As the world’s largest community located on an international boundary, El Paso and Cd. Juárez are interrelated in varying degrees, linked together in unique ways. For both communities, whether it be for business or personal reasons, the international bridges between El Paso and Juárez play a significant role in our daily lives. As a bi-national economy, our daily routines, as well as our regional and national economy, rotate around the ability to cross any of these bridges. One the most important bridges, the Paso Del Norte Bridge, processes more than 9 million northbound crossings every year. Luis Garcia, director of Field Operations for Customs Border and Protection, says it best:

“The Paso Del Norte Bridge is more than just a steel and concrete span crossing a river. It connects and brings together the people of two nations, two cities, two cultures that share common bonds. Those bonds include family ties, educational pursuits, cross-border business and tourism, to name just a few.”

On April 12, Congressman Reyes, city representatives, mayors from both communities, GSA officials as well as El Paso and Juárez business leaders joined at the Paso del Norte Bridge for the ground-breaking ceremony. The project, which will add nine pedestrian lanes and three vehicular lanes, is expected to cost approximately $26.6 million. One of the major phases included in the project is the relocation of the “head house” administration building, which will be moved to the far northern end of the secondary inspection area. Taking advantage of the relocation, the “head house” will have 25,955 square feet of additions and upgrades to the building, thus doubling its size. However, as with many great projects, the expansion will not go without challenges. As Luis Garcia states:

“At times it will be difficult, and it may test the patience of those who are along for the ride. We may even hear cries of ‘are we there yet?’ along the way from border crossers, local businesses and even the government agencies who are all traveling together on this journey. It will take time, but the days will turn to weeks and the weeks to months, and before you know it, the final destination will come into view.”

As our two communities continue to increase in size, the significance of expanding the capacity of the bridge becomes ever more imperative. The ability to process crossers safely and quickly will have a direct bearing on the growth of our regional and national economies. As we travel along this path, we must keep focused on the shining light at the end of the tunnel and remember to protect all those businesses, citizens and visitors to ensure we all arrive at the end of the journey— together!

El Paso Downtown Ambassador
by Carl E. English Sr.

The El Paso Central Business Association and Downtown Management District’s Ambassador Program recently celebrated its fifth anniversary. Surprisingly, some people assume that the Downtown ambassador is a hotel or motel nestled in the heart of Downtown— not so. You won’t find us in the telephone book under hotels or motels.

The Ambassador Program is a service entity representing the Downtown Management District (DMD) and the Central Business Association (CBA). It acts as the “eyes and ears” of the district and association. As your ambassador, my responsibilities vary, from overseeing all special projects as envisioned by Executive Director Mike Breitinger and the Board of Directors to making on-the-spot and calculated assessments and appropriate recommendations.

I am required to submit and follow up on all work requests involving street and alley repairs (to include street and zone striping) and coordinate service support and assistance from all city and county agencies as required. I address the concerns of business owners and make appropriate recommendations as required. Periodically, I am called upon to: address organized groups relating to our program status as requested; monitor the influx and exodus of transients and direct them to the various support services; perform new installations and maintain approximately 45 historical markers inside the district; research and develop initiatives to enhance the existing shopping corridors; provide maps and directions and other information to visitors; introduce and maintain all new program equipment; oversee the day-to-day litter abatement program and the DMD recycling initiative; direct maintenance of the Paso Del Luce street lighting; install and replace the banners included in the banner program; coordinate special requests for deep pressure cleaning services; submit police reports for vandalism; provide limited assistance to stranded motorists and coordinate with the city and county graffiti-wipeout programs to remove major graffiti sites beyond our capabilities.

Sonia Islas, Jim Morgan and Supervisor of the Year Ponce Melendez continue to perform tirelessly to ensure that graffiti sites are removed as soon as we report them. Their service is at no cost to the city. In addition to the funding that they receive through the county, they are authorized to receive private and personal donations to help sustain their program. They are a proven, valued resource.

I appreciate your support and encourage your comments on how we can better support you. I can be reached at 915.726.6415, 915.533.2656 or 915.771.8510. I look forward to hearing from you.

A Tradition of Recycling
by Joseph P. Martin

El Paso is working on a city-wide recycling program at the present time, but recycling is nothing new for this growing West Texas community. Most people don’t realize that recycling has been going on in El Paso, in one form or another, for as long as people have been around. Recently, during the course of construction and renovation of Downtown El Paso streets and sidewalks, evidence of early recycling was uncovered.

In the basement of the Kress building in Downtown El Paso, there is a rock wall that dates back to the 1800s, with evidence of a fire present on portions of its face. There are brick archways elsewhere in the basement, which were constructed sometime after the rock wall. Incorporated into and on top of these archways are iron rails. Some of the bricks in the archways appear to have been recycled and may have originally been paving bricks from some of the streets in the Downtown area. Or, perhaps they were salvaged from buildings that were damaged or destroyed by the same fire that scorched the old rock wall. The rails had to have come from the trolley and/or train tracks that have been present on the streets of El Paso in one form or another over the last two centuries. These recycled rails, which once carried passengers into and out of El Paso and Juárez, were and still are used to support the sidewalks and foundations of the Kress building.

Just like today, recycling made sense a hundred or more years ago. Even before the Europeans arrived in the area, Native Americans were recycling. Broken stone spear points were reshaped and re-sharpened into smaller points or knives. Pit houses were excavated, lived in, abandoned and reconstructed over time using materials from the original structures. Eventually, rock from later pit houses was used to construct pueblo villages, and in turn, the rock from the pueblos was used by early European settlers to build walls and houses. The less effort and energy people had to expend, the more time and eventually money they would have to invest in their personal lives and in the welfare of their families and their community. Recycling, then as today, often provided a way of saving both time and energy.

Local Fabric Walk the Walk, Talk the Talk
by Mike Breitinger

Downtown business operator and owner Mike Norwich really does “walk the walk” and “talk the talk.” Norwich has invested in Downtown with the Jack in the Box restaurant located at Oregon and Main Street. When you talk to Norwich, you can get a sense of the reality of operating a business in a busy urban district. Norwich and his business have weathered through utility and street construction, the reconstruction of a major building a few feet from his restaurant and other projects that have directly impacted his ability to do business. He is a young, professional entrepreneur who not only thrives on making good business decisions but on doing what’s right for his community.

Recently, Norwich was the recipient of the U.S. SBA’s State of Texas Small Business Person of the Year Award for 2007. The SBA couldn’t have found a better recipient for this distinguished award. Norwich’s leadership in his business, along with his tenacity and dedication, has made him a successful survivalist in the business community. His talent is illustrated by Jack in the Box’s presence in Downtown El Paso. Keeping a business open during long street construction and utility work is extremely tough. Keeping open when your half of one of the feeder streets to your business is lost, your drive-through is temporarily revamped to better accommodate baby strollers and your personal vehicle is pelted with droppings of concrete from a nearby community improvement project takes patience, vision and tenacity.

Even with all the trials and tribulations, Mike Norwich remains a strong Central Business Association and Downtown Management District supporter. He is always there to help out on issues important to Downtown and the rest of the community. He walks the walk and talks the talk and is a deserving recipient of the SBA Award. Good work Mike, and thanks for all you do!

DMD Storefront Program on its Way Back

The once popular Storefront Improvement Program is coming back through a partnership with the city of El Paso and the Downtown Management District. The city and the DMD are in the process of reinstating the Storefront Program, as originally designed by the DMD, the city and other local groups, to encourage improvement and rehabilitation of buildings in the Downtown business core. The main purpose of the proposed program is to provide grant funding to existing business and property owners in order to provide an incentive, encourage consumer activity and positively impact the marketability of the Downtown area.

For a limited time, the Storefront Improvement Program will provide services to Downtown El Paso business owners, which include design assistance and providing matching grants to bring about exterior renovations to business storefronts. There will be a dollar-to-dollar match up to $10,000 for pre-approved improvements. What is proposed is that the district and the city each dedicate $50,000 directly for the reimbursable grants. Also proposed is that the city provide administration and staff time. This will be on a first come, first serve basis until the funding runs out.

The Downtown Management District’s Board of Directors and the city will still need to approve the expenditure, so be on the look out for this program coming soon to our Downtown! Call the office at 915.533.2656 for more information.

back to top