Land Will Attract Large Manufacturer

The 1,042 acres of land the Public Service Board sold to the City of El Paso, located off Stan Roberts Sr.

The 1,042 acres of land that the Public Service Board transferred to the City of El Paso will be a major draw for large manufacturers considering El Paso as a site for business. The transaction gives the City a certified shovel-ready mega site that can quickly be transferred to a private entity.

The land is on Stan Roberts Sr. Avenue near the New Mexico state line.

“Major projects will eliminate cities if a company has to go though a multiple-step process to acquire the land,” said Bob Cook, president of the El Paso Regional Economic Development Corporation. “This transfer is important from a speed standpoint, and it allows us to focus on selling the community and not worry about real estate.”

The staff worked with the City of El Paso and the Regional Economic Development Corporation to identify a site that would accommodate a large manufacturing facility. Cook says the Northeast El Paso acreage is suitable for major corporations such as automotive manufacturers and life science companies.

The PSB purchased the two parcels in 1954 at a cost of $27.46 and $35 per acre respectively. The City’s cost averages $161.46 per acre, which is the original cost plus 3 percent per year in interest costs. After five years, the PSB has an option to buy back the land at the cost the City paid for it if an economic development project is not underway.

“This will give us a shovel-ready mega site, which is something that El Paso is lacking but that we should have given our population base and the skilled workforce that we have,” said City Economic Development Director Kathy Dodson. “When you have something like that, it makes this community much more attractive to major manufacturers. That’s why we feel it’s important to do this.”