For many El Pasoans, the last year or so must seem like a parade of headlines announcing large, multi-million dollar projects slated for the Sun City. Indeed, several sizeable developments have recently been announced for El Paso, and construction is set to ramp up in the coming years.
From hotel projects to retail complexes, here is a look at some of the largest, non-transportation developments set to go up around El Paso.
1. Westin Hotel/Retail Complex
Developer: EP Vida, LLC
Cost: $64.5 Million
Details: This project will create a 220 room, 4-Star hotel on airport property at the corner of Airway Boulevard and Boeing Drive. The hotel will cost $42.5 million to complete and will most likely carry the Westin brand name.
An adjacent retail center will cost another $22 million to construct and will provide 66,000 square feet of retail space, 14,000 square feet of restaurant space, and 7,000 square feet of office space. It will be a town-center type of development with the high rise hotel at the end of a street lined with storefronts.
Construction must commence by the end of May 2014 according to the incentives agreement approved by City Council earlier this year.
More Info: $64M Hotel Complex
2. William Beaumont Army Medical Center
Developer: Clark McCarthy Healthcare Partners II
Cost: $650 Million
Details: A brand new hospital will replace the current Beaumont complex in El Paso’s northeast side. The new structure will be a 1.1 million square foot healthcare campus in East Fort Bliss near the Loop 375/Spur 601 interchange.
The hospital building will be 630,000 square feet in size among seven stories. The campus will also contain two clinic buildings, an administrative building, a clinical investigation building with biosafety level three laboratories, and a central utility plant.
Clark McCarthy was awarded the contract in February and received the notice to proceed in June. The contractor expects to complete construction in 2016.
More Info: New $1B Beaumont Hospital
3. Eastside Crossings
Developer: Hunt Communities/Investment Builders, Inc.
Cost: $22 Million
Details: This Mixed-Income development will bring 188 residential units to the area, a mix of affordable and market rate units. The unique development will combine 45 market rate units with 64 public housing units and 79 affordable housing units.
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| (Hunt Companies) |
The Housing Authority project may be ready for occupancy by fall 2014.
More Info: Mixed-Income Community Breaks Ground
4. Fountains at Farah Power/Lifestyle Center
Developer: Centergy Retail
Cost: $70 Million
Details: The City entered into an incentives agreement with the developer of the highly anticipated Fountains at Farah center years ago, and the grand opening is now only months away. The 600,000 square foot center will have at 60 or more tenants when leased out, but few have officially been named.
The design of the Fountains site plan has changed significantly from its first debuted version, and a shopping promenade will now line the area nearest Gateway West Boulevard. The center’s opening is scheduled for October.
More Info: Fountains at Farah Posts
5. Cardwell Collaborative
Developer: Broaddus & Associates
Cost: $28 Million
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| (MCA Foundation) |
Details: The first building on the 13 acre Tech Park section of the Medical Center of the Americas campus will create about 83,000 square feet of research space in central El Paso. Recently named the Cardwell Collaborative, the building will house laboratories, office suites, incubator space, and more.
Once completed, the building could have tenants from both the public and private sectors. Construction may begin in early 2014 and be completed in 2015.
More Info: First MCA Tech Park Building Gets Named
6. Baseball Stadium
Developer: Populous, Inc.
Cost: $60.8 Million
Details: Construction has not clearly gone vertical yet on the 9,000 seat ballpark set for downtown El Paso, but foundation and utility work is well underway at the former City Hall site. Crews are working at breakneck speed to have the stadium ready for games by April 2014.
The City had originally budgeted $50 million for the stadium, but was later revealed as rough estimate. Owners of the Triple-A team, MountainStar Sports, have recently stated they will pay for anything above the updated price.
More Info: Ballpark Posts
7. UTEP SmartCode Housing/Apartments
Developer: Campus Developers, LLC
Cost: Unknown
Details: A SmartCode zoned 7.65 acre property at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) that will be home to four multi-story buildings, the site is currently a parking lot and a former used car lot. Campus Developers, LLC, signed a 50-year lease with UTEP to construct 100 housing units for students, and up to 300 more apartments for rent at market rates.
A rezoning plan presented to the City in May shows four buildings that would make up the development. One would house a parking structure with retail lining. The other buildings would contain apartments or dorm units on the upper levels with retail uses on the ground floor.
School officials have indicated that the student housing building could be ready for occupancy by fall of 2014.
8. Montecillo Town Center
Developer: EPT Land Communities
Cost: Unknown
Details: When it first debuted at the developer’s website, it was called the Montecillo Entertainment District. More recently it is known as the Montecillo Town Center and sits on the eastern side of Mesa Street across from the Venue apartment buildings on El Paso’s west side.
The Town Center will consist of around 11 buildings that will offer 117,200 square feet of retail space, 56,200 square feet of office, 99 residential units, and a nine screen Alamo Drafthouse movie theater. Alamo is the first and only tenant announced for the complex to date.
The developer has not announced a timeline for the project.
More Info: Montecillo Unveils Town Center Site Plan