San Jacinto Plaza delayed another 6 weeks, critical piece of equipment defective
The completion of San Jacinto Plaza will be delayed another six weeks as the City of El Paso waits for a defective piece of equipment to be manufactured and shipped from Germany.
The City’s Director of Capital Improvements, Monica Lombrana on Tuesday updated the City Council on the project’s progress, saying one of the steel cables that will hold up a canopy at the Plaza arrived defective.
“The cables is a critical item and all of the cables need to be installed at the same time so it’s like we can start the installation and wait for the delivery,” said Lombrana in an interview.
City officials said they are aiming for the park to be completed by the Holidays for the Celebration of Lights festivities. Lombrana said the contractor cannot lay down sod until the canopy is installed because the crane that would be used to connect the canopy with the cables would destroy the sod.
“Sometimes crown jewels take a little longer. Is this one taking longer than any of us have any tolerance for? Absolutely. And we understand that you’re frustrated and don’t mistake for one single second that we’re not just as frustrated,” said City Rep. Cortney Niland who represents Downtown El Paso.
The more than $6 million project was initially supposed to be completed by February 2015. The city then delayed the opening date to May then June and now City Representatives are hoping it’ll be ready by Christmas.
Among the changes that delayed the project was a decision by City Council to move the electrical infrastructure below ground instead of above ground as the original design called for. “The problems have not just been on the side of the contractor. We have culpability in it as well,” said Niland.