Today, there exists a gap between the heydays of the past and the gathering potential of the present. Like many, Jim Scherr believes in Downtown and its potential for greatness. Wanting nothing more than to bring greatness back to Downtown, Scherr has invested a lot of time and energy into setting the stage to renovate the International Hotel and develop it into a 200-room Hilton Doubletree Hotel. With the help of the city and the county, Scherr has been able to move forward with the $18 million project. At completion, the hotel will have 200 completely renovated rooms, six meeting rooms and a full-service restaurant. Each meeting room will be equipped with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment and a wide assortment of meal and special event offerings. As if this wasn’t enough, the Doubletree Hotel, which has built a reputation for offering its legendary chocolate chip cookies to each guest at check-in, will further spoil its guests with a wide array of amenities, the most notable being the creation of a sky deck with a new pool where visitors will be able to look out over Downtown and view the sunset. The construction phase is expected to begin in June while the tentative opening date is expected in February of 2009.

By developing the Doubletree Hotel, the city will appear more attractive to bigger conventions and conferences, which will result in more tourism dollars. Further, the proximity to the Convention Center, two theaters and three museums makes its location ideal. Additionally, the University of Texas at El Paso, Sun Bowl Stadium and the Medical Center of the Americas are minutes away. Joining the growing economy of Downtown, the Doubletree Hotel will not only provide more jobs but will also help grow the tax base, adding to the goal of relieving some of the tax burden from the shoulders of homeowners.

The project, which reflects the sense of pride and confidence investors hold in Downtown, is yet another step toward Downtown’s transition to the greatness many remember during its heyday.

Keep on rolling along!

If you have traveled through Downtown lately or if you’re a Downtown regular, you might have noticed continued activity. New businesses like Chambers Steak House and improvements like Lumenbrite Café’s expanded menu as well as the beginning of the remodeling of the International Hotel (to the tune of $18 million) all show where Downtown is going and how its been “rolling along.” There are many improvements, new construction and new plans that have come into existence. One can see that the spirit and confidence running through Downtown since the 1800s still prevails and continues to roll!

Union Fashion Exhibit

On April 13 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., community members joined at the Union Fashion Department Store located on the corner of Mesa and Texas streets for the opening reception for the Art=Fashion, Fashion=Art exhibit now on display. The exhibit, which began inside the store, winding throughout the displays of clothing, seems to take visitors on a tour leading them back outside where it wraps around the block from San Antonio Street onto Mesa, turning the corner onto Texas Street. Walking through this “mini tour,” visitors were greeted by awe-inspiring works of art by more than 15 local emerging and established artists, many of whom live or work Downtown. Guests were also presented with fashionable lines from some of the world’s greatest designers, most of which are only available at Union Fashion. “European fashion is truly an art form of its own, and El Paso is rich with art of all genres, so it just makes sense to bring it all together in one place,” says Enoch Kimmelman, owner of Union Fashion.

The display, which will be up through September, has served as a unique way of fostering greater awareness of the arts and addressing the varying interests and perspectives of the community.

A Lifeline of Community
by Mike Breitinger

The Paso del Norte Bridge serves as one of the most important ports of entry into the United States via El Paso. This single port is the busiest pedestrian port of entry in the United States, with the staff of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) processing more than 5 million pedestrians and 4 million privately owned vehicles. This equates easily to more than 9 million crossings into El Paso along El Paso Street every year.

This port, or, as some locals call it, the “Santa Fe Street Bridge,” provides access to El Paso and Juárez for travelers, students, employees, shoppers, business persons and family. It is an unofficial estimate that as much as 98 percent of these crossings are “return crossings,” meaning that these are persons who cross on a regular basis. This fact alone offers insight into the uniqueness of our two communities and proves how vital this bridge, or lifeline, really is.

This bridge joins the cities of Juárez and El Paso, forming the world’s largest metropolitan community along an international border. Crossing this invisible line is ingrained into our way of life, linking families in both countries. Many business persons who have established businesses on both sides of the border cross both ways to meet with their counterparts. Students living on the south side attend class on the north. Workers travel both north and south to their jobs, and let’s not forget the shoppers. All withstand long lines and processing to come north. While not commercialized as the other ports, this bridge is just as busy and just as important.

It is imperative to manage these, as well as the other ports, with respect, dedication and priority. Anything interrupting the flow of this port, or any of the others, can have an adverse effect on all our ways of life.
So when you see the bridge in the distance or travel across it by car or on foot, remember one thing: you’re participating in a way of life, traversing a lifeline that millions in our community (Juárez-El Paso) depend on.

Downtown Braces for Bridge Improvement

On April 12, the U.S. Government Services Administration will symbolically begin the Paso del Norte Head House Project. The El Paso Downtown Management District (DMD) and the El Paso Central Business Association (CBA) have been actively representing the business community on this improvement for more than three years. When first designs were conceived, this was a $19 million project. Now, with rising costs, it represents $33 million. (Thanks and appreciation go out to Congressman Reyes and his hardworking staff in finding the funding to fill the gap created by rising costs and time!)

Now, it clearly is a multi-million dollar case of “be careful what you ask for.” The project is here, and contractors are anxious to begin. With the expectation of the oncoming expansion project of the Paso del Norte Bridge comes much anxiety, causing people to fear the worst and hope for the best. As we feel these anxieties grow in the pits of our stomachs, let’s focus on the importance of this project and not lose sight of the following objectives to minimize negative impacts as much as possible. The DMD and CBA have learned that the following strategies, while not cure-alls, do benefit all parties involved:

1. Communication, Communication, Communication: Talking (a two-way street) is the best form of information sharing. Two-way communication between project managers, construction foremen and the community allows us to address concerns, issues and suggestions. Open minds and a collective goal can work wonders!
2. Trust: Sharing experience and expertise and prioritizing what is best for the community at times may require those in control to place community over project.
3. Keeping focused on what will be accomplished: The goals are increased capacity for crossers and providing a proper facility for the users (CBP) in order to effect and/or improve efficiency.
We must strive to keep our lifeline well and functioning. Right now, this port could be likened to an artery in a body suffering from blockage. After undergoing surgery, one expects great improvements— aside from surviving the operation. We all must plan to survive the operation!

An Ordinary Man
by Alonso Flores

Kenneth Min is one of the many Korean American merchants who work in the Downtown business area. He owns El Centro Store, located at 601 S. El Paso Street. He came to the United States from Seoul, Korea, in 1981 and lived in Los Angeles for 10 years.

Min moved with his family to El Paso in 1991, and he considers himself and his family “true El Pasoans.” He is very proud of his family. His wife of 27 years is a nurse at the VA nursing home center, and he has two sons and a daughter. His daughter is currently studying medicine at Columbia University in New York. One of his sons is working for NASA in the Mars project in New Orleans. His other son, Andrew, was nominated by Congressman Silvestre Reyes to the Marine Academy and is currently in the pilot program in Pensacola, Fla. When you go into El Centro Store, you’ll notice that behind the counter Min proudly displays photographs of his son Andrew and President Bush when he graduated from the Marine Academy. All of his children attended Coronado High School.

Min also performs translation work, using the Internet to translate English to Korean for a New York company. He has been very helpful in providing his skills as a translator, informing the Korean merchants participating with the El Paso Central Business Association and the El Paso Downtown Management District. He gladly translates flyers and informative materials into Korean for his other countrymen. Min is also very proud of his new business venture, Riyoma Restaurant on Lee Trevino, that he opened last October. He calls it the “only authentic Japanese restaurant in El Paso.”

Min is another example of the versatility and talent held by our Downtown merchants. He describes himself as “an ordinary man who has achieved success by working hard and making a living.” We have come to know him as a respected, successful entrepreneur who shows the fabric of our Downtown.

Ambassador Alley
by Carl E. English Sr.

Again, I begin this article recognizing and expressing our thanks to those many businesses that are in compliance with the mandate to secure waste disposal services. It is evident by the growing number of containers lining the alleyways between South Santa Fe and South Stanton streets. The early morning litter receptacle pickup by the Environmental Services Department has proved very positive. Collectively, city services and private businesses are demonstrating unselfish efforts to ensure that Downtown visitors avoid negative experiences during their Downtown shopping and touring. Our teams are busy sprucing up the area, and the El Paso Police Department Metro Bike Units are visible patrolling the streets to ensure safety and security is present. The bike patrols can avoid traffic jams and effortlessly travel from Missouri Street to the border and from St. Vrain to South Santa Fe in minutes. They are a proven, valued force and are friendly and helpful to boot.

Our visit with Stephen L. Enders, director of the West Texas Community Supervisions and Corrections Department, proved very fruitful. His commitment to ensuring adequate personnel and resources are available to effectively support the efforts of the management district is evident by the high volume of court-directed community service personnel that we are receiving. This labor pool continues to augment our Downtown Management District’s Sanitation and Ambassador programs.

The Ambassador Program continues to move forward into new and challenging ventures. In this issue, we bring to you information on the El Paso Street decorative light painting project. This is a project that we tested approximately three years ago around the Camino Real Hotel. We have taken on this project in an effort to standardize the color scheme on El Paso Street to be consistent with the rest of Downtown. In the process, we are also putting a fresh color on the litter receptacles and utility boxes. We hope that this fresh appeal will be pleasing to you as well.