The New Mexican | Posted 15 hours ago
Change can be unsettling, and the shutting down of a popular local mall is a difficult transition — for shoppers, neighbors and, most of all, for the business owners who make their living there. Sanbusco Market Center has been such a center, drawing locals to its mix of upscale and unique shops. Soon, though, the center will have a new identity — as the home of New Mexico School for the Arts.
The statewide charter high school had been in search of a permanent home for several years, with its current location at the old St. Francis Cathedral School full to capacity. With a new campus, students from Santa Fe and throughout New Mexico will be able to enjoy a first-class arts education, with room on-site for performance space, studios and residential space for students from outside of Santa Fe.
The search for a permanent campus was not easy. First, school leaders thought the historic St. Catherine Indian School was the ideal location. After all, the structure had been a school with dormitories. Alas, St. Catherine proved too expensive to fix. Other possible locations discussed included building on land by the state Department of Transportation and a plot across from Santa Fe High School. Every time a deal was close to completion, however, something happened to cause the school to shift course.
Then, Sanbusco was put up for bid, another victim of a sluggish economy. When the dust settled last month, NMSA had its home and the business owners of Sanbusco knew they would be moving. Former Sanbusco owner Joe Schepps, writing a My View last Sunday, said, “My hope for Sanbusco is that its legacy will always be one of a vibrant community addition, whether as a lumber building supply company, or a much-loved and missed retail destination, or its future as an exciting urban school for the arts.”
That future remains months away — for now, Sanbusco is still open for business, and likely will be until spring. Everyone worried about the businesses that have to move should support them by stopping by to shop. That’s the most concrete way to support these local business owners.
The city of Santa Fe Economic Development Division announced this week, too, that it will seek to make the move as painless as possible. Division employees will be reaching out to involved businesses, perhaps helping find new locations, offering advice on the move and, in general, working to ease the next few months. Affected businesses also are encouraged to call the division at 955-6912 with any questions they might have.
Some of the businesses already have said they want to move to DeVargas Center. Others, we hope, might stay in the Railyard district itself. That would help shore up the empty locations there and strengthen the district. With a high school of perhaps as many as 400 students someday, not to mention parents, teachers and staffers at the school, there will be greater traffic in and out of the Railyard at all hours of the day.
As a school focused on arts education, students are there before and after classes, with performances attracting patrons in the evening and on weekends. There is a likelihood that NMSA will be an economic engine for that corner of Santa Fe, helping the Railyard realize its retail potential.
For now, though, such local stalwarts as Teca Tu or Santa Fe Pens or Pandora’s or On Your Feet are still open for business. By shopping locally and supporting these entrepreneurs, Santa Feans concerned about the local economy can make the next few months the best yet for these businesses.