The International District

The East Central neighborhoods of La Mesa and Trumbull, part of an area of Albuquerque known as The International District, were once active and thriving residential and commercial corridors along Route 66 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The area consisted mostly of restaurants, gas stations, hotels, and Air Force base housing, lending to a bustling, engaged community.

In the 1970’s, however, Interstate 40 was constructed through the center of Albuquerque, rerouting Route 66 traffic away from the area. During this same period, Kirtland Air Force Base relocated its housing onto the base. The businesses that depended on Route 66 traffic closed, and the former base houses and apartments were either boarded up or sold largely to absentee landlords. Shortly afterward, the 1980’s saw a general nationwide decline in the average family income and an increase in crime. These events combined to have a detrimental effect on the entire International District.

Today, La Mesa and Trumbull Neighborhoods are working diligently and striving to recover from the past three decades of decline, but there is still much to accomplish.

La Mesa/Trumbull, a highly transient and low-income neighborhood, is not without its troubles. The area leads Albuquerque in the percentage of violent crimes, domestic violence, prostitution, and poverty levels. Poverty rates among residents approach 52% in some quarters. Personal community investment becomes difficult when families and individuals are constantly on the move. Outside investments pull from the community rather than give, and housing costs are skyrocketing. And yet…

La Mesa and Trumbull have many assets. The area provides the highest concentration of cultural and ethnic diversity in the state. There are about 15,000 residents consisting of approximately 63% Hispanic, 24% Caucasian, 8% Native American, 3% African American and 2% Asian. Restaurants and stores range from Oaxacan craft shops to Native American Jewelry stores to Ta Lin Vietnamese and World Markets. In addition, the State Fair grounds and Historic Rt. 66 are located in the heart of our neighborhood.

Although the assets of the neighborhood are numerous, the need for community-building initiatives is tremendous. Many local organizations provide direct social services to individuals; however, few organizations are attempting to bring cultures and races together to work collectively toward a more just community.

That’s where we come in…click on the About tab to find out who we are!

To learn more about the history of our International District, click here to check out a great report by The Story of Place Institute (and keep your eyes open for and appearance by ECM!).

Community Map

Check out the map below to see the city's officially designated boundaries of the International District, ECM's projects in the area, some of the other organizations in the area with whom we partner, as well as other businesses and activities that take place here.

(actual map coming soon)