UNM West Campus & Medical Center
On March 4, 2008 voters in Rio Rancho passed by a 63% margin a higher education initiative that added a ¼ of 1 percent gross receipts tax increase. With its passage, this initiative is expected to raise $20 million over its 20-year life span and help the University of New Mexico with infrastructure and land improvements to bring a University of New Mexico West campus to Rio Rancho’s new downtown City Center.
UNM has already purchased 200 acres of land in Rio Rancho, has initiated a campus master plan, and has hired a vice president for Rio Rancho Operations.
On Tuesday, November 11, 2008, University of New Mexico regents authorized plans to move forward with the construction of the first building as part of the campus. This 42,000-square-foot building is anticipated to be completed in time for classes to begin for the spring semester of 2010. Ground was broken on the Phase 1 building in February of 2009.
This Phase 1 building will have classroom space, a small bookstore, a food service area, a common area, and office space for student support and for the UNM Medical Group as they prepare for the construction of the UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center. This two-story building will be a half mile from CNM's first Rio Rancho campus building, with a new road connecting both buildings. The estimated cost for the Phase 1 building is $10.5 million. Funding from the gross receipts tax increase will be used on the Phase 1 building.
UNM’s existing partnership with CNM will allow students to get a two-year community college degree with the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s, master’s or eventually a Ph.D. form UNM West. Future plans include partnerships with New Mexico Highlands University and New Mexico State University.
Visit UNM's Web site to view the master plan for the UNM West campus.
UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center
On May 29, 2008, UNM announced plans to build a medical center as part of their campus site. It is anticipated that construction work will begin in 2010 with the facility opening in 2012.
In November of 2008, voters in Sandoval County voted to raise their property taxes by 4.25 mills, or $283.33 in taxes per year for a home with an assessed value of $200,000, for the purpose of supporting hospitals in Sandoval County.
Once open, the first phase of the facility will have approximately 68 beds and employ hundreds of workers in the first year of operations. Services provided at this teaching hospital will include emergency services, urgent care, surgical services, orthopedics, oncology, physical therapy and much more.
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