MainStreet awarded $600,000

Tucumcari MainStreet and the city learned Monday it had been awarded a $600,000 capital outlay grant from New Mexico MainStreet and the New Mexico Economic Development Department.

Tucumcari will use the money for Great Blocks on MainStreet, a beautification and infrastructure improvement initiative, for Second Street Phase 1 construction in downtown.

Connie Loveland, Tucumcari MainStreet executive director, said Phase 1 would cover two blocks of Second Street, south of Main Street.

“It is sidewalks, new lighting, pavement, beautification in the form of trees … different things like that,” she said Monday morning.

Improvements on Second Street have been on the city’s radar for years.

Tucumcari MainStreet shared the state organization’s grants announcement on Facebook on Monday morning.

“We have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving weekend!!” the organization account stated. “We are grateful for the letters of support from our City Manager, Mayor and Commissioners!”

Loveland said the city and Tucumcari MainStreet in October had requested $700,000 — a high estimate on the project because such reconstruction efforts often cost more than anticipated.

“We were very pleased to receive that large of an amount of money,” she said.

Tucumcari was one of 11 communities to receive a total of $4 million for revitalization projects. The others were Alamogordo, Barelas, Belen, Farmington, Gallup, Las Vegas, Lovington, Raton, Roswell and Silver City.

The MainStreet Capital Outlay Program provides funding for public infrastructure upgrades within a targeted public investment area. Projects must be an economic driver and demonstrate impact on the local economy, improve the appearance and functionality of the district, create connectors and engage local property and business owners.

The number of projects designated each year is contingent upon the New Mexico Legislature’s annual appropriation for the New Mexico MainStreet program.