If you haven’t noticed, there has been a change to Downtown’s skyline! The familiar red-and-blue trim atop the Chase Bank building has undergone a face-lift, complementing Downtown’s skyline. The change was marked by the recent purchase of the Chase Bank building by Borderplex Community Trust, a private real estate investment trust that was formed to buy properties for the sole purpose of Downtown redevelopment. On Feb. 1, the Borderplex Community Trust purchased the Chase building, which is valued at $10.9 million, according to the El Paso Central Appraisal District’s website. This marks a significant event for Downtown in that it indicates the willingness and demand for investing in Downtown, which in turn is further evidence of a strong economic future for Downtown El Paso. The sale of such a notable landmark inevitably has a positive impact on Downtown, drawing the attention of potential investors. (Actual cost or details of the sale were not known at the time of this writing.)

The Camino Real

The Camino Real Hotel, which is known for its elegance and Southern hospitality, serves as one of Downtown’s most notable landmarks. As of late, the hotel, which offers 359 Texas-sized rooms and suites, has undergone a series of remodeling upgrades. Included in these upgrades is the re-carpeting of all rooms and public areas as well as the repainting of all corridors. Continuing with the transition, the Camino has begun installing new upholstery of all room furniture and is expected to complete the installation phase by mid-April. Further, all curtains and bedding are currently in the process of being replaced as well. While the rooms have been undergoing an extensive transformation phase, the Azulejos Restaurant and the Dome Bar have already begun to share their new “look” with the public, adding to the familiar setting we all have come to enjoy. After almost a century of existence, the hotel still holds that enduring ambiance that continues to draw people from all over to visit Downtown.

The SMART Way to Park Downtown
by Mike Breitinger

When visiting Downtown, finding the right parking meter near your desired location can be an exciting experience Once you find the perfect meter, you’ll find that it consumes only U.S. quarters and nothing else— except if you use the city’s parking meter debit card, or SMART Card. These cards may be used at any of the 1,800 parking meters in Downtown, so if you do business, visit or shop Downtown on a regular basis, the SMART way to pay for parking– without the hassle of scrambling through your purse or lint-filled trouser pocket– is to use the parking meter debit card. The card, featuring appropriate art work depicting
the Plaza Theatre, is available at the Central Business Association’s office located in the Chase Building at 201 E. Main, 16th floor, suite 1603. Come in, and we’ll sell you a card in increments of $25, $50, $75 or $100, with an additional $4 core charge. Plus, by buying through the Central Business Association, you’ll get an added bonus of a free trial course. (We’ll even validate your parking while you’re here!) The value is the same as the coin fee at the meters— 25 cents for a half hour of parking time at the meter. The cards are also available from the City Hall cashier, first floor, or the Sun Metro Ticket Office, located at Oregon and Main across from San Jacinto Plaza.

Real, Honest Customer Service
by Alonso Flores

In a Feb. 8, letter to the editor in the El Paso Times, the owner and staff of a Downtown shop, El Sol Trading, located at 701 S. Stanton, were thanked for their honesty and customer service. The author of the letter describes how her mother, visiting from Alaska, had left behind items purchased from the store and returned six days later to find that the items were saved and waiting for her to claim. The store, El Sol Trading #2, is owned by Mal Bong Chang, one of many Korean/American merchants in the Downtown area. The employees who found and saved the lost items are store manager Andrea Medrano and sales associate Blanca Villanueva. Chang has always maintained a store policy to store lost and found items for an indefinite period of time in the hopes that the customer will return to claim their items. In the past, items held in the store’s lost-and-found section have included cameras, glasses and walking canes as well as items purchased from other stores.

Medrano says that shoppers often leave behind a purse on the counter after picking up their merchandise and leaving. The store policy is having staff locate any available information in order to notify the person as to where they can claim their lost items. The store’s staff makes that extra effort to secure and save their customers’ lost possessions.

This is just another example how the locally owned businesses in Downtown work to provide their customers with a safe and pleasant experience.

History Calling
by Joseph P. Martin
sponsored by Land America Lawyers of El Paso

Over the past year, construction has been ongoing in Downtown El Paso. Streets have been widened and resurfaced, sidewalks replaced and utilities upgraded. All this work will eventually improve the quality of life for those who live, work and shop in the Downtown El Paso area. Most of the benefits of this project are obvious, but there are some that are far more subtle. One of those is the discovery of little pieces of El Paso’s history.

During the course of the construction, many artifacts left behind from previous projects and individuals were discovered. Some of the artifacts were of a personal nature— empty liquor bottles, butchered beef, pig and goat bones, dishes, cups, the sole of a shoe, buttons, watch parts and tools. These items allow us a glimpse into the day-to-day life of the people who lived and worked in El Paso 100 years ago or more.

Other artifacts uncovered from Downtown El Paso were more public than private in nature— paving bricks, cross ties upon which once rested the rails for the trolleys that ran Downtown, phone insulators and railroad spikes. But the most unique artifact discovered so far has been a wooden conduit system running beneath El Paso that contained lead cable telephone lines.

This system consists of 6-foot lengths of 4-by-4-inch square-cut cedar posts that were constructed to fit tightly together in order to form a seal for the system for its entire length. The individual segments were drilled and measure 2 inches in diameter internally. In addition, the entire interior length of each segment was scorched, possibly as a form of lubrication for ease of installation of the phone lines and as a method of preservation or waterproofing. What we do know for sure is that they were installed by AT&T sometime around 1912 or 1913, and portions are still in use today.

With every new area opened by excavation, some little piece of history is revealed that has lain undisturbed for years literally beneath our feet under the streets and sidewalks of El Paso. The knowledge and insights into the past gained through this project will eventually provide the public with a unique glimpse into El Paso’s past and the people who helped build this grand city on the border.

Downtown Fabric
by Stephanie Bertka

Anyone in business knows the difficulty and significance of finding their niche and establishing a loyal customer base. For Marie Otero, her journey to accomplishing such things has been nothing short of unique. While attending Irvin High School, Marie became interested in a cosmetology program offered by the school district and immediately began working toward obtaining her license. At the end of her senior year in high school, Marie simultaneously obtained her high school diploma and her license in cosmetology. She worked for several popular salons in El Paso until opening her own salon in 1988. With the success of her business, Marie decided to open a second salon, in which she began hosting art exhibits, fund-raisers and fashion shows. Inspired primarily by her father, an artist himself, and the exposure she received from local artists, Marie began to pursue a degree in fine arts at UTEP, which she received in May of 2006. Through her studies, she became motivated to combine the two things she enjoyed most: cosmetology and art.

In December of 2006, Marie opened her latest salon, Hair Make-up Art, located at 500 N. Oregon. The salon serves as more than just a place for women to get dolled up; it is an art gallery as well. The gallery, which helps diverse audiences gain an understanding and appreciation of the arts, features new exhibits from artists around the El Paso area as well as her own work. Her latest endeavor has brought people from all walks of life to the heart of El Paso to experience her unique combination of style and art.

Participants Wanted for El Paso CityWorkSite!!
by Julie Rivera

The El Paso Downtown Management District (DMD), along with public and private security organizations, is establishing the El Paso CityWorkSite. A primary purpose of this website is to provide an emergency notification system. Currently, the DMD is setting up businesses within this system to be notified in case of emergencies and security issues. Businesses will be separated into various groups, depending on the type of business. The type of emergency will then determine which groups receive notification. For example, if an evacuation is necessary, everyone set up in the CityWorkSite will be notified. If there is a bank robbery, a description of the suspect can quickly be sent to banks.

Notifications can be sent via e-mail, text message or both. Required information is:

Business name, Address, E-mail address (if you would like notification via e-mail),Cell phone number and vendor (if you would like notification via text message).

Any interested businesses can call (915.533.2656) or fax (915.533.8157) the above information in to the DMD. This is a great opportunity to improve Downtown safety.

Downtown Sets the Stage for Gamers
by Mike Breitinger

Local gamers are excited about the Xbox 360 game Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2. The game focuses around a military unit fighting off terrorists in a digital world that includes Juárez, El Paso and Fort Bliss. It seems that developers from Ubisoft were impressed enough with our area to come to El Paso and capture a video. This video was then converted into computer animation for the game. The game, which is rated teen, had local gamers anticipating the release date of March 7, placing the new game on reserve at local gaming stores. During the game, parts of Downtown El Paso are depicted, including local landmarks such as the Plaza Hotel. Gamers will be able to fight off the bad guys while roaming the streets of El Paso. Fortunately, it’s all on a game console.

Hopefully, this brings El Paso and Juárez to the attention of people who may have never considered our area before.

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