1. Why does the Midtown Arts and Design Alliance (MADA) need approvals from the City of Santa Fe Governing Body?

MADA needs approval from the City of Santa Fe Governing Body because the City owns the Midtown Site and the buildings that MADA proposes to revitalize. MADA will have a long-term ground lease for 50 years at $1, in exchange for raising needed capital to renovate and improve these City-owned buildings. MADA’s long-term ground lease will allow MADA to then sublease to partner organizations and creative enterprises, which provide amazing programming and benefits to the local community, at below-market rents that provide them with long-term sustainability. This is a public-private partnership that is an investment in our social sector and civic infrastructure.

2. How can I help to support MADA through the City approvals process?

Strong community support and attendance at the May 13 Governing Body meeting is critical! Please come to City Hall at 7 PM for public comment and make sure the Governing Body sees strong community support! Make sure that you have signed up for the MADA newsletter, where we will be providing critical updates, here.

3. What do you mean by “provide public comment”?

The Governing Body allows for public comment on important decisions in front of them, so that they can see whether their constituents support or do not support a project or piece of legislation.

They typically allow public comment at 7 PM during City Council meetings, when they ask everyone to line up behind the podium to speak. Every speaker is allowed 2 minutes maximum to state why they support or don’t support a project.

We have provided information on the project and talking points, for you to put in your own words. We want to pack the room with all of our supporters and friends. The City Council agenda typically also provides a link for comments by people on Zoom, so even if you are out of town you can support us!

4. What is the full City approvals process and timeline?

The MADA Ground Lease and Develompent Agreement (GLDA) is introduced on April 29 Governing Body, sponsored by Mayor Michael Garcia, with co-sponsors Councilors Pilar Faulkner and Jamie Cassutt. As noted above, Public Comments will be on May 13, Committee meetings will be between May 18-26, and the Governing Body will vote on the MADA Ground Lease on June 10.

5. OK, but what exacty is MADA?

The Midtown Arts and Design Alliance (MADA) is an initiative led by the Santa Fe Art Institute, a nonprofit organization, and over 10 nonprofit partners and educational institutions. The project will repurpose 50,000 square feet of the Midtown site’s striking buildings by Ricardo Legoretta and military barracks into an arts and culture community center, anchoring an emerging new neighborhood district. These buildings have been abandoned and de-commissioned for 8 years and the MADA project is a $25 million, multi-phased renovation through a public-private-partnership with the City of Santa Fe. When complete, MADA will be a vibrant hub that fosters creativity, promotes economic growth, and strengthens the community by providing space for creatives and nonprofits to collaborate and thrive.

6. Who is in the “Alliance” and what does that mean?

Our name reflects a collaborative spirit in partnership with more than 10 highly respected organizations that will wholly or partially relocate to Midtown when the buildings are renovated. The group includes CENTER, Creative Startups, Girls Inc., Little Globe, Make Santa Fe, MASS Design Group, Santa Fe Indigenous Center, and UNM’s College of Fine Art, School of Architecture and Planning, and School of Continuing Education, as well as Vital Spaces and YouthWorks. Learn more about these organizations and what they plan to do at MADA [here] (https://mada.sfai.org/partners/).

If you know the work of these organizations, you know they are AMAZING. The Governing Body would love to hear how you support them and MADA both!

7. Why is this project important?

Community Programming: This is the first project from the Midtown Master Plan that is based on public engagement feedback and slated specifically for community use! Organizational partners are committed to providing over $3.5m in annual programming to the local community, serving residents of all ages with a focus on youth and the local Indigenous community.

Capacity Building: MADA supports the creative sector by providing affordable, sustainable, long-term space for creatives and organizations.

Economic and Social Impact: MADA is an innovative investment! By revitalizing an abandoned site through a long term ground lease with the City of Santa Fe, MADA can offer lower nonprofit rents and operating costs, allowing proximity and synergy for multiple organizations to collaborate on projects, job pathways, and youth programs for greater collective impact.

Community Resilience: An investment in MADA helps the local creative sector to offset significant reductions to their federal funding and strongly contributes to local and regional social and economic stability.

Amazing Organizations: As noted above, our partner organizations are AMAZING and they deserve to have lower operational costs because they collectively provide over $3.5m in annual programming to our local community!

8. What makes MADA so unique?

MADA is a unique, public-private project with support and partnership from the City of Santa Fe through a long term ground lease, State of New Mexico capital outlay funds, significant philanthropic support, and programing and tenant partnerships with multiple community organizations. Nothing else like it exists in New Mexico. The plan is modeled after successful community redevelopment projects in other states that are accessible, sustainable, and beneficial for the entire community.

9. What kind of community programming will be at MADA?

Programming will include a makerspace for all ages, printmaking and darkroom facilities, a youth-run job training café, design and construction training for youth, film and multi-media storytelling, plus ongoing lectures, workshops, classes, and civic events. There will also be opportunities for the local community to use spaces such as a large community room, meeting rooms, and lecture hall for workshops, screenings, readings, talks, meetings, and other gatherings. As we move forward, we will also open our doors to more interested and vision-aligned organizations and enterprises looking to relocate to Midtown, so spread the word!

10. Are you redeveloping all of Midtown?

No. MADA’s scope includes the Visual Arts Center buildings and barracks constructed for the Brunns Military Hospital during WW II, which is approximately 4 acres out of the 64-acre Midtown site that used to be the College of Santa Fe and Santa Fe University of Art and Design.

The City of Santa Fe is responsible for the other 60 acres of development within Midtown, including over $70 million in new infrastructure for roads, utilities, stormwater management, a park and a plaza - this will all support the full redevelopment of the Midtown site. The City expects to support development for over 1000 homes on the Midtown site!

We are excited that redevelopment is already underway and that we have great neighbors such as Aspect Media Village, Sky Cinemas Midtown, Tenderfire Restaurant, Wise Fool, Exodus Ensemble, and the New Mexico Tech Innovation Hub!

11. What are next steps after City approvals?

Once the project is “greenlit” by the City, we will hit the ground running in June! We have an expanded new team and are moving forward with completing construction documents, acquiring building permits, and starting construction. We are also moving forward with fundraising and expect to launch renovations of the first phase later this year.

12. Besides public comment on May 13, how else can the public support this project?

Please check out different ways you can support the project [here] (https://mada.sfai.org/support/). And thank you!