Neighborhoods at Crossroads | Taylor Ranch

The Taylor Ranch neighborhood on Albuquerque’s west side boasts one of the
prime locations in the entire city, surrounded by natural wonders and scenic views in
every direction. But it has also weathered its share of challenges during the last few
decades, a subject explored in a new video on the history of the area.
One Albuquerque Media presents the debut screening of the video on July 10 at
6:00 pm at the Don Newton-Taylor Ranch Community Center, 4900 Kachina NW. It is
the eighth in a series on historic Albuquerque neighborhoods. The video will also go live
that evening on the One Albuquerque Media website and on Comcast Channel 16.
The series - Neighborhoods At a Crossroads - is produced by Anthony
DellaFlora and Charles “Bazz” McClain for One Albuquerque Media.
The video traces the history of the subdivision from its humble beginnings as a
cattle ranch owned by Joel and Nina Taylor and highlights its importance as a catalyst
for the explosive growth on the city’s west side in the 70s and 80s.
“We always try to find something unique about each neighborhood, and a couple
things stood out about Taylor Ranch,” said DellaFlora. “First, because of its location at
Coors Boulevard and Montaño Road, it was at the epicenter of several contentious
planning and zoning issues, including the Montaño Bridge and a proposed Walmart.
“Secondly, we were struck by the dedication of the neighborhood association and
local residents in trying to preserve and improve the quality of life there. The level of
activism necessary to hold the city and developers to planning and zoning guidelines,
for example, was extraordinary,” he added.
Other neighborhoods profiled in the series include Martineztown, Alamosa,
Barelas, Wells Park, Thomas Village, Hoffmantown and South Broadway.