Survey: Most stakeholders feel Downtown is progressing, its perception is improving

Hundreds of El Pasoans shared their opinions about Downtown El Paso through a survey conducted in July.

For the second year in a row, the Downtown Management District asked Downtown property owners, business owners, employees, visitors and the general public to weigh in on the present and future state of downtown, in addition to the performance of the DMD itself.

In all, 668 people responded, including 201 of those being Spanish respondents. The survey was distributed in July via local media, social media, flyers, direct mail and e-mail. In 2015, 647 people took the survey, according to the DMD website.

“This survey, though unscientific, is a phenomenal tool in getting honest feedback from the people that have an opinion about downtown, our performance, or just want to be heard. We appreciate the time every respondent took to take our survey and we value what they have to say,” DMD Executive Director Joe Gudenrath said in a news release.

Here’s a look at the results:

Public perception:
— 89 percent of respondents say Downtown is progressing (75% in 2015).
— 87 percent say perception of Downtown has improved over last 12 months (68% in 2015).

Top priorities:
— 1. Safety/security
— 2. Diverse retail and shopping options
— 3. Family-friendly atmosphere and businesses

DMD’s performance:
–80 percent of those respondents graded the DMD with an “A” or “B” (62% in 2015).
–16 percent gave DMD a “C”
–1 percent gave DMD a “D” or “F”

Downtown expansion:
–50-54 percent of respondents favored expansion in marketing and promotions; economic development; and advocacy and planning.

“You get a sense that the public is excited about the progress they have witnessed and are enjoying community spaces such as San Jacinto Plaza,” Gudenrath said.

Visitors were also asked why they visited Downtown. Most respondents said they visited for shopping (32%) and Downtown events (34%) like the “Alfresco! Friday” and the Chihuahuas ballgames. The number of people who visited for bars, restaurants and nightclubs remained mostly unchanged at about 20 percent.