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- EL PASO'S SOUTH SIDE HOUSING BOOM
EL PASO (El Paso Times) – Downtown and the area just south of it are receiving a rush of residents, as public and private housing projects cater to people of various economic backgrounds.
The housing authority opened 58 units Monday in the Alamito Gardens Apartments in the Segundo Barrio neighborhood over decades-old buildings that were demolished in 2006. Another 250 units are being added over the next two years with federal taxpayers’ dollars.
As units come online, between 70 and 75 percent of Segundo Barrio’s previous residents will return to the neighborhood they called home before they disbursed throughout the city for Alamito Gardens’ construction.
La Fe Community Development Corp. is planning to build the upscale, 91-unit Magoffin Park Villas, which will cater to young professionals looking to live downtown. There are also lofts selling for more than $250,000 at First Ave. and Florence St.
Builders working on south side projects said it has become more economically feasible for families to move into the downtown area. They said that the new apartment complexes are making it more attractive for people of all economic backgrounds to pick Segundo Barrio.
The pull to Segundo Barrio is demanding more commercial space, according to housing authority officials. Plans are underway to include a small-business element in the Alamito neighborhood.
Additionally, the El Paso Independent School District is speeding up plans to use over $12 million in 2007 bond revenue to either renovate the 111-year-old Alamo Elementary School or raze and build a new building to accommodate the area’s repopulation. The school was temporarily closed when residents were relocated four years ago.