Laguna Pueblo Main Street & Marketplace Development

In 2021, the Pueblo of Laguna launched the Laguna Main Street project, dedicating efforts towards economic revitalization and redevelopment along New Mexico’s Highway 124 and historic route 66. Alongside a desire for renewed economic development, the Main Street & Marketplace Development planned for new developments such as community health buildings, housing, and outdoor spaces for recreational activity.

The local community team, recruited from a broad cross-section of civic, community, and business leaders, assembled to lead and participate in a series of community workshops. The workshop led to the creation of a vision for the Pueblo of Laguna’s Main Street corridor. Informed by community ideas and input, including support from local Tribal communities, the workshop produced a conceptual framework for a reactivated Main Street, emphasizing the outdoor Marketplace as a centerpiece of community activity.

The initiative assessed over 80,000 square feet of existing and potential development sites, and received a variety of feedback from the community on programming models and design concepts to reactivate the space. The established design concept showcased a potential community center that included a range of programming, including a community performance stage, artisanal vendor booths, food vendor booths, and additional courtyards and gathering spaces. The project was funded with support by the National Endowment for the Arts through the Citizens Institute on Rural Design