Asarco (Houston, El Paso, San Angelo: theater, income, to live in)

[Smooth from ELP]

Wow this is a great post. What about a little river walk around that area? There is a great mexican resturant next to an Paisano over pass. That little area has great potential as a local tourist attraction.

VOTE VOTE VOTE. Keep the young talent in ELP. Out with the old and in with the new!!!!

[case44]

Michaelmac, I do believe you are on to something here!

[El Passeaux]

Great Idea!

[Muhnay]

Wont happen in my 15 year olds lifetime, and thats if he lives to be one hundred.

Nice idea.. too bad it will never be.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Knowing what Asarco did to the land, I would have to agree with Muhnay on this one. However, this is a great visionary idea, maybe just move it elsewhere in the area?

The problem I see is liability, not on Asarco's part, but any developer. Let's say Asarco just gave away the land, whomever takes the land will have to clean up the years of contamination even beyond on what has already been done. A massive undertaking. Even if they did, you will always have opportunistic lawyers and their clients who will sue any corporation with deep pockets who build there.

I just think the stigma will always be there. Does anyone remember Love Canal? They cleaned that place up, put down plastic barriers under the earth, tested and tested, yet people living there now develop cancers that are similar to those caused by dioxin poisoning. Maybe not related, but tell that to the lawyers.

Again, I always thought the Asarco plant/town was nicely nestled by the mountains; however, the truth prevails.

[LEVOW]

The problem in el paso, is "NOT" having the space to build things, just not having the money to do so, we have alot of land to build, stadiums, amusement parks, planned communities, etc etc, we just dont have the funds to build!

[kidicarus89]

There's no reason cities like Phoenix or Denver could accomplish those kinds of things and El Paso could not. Lack of motivation and drive is the culprit.

[michaelmac500]

I realize a plan like this would probably have to come from outside investors. They would have to be high rolling gamblers with big brass b@!!s.

If anything else, I would just like to see Asarco torn down. Not only is it one of the biggest eyesores in town, but it is also a toxic mess. It's located in one of the most scenic areas of town nestled right in the pass surrounded by the rugged foot hills of, Mt. Cristo Rey, the Franklins and the Juarez mountains.

It would be a major improvement just to have the place brought down, have the area detoxified and planted over with native vegetation.

It is always a big disappointment driving up through the rugged beauty of trans mountain pass, stopping at the rest area on the west slopes looking down on El Paso del Norte, and see that great big ugly smoke stack defacing what could be one of the more beautiful urban landscape scenes in the country.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

It is funny you mention the stack, michaelmac500. When I lived in El Paso, I did not like the Phelps Dodge stack. I lived only a few miles from it and always saw it, I thought it was ugly as well.

Then I moved away, and yet after several years, I'd always look for it when I would go back home. I've not lived in El Paso for many years, but still go back from time to time. Imagine my surprise when they took it down. It was a little sad to me, it represented history and was a landmark.

I understand it was not safe, etc., but the point I am making is that unless you are away from it, you may not realize you will miss it.

It would be great if they could somehow detoxify it, remove the lead and arsenic and just leave it.

'Don't know if you are old enough to recall Pink Floyd; they have an album called ANIMALS. On it is the famous factory in London with the smoke stacks. That was due to be torn down, but was saved by the community. I am glad they did, I've seen the building live, up close myself, and it is truly a unique structure, nice, old and with lots of history. The Asarco is not as nice, but still lots of history. How many other structures from the 1800s still exist in El Paso? The stack has been modified, but it's origin dates back to the 1880s when the smelter was built.

Regards

[kidicarus89]

I second that the iconic smokestack itself be preserved. Plus local pilots use it for navigation.