City council approves land swap for Rescue Mission’s new home

The Rescue Mission of El Paso learned where its new home will be located.

Tuesday, city council members approved a land swap that made a property located on the 100 block of Cotton Street the Rescue Mission’s new location.

The property is currently used by the El Paso Water Utilities to store vehicles.

In return, the Rescue Mission will give its property located on Wyoming Ave to the city. The lot there was the once-proposed location for the Rescue Mission, but it was met with opposition by residents.

Officials with EPWU said they need at least a year to move out of the location, but Pastor Julius Martin with the Rescue Mission told ABC-7 city officials said the shelter could begin relocating in October of this year.

The Rescue Mission has to leave its current location by July 2016 because the Texas Department of Transportation is extending Loop 375.

Pastor Martin said it leaves the Rescue Mission with a shortage of time.

“That’s going be a little short, but from October to next July is only about nine months. We are going to have to develop whatever we can in nine to ten months,” said Martin.

Nonetheless, Martin said he is very satisfied with the new location because the 2.6 acres will offer more space to expand and serve more people.