It doesn’t matter what is bringing you to Albuquerque to live. When you come for your initial visit, you fall in love with this Southwestern city. While the population is more than 550,000, Albuquerque, or ‘Burque as the natives call it, has a laid-back feel. You feel just a little better when you realize that the city is broken up into distinct quadrants, all with their own geographical designation. These are Northeast, Northwest, Southeast and Southwest. Learn three major landmarks as you get to know Albuquerque. These are Interstate 25, Interstate 40 and the “Big I,” where the two interstates connect. The more time you spend here, the better you’ll be able to get around—along with finding more landmarks that help you keep yourself oriented. Now that you’re at this stage, it’s time to narrow down where you want to live.
The city of Albuquerque has spent several years and millions of dollars renovating its downtown area. Once rundown and a virtual ghost town, this area has become a thriving area, humming with business, tourists and yes, residents. The downtown area of Albuquerque does have its own charm. Why not consider settling down in this part of the city? As you’re looking through the different residential areas, consider downtown, where the homes are beautiful and beautifully kept up. Walk into a downtown home for sale and you’ll find wood floors and beautiful, arched entryways from room to room. You may also find floors tiled with Saltillo tiles, giving the home a strong Southwest vibe. Don’t worry about watering, weeding and cutting a lawn—you may be able to find a home with xeriscaping, which is simply desert, low-water use landscaping.
Now that you know you’ll be able to find some beautiful homes in the downtown Albuquerque area to consider, it’s time to learn more about your new hometown. Were you aware that the old Route 66 highway passed right through the heart of Albuquerque? Well, Central Avenue boasts a small stretch of this designation. Visit a restaurant and you may be fortunate enough to be serenaded with live music. Because Albuquerque is blessed with about 310 days of sunshine, you and your family or friends may be able to enjoy a meal out on the patio of one of your soon-to-be-favorite eateries. During the holidays, go downtown after dark. Churches and businesses set up small brown paper bags filled with sand and small candles. These are “farolitos,” which emit a soft light, bathing the area in a gentle glow. When you hear that ballet folklorico dancers and mariachi musicians are going to perform somewhere downtown, you'll definitely want to attend! The music, bright costumes and spirited singing are singularly New Mexican and you can send pictures or videos back to your family.
The boundaries of downtown Albuquerque cover a wide swathe of the city, extending from east of I-25 to just south of I-40. The far northeast boundary extends just past the Big I. Coal Avenue marks the south boundary; this thoroughfare is a one-way road that routes traffic to the east of the city. Fifteenth Street marks the western boundary while a small area of the downtown area creeps just beyond I-25. Within these boundaries, you’ll find the Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Center, the KiMo Theater, main library, Civic Plaza and, when you have business with the city or Bernalillo County, the City/County building.
When you want (or need) to help your children to see something historical, the Holocaust and Intolerance Museum of New Mexico is located on Central Avenue just west of Sixth Avenue. Get in some heart-pounding exercise with a day hike through the foothills. Head to the Paseo del Bosque, located close to the downtown area. Every October, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta takes to the skies. Prepare to be wowed by the evening and early morning Balloon Glows. (These activities may take you outside the downtown Albuquerque boundaries.) If you want to experience some of the entertainment native to New Mexico and the entire region, find out when ballet folklorico groups will be performing to live mariachi music. Every July, a mariachi conference, with performances open to the public take place at the Civic Plaza.
If you’re in the mood for live music and fun with your friends downtown, check out a few bars that feature live music: º El Madrid 423 1st Street SW. Along with live music, you’ll enjoy New Mexico beer, pool, a jukebox and an outdoor patio. º Burt’s Tiki Lounge 313 Gold Avenue SW. While Burt’s is classified as a “dive bar,” it’s one of the best places to stop in when you want to enjoy a drink. Again, you’ll enjoy live music, pool, craft and New Mexico beers. º Launchpad 618 Central Avenue SW. No listing of downtown clubs is complete without a mention of the Launchpad. Here, you’ll enjoy pool and live music.
In 2013, the population of downtown Albuquerque was about 3942, counting those who live within one mile of this area. In 2013, just over 7,000 residential units housed the downtown population, with another 1,200 units expected to be completed by 2018. While the entire Albuquerque metro area doesn’t divide itself by strict ethnic lines, some differences can be seen in different neighborhoods. For instance, downtown Albuquerque has a heavy Hispanic population, but not as heavy as other neighborhoods. The median age of residents in the downtown area is about 40.7 years old, which is a few years older than the rest of the city. The downtown retail industry employed approximately 3,500 people. The ratio of males to females in the downtown area is roughly 1.2 to 1. In the rest of the city, there are more women than men.
For genuine, wood-fired pizza, stop in at Il Vicino Wood Oven Pizza, located on Central Boulevard, in the Nob Hill area. While it’s a little outside the downtown Albuquerque boundary, its food is something to experience. Don’t overlook the Guava Tree Cafe, located on Yale Boulevard. It’s not much to look at, but when you taste the food. . . . Along with the traditional Mexican fare, you’ll be able to try slightly more exotic foods, such as Cuban foods. When it’s time to pay the bill, you’ll be happy to find that it won’t cost you very much. El Patio de Albuquerque treats you to traditional New Mexican fare, from its spicy chile, carne adovada and frijoles charros. Take your visiting family and friends here for a downtown treat.
