community for Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) employees, the town has evolved into a vibrant place of its own, actively working to attract development and new opportunities for its residents. According to Los Alamos County Community Development Director, Paul Andrus, the county invested over $20 million between 2010 and 2020 in projects specifically for White Rock, including a new library, visitor center and updated Senior Center. He notes,“That is quite a bit of investment in the town, because it truly is an important asset to the county, and it truly is a family-oriented neighborhood.” DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION In recent years, White Rock has seen a renewed focus on revitalizing its downtown, recognizing the area’s potential to become a thriving hub for residents and businesses. “We want to see more commercial investment in White Rock because way back in the day, White Rock was a well balanced affluent little town that had vibrant commercial spaces,” notes Andrus. “Like a lot of towns, commercial kind of waned and went away, and now we’re trying to look at how we can reinvigorate the community, so it will have more services and amenities to the White Rock residents.” Updates to the White Rock Town Center master plan are aimed at housing density, through increases to building height allowances and mixed-use development. County Economic Development Director, Dr. Shanna Sasser, says the town is leveraging tools like the Metropolitan Redevelopment Area (MRA) under the Main Street Program. “We’re intending to support projects that will contribute to making it the town center for White Rock that is envisioned in the Town Center Plan, and to give it a quaint, charming walkable downtown feel,” added Sasser . HOUSING AND AFFORDABILITY White Rock is experiencing a surge in housing development designed to meet the needs of a diverse range of residents. Adam Thornton, Project Manager for RayLee Homes, talks about the decision to bring the Mirador development to White Rock. 321 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 10 WHITE ROCK, NM
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