Three finalists were named Tuesday to redevelop the city-owned Santa Fe Midtown Campus, formerly the home of Santa Fe University of Art and Design. Couurtesy/SFUAD
By BONNIE J. GORDON
Los Alamos Daily Post
bjgordon@ladaailypost.com
The City of Santa Fe has named three finalists for the redevelopment of the city-owned campus that was left vacant when the Santa Fe University of Art and Design closed. The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), which administers Los Alamos National Laboratory is not among them.
The finalists are Raffles Education Corp., a Singapore-based education company; KDC Real Estate Development and Investments/Cienda Partners of Dallas; and Central Park Santa Fe, which is headed by Alan Affeldt.
There were seven semifinalists. The applicants not making the short list are the National Nuclear Security Administration; Santa Fe Innovation Village headed by Silicon Valley executive John F. Rizzo; Santa Fe developer Zydeco; and Specialized Capital Partners of Chicago.
Based on community input, the mixed-use development project will include housing, entrepreneurial businesses, and space for higher education, arts and culture offerings on the 60-plus-acre tract, according to the City of Santa Fe’s website.
Santa Fe radio station KSFR reported that the finalists will be asked for additional information to clarify their project submissions. The semifinalists could still work with the winner to include parts of their project in the final plan.
Prior to the Tuesday night announcement of the finalists, NNSA spokesperson Toni Chiri said,“We would use the site as an open campus to collaborate with academia and industry, as well as for training for students and employees.”
NNSA’s proposal generated protests from some Santa Feans. Citizens expressed opposition at a city council meeting earlier this month, based on moral opposition to the nuclear mission of LANL. Also, some 40 protesters gathered Jan.13 outside city hall to protest NNSA’s bid. The Los Alamos Study Group, an anti-nuclear group, organized the protest. LASG Director Greg Mello suggested making Santa Fe a nuclear-free zone.
Although NNSA’s proposal for the campus is to use it as an education facility and offices, the protesters were not swayed.
LASG Director Lydia Clark welcomed the decision not to accept NNSA as one of the finalists for developing the Midtown Campus site, according to a news release.
“An innovative, ecologically sustainable, socially conscious and equitable development vision must also exclude LANL from any tenancy in the Midtown project,” Clark said. “…Even if all the problems that come with LANL were overcome, LANL’s presence would only increase inequality in our communities.”
“Having LANL in charge is not what the community needs,” said Joni Arends of Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety. “Santa Fe needs to address a myriad of issues. Nuclear weapons are not what we need … countries with nuclear weapons are losing their soul.”
How much citizen protests influenced the final decision is unclear. City officials have been closed-mouthed about the selection process so far.