Franklin Apartments could be coming to downtown ballpark area

There could soon be a new apartment complex just hundreds of feet away from Southwest University Park in downtown El Paso.

ABC-7 learned the Franklin Apartments may be coming as soon as 2015 on the 600 block of Franklin Avenue.

Imagine being able to attend an El Paso Chihuahuas’ Triple-A baseball game without having to worry about parking.

“Just in the past year it has changed a lot. New restaurants … and it’s kinda got a different feel to it. A lot more progressive than it has been in the past,” Ryan Ewalt said about downtown. He would support a new apartment complex about 800 feet away from the steps at Southwest University Park.

But, not all agree.

“There’s a lot of stuff being built, like the ballpark, that I think the money could have been used somewhere else,” one man said.

Local architect Exigo gave us a sneak peak of what a multifamily housing development could look like near Franklin Avenue and Coldwell Street.

The Franklin Apartments project website says the complex will be about on about 11,800 square feet of land, with a total project cost of $1.1 million. Local businessman Renard Johnson is listed as the client of the project. He told ABC-7 in an e-mailed response that he’s not sure yet if he’ll be moving forward with the project.

El Paso Redevelopment Manager Jessica Herrera said even if the Franklin Apartment project doesn’t become a reality, other projects are in the works.

“When we get more people downtown to live, you also increase the retail amenities and you increase the opportunity to expand what we have currently in terms of operating hours,” Herrera said.

ABC-7 also learned that plans to renovate the historic Martin and Savoy Hotel buildings on Stanton Street are underway for apartments and lofts aimed at luring young professionals.