It appears that plans are in place to kick the EPISD central office off of the land that it leased from the city 50 years ago.
Building a new facility will cost us $40 million according to the folks at the district. Remember that our city’s chief financial officer is on the board of managers. If she had anything to do with the $40 million estimate I would have to guess that we are in for a bigger shock than that.
I overheard a local businessman talking about this the other day. He suggested that the district look for buildings in one of our industrial parks that could be remodeled. Several big operations have closed down in recent years. They have left big buildings that should be cheaper to buy and remodel than building a facility from scratch.
Then again the taxpayers should ask the city to leave the district on the land it currently occupies and thus save us the expense.
That probably would get in the way of someone’s plan to profit from the land.
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
The Airport land. . . . is very expensive land now.
And if the contract. . . . many many (you say 50 years !?) then when that contract is up, the rent might be many times the price that the EPISD would / could be willing to pay.
But, whatever the reasons. . . . Yes, there are industrial parks with huge buildings they could buy. It’s not like they NEED to be on a main street or in retail space.
Out on Pellicano and Rojas streets many many big buildings sitting there.
They SHOULD NOT attempt to buy buildings DOWNTOWN.
Do not.
Do not.
Do not.
I have visited the Airport EPISD and they REALLY dont need that much space, it looks like. There is not a lot going on over there. I see a lot of people just sitting at their desks, doing nothing. Just staring into space and chit-chatting with each other. Talking about where they can get the newest and tallest high-heals. They have one room for this. . . .and one room for that and each room is Labeled and . . . I dont KNOW WHAT they could be doing.
I see several empty rooms. I see a theater. If they have need for large rooms for conferences, ONCE in a while, they COULD use UTEP or a high school facility.
Looks like each office has 3 or 4 “assistants” just sitting there with their Extra High Heels on. I see them. I hear. . . . click, click, click, click (high heals) all over the hallways.
(those really really high heals. . . have GOT to cause some back aches.)
Very nice folks there. Will chit-chat with anyone that walks in.
But, I just dont see. . . . volumes and volumes and reems and reems of work being done.
( I guess I/m used to seeing workers hustle to try and meet deadlines so they can make a profit.)
Just seems like the whole thing could fit in a small office building. Maybe they dont need all that space or all those workers with an assistant for every assistant.
I almost asked: “WHAT do you people do?” when I was there, but, no.
They hire and fire teachers and order supplies and books for the district. OK. That should take about 4 people to do. Or, maybe 10 people?
During the late 1960’s my dad furnished all of the art supplies to the district and it was a ONE PERSON JOB.
One person with a panel van.
But, now the district is larger. OK. Fine.
I saw 3 men walking the halls, but the rest were women in all of the offices I peeked into.
Maybe, just maybe, they really dont need such a large facility, or so many people working there?
Privately owned businesses KNOW that One business OWNER can do the work of about 5 people. (See it happen during 2 Peso devaluations (over 30 years) and now just a few years ago when the housing crisis came down the pike (last 5 years) and many people were laid off and the OWNERS filled all those jobs themselves.
So, overstaffing at any tax-payer-funded operation just chaps my ass.
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777 – Just admit it. Carlos is right. You have a problem with women. Brutus is concerned about the possible termination of a land lease, which would result in higher taxes. You’re concerned about high heels and women “chit-chatting” … as if guys don’t sit around offices talking about guns, golf and sports. Your unjust criticism of women actually hurts this forum. And no, a business owner cannot do the work of five people.
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Its not my fault that women CHOOSE to wear uncomfortable footwear and click click click all over the building.
IF. . . . IF. . . . IF there were men in all those offices then they would be chit-chatting about sports and guns. Sure.
But, I see mostly women. There they are. I SEE them.
And you need to talk to some business owners that have been through massive layoffs at their businesses.
They work 18 hour days and work SMARTER to get the work done of 5 regular workers.
Ask them.
Ask bank and SBA counsellors the stories they have heard what business owners HAVE to go through.
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The entity that ends up owning or leasing the airport land will also likely receive tax breaks.
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the bleeding wont stop with a band aid. they should rent from foster, abraham or hunt. they all have available space downtown.
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Lowe on Redd Rd and I -10 for sale one level wired for Internet lots of parking Beats $40 million no Thaj Ma hall
Sent from my iPhone
>
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what about that great big white elephant safeway building on railroad ?
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That Safeway bldg is in the Ysleta district…
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does that really matter ? a good deal is a good deal where ever it is.
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EPISD rental is a taxpayer wash: EPISD taxes us and pays rent to the City. My guess is that the game plan, irrespective of the merits of the airport land use, is to rent or buy downtown, thus converting public revenue to private (landlord or owner) revenue, i.e., Foster, Abraham, Borderplex. Sort of like the stadium subsidy that did the same.
That could explain the CFO’s purpose on the board of managers, to make the “business case” for another raid on the public checkbook. She has “proven experience” at doing so 🙂
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