Amenity or Burden? Downtown Revitalization in El Paso: A Case Study

Methods

Planners organized various design charettes when preparing Plan El Paso, this case study includes the results from the Central Neighborhood design charette. Next, I collected the perspectives of El Pasoans using journalistic sources regarding downtown revitalization. This search was performed using keywords such as “downtown revitalization”, “Duranguito”, “El Paso” on databases such as Google News and Newspaper Archive. Local perspectives will be included in the findings section and will explain why some groups resist downtown revitalization proposals. Furthermore, this critical evaluation utilized theoretical perspectives based in Latino placemaking and decentralized rationality. The evaluation included literature from Brooks, Davidoff, and Irazábal & Farhat. These sources provide context on how planners fell short of including local perspectives when composing Plan El Paso.

Findings

• Design charettes were not effective in creating a unanimous vision for downtown El Paso, which is evident by groups voicing concerns about downtown revitalization.
• Planners should rethink their approach to downtown revitalization by acting as advocates on behalf of all parties affected by the project, given past resistance to downtown revitalization.
• Planners must take the historical and social ties of Duranguito into consideration before revitalizing the area.

The findings from design charettes identified concepts such as restoration of historic buildings, commercial and residential development in downtown, reclamation of rail yards for future use, shared parking, infrastructure improvements, and light rails for transportation as elements that would be beneficial to add in downtown El Paso (Plan El Paso, 2012). While this session seemed to be productive given the planners’ findings, it does not fully represent what some groups envision for that area due to the charette having only 40 participants (Plan El Paso, 2012).

El Pasoans voice concerns about downtown revitalization, specifically regarding the proposed addition of an arena near Duranguito. In 2012 El Pasoans voted to approve a bond project for quality-of-life improvements. However, the result of the approval was the proposed construction of a sports arena (Paulsen, 2022). The approval sparked controversy resulting in a lawsuit about the language used on the ballot for the bond project (Paulsen, 2022). The consequences of a sports arena in the area are unknown, but considering the controversy it has sparked, it is not a step in the right direction.

This is not the first time El Pasoans have expressed discontent with downtown revitalization proposals. Plans to revitalize Downtown El Paso and implement an arena in Duranguito have been in the works since 2006 through the “Downtown 2015 Plan” which was composed by investors interested in developing Downtown El Paso (Lopez Velador, 2019). Some community members voiced concerns about the use of eminent domain which would displace the remaining downtown residents, albeit as a last resort (Aguilar, 2006). Proposals from community members have suggested preserving the area as a cultural and historical site (Hall, 2006).

It is evident that efforts to revitalize Downtown El Paso have been fruitless amid the controversies that are associated with it (Perez, 2022). This is due to the approaches that planners and urban designers utilized when drafting Plan El Paso. Design charettes serve a good purpose for facilitating a design consensus, but El Pasoans who reside in neighborhoods such as Duranguito also need planners to act as advocates on their behalf.

It is naïve for planners to continue with the same approach as it only advocates for those who benefit from business interests in downtown. Planners must argue for all affected by downtown revitalization (Brooks, 2017, pp. 39-42). This view may not be well received by private developers or city council members in favor of overhauling downtown El Paso, but it would resonate with El Pasoans who feel that their voices have been ignored in the past.

Planners must make the effort to understand, appreciate, and implement the Latino experience into downtown El Paso (Irazábal & Farhat, 2012). El Paso has a large population of Mexican Americans whose experience is different from what Plan El Paso is offering for downtown revitalization. Given that neighborhoods such as Duranguito have their roots in Latino placemaking, that perspective should remain salient throughout the planning process (Irazábal & Farhat, 2012; Paulsen, 2022). I believe this can be achieved through advocacy planning as it would be inclusive of the perspectives from El Pasoans when it comes to downtown revitalization and try to devise a plan that captures their vision (Brooks, 2017, p. 109).

The political and social values of El Pasoans were not examined and were not afforded the same opportunity as those with business interests aiming to revitalize downtown. Planners should “represent an individual, group, or organization” and “affirm their position in language understandable to his client and to the decision makers he seeks to convince” (Davidoff, 2011). Plan El Paso is a unitary plan that did not include what El Pasoans were saying about downtown revitalization prior to its adoption. There were public participation efforts for the process, but citizens remain unsatisfied. As result of this, there should be a space for plurality in the decision-making process in revitalizing downtown El Paso. Planners should consider the perspectives of all the parties interested in revitalizing downtown El Paso, interpret their individual plans, then work to reach a consensus (Brooks, 2017, p. 109).

The decision-making process for advocacy planning may result in gridlock or be politically naïve as Brooks (2017, p. 113-114) points out. Advocacy planning is no easy task, but it should be regarded as a theoretical starting point for planning in areas that host historical or socials ties. Design charettes served a purpose in the composition of Plan El Paso, however there is more to be understood from groups that want to see areas such as Duranguito thrive in the future.

Future Scenario

The future scenario provides an insight of how advocacy planning could provide an equitable future for the residents of El Paso. Furthermore, it provides an example of how longtermism could be utilized to allocate resources for the success of future generations. The future scenario offers three sections: business-as-usual, advanced climate change, and a new scenario. Each section details how downtown revitalization led to a new class of citizens interested in investing back into the community and how cutting-edge technology was utilized to combat advanced climate change, resulting in the new Ciudad Paso.

Business-as-usual

The City of El Paso had plans to revitalize downtown for a while but prevailed amid several compromises. Eager investors were able to transform downtown into a modern neighborhood that hosts young professionals who are employed by tech companies and work from home in trendy apartments. The young professionals also enjoyed a state-of-the-art entertainment district where Duranguito stood once upon a time.

Longtime residents of El Paso were unsatisfied with the direction the city government took to revitalize downtown, which was evident by resistance to the development projects organized by neighborhood preservation interest groups. Initially, interest groups were fighting to keep Duranguito unscathed by development, but properties in the area were owned by the city and were sold for development. Planners then shifted their focus and devised a plan that would capture the history and culture of Duranguito in a just way by working with downtown interest groups. Their idea was to incorporate the essence of the historic neighborhood into the entertainment district by constructing a museum and commissioning artwork that would visualize the history of downtown El Paso.

Downtown El Paso is historically known as an area where early migrants and settlers established themselves (Paulsen, 2022). Due to the history of downtown El Paso and the increasing rate of migrants from Central America arriving in El Paso, planners also proposed multi-family housing projects to provide shelter for migrant families. Work programs and education initiatives were devised to encourage migrant families to settle in El Paso.

The plan was well received by city officials, but the ultimate decision rested on El Pasoans. On Election Day in 2060, citizens of El Paso voted to devote a space where the history of downtown El Paso would be displayed. El Pasoans also approved the proposed housing projects and social programs for migrant families. Stakeholders were satisfied with the decisions made on Election Day and looked forward to a bright future.

The road to revitalize downtown El Paso was long but, in the end, there was compromise. Investors witnessed great returns from their development projects and there was a new population of people residing in downtown El Paso. The young professionals enjoyed the arid climate and plentiful amenities near their new homes. Migrant families found great opportunities in El Paso and contributed to future growth and issues such as the looming threat of climate change.

Advanced Climate Change

In 2110 climate change was deemed a global crisis. Humans confronted unpredictable weather patterns, intense heat, and rising sea levels, among other environmental catastrophes. All hands were on deck and people were doing their part to survive. Longtermism played a vital theoretical starting point for El Paso’s local government in determining the best path forward. City officials decided that El Paso’s future population deserved a fighting chance amid the climate crises. As a result of this perspective, the City of El Paso developed state-of-the-art public transportation systems and infrastructure that provided citizens with relief from the intense heat.

Autonomous electric public transportation was implemented in 2090 and was widely used by El Pasoans, resulting in a stark decline of the personal internal combustion engine vehicle. Urban designers and geoengineers developed technology that created an artificial tree canopy that provided a cooling effect from the intense heat. The widespread use of this technology encouraged El Pasoans to gather in public spaces, resulting in better social cohesion.

Water resources were slowly depleted year after year, but thanks to the decisions made by officials in 2080, El Pasoans did not have to worry about a shortage of water. Officials decided to minimize their current needs and instead focused on how to ensure the survival of future generations, using longtermism as a theoretical starting point. This was achieved by developing a consensus amongst El Pasoans to employ strict water conservation guidelines.

El Paso was able to survive and supply vital resources to residents amid the consequences of advanced climate change. Furthermore, due to increased social cohesion, younger El Pasoans decided to settle down in their hometown. The new creative class in El Paso provided a plethora of ideas to ensure the continued growth of the region.

The New Ciudad Paso

The young professionals and migrants who moved to downtown El Paso decades ago created a tech conglomerate that utilizes automation, robotics, and AI to replace the previous manufacturing industries prevalent in El Paso and Ciudad Juarez. Many people are no longer employed, but the economic output from the new manufacturing sector is vast. Ciudad Paso now benefits from an equitable UBI system.

The years have been long and hard amid the global climate crisis. Several governments at all levels have collapsed, including the US and Mexican federal governments in 2198. Political borders no longer exist, leaving Ciudad Juarez and El Paso with no option but to merge. However, this transition went rather smoothly considering the advantages presented in the region by the availability of water, heat remedies, and a UBI system. Residents of El Paso and Ciudad Juarez were content with the climate crisis response from both local governments and believed it was a natural progression to become one city.

However, the work is not finished for planners. Planners from both sides of the Rio Grande must now respond to the needs of a new city with diverse perspectives and needs. Public transportation, water infrastructure, and green infrastructure are all expanded to service all residents of the region. Other regions have fallen to the effects of climate change, but Ciudad Paso was prepared to face this challenge and is now a beacon for those seeking refuge from the global catastrophe.

References

Aguilar, M. (2022, May 31). Revitalization Compromise Needed Downtown. El Paso Prospector, pp. 2–3.

Brooks, M. P. (2017). Planning theory for practitioners. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781351179454

Davidoff, P. (2011). Advocacy and Pluralism in Planning. In R. T. LeGates & F. Stout (Eds.), The City Reader (7th ed., pp. 435–445). Routledge.

Hall, J. (2006, June 7). Letters to the editor . El Paso Prospector , p. 2.

Irazábal, C., & Farhat, R. (2012). Historical Overview of Latinos and Planning in the Southwest: 1900 to the present. In Diálogos: Placemaking in Latino Communities (pp. 23–35).

Lopez Velador , J. M. (2019). Voices of Duranguito: A Barrio Under Siege . Pathways: A Journal of Humanistic and Social Inquiry , 1(1).

MacAskill, W. (2022, August 5). The Case for Longtermism. The New York Times. Retrieved November 15, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/05/opinion/the-case-for-longtermism.html

Medellin , B. (2017, July 31). Activist group fights to preserve barrio duranguito. Borderzine. Retrieved November 3, 2022, from https://borderzine.com/2017/07/activist-group-fights-to-preserve-barrio-duranguito/

Paulsen, S. (2022, March 12). There once was a bridge. Courthouse News Service. Retrieved November 3, 2022, from https://www.courthousenews.com/there-once-was-a-bridge/

Perez, E. S. (2022, July 7). City may overhaul plans for Downtown Arena. El Paso Matters. Retrieved November 3, 2022, from https://elpasomatters.org/2022/02/28/city-may-overhaul-plans-for-downtown-arena/

What is a design charrette? Iconica Creates. (2021, March 22). Retrieved November 3, 2022, from https://iconicacreates.com/what-is-a-design-charrette/