Paso Del Sur says it may be open to compromise with City on Duranguito

Members of the Paso Del Sur group are trying to prevent the City from building an arena in Duranguito.

Now, they’re saying they’re open to a possible compromise with the City of El Paso they say may please all sides.

It’s unclear whether the City would be open to discussions on the arena footprint in Duranguito, but it is clear the City was talking about including those opposed to it from the beginning.

“We want this to be a beautiful old town where there is vibrancy of the people that are already here and they want something they can be proud of,” Paso Del Sur’s David Romo told ABC-7. “Alright, let’s figure out a way to work together.”

Romo appears open to Duranguito discussions with the City he feels could lead to a solution for both sides. But historian Max Grossman, leading the legal fight against the City, says he is not open to any kind of compromise.

“Our aim is to preserve that neighborhood through legal means and prevent its destruction,” Grossman said. “That’s it.”

The City says they are mindful of the properties historians seem most interested in.

“One thing that I think gets lost in all of the back and forth is that the Trost Firehouse, The Mansion and the property that people call the Chinese Laundry are not subject to these demolition orders,” City Attorney Sylvia Borunda-Firth told ABC-7. “The ones that people are most interested about from a historical perspective, they are currently protected by City ownership actually right now.”

The executive director of the Texas Trost Society seemed open to working with the city — at least in the beginning.

“I am still skeptical about the idea of incorporating the historical fabric,” Malissa Arras, Grossman’s wife, said at a City Council meeting last October, just days after the City designated Duranguito a the site for the arena. “But if you allow us into this conversation instead of deciding these things behind closed doors, I’m sure we can work something out.”

Nine days later, a deputy city manager sent Arras an email stating “We look forward to working with you in the future.”

Arras sent ABC-7 a statement, saying she replied to that email the same day.

“The City never responded to my Oct. 27 email and I have had no further contact from anyone at the City regarding this issue,” Arras said in the statement. “Since that time it has become apparent that City leaders are determined to build the arena in Duranguito.”

ABC-7 wasn’t able to confirm if there had been any further outreach to the Trost Society by deadline.

It’s worth noting the City insists they will incorporate the historic buildings into the arena’s design, but some historians say that’s not enough.

Romo said the compromise would have to include preserving the buildings, turning them into a cultural and historical corridor and incorporating affordable housing in some way.

The City does have a Historic Landmark Commission that voted against the plan, and City Council did not follow their recommendation.

The City says Duranguito is the best spot for the multipurpose center and Mayor Dee Margo told ABC-7 the City can’t keep spending money on what he called “frivolous litigation” and “it’s time to complete the task and reap the benefits” three out of four voters chose in 2012.