A concrete Taos Plaza is a bad idea. Here’s why.
Our town government has yet to describe its ultimate vision for our plaza, but details are emerging. One involves plans to replace its pavers’ surface with a “modern” concrete surface. The pavers just removed to give access to needed repairs long surfaced the plaza, contributing to the “feel” of what we might call “traditional Taos.” They added to its character as an unusual American town, a town that stood out culturally, ethnically, visually, artistically and historically from nearly all other communities in our country. This uniqueness helped put Taos on the map for many Americans. Taos has prospered in no small part because we are different.
There has been no public discussion of what a refurbished Plaza will look like, no detailed plans, no public hearings, no contrasting proposals, and no architectural images or other depictions (in a town noted for its artists). Into this void has come a proposal to replace the pavers with concrete. A very bad idea.
Pavers do not degrade over the lifespans of many people. A better job of installing them, once the underground repair work is complete, should last far beyond the lives of anyone reading this piece.
Concrete degrades rapidly compared to pavers, particularly in climates of extremes, like ours. I invite anyone who questions this fact to examine what calls itself a sidewalk running South of La Posta along Ranchos. Ugly in the summer and hazardous in the winter is no exaggeration.
If a paver does get out of alignment, reinstalling it is simpler than replacing concrete and will lead to no unsightly patches adding a cheap “second best” visual impact to what should be one of the town’s true gems.
Concrete reflects brutal heat when the summer sun is intense, and Taos has more than its share of that. Especially during tourist season. Given our concerns about a future of increasing heat, we should do what we can to moderate the hottest days, not make them more extreme.
Water seeps into the ground around pavers, whereas with concrete, it runs off. When water soaks in, it helps nourish our trees. When it doesn’t, it creates problems from ice in the winter to flooded drainage systems under a heavy downpour. Many cities are seeking to replace concrete parking lots with new surfaces able to absorb water whereas Taos’ advocates of concrete want to do the opposite.
We already own the pavers. Concrete is expensive. Taos is not awash in money. Installing a surface that will rarely, if ever, need extensive maintenance is money-wise.
Pavers also provide aesthetic continuity with the part of our town to the north, adding to its unusual character that attracts tourists and their dollars and that frequently delights us. Now that repairs have supposedly been done, the town should immediately replace the former surface.
Our community’s goal should be creating the most spectacular plaza in America, not a mediocre second-best.