Corazon at Cabezon in Rio Rancho, NM

Corazon is a gated neighborhood inside Cabezon, the 900-acre master-planned community in southern Rio Rancho. It sits between the Astante and Arbolera del Este neighborhoods, with a circular open space park in its southwest corner and the Linear Park running along its eastern edge, where a pedestrian trail passes shaded seating structures. Houses lean toward brick exteriors and finishes such as granite counters and raised maple cabinetry. Owners belong to the Cabezon-Centex Homeowners Association, and the wider Cabezon path network, more than two miles of winding walkways, connects the neighborhood to the parks around it.

Cabezon began as the City of Rio Rancho's Unit 16 Redevelopment Area, a 900-acre plan described as the largest metropolitan redevelopment project in New Mexico. Land development started in the early 2000s under Club North, Inc., and a mix of national and local builders took the neighborhoods on one at a time. Corazon was one of those pieces, platted behind gates rather than opening onto the surrounding grid.

The Cabezon-Centex Homeowners Association meets four times a year, in March, June, September and December, at the Cabezon community center, and day-to-day administration runs through HOAMCO's Albuquerque office. Assessments cover the common areas, security and road maintenance.

Beyond the gates, Cabezon holds eleven parks. A Park Above has New Mexico's first fully inclusive and accessible playground, along with a seasonal splash pad, a labyrinth walking path, an amphitheater and a dog park. North Park and South Park add green space and picnicking areas. Community traditions include outdoor movie nights and a yard sale billed as Rio Rancho's largest.