Once the site of the largest unhoused encampment in Albuquerque, Coronado Park has sat fenced off from the public since its closure in June of 2022 by Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller.
Much speculation was made of what would be done with the park after it was cleared out.
Initially, ideas were floated about a possible reopening of the park or repurposing it for other city uses that would have included housing or a shelter space.
But after 11 months of waiting, the city finally landed on the decision to build a new public safety facility where the park currently sits.
This facility will include a new fire station and training area for Albuquerque Fire and Rescue.
This project will be built out in phases, starting with the construction of a new five bay fire station.
The second phase of construction will be focused on the training facility, which will include a training tower, classrooms and a conference room.
The existing fire station, which is currently situated to the South of the park, will be converted into AFR’s special operations equipment hub.
The idea behind this project goes back several years and administrations according to Mayor Keller, who said the city is finally in a position to pursue this project.
“The fire department, this is now way under the previous administration, had always wanted to refurbish this station. This is one of our oldest, most cramped, difficult and busiest fire stations. Plans for renovating this fire station go back, I don’t know, ten years if not further and they were always on hold because we didn’t know what we were going to do with this park.”
Keller was also upfront when he said the city came to the decision to build this safety center because of the funds secured during this past legislative session.
The city received $5.25 million from 2023 Capital Outlay and is also kicking in $8 million from 2023 GO bonds and $2 million that were an earmark request from Senator Martin Heinrich office to fund this project.
