Neighbors,

 

Chris Smith of Nob Hill Main Street sent out this information last night in response to my post.  It looks like the City has already abandoned the diner as a police station – Chris is concerned an abandoned building will cause even more trouble. According to his account, it looks like they will be removing the diner soon and essentially leveling the remaining land into a kind of “pad site” for the community’s use. The City seems to have some kind of public artwork that will be situated on the site relatively soon.

 

I see/share Chris’ concerns and also his excitement for new possibilities. In any case, it’s clear that in the short term (ie years) the City has no plans to create a new park or building anything of substance. Chris and Main Street believe that we as a neighborhood and business district should spearhead a plan for the site’s permanent use and work on a suitable design ourselves. They also believe the funding will have to be sought through grants, programs and perhaps donations or sponsorships. I guess we can at the least give the City some credit for causing the potential for positive change – by others, of course.

 

Thank you Chris (and Main Street) for this timely and extremely useful information. I want to be part of this process and have asked to be included in Main Street’s planning group!

 

Jean Bernstein

 

From: Chris Smith <nmrealestatenow@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, July 21, 2025 10:13 PM
To: Nob Hill Main Street <nobhillabqmainstreet@gmail.com>
Cc: Anchor+frame <anchorandframe@gmail.com>; Seth Beecher <Seth@selectnm.com>; Jean Bernstein <JBernstein@flyingstarcafe.com>; chat@nobhillmerchants.org; Joel Grieshaber <info@abqrepair.com>
Subject: Re: Triangle Park

 

As I understand the plan:

 

*  Move Diner to Rt 66 Visitor Center in Fall 2025

*  Demolish all of substation and provide finished look to demoed area, Fall 2025; ready for use by the community

*  I will not speak for Nob Hill Main Street as a whole, however, several folks on the Board are excited about activating the park moving forward - if you would like to be part of that working group please email Valerie at nobhillabqmainstreet@gmail.com

*  Triangle Park will be 1 of 3 activation sites for Route 66 Centennial in Nob Hill.  New sculpture/art at Triangle Park Fall 2025, plus M'Tucci's (sculpture) and The Guild Theater (AR / Interactive) will give Nob Hill 3 of the City backed / Visit ABQ backed interactive permanent sites marketed during the Centennial.  There are a total of 18 of these interactive sites along Route 66 for the Centennial and Nob Hill will have 3 of them

*  There are opportunities to fund ongoing activities at Triangle Park via Arts & Culture grants, Visit ABQ grants, etc.  Additionally, with the recent completion of the Feston / Cafe Lighting project (4 years!) and the funds spent, Nob HIll Main Street is eligible for capital outlay funding from the State - project submissions Fall 2025 for use during FY2027 (July 2026-June 2027).  Triangle Park is one the projects on the shortlist.  If you have any capital outlay project ideas please email Valerie at nobhillabqmainstreet@gmail.com

 

Some background notes for information purposes: 

*  Nob Hill Main Street works closely with APD through Project Echo and other collaboration with the NHNA Public Safety Committee.  Currently, working on the unhoused issues at Triangle Park with Commander Del Greco 

*  APD is operating out of the University Substation (across the street from The Pit). Project Echo meetings are available in person or via Zoom once per month.  

*  Nob Hill Main Street has attempted different ways to activate the park - New Years Eve Chile Drop (8 years), Shakespeare in the Park series (2 years), music and vendor pop ups (variable).  Other than that I am not aware of any other efforts in the last 25 years specifically to activate Triangle Park, other than the  idea of a community policing hub. 

 

My biggest concern regarding the Diner is that Nob Hill ends up with a vacant building and an unactivated park and everything that comes with that.  

 

I hope this provides more information for consideration.  

 

 

 

 

On Mon, Jul 21, 2025 at 9:37 PM Nob Hill Main Street <nobhillabqmainstreet@gmail.com> wrote:

As a reminder, there is a meeting scheduled Tuesday, 7/22:

 

From Director Shelle Sanchez Arts & Culture Department:  "we will be presenting the Little Diner proposal for discussion in an upcoming public meeting. Please join us if you would like to share your input"

Route 66 Visitors Center Commission Meeting

July 22, 3pm, Route 66 Visitors Center


Thank you,

 

Nob Hill Main Street, Inc.

Valerie Osbourn, Executive Director (ED)

ED Email:  val.mae1987@gmail.com 

ED Mobile:  505-331-1934

Office: 505-923-0759

 

Board of Directors Contact Email:

Chris Smith, President - nmrealestatenow@gmail.com

 

 

 

On Mon, Jul 21, 2025 at 9:27 PM Anchor+frame <anchorandframe@gmail.com> wrote:

I believe they are removing a small build that's on a concrete slab.

not removing a entire park.

 

those trees on that block are amazing and the best in Nobhill. making that block feeling the most urban and pleasant to walk on.

 

removing them would be detrimental to the Neighborhood.

 

there is many issue facing our neighborhood.

collectively working on stopping the free bus.

and illegal junkie encampments seem like a better battle.

 

I would like to know more of the plan beyond just the removal. 



On Jul 21, 2025, at 4:33 PM, Seth Beecher <Seth@selectnm.com> wrote:



👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 Jean. Well stated 

 

Seth Beecher

Director of Opportunity

C. 505-710-5095

O. 505-265-5111

RE/MAXSELECTNM.COM

     

 

 

 

On Mon, Jul 21, 2025 at 4:27 PM Jean Bernstein <JBernstein@flyingstarcafe.com> wrote:

All,

 

I’ll be brief. I’ve read the communications  between the neighborhood and CABQ regarding the removal of the old diner at Triangle Park. Let’s face it, it’s clear, they’ve already made their decision – the diner will be moved to the huge failure Route 66 Center on West Central. The City does not care one bit about what the people and businesses of Nob Hill want – they have proven this over and over from administration to administration. Recently, I politely asked if some of the overgrown trees on Central could be removed (trimming does not work) in the instances where they completely obliterate business signage. I specifically mentioned our own Flying Star vintage neon, which has some historic value and charm. I was not asking for a hand out, I offered to pay to remove the tree and replant or buy a new tree in a more deserving place. There are about 7 trees on our block, the loss of one to uncover a very cool neon would not cause any significant changes to the block or the street canopy. And, a reminder that I was never consulted as to the type of trees that have grown ridiculously too large for a commercial street. This one tree makes it impossible to identify our business, the same issue for other businesses along Central Nob Hill. (And, to move large, exterior signage is unbelievably expensive, especially when the sign is in need of repair and updating.) A representative of the Mayor’s office told me in no uncertain terms that the tree was extremely valuable to the climate/environment, with no mention of my business’ wellbeing….

 

Again, the City decides to do what they want to do, whenever they want to do it. The “park” to replace the diner will take years, in the meantime Nob Hill will have an empty, weed infested, ugly space as its welcome to travelers. I figure they’ll get around to taking bids for designs and building a possible park in about 2 years from now.

 

Neighbors, it’s time to get a petition started, make some noise, get together on this. Time and again, being appropriate, proper, asking instead of demanding, following the channels yields exactly NOTHING, except the continued degradation of our beloved Nob Hill.

 

Jean Bernstein

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