New Mexico’s population is expected to reach more than 3 million by 2035, and members of Lobo Development said UNM needs to grow to accommodate the population increase.
That’s where UNM’s Consolidated Master Plan comes in, they said. The Master Plan is a 10-15 year development plan that aims to change UNM from a commuter campus to a “24/7 campus,” said Dale Dekker, who is in charge of planning for Lobo Development.
“It’s not just about physical changes, it’s about this campus being in the middle of a growing campus and how it has to evolve from a commuter campus to a 24/7 live, learn, work, play environment,” he said.
Dekker said a more residential campus where the majority of students live, work, attend class and shop, eliminating the need for personal transportation, is Lobo Development’s goal.
“There are 70,000 people commuting on and off campus every day, and that’s a lot of traffic,” he said. “That has a big impact on the city’s traffic, and that type of traffic is not sustainable. A major goal of the plan is to eliminate the need for so much personal transportation.”
Dekker said 25 percent of UNM’s land area is dedicated to surface parking.
The Master Plan is an update of a previous 1996 Master Plan, but this plan is the first to suggest connecting North, Central and South campuses.
The Plan also suggests adding 2,000 resident beds and a recreational center. The housing portion of the plan is already underway with the addition of Lobo Village to South Campus and dorm construction on main campus, UNM real estate director Kim Murphy said.
“Lobo Village shows the power of an amenity to attract students,” he said. “We want our campus to make students want to come here and stay here.”
Murphy also said he hopes to develop the mesa across the street from Lobo Village and West of the Isotopes Park into retail space.
“There could be a lot commercial opportunities there for retail and food,” he said. “Retailers would pay UNM rent and provide opportunities for students to do their dining and shopping on campus,” he said. “More housing supports more retail.”
The Plan provides opportunities for Health Sciences and UNM hospital expansion.
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Dekker said Lobo Development took into consideration input from students, faculty and communities surrounding UNM in order to design the plan.
The Board of Regents will vote to officially adopt the Master Plan in their Sept. 13 meeting.
