Work Progresses on El Paso Streetcar Rehabilitation

By Armando Landin
 
The vehicles that will be used for the upcoming streetcar project, currently under construction, will use the same bodies as those seen on city streets decades ago in El Paso.

The color scheme El Pasoans will see on streetcars once they make their return to Downtown streets in late 2018. (CRRMA)

And now we're getting a peek at the rehabilitation process for those streetcars taking place thousands of miles away.

Designs Revealed for New $85M UTEP Building

By Armando Landin
 
The public is getting a look at what a new research building will look like at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) once it's completed.

The proposed exterior design for the Interdisciplinary Research Building at the University of Texas at El Paso. (UTEP)

New renderings are available showing the exterior design and proposed landscaping for the Interdisciplinary Research Building (IDRB) which will be constructed at the western edge of the current campus.

Workers to Begin Laying Streetcar Rail in June

By Armando Landin   

The streetcar project in Downtown El Paso has been chugging along for months, but has mostly been focused on utility relocation. That will change in June when crews begin laying rail along the streetcar route.

This cross section shows how the streetcar rail will be embedded in a concrete slab. Rail recently arrived in El Paso and will soon be laid for the streetcar project. (CRRMA)

The first shipment of rail has arrived in El Paso and will be kept in storage until needed. The rail pieces were manufactured in Austria and brought by train from the Port of Houston.

Official Route Map Released for El Paso Streetcar Line

The El Paso Streetcar project has released the "Official Route" map showing the previously announced route and now showing the expected stops along the line. Construction began last year on the $97 million project and is ongoing in Downtown El Paso.

The Official Route map for the El Paso Streetcar project follows previously disclosed routes. It shows 27 total stops along the line. (www.facebook.com/elpasostreetcar)

The 4.8 miles of track will include two routes, according to previously released information. A Downtown circulator will loop through the city's center, traversing business, government, cultural, and shopping districts, in what is labeled as a "Downtown Loop" on the new map.

Johnny Rockets Possibly Headed to UTEP Area

By David Berchelmann

A new addition to the El Paso restaurant scene appears to be getting closer to fruition. Johnny Rockets could be headed to Mesa Street near the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).

In July of 2015, an announcement was made that Johnny Rockets had agreed to a deal with Cruzar Group, LLC, to bring their brand to El Paso and the surrounding region. Up until now, the location of their first restaurant was unknown.

City to Lease Two Restaurant Spaces in Public Buildings Downtown, Near UTEP

Two City of El Paso buildings will get new restaurant tenants, according to this week's City Council agenda. The City2 building and the Glory Road Transit Terminal may see eateries in the coming months.

A Schlotzsky's restaurant will lease storefront space at the City's Mulligan Building in Downtown El Paso, one of two retail spaces in the historic structure. (City of El Paso)

City2, the civic name given to the historic Mulligan Building in Downtown El Paso, has two storefronts for lease, and a Schlotzsky's sandwich shop is poised to open up in one of the spaces. The building is located at 218 N. Campbell Street, across the street from City Hall.

Loop 375 Extension Now Called 'Border West Expressway'

State and local officials held a groundbreaking this week for the now renamed Border West Expressway project in West El Paso. The project, formerly known as Border Highway West, will create a tolled expressway and complete the loop around the city.

The Border West Expressway will be a tollway for 5.6 miles from West El Paso near Sunland Park to Downtown. (TXDOT)

The largest part of the 7.4 mile project will be the construction of a four-lane tollway stretching from Racetrack Drive on the West Side to Loop 375's current terminus at Santa Fe Street south of Downtown El Paso. Racetrack Drive is located along Paisano Drive just south of Interstate 10 in the vicinity of Sunland Park Drive.

Brio RTS Launches First Route

After years of planning, engineering, and construction, Sun Metro has finally launched its first Brio Rapid Transit System (RTS) route. The Mesa Corridor route begins officially running on October 27, 2014.

El Paso's mass transit system held a "launch party" on Monday at Cleveland Square. The Mesa Corridor route runs from Downtown El Paso to the Westside Transfer Center, with 22 stops along the round trip.

UTEP Updates: Campus Work Centers on ‘Transformation’ Projects

Transportation, Housing Developments Also on University’s Checklist

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is gearing up for its Centennial Celebration, and crews continue their progress on projects around campus.

Students and visitors to UTEP have dealt with detours, fenced off areas, and general construction for many months, particularly in the middle of the school’s grounds where Centennial Plaza is taking shape.

A crowd gathers around the Esfera Cuantica Tlahtolli sculpture, recently unveiled at the University of Texas at El Paso (www.youtube.com/user/UTEP)

According to UTEP News, crews recently began digging holes for the trees and shrubbery that will surround the plaza. Centennial Plaza is the centerpiece of UTEP’s Centennial Celebration, a large gathering area bordered by the Union, Geological Sciences, Psychology, and Administration buildings. University construction will ultimately remove streets, parking lots, and concrete areas to reveal a more natural, pedestrian-friendly environment.

Weekly Edition, Issue 68

The Weekly Edition, Issue 68 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:

• Another Union Plaza Building May See Renovation
• UTEP Updates: Campus Work Centers on 'Transformation' Projects, Housing, Transportation, and Art

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‘Mandala Sunrise’ Installation Added to UTEP Campus

Public Art Piece Highlights Relationship Between the University and Bhutan

The drive along Sun Bowl Drive on the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) campus just got a lot more artistic thanks to a new public art installation along the street. “Mandala Sunrise” will greet drivers at the new roundabout at the intersection of Sun Bowl Drive and Glory Road.

The “Mandala Sunrise” public art piece adds color to Sun Bowl Dr. (www.facebook.com/KorynRolstadStudios)

The public art piece, designed by Koryn Rolstad of Seattle (www.krstudios.com), consists of dozens of upright pipes towering over the roundabout decorated with hundreds of colorful resin wings. At night, the piece includes special nighttime lighting.

Weekly Edition, Issue 65

The Weekly Edition, Issue 65 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:

• Work Begins on North Hills Crossing
• 'Mandala Sunrise' Installation Added to UTEP Campus
• Vacant Franklin Avenue Laundromat Transforming Into 'Cantina'

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First Look: Sun Metro Streetcar Facility

Maintenance & Storage Building to Sit at Downtown Transfer Center Site

Streetcars that are part of the future El Paso mass transit line will have a home at the Downtown Transfer Center property, according to a recently revealed rendering and floorplan. The maintenance and storage facility will be located in the southeastern corner of the site, which sits on Santa Fe Street between 3rd Avenue and 4th Avenue.

Rendering of what the streetcar maintenance and storage facility may look like once completed on Santa Fe Street in Downtown El Paso. (CRRMA)

Plans show a proposed 19,122 square foot building that will have some office space but which will mainly be used to store and maintain El Paso’s streetcars. Two pits will be located underneath a pair of tracks in the middle of the structure, allowing maintenance workers to view and access the underside of each trolley.

Weekly Edition, Issue 63

The Weekly Edition, Issue 63 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:

• First Look: Sun Metro Streetcar Facility
• Infill Project to Bring Apartment Building to Magoffin Neighborhood
• City Selects Four Pedestrian/Bicycle Enhancement Projects for Funding Request

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UTEP Updates: ‘Transformation,’ Transportation Projects Continue

Sun Bowl Drive Gets Painted, Student Housing Construction Proceeds

Work on the University of Texas at El Paso’s (UTEP) campus continues as the school prepared for this fall’s Centennial Celebration. Progress can be seen on multiple projects throughout multiple areas of the school.

A roundabout has taken shape at the intersection of Sun Bowl Drive and Glory Road. (UTEP On the Move)

One of the largest projects will improve the center of campus in what UTEP calls its Campus Transformation, creating large gathering spaces, pedestrian-friendly areas, and expansive landscaping in the middle areas of the school grounds. Construction includes removing, parking lots, and concrete areas to reveal a more natural environment.

Closer Look: Newly Funded Transportation Projects

Transportation Commission Approves $97M for Streetcars

The Texas Transportation Commission (TTC) approved a minute order last week that green-lights funding for two large transportation projects in El Paso, including the long-awaited streetcar project slated for the Downtown/University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) areas.

A rusting streetcar sits on El Paso International Airport land in this 2008 photograph. (Historic Trolley Streetcar Initiative Report)

The TTC approved $97 million for the streetcar project as a “regional multimodal” development, serving the I-10 “congested corridor.” The funding will support construction of 4.8 miles of track that will transport riders from Downtown El Paso, including areas near the ports of entry, to UTEP and the nearby Cincinnati entertainment district.

According to the TTC’s Unified Transportation Program update, the streetcar line will include 27 stops. The route, as chosen by City Council, will travel north on Oregon Street, turn east on Glory Road, and then back south on Stanton Street. A circulator will also travel in a loop around Downtown El Paso’s core. New funding is also intended to cover vehicle maintenance and storage facilities.

Downtown Streetcar Project May Receive Funding This Week

The $97 million Dowtown/UTEP streetcar project could break ground as soon as August if the Texas Transportation Commission approves funding.

Continue Reading >>

A vision of what Oregon Street could look like with a streetcar system, from Plan El Paso. (planelpaso.org)

TXDOT to Close I-10 Near UTEP this Weekend for Construction

The Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) will close Interstate 10 near the University of Texas at El Paso again this weekend. The closure is necessary to place concrete girders over I-10 as part of the Spur 1966 (Schuster Avenue) overpass project.

Concrete girders have already been placed over a UTEP parking lot as part of the Spur 1966 project. (Haydon Building Corp.)

Both eastbound and westbound lanes will close on Sunday, June 8, from 5:00 a.m. through Monday, June 9, at 6:00 a.m. Eastbound traffic will be forced to exit at Sunland Park Drive, while westbound commuters will have to exit at Porfirio Diaz Street.

Sun Bowl, Haskins Center to get Upgraded Video Displays

UTEP Partners with Daktronics to Bring Larger, High Resolution Screens to Facilities

Fans attending football and basketball games at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) will be treated to much larger, clearer video displays beginning in the fall. This is thanks to a new partnership with audio-visual technology company Daktronics of South Dakota.

A large, LED display will replace the existing one at the Sun Bowl at UTEP, as seen in this concept image. (Daktronics)

School officials announced the new displays last week, and workers are already removing the existing screen at the south end of the Sun Bowl. This is where the largest display will be installed, a 34 feet tall by 60 feet wide LED screen that will tower above the entrance tunnel. It includes wide-angle visibility and will be capable of showing windowed feeds, different squares within the screen that can be used to show data, animations, video, and advertisements.

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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