West El Paso Tower Plan Canceled

By Armando Landin

Plans for a west side mixed-use tower have changed significantly, according to new plans released by the developer. The Avery Shadow Mountain project will no longer consist of a 22-story tower as the centerpiece of it's development. Meyers Group of Florida is the developer for the project.

An artistic rendering of the planned Avery Shadow Mountain mixed-use project in West El Paso. (Meyers Group/Exigo Architecture)

Instead, the new plans show multiple four- and five-story buildings consisting of mostly residential apartments. The original plan included 228 apartments and 219 hotel rooms, for a total of 447 units, while the new plan consists of 293 apartment units and no hotel.

Massive East Side Entertainment-Retail Center Proposed

By Armando Landin

Far East El Paso could be in line for one of the biggest retail and entertainment centers the city has ever seen, according to plans for a new center at the Americas Interchange.

The proposed Plaza Del Rey development in El Paso spans nearly 300 acres and includes over 1.6 million square feet of retail space. (West Retail)

Plaza Del Rey would have a total of 2.8 million square feet of usable space if built as currently planned, including 1.68 million dedicated to retail alone which includes a proposed outlet mall.

T.J.Maxx/HomeGoods to Join West Towne Lineup

By Armando Landin

Three possible retailers have been revealed for the upcoming West Towne Marketplace in El Paso.

A T.J.Maxx/HomeGoods store is slated to open at West Towne Marketplace, under construction in West El Paso. (River Oaks Properties)

A T.J.Maxx/HomeGoods store will be joining the lineup and is expected to be one of the larger anchors for the 500,000 square foot retail center under construction at the corner of Desert North Boulevard and Paseo del Norte on the West Side.

Lofts Breathe New Life Into Historic Five Points Building

By Armando Landin     

The historic Five Points neighborhood in Central El Paso has seen a steady resurgence in recent years, and a recently completed renovation project is adding loft apartments to the mix.

Left: Stairs lead to the street level entrance of the Stevens Block 3 Lofts in Central El Paso. Right: A newly renovated loft space still includes historic touches such as exposed brick. (Courtesy Hiett, Pharr & Associates)

Stevens Block 3 Lofts are now open at 801 North Piedras Street on the second level of the historic Stevens Building, built in 1921.

Whole Foods Market Opens in El Paso

Whole Foods has opened its first El Paso store, a long awaited addition to the Sun City's grocery lineup.

El Paso's first Whole Foods Market opened October 19, 2016, on the city's West Side. (Whole Foods El Paso)

The store, located at 100 Pitt Street on the West Side, spans 50,000 square feet and includes a restaurant, garden beds to grow produce on site, and a community room that can be used for yoga, cooking classes, and meetings.

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.

32-Acre Mixed Use Center Planned for West El Paso

By Armando Landin
 
A new 32-acre shopping center is planned for Northwest El Paso and could be the first along the Transmountain corridor west of the Franklin Mountains.

Four restaurants surround a plaza in this rendering of the Legacy at Cimarron, a "mixed-use" development planned for West El Paso. (ESmith Legacy/RJL Real Estate)

The Legacy at Cimarron is billing itself as a mixed-use community that will offer space for retail shops, restaurants, and office uses. It also includes two hotels, with a total of 228 rooms.

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.

P.F. Chang's Opens August 29th at 'Fountains'

By Armando Landin
 
Another restaurant option is opening soon at the Fountains at Farah in East El Paso. P.F. Chang's China Bistro will open in late August at the shopping center.

P.F. Chang's will open August 29, 2016, at the Fountains at Farah in East El Paso, the third restaurant opening in August at the center. (Fountains at Farah)

According to the restaurant chain's website, the grand opening is scheduled for August 29, 2016, on the Promenade level of the Fountains.

Bricktown Tap House, Candle Boutique Now Open at 'Fountains'

By Armando Landin   

Two new additions to the Fountains at Farah lineup in East El Paso have now opened. Bricktown Tap House and The Candle Boutique both opened August 1, 2016, at the shopping center.

Bricktown Tap House & Kitchen is now open at the Fountains at Farah in East El Paso. (Fountains at Farah)

Bricktown Tap House & Kitchen has opened in the Promenade section of the Fountains, the Main Street-like lifestyle area of the center, adjacent to Chuy's Mexican Food.

Ruth's Chris Steak House Opens August 15th at 'Fountains'

El Paso's first Ruth's Chris Steak House location will open August 15, 2016, at the Fountains at Farah shopping center.

Ruth's Chris Steak House will open August 15 at the Fountains at Farah in East El Paso. (Fountains at Farah)

Ruth's Chris made the announcement on its website and will be open for dinner every day of the week, including major holidays.

Downtown El Paso Alive with Investment

A Comprehensive List of Downtown Projects   

By Armando Landin   

A couple of years back, it was the hope of City officials that a new baseball stadium and other Quality of Life projects would breathe new life into Downtown revitalization efforts and spur private investment in El Paso's largely-ignored center.

Downtown El Paso is seeing a clear surge of investment with private and public projects spread throughout the area. 

The Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas are now in their third season, and two short years after Southwest University Park opened its gates on the site of the former City Hall, signs of burgeoning investment are becoming clear.

West El Paso Tower Approved by City Council

By Armando Landin   

City Council has unanimously approved a rezoning change that will allow the 22-story Shadow Mountain development in West El Paso to proceed.

The City of El Paso has approved the 22-story Shadow Mountain mixed use project on the West Side. (Meyers Group)

In a special meeting held solely to consider the project on July 19, 2016, City Representatives heard from members of the community on both sides of the issue, those supporting and those opposed to the tower.

Canyons at Cimarron Bringing 'Casual Lifestyle' Shopping Center to West El Paso

By Armando Landin   

A new, "casual lifestyle" shopping center is headed to West El Paso and will be located in the Cimarron master planned community.

This rendering depicts one of the "Main Street" areas of the future Canyons at Cimarron, planned for West El Paso. (EP Riverbend Development)

The Canyons at Cimarron will be an open air, walkable center which will include 92,000 square feet of space for retail, restaurant, and office uses.

Johnny Rockets Headed to Cielo Vista Mall

By Armando Landin   

Another Johnny Rockets location will be opening soon in El Paso, this one at Cielo Vista Mall on the East Side.

According to a Cielo Vista Mall retailer update, the new restaurant will open in a 2,147 square foot upper level spot near Sears.

Cielo Vista Mall Officials Tight-Lipped on Expansion Delay

By Armando Landin   

Officials with Cielo Vista Mall aren't offering any details as to why a previously announced expansion has been delayed.

Rendering of the proposed expansion to Cielo Vista Mall in El Paso. (Simon Property Group)

A representative with Simon Property Group indicates they "continue to work on plans for the expansion of Cielo Vista Mall," but have no additional updates. Simon owns and operates the mall, located in East El Paso at Interstate 10 and Hawkins Boulevard.

La Madeleine Coming to 'La Villita' in West El Paso

A new La Madeleine Country French Cafe is headed to West El Paso, according to City permits. The restaurant will be located in the same shopping center as a new Whole Foods Market.

The 4,500 square foot restaurant will be located in the La Villita shopping center at 6801 North Mesa Street, a curved retail, office, and restaurant area leading into the Whole Foods Market parking lot.

Chico's Tacos May Close Central Location to Make Way for CVS

By Armando Landin   

National pharmacy retailer CVS has plans to build a new location in Central El Paso, the same location where Walmart tried to build a Neighborhood Market three years ago.

This architectural elevation shows what a CVS Pharmacy may look like once built, planned for Central El Paso. (City of El Paso)

The new CVS Pharmacy would go up at the corner of Montana Avenue and Chelsea Street, on the same property that is currently home to a Chico's Tacos location. Chico's would close and be torn down to make way for the CVS. The site is across the street from an existing Walgreen's pharmacy.

New Cinemark Theater to Anchor 'Eastlake Marketplace' near Horizon City

The Far East El Paso area is getting yet another Cinemark movie theater as part of a large shopping center development at the corner of Eastlake Boulevard and Gateway West. It will be the theater chain's fourth location in the East El Paso area.

A Cinemark movie theater will anchor Eastlake Marketplace at the corner of Eastlake Boulevard and I-10. (Site Plan: River Oaks Properties)

The Cinemark theater will anchor a new shopping center named Eastlake Marketplace in an area just outside of El Paso's city limits, west of Horizon City.

'The Substation' Brings Village-Style Retail Center to West El Paso

By Armando Landin   

An upcoming commercial project will add a "village-style" retail center to West El Paso and will include shops and restaurants in a "heavily landscaped" atmosphere.

One of the main features at The Substation retail center in West El Paso will be a pedestrian mall and meeting area, shown in this rendering. (EP Riverbend Development)

That's according to plans for The Substation which will be built at the corner of Doniphan Drive and Sunset Road near El Paso's Upper Valley, south of North Mesa Street.