Alamito Community Renovation Aims To Revitalize Downtown

One of the oldest neighborhoods in downtown El Paso has a new look.

Residents of Segundo Barrio gathered to celebrate and show off their new homes.

More than 300 brand new housing units line the streets of this historical neighborhood.

Gerald Cichon with the housing authority of the city of El Paso said the project came with some hurdles.

“It was actually difficult in the beginning because telling people ‘We’re gonna tear down your homes’ and promising we would rebuild them at a later time was difficult. It’s interesting because 80 percent of the people who left came back,” said Cichon.

To welcome back the residents, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Saturday morning to mark the completion of the $58 million project.

The Alamito neighborhood was the first and oldest public housing community in El Paso originally constructed in 1941.

ABC-7 spoke with residents who said the renovation has even brought a sense of safety to the neighborhood.

“My aunt used to live in the old ones, so it’s very different, very comfortable, quiet. I see elderly people walking at 9, 10 o’clock at night. You weren’t able to do that back then,” said resident Irma Munoz.

“I have four months living here and this is a very good neighborhood and I am very happy with this apartment,” said resident Mirna Portillo.

The renovations are five years in the making and now the revamped area is just the beginning of the city’s efforts to bring downtown El Paso back to life.

“You couldn’t revitalize the core of downtown and then right next to it have third world housing, it just would not work,” said El Paso Mayor John Cook.

More than 300 families can now call the heart of El Paso their brand new home.