Montecillo Announces Planned Four-Acre Resort

By Armando Landin

A new resort is set to join the Montecillo smart growth community on El Paso's West Side. The Resort at Montecillo is set to start construction later this year.

An overhead shot of the planned Resort at Montecillo which will start construction in fall of 2017 in West El Paso. (Courtesy EPT Land Communities)

The four-acre project will include various resort amenities, including a Resident Clubhouse, "resort style" water attractions, and an events center.

Topgolf to Open at Montecillo in El Paso

By Armando Landin     

The City is on the brink of signing a deal with Topgolf to open a sports entertainment venue in El Paso. City Council will consider approving an incentives agreement at its next meeting.

From top left: The exterior facade of an existing Topgolf facility; Hitting bays include seating for several people and are climate controlled; A rooftop terrace at an existing location; A wide view of hitting bays and outfield targets. (City of El Paso)

According to City documents, Topgolf is planning a $15.7 million facility that will be located at the Montecillo smart growth development in West El Paso.

New Details Emerge for Montecillo Town Center

By Armando Landin   

A greater number of apartments and less street retail space are some of the details discovered in recent renderings and leasing listings for the Montecillo Town Center, the smart growth development currently under construction in West El Paso.

Retail and mixed-use buildings surround a plaza at the future Montecillo Town Center, currently under construction on El Paso's West Side. (EPT Communities)

As vertical construction nears, we're getting a clearer picture of the final layout for the buildings that will make up the Town Center and the form those buildings will take.

See Before and After Street Views of Major El Paso Projects

By Armando Landin

Apartment rental site RENTCafé has compiled a series of eleven before and after Street View images of major projects in El Paso.

This screenshot shows an image slider at the RENTCafé website that allows El Pasoans to see the Street View from the same spot and how it's changed from 2007 to 2015. Here, the Venue at Montecillo apartment buildings line Mesa Street in the newer image. (RENTCafé)

The sliders on the images at the site allow El Pasoans to view the changing streetscape by dragging the arrow bars left and right. The right side of each image depicts the Street View in 2007 while the left side shows the same spot in 2015.

Montecillo Teases Home Buying Options

By Armando Landin   

As the Montecillo smart growth community's progress moves slowly but surely to the west, its home-buying options are getting a little clearer.

A group of "Spanish" townhomes in this rendering line a street at the Montecillo development in West El Paso. (EPT Communities)

Construction should begin soon in an area that will be comprised of townhomes and single family homes not too far from the existing apartment buildings just off of Mesa Street in West El Paso.

'Urban' Hotel Planned at Montecillo Development

By Armando Landin   

El Pasoans are getting and updated look at the Montecillo smart growth development on the West Side, which includes possible future highlights such as a "unique urban hotel."

A rendering shows what a Montecillo Town Center building may look like once complete in West El Paso, located on the east side of Mesa Street in a sloping valley. (www.montecillo.com)

That's according to website updates which tease new elements planned for the nearly 300-acre development.

Alamo Drafthouse Now Showing New Films, Official Grand Opening May 6th

By Armando Landin   

El Paso's newest movie theater may not have had its grand opening yet, but it is already showing first run movies. Alamo Drafthouse will have its official grand opening on May 6.

The Alamo Drafthouse movie theater in West El Paso is now having its soft opening while it trains its new employees. (Alamo Drafthouse)

The newest addition to the Montecillo smart growth community in West El Paso opened its doors on Monday, April 25, to patrons in order to help train staff in the run up to the grand opening, showing older films such as "Back to the Future" and "Mad Max: Fury Road."

Alamo Drafthouse Now Hiring 200 Employees for West El Paso Location

By Armando Landin

The latest addition to the Montecillo smart growth development in West El Paso is now hiring in anticipation of its opening. Alamo Drafthouse cinema seeks 200 employees for its upcoming location.

The Alamo Drafthouse is now hiring for its West El Paso location, shown in this rendering. It will be an anchor tenant in the upcoming Montecillo Town Center. (Alamo Drafthouse/Triple Tap Ventures)

The new movie house will be an anchor tenant in the Montecillo Town Center, located at Mesa Street and Montecillo Boulevard. No other tenants have been announced for the center, which is part of the larger Montecillo development.

New Murals Add Public Art to Montecillo Development

By Armando Landin

The Montecillo smart growth development in West El Paso has commissioned muralists to add public art to the walls of its structures. Australia based street artist Fintan Magee and San Diego based Christopher Konecki have joined resident artist EXIST1981 in contributing work at the site.

"Two Worlds," street artist Fintan Magee's mural at the Santi Dwellings in West El Paso. (www.instagram.com/fintan_magee)

Most of the art is concentrated in the TI:ME at Montecillo center, though Magee is putting the finishing touches on a four-story mural at the Santi Dwellings to the west. Konecki is working on multiple pieces on the sides of shipping containers used as structures at TI:ME.

'Down TI:ME' now Under Construction at Montecillo

A planned new addition to TI:ME at Montecillo is now under construction at West El Paso's smart growth development, according to a press release.

'Down TI:ME' is now under construction at the Montecillo development in West El Paso, pictured in this rendering. (Courtesy Pan y Agua Partners)

Dubbed "Down TI:ME," the building will be constructed just west of the existing retail and restaurant area at the corner of Mesa Street and Montecillo.

Watch Video of TI:ME at Montecillo Transformation

TI:ME at Montecillo is the newest addition to open at the smart growth development in West El Paso, and now a video has debuted showing the transformation of the space into the "non-traditional" shopping center.

 

TI:ME AT MONTECILLO from mark martinez on Vimeo.

Local filmmaker Mark Martinez chronicled construction of the center and has posted the video to his Vimeo page.

‘TI:ME at Montecillo’ Prepares for Thursday Grand Opening

Construction on ‘The View’ Nearing Completion; ‘Santi Dwellings’ Marching Along

The developer of the brand new TI:ME at Montecillo shopping center in West El Paso opened the doors to three eateries in a “soft opening” last week. The official grand opening will be held on Thursday, July 31, 2014.

Stonewood Modern American Grill looks upon the rest of TI:ME at Montecillo, which will have a grand opening on Thursday. (El Paso Development News)

Stonewood Modern American Grill, Hillside Coffee & Donut Co., and Malolam Cantina are all now open daily in a run up to grand opening day. The doors to each eatery are steps away from each other in the intimate layout of the center.

TI:ME is a self-described “non-traditional” shopping center in an urban, smart growth setting within the Montecillo development. The creators have used varying building materials throughout the center, particularly on the facades of the restaurants, to help distinguish each space.

Malolam Cantina sits near the middle of the center, just steps away from the other two restaurants at TI:ME at Montecillo. (El Paso Development News)

The design also includes repurposed shipping containers which may house retail uses, such as clothing stores, home decor, and a “beauty bar.” A total of ten retailers were announced earlier this year, with spaces for the tenants ranging from 80 to 1,200 square feet.

Weekly Edition, Issue 61

The Weekly Edition, Issue 61 has arrived! Take a look at the newest issue of our Weekly Edition, by clicking HERE. (Note: The newsletter will open in PDF format.)

In this edition:

• TI:ME at Montecillo Prepares for Thursday Grand Opening
• Walmart Plans to Add Another West Side Store
• Retail Buzz: Corner Bakery Coming to Airway, CVS to Northeast El Paso

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Details on Alamo Drafthouse Groundbreaking

Construction of Movie House May Take Less Than a Year

El Paso politicians and businesspersons alike attended a groundbreaking ceremony last Thursday for what will become the Alamo Drafthouse movie theater building at the future Montecillo Town Center on the city’s West Side. It will be the first building to break ground at the Town Center site.

An artist’s rendering of the Alamo Drafthouse theater building under construction in West El Paso. (Triple Tap Ventures)

The movie house will be situated in the upper area of the Town Center, with parking located behind the building and hidden from view. The theater will have eight screens with about 850 seats in total. The structure will be over 30,000 square feet in size, according to the Town Center site plan.

Alamo Drafthouse is known for serving restaurant food to patrons before and during the movie. Neil Michaelsen, Chief Executive Officer and President of Triple Tap Ventures, explained this to local film critic and historian Charles Horak in a recent interview with KTEP (ktep.org).

The Alamo Drafthouse theater building will be located in the upper area of the Montecillo Town Center. A groundbreaking was held last week for the eight screen movie house, which could open in early spring according to the theater’s developer. (Site Plan: www.montecillo.com)

“You sit down, there’s a table in front of you, and there’s a menu right underneath the table. In a very old-school format, you write your order on a piece of paper.”

Weekly Edition, Issue 58

The Weekly Edition, Issue 58 has arrived! Take a look at the newest issue of our Weekly Edition, by clicking HERE. (Note: The newsletter will open in PDF format.)

In this edition:

• Details on Alamo Drafthouse Theater Groundbreaking
• Retail Update: Kona Grill, Hana Banana Now Open at Fountains
• MCA Foundation Eyes New Location for Cardwell Collaborative Biomedical Bldg.

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‘TI:ME’ Teases New Restaurants as Opening Nears

Non-Traditional Center Introducing Three Eateries to Montecillo Development

One of the newest sections of the Montecillo smart growth project in West El Paso will open up three new eateries in the coming weeks, and the developer is using social media to provide glimpses into the future restaurants.

Square-shaped donuts are in store at the Hillside Coffee & Donut Co. (facebook.com/HillsideCoffee)

TI:ME at Montecillo, a self-described “non-traditional” shopping center, has plans to open a casual grill house, a cantina serving Mexican-style street food, and a donut and coffee shop at the corner of Mesa Street and Montecillo Drive.

Weekly Edition, Issue 56

The Weekly Edition, Issue 56 has arrived! Take a look at the newest issue of our Weekly Edition, by clicking HERE. (Note: The newsletter will open in PDF format.)

In this edition:

• Sun Bowl, Haskins Center to get Upgraded Video Displays
• 'TI:ME' Teases New Restaurants as Opening Nears
• I-10 to Close Near UTEP this Weekend for Construction
• El Paso Chihuahuas Win MiLB 'Clash of the Caps'

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The View at Montecillo Debuts New Website

Senior Apartment Midrise Latest in Smart Growth Development

An apartment building geared toward senior living is next to open as part of the Montecillo smart growth development in West El Paso, and a new website for the housing project is now up.

Rendering of the View at Montecillo senior apartment building which will open soon. Its website was recently debuted. (theviewatmontecillo.com )

The View at Montecillo will offer urban apartment living to the “55+ Active Adult Community” in El Paso, according to the website (theviewatmontecillo.com), and will include several amenities within the apartment building. This includes a 24-hour fitness center, an onsite salon, a billiards area, a movie theater, and a resistance lap pool. Also included will be a pet park, a clubhouse, a bocce court, and an outdoor “entertainment arcade.” 

Weekly Edition, Issue 48

The Weekly Edition, Issue 48 has arrived! Take a look at the newest issue of our Weekly Edition, by clicking HERE. (Note: The newsletter will open in PDF format.)

In this edition:

• New Menchie's Location Coming Soon to 'Fountains'
• The View at Montecillo Debuts New Website: Senior Apartment Midrise Latest in Smart Growth Development
• Improvements Continue at El Paso Public Parks: Fiesta-Balboa, Radford, and Armijo Parks See Progress
• Public Engagement Sought for 'Signature Projects': City to Hold First Outreach Workshop for Arena, Children's Museum, & Cultural Center

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Latest Montecillo Aerial Photo Shows Progress

A new bird’s eye view photograph of the Montecillo Town Center construction site shows significant progress in leveling off the area. The lifestyle center is part of the larger Montecillo SmartCode development on El Paso’s West Side.

Latest aerial photo of the Montecillo Town Center construction site. (ZTEX Construction)

In the photograph, posted by ZTEX Construction of El Paso on its Facebook page (facebook.com/ztexconst) last week, the Venue at Montecillo apartment buildings can be seen across Mesa Street, to the west. The Montecillo Town Center may open as early as fall of 2014.