a WalMart -- it's just a matter of demography and market studies.
There's only one river.
I sometimes shop at WalMart. I'm not anti-WalMart. But this site deserves better. It is unique.
- PB5000
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the new conservationists [ Wed Jul 18 2012 8:24 PM ]

I think WalMart is pure cancer, but this article is BS. As oenophile points out, there is a 1/2-mile-long strip mall right across Montano. Immediately to the west, across 8 lanes of Coors Blvd., is solid sprawl. There has been nothing "bucolic" about this location since the Montano Bridge was punched through 10-15 years ago, at the behest of the residents of the area who now claim to be concerned about land use and traffic?!
- sloppy
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area residents [ Thu Jul 19 2012 8:42 AM ]

There has been nothing "bucolic" about this location since the Montano Bridge was punched through 10-15 years ago, at the behest of the residents of the area who now claim to be concerned about land use and traffic?!
I think the area residents were complaining about it all along, and they aren't who did the punching through.
- sch
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Highest and best use . . . [ Thu Jul 19 2012 10:46 AM ]

...there is a 1/2-mile-long strip mall right across Montano. . .
I think even another strip mall would be better than a big box, though . . . and I'd wager that a "higher, better use" than strip mall could be found without even trying very hard.
[link]
Last edited [7/19/12 10:47 AM]
- Mayor McCheese
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Bucolic [ Thu Jul 19 2012 12:58 PM ]

Actually, as part of the 4,300 acres of Open Space that's adjacent to the Bosque, the WalMart site backs up to about 20 acres of Open Space-managed farmland that actively grows "corn, sorghum, millet, and alfalfa that feed winter migratory birds and other local wildlife, including pollinators."
... So that's, you know, the definition of bucolic.
- PB5000
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ruined! [ Mon Aug 6 2012 9:28 PM ]

So, Open Space next to Albertsons, Hastings & CVS is bucolic but Open Space next to WalMart is ... ruined?
And Walgreens, CVS and Albertsons are "businesses which provide jobs and contribute to the local economy" but at WalMart you draw the line?
Again: not defending WalMart; just trying to understand if there a point here...?
- Yoga Pants
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Overkill [ Tue Aug 7 2012 12:54 PM ]

Ridiculous proposition.
There are two Walmarts within a two mile -or less- radius of Coors and Montano. Everything Walmart offers can be found within the same two mile radius, without even going to an existing Walmart. There's already a Walgreens AND a CVS at the intersection of Coors and Montano.
It's obvious to me that the health of this proposed Walmart would depend on the decline of the nearby pharmacies, Albertson's, Hastings and Keller's.
Building a Walmart at this location would royally screw The Bosque school.
Outrageous.
- OutOfPatience
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Any Big Box is Wrong on this Corner [ Thu Sep 13 2012 1:25 PM ]

And Walgreens, CVS and Albertsons are "businesses which provide jobs and contribute to the local economy" but at WalMart you draw the line?quote] Walgreens, Albertsons and CVS Do Not abutt the Bosque. Walmart will be right up against the Open space. As for JOBS If any Big Box Store such as Walmart, Target, or Kmart comes in, smaller local businesses will be squeezed out and only Walgreens, Albertsons and CVS will stay viable. This Walmart is not a large Super Walmart, estimated jobs 175-200 mostly minimum wage, how many neighborhood residents in this area are actually going to go to work at Walmart. The area is middle class to upper middle class. And contribute to the local economy? After driving about 15 small businesses out of business, By the way what happens to those employees - oh yeah, they have to go to work at Walmart, just shifting about 75 jobs from local businesses to the Big Box. AND Walmart by a loophole that has yet to be closed Does Not Pay Corporate taxes to NM, but some of those local businesses pay corporate taxes. Walmart, Target, Kmart or Any Big Box on this corner is totally irresponsible.