Future of the De Soto Hotel in Downtown El Paso uncertain

EL PASO, Texas - All eyes are on what remains of the downtown De Soto Hotel after a raging fire gutted the inside of that building.

The De Soto Hotel was purchased by Rogelio Gonzalez in 2019.

A document from the El Paso Downtown Management District shows Gonzalez was approved for several grants for improvements to the outside of the building.

Those grants include $24,900 dollars for façade improvements, $25,00 for signature lighting and $10,000 for a pedestrian corridor improvement.

But after Friday's fire that ravaged the inside of the building and destroyed much of the outside, the question remains, will the new owner be able to keep these grants and use them if he tries to rebuild?

"Being that this happened this weekend we just kind put a stop or pause on the timeline to give everybody a chance to catch their breath, and figure out what the future of the building of the is," said Joe Gudenrath, Executive director of the El Paso Downtown Management District.

This red sign posted by the city on the front of the Desoto hotel shows the building has been condemned and fencing has been placed around it so debris, like lose bricks don't fall on people walking by.

However, neither the fire marshal nor building inspectors have thoroughly been able to investigate the integrity of the building.

Workers are expected to return to the charred remains and determine if the structure is sound, or if it will be declared an imminent danger.

If that happens, the building could be demolished to make sure parts of the building walls do not collapse onto an adjacent building.

"In all likelihood, it could lead to a cancellation of these grants. But these grants are available at any time. So that we would take those grants that are obligated to these grants, make them available to other property owners." said Gudenrath.

However, Gudenrath says if it is determined the building can be salvaged, and the owner decides to continue renovating, two of the three grants can still be used.

Gudenrath points out the downtown district grant committee is expected to meet next week and will likely discuss those grants the De Soto Hotel owner is eligible for.

Asked if the grant committee would pull the plug on grants if the building is declared to be an imminent danger, Gudenrath offered this response,

"Oh yeah. Because these grants are meant to rehab a property. They're not meant for new construction."