City expecting $7.5 million in capital outlay funding for Rail Yards
By: Chris McKee
KRQE 13
The Albuquerque Rail Yards development could be a big winner from the 2019 Legislative session.
This year’s House and Senate-passed capital outlay bill outlines a multi-million dollar payout for the Rail Yards.
For the last five years, the city has struggled with the idea of paying for millions of dollars in remediation work needed at the Rail Yards. The site is said to be contaminated with various hazards including diesel fuel and asbestos.
In September 2018, Mayor Tim Keller ceremoniously ended the contract the city had with private developer “Samitaur,” by ripping the contract in half in front of dozens of people at the Rail Yards Market.
“The Rail Yards is now Albuquerque’s again!” exclaimed Mayor Keller.
Since 2014, the city’s spent roughly $1.5 million in public money on the Rail Yards. That posture is seemingly about to change.
“We were very aggressive in our ask for money,” said Carmelina Hart, a spokeswoman for the city’s Planning Department, which oversees the Rail Yards redevelopment project.