The American Planning Association (APA) has designated Canyon Road in Santa Fe, New Mexico, as one of 10 Great Streets for 2007 through APA's Great Places in America program. APA Great Places exemplify exceptional character and highlight the role planners and planning play in creating communities of lasting value.
“We are honored that Canyon Road has received this recognition,” Santa Fe Mayor David Coss said. “In the last century, Canyon Road has transitioned from a traditional Santa Fe neighborhood to a world-renowned center for artists and art lovers,” he added.
Mayor Coss continued, “The real beauty of Canyon Road is that while the commercial aspect has evolved, the neighborhood has maintained much of its original character and human scale under the protection of the city's historic preservation law. Adding to the visual ambience of the low-scale abode buildings, the adjoining streets bear the names of the Hispanic families who lived on Canyon Road before the homes were converted to galleries. Canyon Road is a look back in time and truly a great American street.”
APA selected Canyon Road as a Great Street because of its creative planning, zoning and preservation programs that have preserved, and at the same time nurtured, Santa Fe's culturally rich artistic community.
APA Great Places offer better choices for where and how people work and live. They are enjoyable, safe, and desirable. They are places where people want to be — not only to visit, but to live and work everyday. America's truly great neighborhoods are defined by many unique criteria, including architectural features, accessibility, functionality, and community involvement. Through Great Places in America APA recognizes the unique and authentic attributes of essential building blocks of great communities — streets, neighborhoods, and public spaces.
“We're excited to designate Canyon Road as one of our 2007 Great Streets,” said APA Executive Director Paul Farmer, FAICP. “It's impressive that this road goes back more than 400 years. Santa Fe is to be commended for all it has done to ensure that Canyon Road continues to anchor the city's internationally famous art row,” he said.
The 1.5 mile stretch of Canyon Road between Paseo de Peralta and Cristo Rey Church designated a Great Street is a narrow corridor filled with one-story, common-walled structures. These authentic adobe buildings — some date back more than 100 years — offer a glimpse into the city's roots — the ancient village streets of Mexico, Spain and Moorish Africa. Creatively interspersed are other buildings in the Spanish-Pueblo Revival or American territorial styles.
Throughout much of its history, Canyon Road was part of a quiet farming community on the city's outskirts. The turning point came in the 1920s when a group of painters settled on what was then just a dirt road and began selling artwork from their homes. The presence of these nationally-recognized artists, known as “Los Cinco Pintores,” slowly transformed the area adjoining Canyon Road into a thriving art community.
To accommodate the transformation, and preserve its architectural heritage, the city made two important planning decisions: First, it adopted the Historic Style Ordinance in 1957. Championed by Irene von Horvath and drafted by author Oliver LaFarge and architect John Gaw Meem, this ordinance prevented permits for buildings that did not reflect Santa Fe's architectural heritage. Second, the city established Canyon Road as a Residential Arts and Crafts District so local artists could sell their arts and crafts from their homes.
Today, dozens of old adobes and traditional Spanish have been converted into galleries and studios featuring, among other things, traditional and contemporary Native American and Spanish arts, crafts, and sculpture. Shoulder to shoulder with restaurants and bars where one can find world-class Spanish classical guitar, flamenco, and jazz, the combination keeps Canyon Road lively and unique. While persons living along Canyon Road, like many parts of Santa Fe, face challenges connected with housing affordability, the Road's galleries and other businesses are a vital component of Santa Fe's art-based economy that provides some 2,500 jobs and $54 million in annual tax revenues.
