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This reminds me of another similar type of failed settlement around the same time: Rio Grande Estates in central New Mexico. New York Times story about it: htt

by FTA 9y ago

This reminds me of another similar type of failed settlement around the same time: Rio Grande Estates in central New Mexico. New York Times story about it: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/06/realestate/high-hopes-and-worthless-land.html http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/06/realestate/high-hopes-and-... OpenStreetMap showing the area (mostly from US Census TIGER): http://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=13/34.5005/-106.6235 http://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=13/34.5005/-106.6235 An advertisement of the property: http://books.google.com/books?id=RlUEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA89-IA2&lpg=PA89-IA2&dq=life+magazine+rio+grande+estates&source=bl&ots=4S4zzkjr0a&sig=hXR2di9qYyDrCyHcT__9-Ai2h4k&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Qh9iULCBOaariALk-4GwDg&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=true http://books.google.com/books?id=RlUEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA89-IA2&lp...

jcrawfordor 9y ago
Rio Communities was a project by the Horizon Land Corporation which left similar failed projects throughout the Southwest and has since often been accused of running an outright scam. In the meantime, Rio Rancho is a functioning suburb to the NW of Albuquerque but was originally planned to be much, much larger than it is today and has a road grid stretching far into the distance, not all of which is even in the modern city limits. At the same time, huge new developments are currently underway in the Albuquerque area (Mesa Del Sol, Santolina), suggesting that this boom and bust cycle may continue today. I have some info and photos about both California City and the Rio Communities on my website: https://jbcrawford.us/travelogue/mojave2016 https://jbcrawford.us/travelogue/mojave2016 https://jbcrawford.us/travelogue/nmfailed https://jbcrawford.us/travelogue/nmfailed
- jfoutz 9y ago
  Rio Rancho is now a functioning suburb, but it was originally a scam as well, along with Paradise hills and another i don't recall. Rio Rancho is, amusingly, what they're selling in Glengarry Glen Ross[1] [1] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104348/synopsis http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104348/synopsis
- FTA 9y ago
  I've noticed many times a similar very faint street gridding around Rio Rancho and always thought it was just foresight by the city. Turns out it was yet another one of these communities. Thanks for the info!
mc32 9y ago
It kind of reminds me of some rich (tycoonish) guy form Utah wanting to buy up land in VT and build a large settlement in the middle or rural Vermont.[1] I have no idea where the plans are now, but he had some pretty forward-looking and interesting ideas for building communities for the future, including their governance. [1]http://digital.vpr.net/post/planning-sustainable-community-utah-foundation-buys-land-central-vermont#stream/0 http://digital.vpr.net/post/planning-sustainable-community-u...

by FTA 9y ago

jcrawfordor 9y ago

Rio Communities was a project by the Horizon Land Corporation which left similar failed projects throughout the Southwest and has since often been accused of running an outright scam. In the meantime, Rio Rancho is a functioning suburb to the NW of Albuquerque but was originally planned to be much, much larger than it is today and has a road grid stretching far into the distance, not all of which is even in the modern city limits. At the same time, huge new developments are currently underway in the Albuquerque area (Mesa Del Sol, Santolina), suggesting that this boom and bust cycle may continue today. I have some info and photos about both California City and the Rio Communities on my website: https://jbcrawford.us/travelogue/mojave2016 https://jbcrawford.us/travelogue/mojave2016 https://jbcrawford.us/travelogue/nmfailed https://jbcrawford.us/travelogue/nmfailed

jfoutz 9y ago
Rio Rancho is now a functioning suburb, but it was originally a scam as well, along with Paradise hills and another i don't recall. Rio Rancho is, amusingly, what they're selling in Glengarry Glen Ross[1] [1] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104348/synopsis http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104348/synopsis
FTA 9y ago
I've noticed many times a similar very faint street gridding around Rio Rancho and always thought it was just foresight by the city. Turns out it was yet another one of these communities. Thanks for the info!

mc32 9y ago

It kind of reminds me of some rich (tycoonish) guy form Utah wanting to buy up land in VT and build a large settlement in the middle or rural Vermont.[1] I have no idea where the plans are now, but he had some pretty forward-looking and interesting ideas for building communities for the future, including their governance. [1]http://digital.vpr.net/post/planning-sustainable-community-utah-foundation-buys-land-central-vermont#stream/0 http://digital.vpr.net/post/planning-sustainable-community-u...