EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Texas Tech University Huckabee School of Architecture students present their vision for how the Duranguit neighborhood in downtown El Paso could be redesigned Friday afternoon, May 3, 2024 .
The students will expand on the original vision of the neighborhood and community, which was explored through the Duranguito Regeneration Plan several years ago.
That original vision included new low-income housing, museums, and cultural spaces that could draw visitors to learn about the neighborhood’s history.
David Romo, a member of Project Regeneracion (Regeneration), said the new vision, which will be announced Friday, will allow for even more community input.
“The students did an amazing job. Many of them really put their heart and soul into it. What they’re asking is, ‘How can we do both?’ How do we start a project that is created by the community and serves the community, but is also a way to preserve history and frame it in a cutting-edge way?” Romo said.
The presentation is free and open to the public on the 17th floor of the Blue Fame Building, 304 Texas Avenue, starting at 5:30 p.m.
Romo said this is an ongoing process and encourages further input from the community so everyone can participate in restoring Duranguito.
“We want Durangito to become a model, not only for our city, but also for our country, of what truly community-generated energy can do for a space. We fought long and hard to stop the bulldozers, and now we want to show what we can do in this area,” Romo said.
