Vacancy signs dot Downtown: Fewer border crossers create empty ...

The number of vacant Downtown storefronts is at the highest level in years. "This is the most vacancies we've had since the peso devaluation" in 1994, said Michael Breitinger, executive director of the Central Business Association.

[skz]

apartments in downtown will save you

[Anonimus]

Commercial real estate collapse is begining; prime and Alt-A options will follow. These three combined will cause an economic armaggedon.

[javi]

As I recall back in my haydays late 60s early 70s downtown el paso was so crowded we could not fit in the sidewalks. specially during the upcoming holydays. Those days el paso was a nice place to go shopping. The Christmas seasons was specially nice. I got to meet St. Nick not the Mexican Santa I was used to seening in Juarez. LOL.

[javi]

Anonimus wrote:

Commercial real estate collapse is begining; prime and Alt-A options will follow. These three combined will cause an economic armaggedon.

For sure. Follow by schools such as Lydia Patterson that is solely supported by folks for across the line.

[Rey]

So much for the mayor's and the city council's plans. The people of EP were sold a bill goods and fooled most of you with false hopes to get them re-elected.

The hotel is only at 15 per cent occupancy and required an amendment to the contract to keep it from going under. This is the hotel that was going to save the city. The Womens Bowling Tournament is a very short term income.

Dont fall for anymore insane ideas that the solution is to bulldoze everything in sight and throw up skyscapers. That will only result in empty skyscapers and more money for the scammers. They cant even rent the smaller buildings, what makes you think that you rent the skyscapers?

Simple solution CLEAN UP and RENOVATE what we have. Invest in small downtown businesses not more malls. Look any town that is awash with malls and you WILL see dead downtowns. FT Bliss ? Byrd already made a public anti-FT Bliss statement and besides they will have their OWN first class super mall next year.

CAPITALIZE on the uniqueness of EP and that will bring tourists and rejuvenate the downtown.

[John ontiveros]

just where are all these rich el pasoans all these city officials and developers keep kissing up to. They do nothing to bring sustainable job growth and are obsessed with ridding downtown property owners to big developers yet they (like the owner in the piece) do nothing but complain about their "poor" mexican and american shoppers-el paso delusional elites has a real problem accepting just what the economics and demographics of el paso are-either that or they just dislike who they are!!!!

[mark shinkle]

But there are many vacant businesses in Juarez, too. Maybe people are shopping farther afield. Just a thought. And too, some of the businesses on both sides are run down, need to be refurbished.

[rich wright]

The market has changed. Many American retailers have opened stores in Juarez, and some downtown retailers which were anchors for downtown shopping (like Union Fashion and Starr Western Wear) either left downtown or opened another location. Sure, the economy doesn't help, but the change is structural.

[nono]

all the cartel members are spending their dollars at Best Buy and Wal-Mart. Check the plates in the parking lots...But do they have insurance?

[Rent gougers]

The rent is overcharged for the condition of the buildings. They aren't maintained and hiked the rent all over El Paso. IT is a cartel. You can go to any nice looking city and pay less, even San Diego.

[Joe]

mark shinkle wrote:

But there are many vacant businesses in Juarez, too. Maybe people are shopping farther afield. Just a thought. And too, some of the businesses on both sides are run down, need to be refurbished.

Yes and the "service industry" is pretty much as gone as the manufacturing industry. Today people shop on line. No more messing with crossing the border, or looking for parking spaces, or putting up with aggressive store clerks. Today, you shop on-line. You don't go to a store downtown, you go to a web page.

As far as Juarez shoppers coming over, they were all at the mall. Downtown is for the $1 shoppers and as far as most people are concerned the downtown store owners should just relocate over to Juarez where there customers and employees all live. Those cheap Chinese $1 products don't appeal to Americans or El Pasoans, and these shops don't employ Americans. If they want to stay in business they need to move closer to their customers. Make it easier for their customers so they don't have to continually cross over the border to shop.

[Joe]

Rey wrote:

So much for the mayor's and the city council's plans. The people of EP were sold a bill goods and fooled most of you with false hopes to get them re-elected.
The hotel is only at 15 per cent occupancy and required an amendment to the contract to keep it from going under. This is the hotel that was going to save the city. The Womens Bowling Tournament is a very short term income.
Dont fall for anymore insane ideas that the solution is to bulldoze everything in sight and throw up skyscapers. That will only result in empty skyscapers and more money for the scammers. They cant even rent the smaller buildings, what makes you think that you rent the skyscapers?
Simple solution CLEAN UP and RENOVATE what we have. Invest in small downtown businesses not more malls. Look any town that is awash with malls and you WILL see dead downtowns. FT Bliss ? Byrd already made a public anti-FT Bliss statement and besides they will have their OWN first class super mall next year.
CAPITALIZE on the uniqueness of EP and that will bring tourists and rejuvenate the downtown.

Good points. Some big tax cuts would help. If El Pasoans weren't paying outrageous taxes, they'd have more money to leave their house to sleep in some downtown hotel now and then, maybe get the occupancy to 25 or 30% but there'd be more money to invest.

No one is going to drive past all the malls with their free parking to go shop downtown with the border crossers and later find an expensive parking ticket on their car.

There is no point in competing with other cities for traffic problems and urban blight and tearing down all that does make us unique. Bring back the old downtown with it's alligators and atmosphere and more people would probably bother to go there.

[Sinaloa]

What a pity. To think of all the jobs American's could have had in these places. I haven't been Downtown in a long time. Too much traffic, not enough places to park without having to pay. I particularly liked the Texas Cafe and recommend it for a good meal at a not so expensive price.

[Sinaloa]

Joe wrote:

<quoted text>
Good points. Some big tax cuts would help. If El Pasoans weren't paying outrageous taxes, they'd have more money to leave their house to sleep in some downtown hotel now and then, maybe get the occupancy to 25 or 30% but there'd be more money to invest.
No one is going to drive past all the malls with their free parking to go shop downtown with the border crossers and later find an expensive parking ticket on their car.
There is no point in competing with other cities for traffic problems and urban blight and tearing down all that does make us unique. Bring back the old downtown with it's alligators and atmosphere and more people would probably bother to go there.

I highly agree with the "Old Town" affect and the Alligators. I never did get to see them fed. Did you?:)

[Mario L]

Wait a minute, downtown El Paso is nothing short of a swapmeet. It's inconceivable that in the year 2009 in a major city over 700,000 people downtown exists for the residents of Juarez who buy $3 socks, $2 hats, $5 shirts. I am not against poor people. There should be low prices and a balanced approach to retail. How can a city permit a mediocre downtown to exist for so many decades. On the rare occasion when I venture downtown I really feel like I am in 1979 and Jimmy Carter is the President. San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, are light years in front of us. Let's just face it, we would be better off if we were New Mexico's biggest city. Austin is too far from us and we are governed by one party that doesn't demand excellence, rather they perpetuate the status quo.

[Nacho]

Downtown El Paso has to demolish and reinvent itself. City Council are you listening. Better yet the Orientals & Arabs who own these dollar thrift shops. It doesn't matter your race but it is clear the Oriental & Arab small business community run the downtown shops of El Paso.

It is time to implode some buildings and add decent parking with reasonable parking fees. Tear down some of the tenant housing to accommodate the traffic. Many El Pasoans like the thrift shop & swap mentality and it is time for these small business owners downtown to work something out.

Downtown Juarez is attempting such a feat. Anybody drive through the downtown area of Juarez. They are tearing down and demolishing the buildings. The only stretch that somewhat looks like what we know is the main street. Mexico is letting somebody redo downtown Juarez - hopefully the streets are better organized. Downtown works in Juarez because people there use public transportation.

[Nacho]

Mario L wrote:

Wait a minute, downtown El Paso is nothing short of a swapmeet. It's inconceivable that in the year 2009 in a major city over 700,000 people downtown exists for the residents of Juarez who buy $3 socks,$2 hats,$5 shirts. I am not against poor people. There should be low prices and a balanced approach to retail. How can a city permit a mediocre downtown to exist for so many decades. On the rare occasion when I venture downtown I really feel like I am in 1979 and Jimmy Carter is the President. San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, are light years in front of us. Let's just face it, we would be better off if we were New Mexico's biggest city. Austin is too far from us and we are governed by one party that doesn't demand excellence, rather they perpetuate the status quo.

Status quo is run by those small business owners of downtown El Paso to work to reinvent themselves. The one party dominance is not the problem it is the unwillingness of the downtown landowners to demolish some of those buildings from the last turn of the century. This could be worked out with public parking and facilities. The only decent restrooms in downtown are for their employees or if you venture into JCPenney, or the banks. This is the time for the city to buy these properties and implode these buildings. Not every building is historical.

Mario L. & Joe & Rey your thinking is what I think of downtown also along with most people in El Paso. People of El Paso view downtown as a swap or thrift shop area with many counterfeit items. It is like people would really believe you could buy 3 Nike or Reebok or Adidas t-shirts for $10.oo and the would be authentic. Downtown owners People know its counterfeit.

[hmmmmmmmmm]

Millions of vehicles cross and pay to cross. Where are the millions of dollars?

[PinkyandNoBrain]

Deport them Mexicans. Keep them out of your city. Before you know it, you won't have much of a city. Your city depends so much on the Mexican people buying things and you don't realize it. I vote for closing the border. This will only send your craphole of a town further down the toilet. Find out how much money mexicans spend in El Paso daily.

First it will be VACANT APARTMENTS.

Next it will be VACANT STORES.

Next it will be rising UNEMPLOYMENT.

Next it will be BI-ATCH BI-ATCH about the screwed up economy.

[PinkyandNoBrain]

2006: 6.19 million pedestrians, 3.39 million vehicles.

2007: 6.88 million pedestrians, 2.86 million vehicles.*

2008: 6.24 million pedestrians, 2.18 million vehicles.

2009:** 4.67 million pedestrians, 1.63 million vehicles.

Even if these millions of border crossers spend only $1 each, that's a lot of dollars for el taco's economy. The reality is that they spend much more.