Region aims for strategic growth with map project
The Monitor
By: Jared Janes
Nov 29, 2009
UTPA is developing an inventory of the county’s assets for economic development.
Any good strategic plan is grounded in data, says Mike Blum, a commercial real estate broker.
But when the strategic plan is for economic development in a large and diverse county, putting the data together is a monumental task, he said. To get there, they must compile a hard detailed set of facts, figures and resources from wide ranging sources.
But once the data is put together, officials will have a better understanding of what the county needs as it
prepares its strategic plan.
“(The data) will display to everyone who wants to hear about it — we know who we are,” said Blum, a committee member who is helping to draft a list of the county’s assets. “This is what we’re made of.”
A team of eight University of Texas-Pan American researchers are finalizing an asset map they started in April as part of an economic development process.
Asset mapping identifies all the resources in a region, compares them to other areas and provides a base for strategic planning, said Michael Uhrbrock, the project manager who works in the university’s Division of Community Engagement.
The asset map gives community leaders a feel for what they’re working with as they draft a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, he said.
The development strategy acts as a guide to identify investment priorities and funding sources for the overall
economy or a general industry.
Hidalgo County is focusing on growth in the health care industry, including hospitals, research institutions and
manufacturers.
The county judge’s office received a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to develop the strategic plan, said Brian Kelsey, an Austin-based consultant who is acting as an adviser on the project.
But the critical part of the strategic plan is the asset map, which is essentially an inventory of everything that
can be used for economic development purposes.
Nobody has taken a comprehensive look at all the assets in the county and stored it in one place, Kelsey said. Available in a database format, the asset map serves as a one-stop source for all information about the county.
Asset mapping has been used elsewhere with success.
The closure of Maytag’s corporate headquarters and plant in Newton, Iowa, left more than 1,000 people in the city unemployed, he said. But the city had an asset map that showed the unemployed workers were in demand for industries of the future.
Two months after Maytag’s plant closed, a wind turbine manufacturer said it would produce its blades in the old Maytag facilities.
With Hidalgo County preparing an asset map, the county will be positioned to attract investment as it comes
out of the recession, Kelsey said.
“A lot of regions are finding strategic plans are much more successful when they start off with a base of
knowledge,” he said. “It’s what the asset mapping process is about.”
The county’s asset map will emphasize its ability to attract or grow its health care industry, said Fausto Meza,
an administrator at Doctor’s Hospital at Renaissance and a member of the committee compiling the asset map.
The industry is among the fastest-growing in the nation with a direct impact on many others since all businesses need healthy employees, he said. The industry’s scope extends far beyond hospitals with medical
manufacturers and research institutions all in high demand.
The committee is looking at the county’s skilled labor force, the existing hospitals and places for care and other assets it has in health care. The asset map will help the county develop a plan to grow its health care industry, benefitting the community through jobs and better healthcare resources.
“We’re going to have a product at the end that we can use to make strategic decisions,” he said. “We won’t be able to intelligently do that without the research done first.”
Jared Janes covers Hidalgo County government, Edinburg and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4424.
Monday, December 7, 2009
McAllen bus terminal completes $1.7 million renovation
McAllen bus terminal completes $1.7 million renovationCentral Station — which averages 60 bus departures per day — moved its bus loading and unloading area from along 15th Street to a new drop-off location behind the station on Austin Street.
The drop-off location is separated by a gate and divided into two lanes for McAllen Express Transit (MET) bus traffic and passenger vehicle traffic.
Previously, city buses and cars mingled along 15th Street, sometimes backing onto Business 83, Suarez said. This new drop-off point will alleviate much of that traffic, she said, and will allow friends and family to drop off bus patrons to an area covered by new canopies.
“It’s protection for the weather and, for us down here, protection from the sun,” Suarez said. “The idea is if you’re waiting for your ride at 7:30 at night, you also have a safe place to sit.”
Traffic at the new drop-off point on Austin Street will be able to exit westbound onto 16th Street and circle the building if necessary. Before, that wasn’t an option.
Austin is a one-way street directed eastbound and, previously, taxi cabs lined the street behind the station. They would often merge at the intersection with city buses and passenger vehicles.
“Before, it was a bottleneck,” Suarez said. “It was a nightmare.”
Now, taxis line up along 15th Street and are generally out of the way of bus traffic.
“This renovation helps us,” Suarez said. “It was an expansion that was very eagerly anticipated.”
The city transit department began the renovations in January. The project came under budget — it was slated for $2.2 million — and 80 percent of the cost was reimbursed through a Federal Transit Administration grant.
The city is still putting the final touches on the renovation but decided to open up the new drop-off area last week because of the inclement weather.
Central Station has been a boon for the city’s downtown shopping district since opening in 2001 and averages about 3 million visitors per year. The station provides room for 14 private bus companies, in addition to MET buses and Rio Transit, the small Hidalgo County rural transportation system.
More than 15,000 people travel into Mexico from ...
Click Here to Read More
La Feria business to create 150 jobs
La Feria business to create 150 jobs
Sunday, December 06, 2009 6:52 PM
(Source: Valley Morning Star (Harlingen, Texas))By Allen Essex, Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, Texas
Dec. 6--LA FERIA -- A new Allied Waste Services Co. corporate office building and waste transfer station will bring 150 jobs to the city, company spokesman Brad Dugas said.
During a late Tuesday City Commission meeting, Dugas said construction of the facilities at 1800 Solis Road will take place during 2010 and 2011 and it will go into operation in late 2011.
Commissioners voted to approve a specific use permit for the facility after Dugas assured them that his company will build the facility and hire the number of people it is committed to employ under a grant program through the Texas Capital Fund.
Mayor Steve Brewer said the agreement with Allied to bring in 150 jobs and the opening of a new sewage treatment plant this week are very positive developments for the city.
Thirty-five acres of land will be purchased for the Allied project, City Manager Sunny Philip said.
La Feria will invest $600,000 to extend water and sewer lines and widen the road to the plant, Philip said.
That amount will be a 100 percent grant from the Texas Capital Fund, he said. The local matching amount will be Allied's investment of $10 million to $12 million, he said.
Allied will initially hire 120 workers and must hire 30 more people within three years after the plant goes into operation, the city manager said.
Dugas said his company is committed to completing the project and going into operation. If hiring goals are not met, his company must pay penalties under its agreement with the city and state, he said.
Dugas said the corporate offices in La Feria will oversee the company's business for the entire Rio Grande Valley.
Allied Waste and Browning-Ferris Industries are subsidiaries of Republic Services, Dugas said.
Philip said city officials celebrated the opening of a new sewage treatment facility and wildlife and nature park on Monday.
Texas Parks & Wildlife officials told city leaders that a nature park will be completed in four to five years at the site and will draw eco-tourists to La Feria, he said.
The new plant will be able to provide treated water for any future golf course or cooling water for any electric power plant that may be developed in the city, Philip said.
Sunday, December 06, 2009 6:52 PM
(Source: Valley Morning Star (Harlingen, Texas))By Allen Essex, Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, Texas
Dec. 6--LA FERIA -- A new Allied Waste Services Co. corporate office building and waste transfer station will bring 150 jobs to the city, company spokesman Brad Dugas said.
During a late Tuesday City Commission meeting, Dugas said construction of the facilities at 1800 Solis Road will take place during 2010 and 2011 and it will go into operation in late 2011.
Commissioners voted to approve a specific use permit for the facility after Dugas assured them that his company will build the facility and hire the number of people it is committed to employ under a grant program through the Texas Capital Fund.
Mayor Steve Brewer said the agreement with Allied to bring in 150 jobs and the opening of a new sewage treatment plant this week are very positive developments for the city.
Thirty-five acres of land will be purchased for the Allied project, City Manager Sunny Philip said.
La Feria will invest $600,000 to extend water and sewer lines and widen the road to the plant, Philip said.
That amount will be a 100 percent grant from the Texas Capital Fund, he said. The local matching amount will be Allied's investment of $10 million to $12 million, he said.
Allied will initially hire 120 workers and must hire 30 more people within three years after the plant goes into operation, the city manager said.
Dugas said his company is committed to completing the project and going into operation. If hiring goals are not met, his company must pay penalties under its agreement with the city and state, he said.
Dugas said the corporate offices in La Feria will oversee the company's business for the entire Rio Grande Valley.
Allied Waste and Browning-Ferris Industries are subsidiaries of Republic Services, Dugas said.
Philip said city officials celebrated the opening of a new sewage treatment facility and wildlife and nature park on Monday.
Texas Parks & Wildlife officials told city leaders that a nature park will be completed in four to five years at the site and will draw eco-tourists to La Feria, he said.
The new plant will be able to provide treated water for any future golf course or cooling water for any electric power plant that may be developed in the city, Philip said.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Edinburg breaks ground on new Boys & Girls Club
Edinburg breaks ground on new Boys & Girls Club
December 02, 2009 10:23 PM
Jared Janes
The Monitor
EDINBURG — Alba Escobedo credits the Boys & Girls Club of Edinburg with where she is today. Escobedo, 21, joined the club when she was 7. It kept her out of trouble while growing up in a neighborhood full of drugs and gangs, gave her scholarships to get through college at the University of Texas-Pan American and kept her in the area with a full-time job as a grants administrator.
“I wouldn’t be here without it,” she said Wednesday at a groundbreaking for the club’s expansive new facility. “Now there’s no limitations for what (younger club members) can do.”
City officials, community leaders and a busload of schoolchildren gathered Wednesday to break ground on an $11.4 million project that will be the face of the city for many drivers heading south on U.S. 281.
The 20-acre plot of land near the intersection of U.S. 281 and Rogers Road will soon feature a full outdoor park with athletic fields, playgrounds and a walking trail.
The interior of the 32,700-square-foot facility — twice as large as the club’s old one on South 18th Avenue — will feature all the traditional club spaces, including a game room, cafeteria and gym.
Mayor Richard Garcia also announced Wednesday that the Edinburg Economic Development Corp. and IDEA Academy are planning new locations nearby.
The muddy groundbreaking on a chilly afternoon will put the Edinburg club close to its goal of opening the new facility by November 2010, the club’s 40th anniversary, said Sabrina Walker, the chief professional officer for the nonprofit. Fundraisers are $500,000 shy of the initial goal they set when they kicked off the capital campaign five years ago.
The club is raising the last of the money by selling sponsorship of square feet in the building, which will serve over 16,000 youth.
The city of Edinburg has contributed $2 million to the project using proceeds left over from when it sold a city-owned hospital in the 1990s.
City Councilman Gene Espinoza said the municipality’s investment shows it wants to improve the quality of life of local residents.
The large park surrounding the club will be..
Click Here Read More
December 02, 2009 10:23 PM
Jared Janes
The Monitor
EDINBURG — Alba Escobedo credits the Boys & Girls Club of Edinburg with where she is today. Escobedo, 21, joined the club when she was 7. It kept her out of trouble while growing up in a neighborhood full of drugs and gangs, gave her scholarships to get through college at the University of Texas-Pan American and kept her in the area with a full-time job as a grants administrator.
“I wouldn’t be here without it,” she said Wednesday at a groundbreaking for the club’s expansive new facility. “Now there’s no limitations for what (younger club members) can do.”
City officials, community leaders and a busload of schoolchildren gathered Wednesday to break ground on an $11.4 million project that will be the face of the city for many drivers heading south on U.S. 281.
The 20-acre plot of land near the intersection of U.S. 281 and Rogers Road will soon feature a full outdoor park with athletic fields, playgrounds and a walking trail.
The interior of the 32,700-square-foot facility — twice as large as the club’s old one on South 18th Avenue — will feature all the traditional club spaces, including a game room, cafeteria and gym.
Mayor Richard Garcia also announced Wednesday that the Edinburg Economic Development Corp. and IDEA Academy are planning new locations nearby.
The muddy groundbreaking on a chilly afternoon will put the Edinburg club close to its goal of opening the new facility by November 2010, the club’s 40th anniversary, said Sabrina Walker, the chief professional officer for the nonprofit. Fundraisers are $500,000 shy of the initial goal they set when they kicked off the capital campaign five years ago.
The club is raising the last of the money by selling sponsorship of square feet in the building, which will serve over 16,000 youth.
The city of Edinburg has contributed $2 million to the project using proceeds left over from when it sold a city-owned hospital in the 1990s.
City Councilman Gene Espinoza said the municipality’s investment shows it wants to improve the quality of life of local residents.
The large park surrounding the club will be..
Click Here Read More
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
America's Best Bang-For-The-Buck Cities: McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX Metro Area Ranks 7th Out of 100
America's Best Bang-For-The-Buck Cities
Forbes.com
Francesca Levy, 11.30.09, 06:00 PM EST
Solid housing markets, relatively stable employment, enviable cost of living and quick commutes make these metros among the country's most affordable to live.
1 - Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA Metro Area
2 - Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR Metro Area
3 - Jackson, MS Metro Area
4 - Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Metro Area
5 - Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC Metro Area
6 - Wichita, KS Metro Area
7 - McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX Metro Area
8 - Chattanooga, TN-GA Metro Area
9 - Colorado Springs, CO Metro Area
Click Here for Complete Article
Forbes.com
Francesca Levy, 11.30.09, 06:00 PM EST
Solid housing markets, relatively stable employment, enviable cost of living and quick commutes make these metros among the country's most affordable to live.
1 - Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA Metro Area
2 - Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR Metro Area
3 - Jackson, MS Metro Area
4 - Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Metro Area
5 - Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC Metro Area
6 - Wichita, KS Metro Area
7 - McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX Metro Area
8 - Chattanooga, TN-GA Metro Area
9 - Colorado Springs, CO Metro Area
Click Here for Complete Article
Monday, November 30, 2009
San Juan enters second phase of downtown revitalization plan
San Juan enters second phase of downtown revitalization plan
City leaders hope more Basilica voters will “pray and stay”
November 28, 2009 7:09 PM
The Monitor
Nick Pipitone
SAN JUAN — The San Juan Economic Development Corp. kicked off phase two of a downtown revitalization plan Nov. 19 and will focus on public outreach over the next four months in crafting a “cohesive vision” for downtown San Juan.
City leaders said that by creating a pedestrian corridor to the downtown area near Nebraska Street and Business 83, they will be able to attract and retain more of the estimated 20,000 to 30,000 Mexican nationals and visitors who come to see the National Shrine of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle every week.
“Many visitors come via a charter bus so they don’t have a method or means for transportation,” corporation Executive Director Miki McCarthy said. “Our plan is geared toward giving them all the amenities they need for a full visit. They come and pray. We’d like them to pray and stay.”
The city spent $50,000 on a feasibility and infrastructure study in August and identified the infrastructure improvements needed downtown to accommodate future commercial growth.
McCarthy said new water and sewer lines, improved drainage and sidewalk improvements need to be addressed first.
“Once we accomplish those, then we’re talking about aesthetic improvements that would follow,” she said.
McCarthy said the city is envisioning lighting, water features, shaded areas and landscaping that would beatify the downtown area.
The city has invested $120,000 into this second phase of the project — the designing, planning and public outreach stages that will culminate into the creation of the city’s downtown revitalization plan.
The plan will lay out guidelines and regulations for downtown redevelopment, including new construction, building rehabilitation and sidewalk and street improvements.
During the four-month phase, the development corporation will host several forums for business owners and the community to attend in order to provide input for the plan.
At the forums, the city will showcase the different design options provided by civil and engineering firm Edminister, Hinshaw, Russ and Associates Inc., which the city hired as its primary consultant on the project.
“Are we going to preserve our historic structures? Will downtown have more of a Main Street-feel or will it be newer construction? These are all questions we’re considering,” McCarthy said.
She said there will one town hall meeting a month from January through April, and the city will begin advertising them with a billboard downtown and in store front windows in December.
City officials said San Juan residents will also benefit by having more entertainment options downtown—instead of having to leave the city.
“We’d hate to see (downtown) become an old ghost town. There are a lot of buildings that need to be remodeled,” Mayor Pedro Contreras said, using the abandoned San Juan Hotel as an example. “We’re hoping for a huge, positive change in our downtown, bringing in commercial businesses and creating a family environment.”
Along with the engineering firm, CDS Spillette is also consulting the city in the...
Full Story
City leaders hope more Basilica voters will “pray and stay”
November 28, 2009 7:09 PM
The Monitor
Nick Pipitone
SAN JUAN — The San Juan Economic Development Corp. kicked off phase two of a downtown revitalization plan Nov. 19 and will focus on public outreach over the next four months in crafting a “cohesive vision” for downtown San Juan.
City leaders said that by creating a pedestrian corridor to the downtown area near Nebraska Street and Business 83, they will be able to attract and retain more of the estimated 20,000 to 30,000 Mexican nationals and visitors who come to see the National Shrine of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle every week.
“Many visitors come via a charter bus so they don’t have a method or means for transportation,” corporation Executive Director Miki McCarthy said. “Our plan is geared toward giving them all the amenities they need for a full visit. They come and pray. We’d like them to pray and stay.”
The city spent $50,000 on a feasibility and infrastructure study in August and identified the infrastructure improvements needed downtown to accommodate future commercial growth.
McCarthy said new water and sewer lines, improved drainage and sidewalk improvements need to be addressed first.
“Once we accomplish those, then we’re talking about aesthetic improvements that would follow,” she said.
McCarthy said the city is envisioning lighting, water features, shaded areas and landscaping that would beatify the downtown area.
The city has invested $120,000 into this second phase of the project — the designing, planning and public outreach stages that will culminate into the creation of the city’s downtown revitalization plan.
The plan will lay out guidelines and regulations for downtown redevelopment, including new construction, building rehabilitation and sidewalk and street improvements.
During the four-month phase, the development corporation will host several forums for business owners and the community to attend in order to provide input for the plan.
At the forums, the city will showcase the different design options provided by civil and engineering firm Edminister, Hinshaw, Russ and Associates Inc., which the city hired as its primary consultant on the project.
“Are we going to preserve our historic structures? Will downtown have more of a Main Street-feel or will it be newer construction? These are all questions we’re considering,” McCarthy said.
She said there will one town hall meeting a month from January through April, and the city will begin advertising them with a billboard downtown and in store front windows in December.
City officials said San Juan residents will also benefit by having more entertainment options downtown—instead of having to leave the city.
“We’d hate to see (downtown) become an old ghost town. There are a lot of buildings that need to be remodeled,” Mayor Pedro Contreras said, using the abandoned San Juan Hotel as an example. “We’re hoping for a huge, positive change in our downtown, bringing in commercial businesses and creating a family environment.”
Along with the engineering firm, CDS Spillette is also consulting the city in the...
Full Story
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Peña: Santana Textiles manufacturing plant propels Edinburg into the global marketplace
Peña: Santana Textiles manufacturing plant propels Edinburg into the global marketplace
Picture: State Representative Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg. (File photo: RGG/Steve Taylor)
EDINBURG, Nov. 25 - When state Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, was growing up he used to sell copies of the Edinburg Review on street corners.
Remembering back to those days he always thought of his hometown as a sleepy little college town, totally divorced from the hustle and bustle of big cities like Houston and Monterrey.
He now believes all that has changed and the realization that Edinburg is very much part of the global economy was reinforced this week when he participated in high level discussions in the Governor’s Office in Austin over plans to bring a state-of-the-art denim manufacturing plant owned by Brazil-based Santana Textiles to his city.
“We had an amazing series of meetings in Austin. The meetings were complex and sometimes technical and I came to realize just how much my community is affected by the global marketplace,” Peña said.
“The number of countries affected by this single enterprise is truly global. We will be using cotton from Texas. We will be exporting to markets all over the globe. We talked about China, Europe, Argentina. It really struck me that Edinburg is now in a global economy and we are no longer some provincial little town in deep South Texas.”
Gov. Rick Perry visited the University of Texas-Pan American in July 2008 to announce the state of Texas would be investing $1.65 million from the Texas Enterprise Fund to lure Santana Textiles to Edinburg. He said the $180 million manufacturing plant would employ 800 people when fully operational.
Many Edinburg residents have questioned whether the project would go ahead because since Perry’s announcement things appear to have gone cold, with little sign of construction.
Peña assured the Guardian that things are very much on track and that the series of meetings in the Governor’s Office on Monday were designed to put the finishing touches to the financial part of the project.
“The Santana project is on target. You have to remember that the world has changed since July 2008. So many of the variables have changed - the economy has changed, the markets have changed. And so, the general financing mix has had to be changed. All sides are making the necessary adjustments to bring this to fruition,” Peña said.
Peña said the Santana Textiles plant in Edinburg would change the complexion of the denim manufacturing market because of the revolutionary technology being installed by the company.
“They have a unique niche in the global marketplace because of the specialized technology they have,” Peña said. “But there is more to the story than just that. There is the aspect that this plant is being built in Texas using Texas cotton. We are affording them national security. It was mentioned in the meeting that we are in effect creating a reverse-maquila.”
Among those in the series of meetings were Santana representatives, Edinburg Mayor Richard Garcia, newly-appointed Edinburg City Manager Ramiro Garza, Texas Economic Development Bank CFO Michael Chrobak, Michael Bryant, an assistant general counsel in the Governor’s Office, and Jerry Haddican, from state Sen. Juan Hinojosa’s Austin office.
“I have to acknowledge the depth of knowledge Ramiro Garza has for this project,” Peña said. “I was very impressed with his presentation. He knows the project and all the financial aspects. This confirms to me that he was a great pick for city manager.”
Garza was heavily involved in bringing Santana to Edinburg in his previous capacity as executive director of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation.
Peña acknowledged the meetings in the Governor’s Office were complex and technical at times. “We discussed production details, global economics, market share, labor costs, transportation costs, economic stability. It was really absorbing,” he said.
The City of Edinburg now has a population of 71,520, a 48 percent increase on the 2000 Census count. If current trends continue and an accurate count is taken in the 2010 Census, Edinburg could have a population of 78,000 in 2010. If the same growth pattern continues, the city could have a population of 100,000 by 2015.
These statistics reinforce Peña’s observation that the Edinburg of old has gone forever.
“I come from a little town where I used to sell newspapers on the streets. Back then we really were incubated from Houston and Monterrey. I realize we are now in the thick of it. It is amazing,” he said. He said a major reason things have changed is the growth in trade between Texas and Mexico.
“This is the unique thing about South Texas. We are like the finger that dips deep into Mexico. We are bicultural. We are bilingual. The discussions we had in the Governor’s Office were in Spanish and in English and many of the many Anglos in the room spoke Spanish,” Peña said.
“It was very apparent to me that we...
Click Here for Full Article
Picture: State Representative Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg. (File photo: RGG/Steve Taylor)
EDINBURG, Nov. 25 - When state Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, was growing up he used to sell copies of the Edinburg Review on street corners.
Remembering back to those days he always thought of his hometown as a sleepy little college town, totally divorced from the hustle and bustle of big cities like Houston and Monterrey.
He now believes all that has changed and the realization that Edinburg is very much part of the global economy was reinforced this week when he participated in high level discussions in the Governor’s Office in Austin over plans to bring a state-of-the-art denim manufacturing plant owned by Brazil-based Santana Textiles to his city.
“We had an amazing series of meetings in Austin. The meetings were complex and sometimes technical and I came to realize just how much my community is affected by the global marketplace,” Peña said.
“The number of countries affected by this single enterprise is truly global. We will be using cotton from Texas. We will be exporting to markets all over the globe. We talked about China, Europe, Argentina. It really struck me that Edinburg is now in a global economy and we are no longer some provincial little town in deep South Texas.”
Gov. Rick Perry visited the University of Texas-Pan American in July 2008 to announce the state of Texas would be investing $1.65 million from the Texas Enterprise Fund to lure Santana Textiles to Edinburg. He said the $180 million manufacturing plant would employ 800 people when fully operational.
Many Edinburg residents have questioned whether the project would go ahead because since Perry’s announcement things appear to have gone cold, with little sign of construction.
Peña assured the Guardian that things are very much on track and that the series of meetings in the Governor’s Office on Monday were designed to put the finishing touches to the financial part of the project.
“The Santana project is on target. You have to remember that the world has changed since July 2008. So many of the variables have changed - the economy has changed, the markets have changed. And so, the general financing mix has had to be changed. All sides are making the necessary adjustments to bring this to fruition,” Peña said.
Peña said the Santana Textiles plant in Edinburg would change the complexion of the denim manufacturing market because of the revolutionary technology being installed by the company.
“They have a unique niche in the global marketplace because of the specialized technology they have,” Peña said. “But there is more to the story than just that. There is the aspect that this plant is being built in Texas using Texas cotton. We are affording them national security. It was mentioned in the meeting that we are in effect creating a reverse-maquila.”
Among those in the series of meetings were Santana representatives, Edinburg Mayor Richard Garcia, newly-appointed Edinburg City Manager Ramiro Garza, Texas Economic Development Bank CFO Michael Chrobak, Michael Bryant, an assistant general counsel in the Governor’s Office, and Jerry Haddican, from state Sen. Juan Hinojosa’s Austin office.
“I have to acknowledge the depth of knowledge Ramiro Garza has for this project,” Peña said. “I was very impressed with his presentation. He knows the project and all the financial aspects. This confirms to me that he was a great pick for city manager.”
Garza was heavily involved in bringing Santana to Edinburg in his previous capacity as executive director of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation.
Peña acknowledged the meetings in the Governor’s Office were complex and technical at times. “We discussed production details, global economics, market share, labor costs, transportation costs, economic stability. It was really absorbing,” he said.
The City of Edinburg now has a population of 71,520, a 48 percent increase on the 2000 Census count. If current trends continue and an accurate count is taken in the 2010 Census, Edinburg could have a population of 78,000 in 2010. If the same growth pattern continues, the city could have a population of 100,000 by 2015.
These statistics reinforce Peña’s observation that the Edinburg of old has gone forever.
“I come from a little town where I used to sell newspapers on the streets. Back then we really were incubated from Houston and Monterrey. I realize we are now in the thick of it. It is amazing,” he said. He said a major reason things have changed is the growth in trade between Texas and Mexico.
“This is the unique thing about South Texas. We are like the finger that dips deep into Mexico. We are bicultural. We are bilingual. The discussions we had in the Governor’s Office were in Spanish and in English and many of the many Anglos in the room spoke Spanish,” Peña said.
“It was very apparent to me that we...
Click Here for Full Article
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
La Sienna Elementary in Edinburg, TX to Open In Time For the 2010-2011 School Year
School district mapping out boundaries for new campuses
The Edinburg Review
By JOEY GOMEZ
ECISD has unveiled its boundaries for its four new elementary schools, which will open in time for the 2010-2011 school year.
As of Monday, the maps are about 90 percent complete and have yet to go before the school board, but take into account the schools created from the bond program started in 2008.
Proposed maps for the new junior high schools and high schools will be released next year, according to sistrict officials. The announcement was made at superintendent Dr. Ren�© Gutierrez’s District Parents’ Round Table meeting last week to discuss a variety of current and future issues impacting schools in Edinburg.
“Parents say ‘does my child have to move’ and the answer is ‘yes’,” Gutierrez told parents at the round table. “We have to abide by the zones and respect the boundaries.
The four new schools, which are currently named after their specific locations are called Rooth/Russell in northwest Edinburg, La Sienna in the northeast, Cano-Gonzalez sister school located southeast, and Alberta/Sugar in the south.
Each school is designed to accommodate 650 students, and will serve to alleviate crowding at some campuses, which have been hit hard with increasing numbers of new students. The Rooth campus for example will draw some of the 770 children currently attending Magee Elementary in time for the 2010-2011 school year. Magee is slated to open with about 500 students when the new campus starts next year. There are currently more than 32,000 total students in the district, half of those are elementary students.
The district has grown by 9,235 students over the last 10 years and school officials predict the student population will be about 42,000 by the 2015-2016 school year.
All of the new schools are located in mostly outlying communities of the district, which spans 945 square miles. Student numbers in schools located in town will not be impacted, according to the district.
“Does it make a difference? Well my child is not going to go to a school with 800 kids. That’s too many at the elementary level. Avila, Monte Cristo and Villarreal ... all of them have 800 kids right now,” said Mario Salinas, assistant superintendent for district ddministration. Salinas, who along with the district’s transportation department and a committee of nine principals, was responsible for putting the maps together. Each map ultimately has to be presented to the board for approval.
According to Salinas, criteria used to move the boundary lines was based on several factors: a neighborhood concept, school population, and those outlying schools which were impacted the most.
“The one thing that I want to emphasize is that we’re not done,” Salinas said. “We’re still working on it, we’re still taking recommendations from the parents. We are still going to run this by the principals to see if they have ideas better than what we have.
To account for growth, ECISD officials say there are at least 11 projects at a cost of $111 million scheduled to be online within the next three to four years. Three new Fine Arts facilities will be added to each of Edinburg’s three high schools at a cost of $6.2 million each. Renovations to the Brewster campus are also slated to be complete by next year with a cost still to be determined, according to the district.
Two new middle schools and an additional elementary school are slated for completion by the 2011-2012 school year. A new high school to be located at the current Harwell facility will open by 2012-2013.
The Edinburg Review
By JOEY GOMEZECISD has unveiled its boundaries for its four new elementary schools, which will open in time for the 2010-2011 school year.
As of Monday, the maps are about 90 percent complete and have yet to go before the school board, but take into account the schools created from the bond program started in 2008.
Proposed maps for the new junior high schools and high schools will be released next year, according to sistrict officials. The announcement was made at superintendent Dr. Ren�© Gutierrez’s District Parents’ Round Table meeting last week to discuss a variety of current and future issues impacting schools in Edinburg.
“Parents say ‘does my child have to move’ and the answer is ‘yes’,” Gutierrez told parents at the round table. “We have to abide by the zones and respect the boundaries.
The four new schools, which are currently named after their specific locations are called Rooth/Russell in northwest Edinburg, La Sienna in the northeast, Cano-Gonzalez sister school located southeast, and Alberta/Sugar in the south.
Each school is designed to accommodate 650 students, and will serve to alleviate crowding at some campuses, which have been hit hard with increasing numbers of new students. The Rooth campus for example will draw some of the 770 children currently attending Magee Elementary in time for the 2010-2011 school year. Magee is slated to open with about 500 students when the new campus starts next year. There are currently more than 32,000 total students in the district, half of those are elementary students.
The district has grown by 9,235 students over the last 10 years and school officials predict the student population will be about 42,000 by the 2015-2016 school year.
All of the new schools are located in mostly outlying communities of the district, which spans 945 square miles. Student numbers in schools located in town will not be impacted, according to the district.
“Does it make a difference? Well my child is not going to go to a school with 800 kids. That’s too many at the elementary level. Avila, Monte Cristo and Villarreal ... all of them have 800 kids right now,” said Mario Salinas, assistant superintendent for district ddministration. Salinas, who along with the district’s transportation department and a committee of nine principals, was responsible for putting the maps together. Each map ultimately has to be presented to the board for approval.
According to Salinas, criteria used to move the boundary lines was based on several factors: a neighborhood concept, school population, and those outlying schools which were impacted the most.
“The one thing that I want to emphasize is that we’re not done,” Salinas said. “We’re still working on it, we’re still taking recommendations from the parents. We are still going to run this by the principals to see if they have ideas better than what we have.
To account for growth, ECISD officials say there are at least 11 projects at a cost of $111 million scheduled to be online within the next three to four years. Three new Fine Arts facilities will be added to each of Edinburg’s three high schools at a cost of $6.2 million each. Renovations to the Brewster campus are also slated to be complete by next year with a cost still to be determined, according to the district.
Two new middle schools and an additional elementary school are slated for completion by the 2011-2012 school year. A new high school to be located at the current Harwell facility will open by 2012-2013.
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA's Listed in America's Fastest-Recovering Cities by Forbes.com
When Forbes.com list of America's Fastest-Recovering Cities is ranked by Gross Metropolitan Product (GMP) or Gross Regional Product (GRP) the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA's rank #1.
Gross Metropolitan Product (GMP) is one of several measures of the size of the economy of a metropolitan area. Similar to gross domestic product (GDP), GMP is defined as the market value of all final goods and services produced within a metropolitan area in a given period of time.
Full List: America's Fastest-Recovering Cities by Forbes.com
Main Story on Forbes.com
Gross Metropolitan Product (GMP) is one of several measures of the size of the economy of a metropolitan area. Similar to gross domestic product (GDP), GMP is defined as the market value of all final goods and services produced within a metropolitan area in a given period of time.
Full List: America's Fastest-Recovering Cities by Forbes.com
Main Story on Forbes.com
Monday, November 23, 2009
Feature Article by Mike Blum & Richard Moore: Timing Is Everything...How to Maximize Returns and Minimize Risks
On the other hand, investors with capital look for a really good deal…perhaps below market.
It appears that owner/sellers and investor/buyers may have a common objective: Maximize returns, minimize risk. Or put more simply: Making money in real estate is all about timing. The big question is: When is it the right time to buy or when to sell?
Historically, the time to buy and the time to sell were solely dependent on the market value of property. When the value reaches a target value, the investor sells, makes his profits and moves on. Today, there is an added variable which must be considered when deciding to sell; Capital Gains Taxes.
Right now, capital gains taxes are calculated on 15% of the gain. Investors have enjoyed this tax rate since 2003; however, this is about to end. Without any new legislation from Washington, this rate will increase to 20% in 2011. There are indications that the White House is interested in raising rates higher than the 20%, and possibly as high as the highest tax rate. The ordinary tax rate is scheduled to return to the old 39.6%, but this rate is also under consideration by the current administration in Washington.
Therefore, the likelihood of a significant increase in the capital gain tax rate makes selling appreciated property sooner than later a smart move. So what does this mean?
Well hypothetically, if the capital gain rates moves from 15% to say 30%, a property which has doubled in value will have to fetch nearly 11% more for the sales price to return the same net after tax profit to the seller. This additional 11% will only keep the owner/seller in the same place as they are now before the tax rates go up. The problem will be more severe if the capital gain rates go higher than 30%.
So if you are an owner/seller, now may be a good time to think about liquidating property that has appreciated while the tax rates are relatively low. Capital gain tax rates will not stay at this rate for much longer. If you own open land or occupied buildings and are thinking about holding in anticipation of a higher price when the economy turns or if you have capital and are not adverse to paying less and getting more, it may be advisable to consult your financial professional and realtor to analyze your situation and plan the best course of action.
If you would like to learn more about your options contact Richard Moore at 956-630-3053 richard@cpamoore.com or Mike Blum at 956-994-8900 mikeb@nairgv.com.
Richard Moore is a CPA and owner of Richard Moore and Company. Richard is a recognize expert in his field. Michael J. Blum is a Partner and Managing Broker for NAI Rio Grande Valley, an affiliate of NAI Global one of the world's leading providers of commercial real estate services.
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