Thread: 4,500 housing units starting in El Paso

Smart building: 290-unit apartment project is first step for Montecillo plan

By Vic Kolenc \ EL PASO TIMES
Posted: 05/12/2011 01:33:47 AM MDT

Work has begun on a 290-unit apartment project that's the beginning of El Paso's first Smart Code development -- the 292-acre Montecillo community in West El Paso.

When fully developed years from now, it's expected to have about 4,500 apartments, townhouses and single-family homes. It also will have stores, offices and open spaces.

The city's almost 2-year-old Smart Code is aimed at building developments that cater more to pedestrians than cars and provide for a high density of various types of residential housing mixed with commercial and open-space components.

EPT Land Communities will have a groundbreaking ceremony at 1 p.m. today for the apartment complex -- The Venue at Montecillo -- at 4901 Mesa, near Argonaut Drive. The four-building complex will face Mesa Street and include 15,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space.

"We're proud to be first" to use the Smart Code, said David Bogas, director of development for EPT. "It will have great appeal. We decided to take the risk."

EPT is a partnership of three El Pasoans, including Richard Aguilar, who also owns Bella Homes and many apartment projects.

EPT could receive up to $22 million in property tax rebates from the city over 20 years to help pay for streets, parks and other public projects in Montecillo as part of an agreement City Council approved with EPT as an incentive to use the Smart Code.

A similar agreement has been made with the developer of another proposed Smart Code community -- El

Cruzero, a proposed 240-acre development at Joe Battle and Montana.
Mathew McElroy, deputy director of the city Planning and Economic Development Department, said that if the Montecillo development is successful in attracting residents, then other developers are more likely to do other Smart Code projects.

The ultimate goal is to change the "development paradigm in the city" from urban sprawl to more sustainable, walkable and transit-served neighborhoods, McElroy said.

EPT has a huge, conceptual model of how Montecillo may look when fully developed. It is to have about 4,500 apartments, townhouses and single-family homes, according to EPT. Single-family housing will be the smallest portion of the development's housing stock. It will have "civic spaces," such as an amphitheater for concerts, and open spaces, including some arroyos, Bogas said.

EPT must submit a more-detailed plan of Montecillo to the city by next spring.

Linda Bastraw, president of the Greater El Paso Association of Realtors, said she has not seen EPT's plans, but, she said, El Paso needs other types of housing products besides single-family homes because people have different needs.

"Periodically we get requests for townhomes, and we don't have a lot of that to offer," Bastraw said. This type of project is new to El Paso, she said, but "I think people will be receptive to it."

EPT officials are calling The Venue at Montecillo the start of the Montecillo development. But the apartment complex is outside the Smart Code designated area because it was planned before the development was switched to the Smart Code. But, McElroy said, it should blend OK into the entire Smart Code development.

Mesa divides two pieces of the Monticello land. An 80-acre part is above Mesa. The development is bordered by Interstate 10 on the West, San Clemente on the East, Fiesta Hills on the North and a proposed Walmart development on the south.

Montecillo will add traffic to Mesa, but less than a traditional, single-family home subdivision would bring, McElroy said.

A Smart Code development will reduce vehicle trips 17 to 40 percent because residents are more likely to walk or use a bicycle because stores, doctors' offices and other places people visit are close to homes, McElroy said.

It took EPT about two years to level the hilly, desert land to make it suitable for development.

The Venue at Montecillo apartment complex will take about 16 months to complete, Bogas said.

Next up likely will be construction of a 183-unit apartment complex for active seniors, age 55 and up, Bogas said. That would be on Castellano.

"There's no timeline for development" of the entire community, Bogas said. "It will take a considerable amount of time."

McElroy said that if Monticello is "super popular," it could be developed in 10 to 15 years.

EPT is not divulging development costs.

A city document estimated the value of the completed development at $777 million.

Vic Kolenc may be reached at vkolenc@elpasotimes.com; 546-6421.

More information: eptcommunities.com

http://www.elpasotimes.com/business/ci_18044027

IF you ever drive thru El Paso you will see it is a TOILET! What a waste of $$$$$. Everytime we go to Texas we hate driving through it and go with the doors locked and windows rolled up and pray we don't have car problems......

Sounds like the colonization will continue. When the homebuilder groups have gone to Washington, DC begging for federal assistance it is a given that an awfully high number of them will use illegal labor in their projects.

Time to purchase Rosetta Stone Spanish all!!

[Make sure to get the LATIN AMERICAN ver. not the EUR. ver. ]

The powers that be [FEDERAL RESERVE / MEDIA] will make sure the NEW WORLD ORDER will happen..aint much you can do.

Just my lousy 0.02 pesos.

TM