The El Paso County Commissioners Court is pitching in to bring the Downtown I-10 Deck Plaza to life.
The Commissioners Court voted 3-2 Monday to contribute $1 million to support the design phase of the Deck Plaza project. Commissioners Iliana Holguin and Jackie Butler voted against the allocation.
“This initial investment does not commit the county to future funding,” a county news release stated. “Instead, it allows the county to actively participate in the design phase and obtain essential information about costs, construction feasibility, and governance options, which will be critical in making any future decisions.”
The deck plaza project represents a major public space project in Downtown. The idea, however, has not been without some controversy because of associated preliminary costs of the project.
The county’s vote follows a 7-1 vote from the El Paso City Council to approve a resolution of support for the project to accompany a $25 million grant application in June. The city previously spend $750,000 into two failed grant applications.
The Texas Legislature also approved $10 million for the project pending project approval from federal agencies.
While the city has touted a price tag of $207 million for the project, an initial study from Stantec Consulting Services in November 2022 found the total cost of the project would be $412 million.
The total projected cost for the design phase of the project is $20 million. Along with the allocation from the county, another $1.3 million has been secured through the federal RAISE grant program and the Paso Del Norte Community Foundation.
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso County Commissioners Court pledges $1M for I-10 Deck Plaza design phase
Reporting by Adam Powell, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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