Create a connected, mixed-use destination where regional access meets outdoor recreation.
Approximately 16.56 acres of City-owned land are available for redevelopment near the junction of Interstate 25 and U.S. Highway 70. Adjacent to the Las Cruces Dam Trail and surrounded by established neighborhoods, healthcare, hospitality, entertainment, and commercial activity, the property offers a distinctive opportunity for mixed-use development and trail-oriented placemaking.
Approximately 16.56 City-owned acres | Mixed-use potential | Direct access to the Las Cruces Dam Trail
A Flexible Redevelopment Opportunity
The Live and Connect Center is a highly visible infill site with strong regional access, panoramic views, and an unusual relationship to the Las Cruces Dam and regional trail system.
The adopted Live and Connect Center Blueprint illustrates one approach for creating a compact, walkable neighborhood center combining housing, commercial activity, recreation, open space, and improved trail access. The Blueprint is a starting point, not a fixed site plan.
The City is open to a comprehensive redevelopment proposal, a phased program, a joint development team, or a concept organized around a specific anchor or use. Alternative proposals may recommend a different balance of housing, hospitality, healthcare, office, entertainment, recreation, commercial, or community-serving uses.
Why Live and Connect?
The property fronts North Telshor Boulevard near Del Rey Boulevard and Northrise Drive.
Key location advantages include:
- Immediate proximity to the I-25 and U.S. 70 interchange
- Direct access to the Las Cruces Dam Trail
- Nearby hotels, restaurants, entertainment, healthcare, offices, and public services
- Proximity to established neighborhoods and major retail destinations
- Panoramic views of the Organ Mountains and the city
- An opportunity to improve connections among surrounding neighborhoods, businesses, and recreational assets
The surrounding mix of residents, employees, visitors, and commercial activity creates the potential for a destination that serves both nearby neighborhoods and the larger Las Cruces market.
A Strong Surrounding Market
The three-mile Live and Connect market includes:
- 43,573 residents
- 19,484 households
- $59,366 median household income
- 62.1% white-collar employment
Approximately 43.6% of adults in the surrounding market hold a bachelor’s, graduate, or professional degree. The area’s combination of educational attainment, established housing, regional access, and nearby employment supports a mixed-use program with residential, commercial, service, and community components.
Figures are 2026 three-mile market estimates.
A Walkable, Trail-Oriented Vision
The Blueprint demonstrates how higher-density housing, ground-floor commercial space, gathering areas, recreational amenities, and green infrastructure could work together on the property.
The illustrative concept includes approximately 110,500 square feet of building footprint and capacity for up to approximately 185 residential units above commercial space. These figures demonstrate one potential development scenario and are not a prescribed program.
The broader vision includes:
- Housing integrated with commercial or community-serving uses
- Restaurants, cafes, retail, hospitality, and professional services
- Healthcare, wellness, rehabilitation, fitness, childcare, and office uses
- Linear parks, plazas, event space, and outdoor recreation
- Improved access to the existing Dam Trail
- Pedestrian and bicycle connections to surrounding neighborhoods
- Stormwater and drainage features incorporated into attractive public spaces
- Development that prioritizes buildings, trails, and gathering areas over conventional auto-oriented site design
A successful project should provide meaningful nonresidential activity and community value in addition to any housing component.
Multiple Ways to Participate
The City welcomes interest from:
- Master and lead developers
- Mixed-use and multifamily developers
- Commercial, hospitality, and entertainment developers
- Healthcare, wellness, office, and institutional partners
- Recreation and community-facility operators
- Investors and joint-venture partners
- Potential anchors and end users
The City is prepared to consider fee-simple sales, ground leases, options, exclusive negotiating agreements, joint ventures, phased development, and other partnership structures.
Any land disposition, public participation, or incentive package would be subject to applicable law, due diligence, appraisal where required, negotiation, demonstrated public benefit, and City Council approval.
Site Status and Considerations
The property is currently vacant and underutilized and previously operated as the Tee Time recreation site.
Redevelopment will need to address the site’s dam and spillway relationship, drainage patterns, maintenance and emergency access, trail connections, utilities, grading, and traffic circulation near Del Rey Boulevard, North Telshor Boulevard, and Northrise Drive.
The City views these considerations as part of an integrated development strategy. Infrastructure, drainage, trails, public spaces, and private development should be designed together to create a functional and distinctive destination.
Start the Conversation
Developers, builders, investors, institutions, operators, and end users are invited to discuss the opportunity directly with the City.
An initial conversation is not a request for a formal proposal. It is an opportunity to identify potential development roles, concepts, information needs, and partnership structures that may provide a feasible path forward.
