EL PASO
ASSOCIATION
years
OF
BUILDERS
B U I L D I N G E L PA S O ’ S F U T U R E S I N C E 19 4 6
www.elpasobuilders.com www.epbuilders.org
Builders
utlook
2012/11
Sun power increased at EPAB
City Hall to relocate, easy transition not expected By Ray Adauto, EPAB
T
he vote was in and now the hard part begins. It is especially true for the employees of the City of El Paso who have made City Hall their home over the last thirty years. The complex located downtown is to become the new location for the new Triple A baseball franchise and so come sometime in the next four months one of the biggest implosions ever undertaken in El Paso’s history. When the city hall complex comes down the employees and offices that have been housed there will be scattered literally around downtown. For people doing business with the city it will also require patience and fortitude. City hall houses about 600 employees and both the city manager’s office as well as offices for elected representatives including the Mayor. Moving one department isn’t an easy task but having to relocate so many departments will be a challenge, no matter the planning. John Dorney, of Dorney Security and a member of the El Paso Association of Builders has years of experience moving and relocating soldiers and others for the U.S. Army. “It is difficult to plan such a move and it will require some maneuvering and some luck in order to meet the timelines they are talking about,” he said. “I have moved soldiers across the street and across the globe, and any time you have to execute a critical move like this requires skill and
timing,” Dorney told the Outlook. One of the most critical issues is where different departments will be housed. Recently City council bought the building that houses the El Paso Times. This is where it appears that the City Manager, Council and Mayor will be moving to. As part of that move planning for city council meetings and regular meeting space will have to be designed, built and open for business rather quickly. City Manager Joyce Wilson has been leading the efforts towards the move, and thinks she has it down if things work out right. “We have had to plan this move while making sure city business continues, but I have faith in the employees and staff that we will meet our deadlines and have a smooth transition,” Ms. Wilson said. The critical timing of the move is required in order to meet commitments to Major League Baseball for opening the ball park in 2014. Site inspection, remediation, and demolition are one aspect, while the others is where to put all 600 employees and the departments they work in. One employee, on the condition of anonymity told the Outlook that this move is complicated and a little disorganized. “My fear is that we box everything up, load up and then have nowhere to land,” the city employee said. “I can tell you that just moving from one floor to another in the building is hardly a cakewalk, but this is something at a whole other level.” Those fears and others have been part of the concern voiced by opponents of the city hall
demolition and move. Former mayor Ray Salazar was in office when city hall was built and took the current administration to federal court seeking a stay on the demolition until a vote took place. “This building is only 30 years old and is in good condition,” Salazar told a television audience on KVIA TV’s “Extra”. His position was also endorsed by others including attorney Stephanie Townsend Allala, a local lawyer heading up a different anti-ballpark group. She has been quoted as saying "Given the past indictments and convictions for corruption, I think that our city leaders should be bending over backwards,” Allala said, “to let the public know that the era of backdoor deals… is ended.” While there has been no investigation into those allegations the move to demolish the building and build a ball park still hasn’t seen the end. Whether or not protestors continue to try to stop it city hall employees will be relocated. As of this report the only sure indication is that the city has agreed to purchase the El Paso Times building and another building nearby that will require extensive remodelling. Where will the builders and developers get permits and submit plans? Frankly we don’t know because the staff hasn’t been told either. With everyday problems already a reality in any business, having to adjust to a city hall move adds some frustration and concern. When this move is made then not only will the employees have to adjust so will the industry and the public.
It’s been over a year since the El Paso Association of Builders first plugged into the Sun, as the association turned the power of the sun into energy for the association office building. Border Solar, owned by Javier Ruiz, installed a 2.5 kilowatt system on to display the use of solar panels in commercial buildings. Border Solar had the opportunity to provide more than 4 additional kilowatt photo voltaic panels this November. “It was time to be able to add some more panels and give the association more savings,” said Mr. Ruiz. The board of Directors commended Ruiz for his gift and President Frank Arroyos took possession for the Association. “Javier has been very generous with his gift to us allowing the Association to benefit from the abundance of solar power available in El Paso,” Arroyos said. “Our thanks to Border Solar for the work and for providing a gift that will be giving for decades to come,” he said. The panels were just part of the work necessary to get the system up and running. “We needed to design the system to what we already had there, and then implement the actual hookup in a way that would minimize the disruption to the office,” Ruiz said. “It was painless for us,” said Ray Adauto, Executive Vice President of the EPAB. “Border Solar took only a few days to complete the job, turn it over to us, and make sure the El Paso Electric Company connections were all done,” Ray continued. Solar energy is considered the prime “alternative” energy source in the sunny region of El Paso. “No doubt we have the sunshine, so why not use it,” asked Ruiz. The El Paso Association of Builders learned that solar energy will first be used by the building, supplementing the electric grid provided by El Paso Electric. When working as designed the sun will provide the first line of energy to the building, then whatever is not used goes back to the grid. “Texas still has a little more work to do before the power generated is treated just like any other power generation done by mainstream providers,” according to Ruiz. Meanwhile the gift that he provided the association will be clean and welcomed. “I appreciate Javier doing this for us because of the savings we hope for will lower our overall operations cost,” said Adauto