ENR Southwest is honored to name Dale Dekker as its 2022 Legacy Award winner.

Dekker co-founded Dekker/Perich/Sabatini, one of the largest architecture and design firms in New Mexico, in 1980, and throughout his career has continued to use his expertise in architecture, land use, urban planning and public engagement to elevate communities throughout the Southwest with intentional, strategic design.

Dekker’s leadership and expertise has been vital to the ongoing revitalization of Albuquerque’s downtown core, as city and council planning staff have pointed to his unique ability to bring together planners, developers, architects, stakeholders and citizens to build consensus toward shared aims.

Recent major projects Dekker and his team have tackled include transforming the vacant Albuquerque High School into high-quality lofts and Albuquerque’s new Bus Rapid Transit system (ART), that connects a significant portion of Central Avenue, the historic Route 66.

More recently, Dekker and his firm were been behind the design and establishment of Innovate Albuquerque, a public-private partnership that transformed seven acres of downtown into a special district that fosters economic development and brings high paying jobs to Albuquerque.

Dekker shares his expertise on green construction, smart city development, and effective economic development strategies, all with the aim of improving New Mexico’s built environment. He is active in the Urban Land Institute, NAIOP and the New Mexico Chapter of the American Planning Association and also sits on various boards and committees that support quality public schools and public infrastructure.

For more on Dekker and his accomplishments, be sure to read the Jan. 17 issue of ENR Southwest.