Firm suggests County apply for historic district designation, would include Duranguito

The County of El Paso has received a nearly 900-page report for its Historical survey of Downtown.

The report recommends the County apply for recognition of a historic district, but some county commissioners are concerned it could affect the City’s on-going battle over the arena location.

The architectural firm the county hired surveyed more than 1,000 buildings and found that about 10 percent of them are eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

The survey encompassed areas of Downtown stretching as far north as River Avenue, as far south as the border, as far west as the Union Depot and as far east as Cotton Street.

The firm is suggesting the County apply for the areas south of I-10 to be nominated as a single historic district.

This proposed district would include Duranguito, the neighborhood where the City of El Paso wants to build a multipurpose arena.

Several commissioners voiced their concerns over moving forward with the application, because they do not want to create any additional red flags for the City during its on-going litigation with those opposed to building the arena in Duranguito.

Commissioners Court ultimately decided to take an additional week to review the 880-page document before deciding whether to move forward.

“It’s difficult to read 880 pages in a day,” commissioner Andrew Haggerty said. “If I have questions, I want to be able to answer them. I can’t easily say, ‘this is the way I voted’ without looking through the 880 pages.”

Commissioner David Stout, whose precinct includes the area, told ABC-7 he thinks this will not affect the City’s legal battle.

“There are no additional regulations placed upon property owners with the creation of this district,” said Stout, “So whether the City owns the property in Duranguito, or whether the private owners are found to own the property in Duranguito, this type of historical overlay will have no implications for them.”

Stout said tax incentives are available for the property owners if they chose to rehabilitate their properties. If that is the case, then there could be certain regulations placed on what can be done to the property.