Council approves additional $2.3 million for Paseo de las Luces project

El Paso City Council Tuesday approved an additional $2.3 million needed to complete a project that will bring revitalization and lights to a street in Downtown El Paso.

Council hopes the “Paseo de las Luces” project on El Paso Street will become a “sister city” project with Juarez. El Paso Street leads to an international port of entry and the hope is Juarez will adorn the street on its side of the border, Avenida Juarez, with similar lighting.

El Paso City Representative Cassandra Hernandez Brown was the only who voted against approving additional funding for the project. Brown told Council she did not want to commit all of the revenue generated by downtown parking meters on Saturdays to the project. City Representative Michel Noe was not present for the vote.

“I think it’s tremendous news,” Mayor Margo said, “Everyone saw what was going on when we had the Winterfest going on. Can you imagine something like that continuing all the way to the gateway to Mexico?”

The mayor further stated, “We have 20 million people coming north from Mexico every year and this enhances their experience and enhances the area for Downtown businesses, it’s aesthetically pleasing, and we’ll have everyone coming Downtown to take advantage of this.”

“This is more than just a street improvement project,” Capital Improvement Department Director Sam Rodriguez said. “This iconic corridor connecting San Jacinto Plaza to our international bridges will be reenergized.”

The City of El Paso said the improvements will enhance street and pedestrian safety while incorporating public art, urban design and neighborhood revitalization strategies. Archways will adorn the entrances to the heritage corridor and string lights will span the width of the street and wrap around new trees.

Monday, the board that oversees Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone 5 unanimously voted to have an additional $2.3 million in debt be financed by the TIRZ fund. That money will go toward the Paseo de las Luces project, which will bring a string of lights from El Paso Street, near the international bridge, to San Antonio Avenue. The project also includes re-striping the road, converting El Paso Street to a two-way street, sidewalk repairs and updating the area’s landscape, among other things.

In August, City Council had already approved $4.1 million in certificates of obligation, debt not approved by voters, to pay for the project. That amount breaks down to $2.5 million coming from revenue collected from Saturday parking meters and $1.56 million from revenue collected at the bridges.

City officials said the original projection of revenue from Saturday parking turned out to be too high, with funds actually collected being lower than anticipated. That is why they asked for the additional $2.3 million from the TIRZ fund to complete the project. Therefore, the TIRZ will be paying $210,000 a year until 2036. Because of interest collected from paying off the debt, that makes the total cost of the project $7.9 million.

“I think the vision of this project is to continue with the revitalization of downtown,” County Commissioner David Stout said. “To make our city’s core much prettier, better for folks that are coming down here that are coming here to live, work and play. Especially this project is on El Paso Street, which comes directly from the bridge that comes from Mexico. We have a lot of Mexican shoppers that come over to El Paso and they spend money in our community, and so it also serves as a welcoming for those folks.”

While the project will light up El Paso Street, most businesses on that street close their doors for the day when the sun sets.

“We’re open from 9 o’clock to 6:30 p.m.,” Gustavo Tavera, owner of Mr. Tee on El Paso Street, said. “It’s not going to help for businesses. It’s just going to make the street pretty, that’s all. You can change the street but you cannot change the customers.”

“I think it may light a fire or push some of the local vendors that own those shops to keep their doors open later,” Commissioner Stout said. “It may bring in other investment and opening of other stores that will be able to utilize the access to the lighting.”

Construction on the $6.4 million project is expected to begin January 29, 2018 and is expected to be completed October 31, 2018.