The Old Santa Fe Association was formed in 1926 with the conviction that our identity as a city, whether in the eyes of the world or as a community, is a fragile and priceless asset; that preserving Santa Fe’s history is more than simply respecting the built environment– it is understanding and addressing the influences and issues that will shape the community over time. To that end, OSFA takes an active role in guiding the growth and development of our city by advocating appropriate city policies that will maintain and strengthen the unique character of Santa Fe.
During the 2018 city-wide elections, OSFA sponsored a questionnaire that was offered to candidates, in order to take a closer look at their views regarding ways in which the character of Santa Fe might be enhanced or threatened- themes at the heart of our mission.
We feel the effort was well worth it, and shared it earlier with our membership via email communication. We offer here, a refresher of sorts, so that you can reflect on how these candidates, now city officials, are perhaps not only keeping to their word- but hopefully moving forward in the spirit of keeping Santa Fe the unique place that it has always been.

By clicking on the links  below, you may access the complete PDFs of the questionnaires and the responses received.

City Council
Mayoral Election
Here are some of the issues and properties on our current Watch List:

Restoration of Santa Fe County Courthouse   (Grant St. and Palace Ave.) We are happy to see that the County has plans to "scrape back" inappropriate alterations performed on the building over the years, restoring the building to match the original vision of Architect, (and OSFA Co-Founder) John Gaw Meem.
New SF County Administration Building   On the location previously home to the Leah Harvey Junior High School (built in 1937), plans are solicited for a new building to house the Administration Offices of Santa Fe County. This property could potentially bookend with the aforementioned Courthouse as an updated example and architectural expression of Santa Fe "Style". It lies diagonally across from the downtown Post Office on Grant Avenue, adjacent and to the north of the magnificent First Presbyterian Church complex (also created by local Architect, John Gaw Meem) We would hope to see a building which honors the spirit of an earlier Santa Fe in this spot. Previously submitted plans which offered a few "modernistic" touches were dismissed by the County.  See Fall 2018 Newsletter Story
Halprin Building (Montezuma and Guadalupe)  The New Mexico Museum of Art plans to perform an adaptive Re-Use on this property as an adjunct space for curating and displaying  modern art. Of primary concern are potential impacts to the streetscape of the historic Guadalupe District. The building facade facing Guadalupe Street is dominated by a vernacular mural which  is in dire need of a restoration.   See Fall 2018 Newsletter Story
St. Michael's Drive Corridor   Plans are in the works to "Re-Mike" the corridor (so to speak), updating and making the neighborhood more pedestrian friendly, while minimizing the sense of "development sprawl "that has been allowed to take place over the years.
A New Hotel Proposed Adjacent to the Loretto Chapel  After multiple visits to the Historic Districts Review Board for consultation, preliminary approval has been granted this project, and we are awaiting further developments.
St. Catherine's Indian School   This is a property that has languished for years since the school's closing. We would hope that a buyer can be found with the resources and expertise to restore and re-purpose what is perhaps Santa Fe's largest historic adobe structure.
Proposed "Flying-J" Truckstop   Impacts and congestion in the southern entryway to Santa Fe off of I-25 are a concern to nearby resident in the area, and a great many Santa Feans have already spoken out against this project.   See Fall 2018 Newsletter Story
The Old Pecos Trail Corridor  Similarly, neighborhood residents and citizens are pushing back against inappropriate development in the neighborhood that would have a negative impact on this unique entry into Santa Fe, one which we hope to protect and enjoy, residents and visitors alike,  well into the future. 

OSFA's Vigilance on La Bajada Mesa (Newsletter Winter 2015)

A proposed gravel mining facility threatens the geology,  ecology and historic landscape of La Bajada, south of Santa Fe on the I-25 corridor. This area contains multiple spur routes associated with El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro: the early trade route connecting 17th Century Spanish Colonists with Mexico City. The Old Santa Fe Association has added its voice to hundreds of New Mexicans opposing the mining operation, with representatives speaking in public forums offered the Santa Fe County Commission. Beside the historic character of the area, which has been for centuries used only for subsistence grazing, citizen opposition centers on the operation's allegedly unsustainable use of precious water resources. 
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You can visit the website savelabajada.org for details, or go to the blog site Save La Bajada Mesa for updated information 
on how you can participate in these efforts in Historic Preservation.

Santa Fe's Historic Bridges Protected  (Newsletter Winter 2015)

OSFA recently spearheaded the effort to place three of our town's remaining historic bridges under enhanced preservation protection. We are most proud of this achievement, and encourage you to look into this often-overlooked piece of our architectural heritage.





Enhancing Preservation Status of Santa Fe Landmarks
This effort would not been successful without the aid of historian John Murphey of FirstLight Consulting, who prepared historical reports for each of these bridges in order to support our petitions to both city and state for greater protection and preservation. John has graciously shared with us the reports he drafted in order to fulfill the requirements of the status upgrade submissions.  They are fascinating reading and contain more deep Santa Fe history than you might think. We are happy to make them available to you here.

Please select the bridge you would like to research by clicking one of the links below the photograph:
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La Puente de los Hidalgos at the top of Grant Ave., Santa Fe, looking south.
The Delgado Street Bridge
File Size: 2006 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
The Don Gaspar Street Bridge
File Size: 1468 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
La Puente de los Hidalgos
File Size: 2077 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
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