1933 Route 66 Rio Puerco Bridge saved
Traveling at speeds up to 80 miles on I-40 west of Albuquerque, the
vision of the Parker steel truss bridge's girders gracefully arch out of the
desert commanding attention. The original historic alignment of Route 66 lies
less than a hundred yards north of the Interstate. The Rio Puerco bridge
remains the largest and one of the few engineering steel span construction
marvels of bridge design in the west.
The 1933 Parker Steel Truss Bridge over the Rio Puerco is saved
The bridge remains accessible through a nearby off-ramp just east of
where she crosses the Rio Puerco River. Former U.S. Highway 66 is now a
frontage road with a gas station and convenience store still remaining. New
development in the area is requiring widening and realignment the frontage
road and a new river crossing to handle more traffic, there had been
recommendations to tear down the bridge (see article in Autumn 1996
newsletter).
A delegation of the Association's members met with roadway engineers and
state and federal highway administration representatives to establish the
importance of preserving the bridge. Several years of letter writing
campaigns and negotiations on federal enhancement monies have borne fruit.
The Federal Highway Administration, along with the state's Historic
Preservation Office, successfully made the case for preservation, access and
interpretation of the bridge's importance to the development of this region
of the South-west. District 3 in Albuquerque will undertake the
implementation of the project this year. For more information, contact Gary
Schubert, Con-struction Engineer at (505) 841-2741.
The Rio Puerco bridge will be preserved. TEA-21 en- hancement dollars will
be used to set up a pull-out off the frontage road for cars to park. The
bridge itself will remain pedestrian accessible. An interpretive marker will
be set up to relay to visitors the history and the importance of the bridge.
And the new frontage road alignment and crossing will be moved a little
further north to maintain the integrity and safety of this historic Route 66
engineering gem.
Kudos to Brueggemann
Sherri Brueggemann and fiancée Eric Olsen are taking the entrepreneurial
plunge and marriage. Sherri has stepped off the Board of Directors to put
more time into the initial stages of the enterprise. Her contributions to the
Directors as well as work as Treasurer, Membership Director, Data Base
Manager and Newsletter Coordinator for several back issues, will be sorely
missed.
Sherri will remain active as a member and use her professional skills to
help the Association on contract administration of our grants. Sherri has
been an administrator for both the City of Albuquerque's Public Art Program
and currently serves in a similar capacity for the County of Bernalillo.
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Jones' Renovation a Success
The Jones Motor Company building has been historically renovated, and the
owners, Janis and Dennis Bonfontaine, will celebrate the opening sometime in
April. The success of its transformational remodeling results from an unusual
cooperative agreement among the owners, the County of Bernalillo, and the
Landmarks Division of the City of Albuquerque to make sure the building will
always retain its authentic facade.
The Jones Motor Company building had stood abandoned and dilapidated for
several years, sparking community concern. The Nob Hill Merchants
Association, Nob Hill Neighborhood Association and the Nob Hill-Highland
Renaissance Corporation envisioned a Route 66 Community Cultural Center. They
won the backing of Bernalillo County Commissioners and New Mexico State
Legislators who contributed over a million dollars towards the purchase and
renovation of the building. However, before the deal could be closed by the
County, Kelly's Brewery owners made a counteroffer which the then property
owners accepted...much to the disappointment of those who worked on the
community center concept and funding.
Bernalillo County preservation easement dollars protects Jones facade renovations
Because the building was listed in the State and National registries for
Historic Properties, it was eligible for substantial state and national tax
credits. The new owners are taking full advantage of these credits by working
with both the City of Albuquerque's preservation planner Ed Boles and the
State Historic Preservation Office's National Registry expert James Hewat.
"The county was ready to condemn the building and purchase it to make
sure of its preservation," says Johnson. Because the Bonfontaines had entered
into a purchase contract in June of 1999 and signed a contract with the
owners in August, the county would have been up against a property suit had
the compromise not been worked out. When the groups came together and talked,
each realized that the uppermost concern was not so much how the building
would be used, but how it would be preserved. The county purchased the facade
easement to insure that no matter who owns the building, the integrity of the
facade will be preserved.
"We filed that easement with the County Clerk’s office as of yesterday,
and it’s now of record (2/22/00)," said Tito Chavez, attorney for the County
of Bernalillo. "Anyone who may come forth to purchase or change that property
will get notice that there’s an existing easement on it, and they cannot
change what is on that property." He went on to say that the papers have been
filed and will be submitted to the City Landmarks Commission, setting the
rules of how it’s going to be renovated and all those issues developed in the
agreement. "We have set the timelines in motion," said Chavez. He went on to
state that no matter who owns the building, the integral authenticity of the
Jones Motor Company building will always be preserved. No one can argue —
it’s a win/win compromise for everyone, especially the public!
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