In partnership with Civic Plan Studio, the team led a planning and urban design team in preparing the master plan for the 150-acre East Lohman Site, a city and privately owned property on the east side of Las Cruces. Following a market study, the plan envisions a mixed-use community that is pedestrian-oriented and environmentally sensitive, with neighborhood centers that complement existing land uses. The plan also included strategies for urban design and development implementation. This plan was especially significant because it included a collaboration with city stakeholders and a community engagement process that engaged the public and helped shape the Development Plan. The Plan was enthusiastically approved by both government and residents.

The public engagement process was designed to hear from all stakeholders. The public process began with the city identifying key stakeholders, who were then included in focus groups alongside key property owners. Design workshops, public meetings to review planning studies, and final public hearings were also attended by key stakeholders and residents. Following the initial discussions, we developed three alternative plans, each with a distinct programmatic focus and urban structure. Each scenario included a variety of creative pedestrian-oriented and urban design concepts. The final development plan was approved, resulting in a plan that benefited from our close working relationships with City, NMSU staff, and MountainView Medical Center staff, residents, elected officials, real estate professionals, and business leadership. We also created an implementation plan and a set of recommendations that will allow the city to maintain its role as master developer while collaborating with local developers to execute projects that are consistent with the Plan’s vision.