Decades of growth Albuquerque, New Mexico

depiction of downtown central avenue, circa 1940s



the mccanna-hubbell building, built in 1915, 1 of downtown albuquerque s many historic buildings

the first travelers on route 66 appeared in albuquerque in 1926, , before long, dozens of motels, restaurants, , gift shops had sprung along roadside serve them. route 66 ran through city on north-south alignment along fourth street, in 1937 realigned along central avenue, more direct east-west route. intersection of fourth , central downtown principal crossroads of city decades. majority of surviving structures route 66 era on central, though there on fourth. signs between bernalillo , los lunas along old route have brown, historical highway markers denoting pre-1937 route 66.

the establishment of kirtland air force base in 1939, sandia base in 1940s, , sandia national laboratories in 1949, make albuquerque key player of atomic age. meanwhile, city continued expand outward northeast heights, reaching population of 201,189 1960. in 1990, 384,736 , in 2007 518,271. in june 2007, albuquerque listed sixth fastest-growing city in america cnn , united states census bureau. in 1990, census bureau reported albuquerque s population 34.5% hispanic , 58.3% non-hispanic white.

albuquerque s downtown entered same phase , development (decline, urban renewal continued decline, , gentrification) every city across united states. albuquerque spread outward, downtown area fell decline. many historic buildings razed in 1960s , 1970s make way new plazas, high-rises, , parking lots part of city s urban renewal phase. of 2010, has downtown come regain of urban character, through construction of many new loft apartment buildings , renovation of historic structures such kimo theater, in gentrification phase.