Cameras to chart progress

By Jimmy Currier
Observer staff writer
Published on Monday, June 8, 2009 3:26 PM MDT

Development in Rio Rancho’s City Center can now be viewed from the city’s Web site, ci.rio-rancho.nm.us/citycentercams, via two new Web cameras.

Through these Webcams, high-definition images are captured of the construction occurring at Hewlett-Packard’s customer service and technical support center and at the first building beign constructed as part of University of New Mexico’s (UNM) West campus.

Some images viewers will be able to see include a new image of each construction project every 11 to 12 minutes; a time-lapse movie of the construction process; images from previous days and months and progress of both projects side-by-side.

People will also be able to e-mail, download and print images as well as zoom in up to 600 percent for a close-up view.

“The addition of this technology will help preserve the growth of Rio Rancho’s master-planned downtown so that future generations will be able to see how their city developed,” said district 1 City Councilor Mike Williams.

Images from the Webcams will also be used as content on the city’s public, education and government cable channels, RioVision (channels 15 and 22 for Cable One subscribers).

As future development takes place in the City Center, the cameras will be repositioned to chronicle the progress of those projects.

“These Webcams will greatly assist in keeping community members and those seeking information about Rio Rancho up-to-speed on what is happening — in real time — in the City Center,” said district 6 City Councilor Kathy Colley.

The purchase and installation of the Webcams were funded by councilors Williams and Colley, who each contributed $7,394.20 from their discretionary accounts.

The Hewlett-Packard facility is scheduled to be completed by late 2009 and it’s anticipated that the UNM West campus will be offering classes by the spring semester of 2010.

Hewlett-Packard anticipates employing more than 1,350 people by the end of 2012 and plans to open in late December. HP hopes to have 1,800 full-time employees in 15 years and the company says the majority of the jobs will pay at least $40,000, with an annual payroll of $54 million.

An HP spokesperson said that construction is moving along as scheduled. The spokesperson also said that hiring plans and local recruiting activities are on track and that HP is currently preparing for the upcoming job fair at the Santa Ana Star Center on June 22.

UNM West broke ground in February. The college will eventually house approximately 10,000 students. UNM West anticipates offering classes in spring of 2010.

The university will be built in phases. Phase I building will provide space for classrooms, a small bookstore, a food service area, office space for student support and for the UNM Medical Group as they prepare for construction of a hospital at the UNM-West campus site and a learning commons, which will provide library support and study space for students.

The 42,000-square-foot, two-story building will sit on 8.5 acres and be a half-mile from Central New Mexico Community College’s first Rio Rancho building, with a new road connecting the two campuses and Rio Rancho City Hall. The estimated construction cost of the Phase I building is $10.5 million.

The Webcam images are made possible by OxBlue, the construction industry’s Webcam solution. Servicing of the cameras will be provided by Edit House Productions LLC, the city’s contracted service provider for RioVision.

Copyright © 2010 Rio Rancho Observer

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Reader Comments

The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of the Rio Rancho Observer.

Dan wrote on Jun 9, 2009 12:00 PM:

" And we really need this over . . . fixing roads, solving our water problems, rooting new businesses that contribute gross receipts, generating employment . . . ?

The video is as exciting as watching paint dry with updates "every 11 to 12 minutes".

It's a nice warm and cuddly thought, but don't you think $15k could have been spent a little better? "

Scott Taylor wrote on Jun 9, 2009 12:08 PM:

" This is where we spend our money...You have to be kidding. The city is stapped for cash and now we have this web cam. Our city council is out of touch. Time to replace them. "

S.Gilligan wrote on Jun 15, 2009 10:16 AM:

" I don't understand the point of this. Why do we need webcams to watch a construction site? Regular updates in the newspaper/online will suffice (and be cheaper). Additionally, were I to watch a construction site online, it wouldn't be this one in little Rio Rancho, NM but more likely the work down at the former WTC in New York. "

D2 Resident wrote on Jun 18, 2009 9:55 AM:

" I really don't think 15,000 is going to make or break this city. Also, I thought the likes of Chuck Wilkins and the tea drinkers weren't for encouraging HP to come here with tax incentives. They don't need HP. They want the city to cut the taxes on the barber shops, nail salons, and automotive stores, so Rio Rancho will boom. There's a shortage of barber shops, nail salons, and automotive stores in ABQ, so they are going to rush up to Rio Rancho and boom our gross tax receipts. "

Chuck Wilkins wrote on Jun 19, 2009 1:34 PM:

" D2, Please don't twist my comments. I don't like to see HP receiving all the tax incentives and nobody else. We need large, medium, and small businesses. I guess you don't think we need any businesses but HP. The list of small businesses is not limited to barbershops, nail salons, and automotive stores. Can we say bakeries, restaraunts, dentists, doctors, and many more small business owners? What gross receipts are we going to see from HP after the 6-7 million the city of RR invested? I was glad to see the grant to the schools, Thank you HP. "

LOL wrote on Jun 19, 2009 3:20 PM:

" One way to prove that something is happening waaay out in the dust bowl called "city center". Show it and maybe someone will come. "

Chuck Wilkins wrote on Jun 19, 2009 3:58 PM:

" D2, What does spending 15k on cameras have to do with Taxes breaks and giving 6-7 million in infrastructure to HP?
Would 15k break the city no but is it something we needed in the tough economic times? I would have spent it on something more pressing like rain control valves for city sprinkler systems, garbage bags & rakes for volunteers to help clean up my district, and other similiar projects.

Lastly, what do you have against barbershop and nail salons, don't you know that they do pay gross receipts? Without all the Tax incentives! "

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