San Jacinto Plaza is the historic heart of El Paso, Texas. City officials are planning a major redevelopment of the plaza, perhaps even expanding its traditional borders and using New York's Bryant Park rebirth as a model.
While in a prominent location and bearing a long history (at 130 years old, it's El Paso's oldest public space), San Jacinto Plaza is significantly underused. City Representatives Beto O'Rourke and Steve Ortega want that to change.
Marty Schladen reports:
"[O'Rourke and Ortega] want to expand the park -- possibly by closing a lane on surrounding streets -- to add trees and to remove fences and signs that keep people out of many areas of the square-block plaza.
"It's impossible to come into this park and walk on a single blade of grass," Ortega said on a recent visit as he pointed out multiple signs telling visitors what they can't do.
Instead, O'Rourke wants to redevelop San Jacinto Plaza along the lines of Bryant Park in Manhattan."
FULL STORY: Downtown evolution: Critics plan challenge of Plaza face-lift
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