Southwest City Scoop: Construction Starts in Las Cruces

Total Construction Spending on Track to Grow by More Than 37% This Year

Public works expected to show a big jump in activity. Residential work also should rise sharply.

City Grill

Jim Peach
Regents Professor of Economics
New Mexico State University

Dynamic activity in the Las Cruces metro area is outside of the city itself, Peach says, and has been influenced by the development of the Santa Teresa rail station, about an hour south of the city. “That is where a lot of the action is,” Peach says. “The threat to that, of course, is any sort of renegotiation or canceling any part of NAFTA. A lot of that traffic is southbound traffic by the rail yard. The border wall would really disrupt things.” Residential construction remains active but is awaiting significant job growth, he adds.

Firm in Focus

Smith Engineering Co.
201 N. Church St., Las Cruces, N.M.
CEO: Rebecca Fink
FOUNDED: 1989
WHAT’S HAPPENING: The firm is working with New Mexico Dept. of Transportation on several road projects: N.M. Highway 273, U.S. Highway 70 in Las Cruces and N.M. Highway 26 in Hatch.