San Jacinto Plaza to Celebrate April 16th Grand Opening with 'Fiesta'

San Jacinto Plaza will have a grand opening celebration on Saturday, April 16, 2016. That's according to a flyer released today which most will likely hope is not an April Fool's joke.

A dedication ceremony will take place at 9:30 a.m. followed by a celebration from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the park in Downtown El Paso. The plaza features newly renovated "Los Lagartos" sculpture by famed artist Luis Jimenez Jr.

Construction Update: San Jacinto Plaza Renovation Project

Work Begins on Central Shade Structure that will Protect 'Los Lagartos' Sculpture

The famed “Los Lagartos” sculpture that calls San Jacinto Plaza home will be getting a protective shade structure as part of park improvements, and now crews have begun laying the foundation for the public art in Downtown El Paso.

A shade structure will protect the ‘Los Lagartos’ sculpture at the renovated San Jacinto Plaza, supported by cables on pylons. (City of El Paso)

According to a City update, an auger is now on site which will dig holes 50 feet deep that will house the pylons that will support the shade structure using stainless steel cables. The floating shade canopy will allow small bits of sunlight to peek through during the day and add an artistic element with special lighting at night, according to the project manager’s blog (buildingsanjacintoplaza.wordpress.com).

Weekly Edition, Issue 64

The Weekly Edition, Issue 64 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:

• Mixed-Use Project Set for Union Plaza
• Construction Update: San Jacinto Plaza Renovation Project
• Officials Break Ground on New Northwest El Paso Hospital

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Café Installation Begins at San Jacinto Plaza

Construction Crews Lay Utility Lines, Begin Site Element Work

Construction has begun on the structure that will house a café at the renovated San Jacinto Plaza in Downtown El Paso. Crews have installed plumbing and electrical lines for the structure, and concrete forms have been laid for the café floor.

A rendering of the upcoming café building under construction at San Jacinto Plaza. (City of El Paso)

The café structure will be located on the western side of the park, along Oregon Street across from the Mills Building. According to released renderings of what the structure will look like once completed, it will have an oval shape with service windows on the southern half. A shade structure will protrude southward where tables and seating may be located.

Weekly Edition, Issue 59

The Weekly Edition, Issue 59 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:

• Cafe Installation Begins at San Jacinto Plaza
• See Renderings of Beaumont Replacement Hospital
• Montwood Drive, Country Club Road Construction Updates

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San Jacinto Plaza’s Next Phase of Construction to Begin

Groundbreaking to be Held this Week

The next phase in San Jacinto Plaza’s evolution into a modern park will begin this week in Downtown El Paso, with a groundbreaking that will mark the beginning of the next stage of construction that is expected to last 12 months.

This concept image of the eastern edge of San Jacinto Plaza shows an interactive “splash pad,” shade trees, and benches (City of El Paso)

The first phase, which was completed late last year, included expanding the park by 10 feet in each direction. The new design took over the lane of parking that surrounded the plaza. Other phase one work included preparing the park for improvements.

Weekly Edition, Issue 45

The Weekly Edition, Issue 45 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:

• Mulligan Building Sparkles as Renovation Nears End: Crews Complete Work on Historic Building's Exterior
• San Jacinto Plaza's Next Phase of Construction to Begin: Goundbreaking to be Held this Week
• Ballpark Crews Begin Work on Baseball Playing Field: Lighting Fixture Installation is Now Complete

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What’s In Store For 2014

These Are the Major Projects to Look Forward to This Year

It’s a new year in El Paso, and several major development projects are scheduled to get underway or be completed in 2014. From freeway projects on the West Side to major medical facilities on the East Side, most parts of the Sun City should see major activity.

Here’s a look at some of the larger developments that should see progress this year.

Projects slated for El Paso this year include (counterclockwise from top left) I-10 Collector-Distributor Lanes, the Montecillo Town Center, the Triple-A Ballpark, San Jacinto Plaza’s renovation, the Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing building, the Airport Hotel/Retail Complex, Eastside Crossings, the Sierra Providence East Medical Center expansion, the William Beaumont Army Medical Center replacement hospital, and the Northgate Transit-Oriented Development.

I-10 Collector-Distributor Lanes
Plans to add collector-distributor (CD) lanes to Interstate 10 in West El Paso have been in the works for years, but the project recently got a shot in the arm in the form of funding support from the County of El Paso. Now, the $150 freeway project could be set for construction to begin by the end of 2014.

The CD lanes will create a buffer for the main lanes by “collecting” and “distributing” traffic to and from on- and off-ramps between Executive Center Boulevard and Mesa Street. The number of lanes will vary along the five mile stretch of I-10.

Initial renderings of the planned project included toll lanes when first unveiled years back, but now only include regular main lanes in the middle of the freeway. No word on whether or not toll lanes will be included after all. The future, toll-only Border Highway West will have an interchange with I-10 within the boundaries of this project.

Montecillo Town Center
West El Paso should see a good amount of progress on the highly anticipated Montecillo Town Center project which will include the Alamo Drafthouse theater location as an anchor. The SmartCode development’s “Entertainment District” will include street retail, a big box retail space, commercial office space, and 99 residential units, according to initial site plan details.

No concrete timeline has been disclosed by the project’s developer, though the Alamo Drafthouse’s announcement in March of 2013 indicated it would be soon, and has indicated plans to open in Fall of 2014. Crews finally broke ground in November 2013 and have been working to clear the site for construction ever since.

Weekly Edition, Issue 37

The Weekly Edition, Issue 37 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:

• Closer Look: 2013 El Paso County Comprehensive Mobility Plan
• 'Fountains at Farah' Debuts New Website
• San Jacinto Plaza Readies for Next Construction Phase
• NewsBits by El Paso DevWire

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Work Begins this Month on San Jacinto Improvements

Plaza Will Close for 18 Months

The long awaited renovation of San Jacinto Plaza will begin this month. That’s according to the City’s Engineering and Construction Management Department. An open house was held in June which presented the City’s final plan to the public.

The City's master plan for San Jacinto Plaza. (facebook.com/EPTXEngineering)

The plan includes many of the same amenities promoted throughout its different phases, including more shade trees, sidewalk benches, and an outdoor café with an adjacent seating area. Chess and game tables will be added as well as a horseshoe pit.

This rendering shows the center of the park, including the reflecting pool and "Sunner's Plaza." 

Also included will be a "splash deck" with interactive water features, an arroyo that runs underneath a walkway in the southeastern quadrant, and a central stage overlooking the reflecting pool/sculpture area in the center of the park.

Weekly Edition, Issue 14

The Weekly Edition, Issue 14, has arrived! Take a look at the newest issue of our Weekly Edition, by clicking HERE.

In this edition:

• Aldea Seeks Frontage/Overpass Agreement: Deal May Help Green-Light Construction
• Retail Buzz: Building Permits Shed Light on 'Fountains' Tenants
• Work Begins this Month on San Jacinto Improvements: Plaza will Close for 18 Months
  
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Mills Plaza Promenade Moving Forward

Planting Plan for Mills Plaza Promenade.

The project to create a pedestrian-only promenade between the Mills/Centre Buildings and the Plaza Hotel is moving forward. The Mills Plaza Promenade with span a 350 foot distance of Mills Avenue from Oregon Street to El Paso Street in front of the Plaza Theater.

An application with the City's Historic Landmark Commission shows the paving, planting, lighting, and furnishing plan for the area, and must be approved by the board in order for construction to begin. Water features will travel through the promenade in canal-type structures that meander through the pedestrian walkways. Concept images of wayfinding kiosks are also included in the application.

SWA, a landscape/architecture firm based in San Francisco, was hired by Paul Foster's Mills Plaza Properties to create the design with community input. Mills Plaza consists of the Mills Building, the Centre Building, the Plaza Hotel, and two parking structures just north of the Mills. The Blue Flame Building is also part of Mills Plaza portfolio.

The right of way is actually owned by the City, which will head the construction phase. The promenade will link the Mills/San Jacinto Plaza area to the Plaza Theater and Museum of Art. A new path being developed on the northern edge of the adjacent Convention Center will help connect the arts district to the Union Plaza area to the west and should help encourage walkability.

No timeline has been given for the Mills Plaza Promenade project.

Historic Landmark Commission item: http://www.elpasotexas.gov/development_services/preview_mtng.asp?meetingid=1749

Related: San Jacinto Revamp Moves Into Final Design Phase

San Jacinto Revamp Moves Into Final Design Phase

San Jacinto Plaza Landscape Plan by SWA Group

The San Jacinto Plaza reconstruction project could be ready for bid within five months and will retain the famous Los Lagartos sculpture at the center of the park which will include an added protective shade structure. City Council voted in June to award the contract for final construction documents to SWA Group, an international design firm specializing in civic projects.

SWA Group unveiled the final illustrative design for the park earlier in 2012, which reverted back to a more traditional framework which includes paths sprouting outward from a central plaza but includes many new modern amenities. Bocce ball courts, a splash deck, a park cafe, retail kiosks, a reflecting pond, table tennis and chess courtyards, and expanded lawn areas are some of the new elements included in the new plan. City leaders desired a more user friendly set up for the plaza and get that with this plan, a big change from the fenced off green areas residents find today at San Jacinto.

The City will also expand the park in each direction by reclaiming current parking lanes around the perimeter of the plaza. This should extend each side by about ten feet. An infusion of trees will create large expanses of pathways and sidewalks that are shaded from the sun.

Preliminary redesigns showed a stark change from the current plaza, but met resistance from residents when unveiled. A special point of contention was the initial removal of the alligator sculpture from the park. The outcry led to the sculpture regaining its prominent spot at the center of the park, but with some changes around it. A shade structure will be constructed around and over the artwork in order to help protect it from the elements. A balustrade circle and reflecting pool will create a ring around the sculpture. And the statue itself will be restored.

A shade structure will protect the alligator sculpture.

SWA Group will remain as consultant after the project goes out to bid and during construction, according to the contract approved by the City. The City is paying $500,000 for SWA's services.

City Council Agenda Item (PDF): http://www.elpasotexas.gov/muni_clerk/agenda/06-12-12/06121212.pdf
SWA Group Website: http://www.swagroup.com/

Foster Out of San Jacinto Redesign

KVIA is reporting that Paul Foster's Mills Plaza Properties has removed itself from helping to redesign and reconstruct San Jacinto Plaza in the heart of Downtown. The decision comes after some members of the public showed concern that the Lagartos sculpture was removed from the park in the initial redesigns. Later designs inserted the sculpture back into the park, and now include a shade structure to protect the piece of art from the sun.

The final design has tentatively received approval from the city, and the total price tag for the project is estimated to be $4-5 Million. Groundbreaking is still many months away, and it is unclear if Foster's decision will affect Mills Plaza's participation in the Mills Plaza Promenade project, a pedestrian-only right of way between Foster's Mills Building and Plaza Hotel.

KVIA Video Report: http://www.kvia.com/video/30478808/index.html