Funding will Aid in the Renovation of  the E. Romero House & Fire Building
 
 
Las Vegas - Today New Mexico Economic Development Department Cabinet Secretary Jon Barela presented a capital outlay award of $75,000 to MainStreet de Las Vegas in partnership with City of Las Vegas for Phase 2 Renovation of the E. Romero Hose & Fire Building. Built in 1882, it is individually listed on the National Trust for Historic Places, State of New Mexico and local registers.
 
"The MainStreet de Las Vegas has done an incredible job in the revitalization of its MainStreet and we believe that is a worthy project for funding," Secretary Barela said. "MainStreet funds are a valuable tool in helping communities, especially those in rural parts of our state, preserve historic treasures and create jobs."
 
The $75,000 award will go toward the renovation of the first floor of the building as a fire and water museum with historic memorabilia and public bathroom.
 
"The restoration will bring new life into the building as a unique fire and water museum that will provide both an important cultural resource for the community, as well as an attraction that will encourage visitors drawn by the architecturally significant streetscape of the Bridge Street Historic District," said Las Vegas Mayor Alfonso Ortiz
 
MainStreet de Las Vegas' Façade Squad gave the building's exterior a face-lift in 2009, prompting renewed consideration of this previously overlooked resource. Rehabilitation and re-use of the building is now one of the top priorities in Las Vegas' Downtown Master Plan. MainStreet de Las Vegas asked the Volunteer Fire Department to donate the building to City of Las Vegas as a museum space: the title was officially transferred in 2010 and the next year the city replaced the roof to stabilize the building.
 
The building is the oldest volunteer fire department in the State of New Mexico. Its strategic location allowed it to pump water directly from the Acequia Madre, which was the lifeblood of the community for much of its history. It is highly significant in the history of Las Vegas not only as a key architectural monument, but as a monument to voluntary local efforts to develop and protect the community and as a landmark, located atop the Acequia Madre, relevant to the ongoing need to marshal the community's scarce water resources. The project will be completed next spring.                                        
 
During the 2013 Legislative Session Governor Martinez signed into law a total of $1 million to be awarded to the New Mexico MainStreet Program. Of that amount, $500,000 was allocated specifically to support capital outlay projects.