Background
The concept for a deck park was originally introduced by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) as part of their Reimagine I-10 planning process. TxDOT has received $500 million to reconstruct I-10 from Spur 66 near UTEP to just east of downtown, which they expect to begin in FY27-28.
To further the idea for a green cap over I-10 in the downtown corridor, the Downtown Deck Plaza Foundation and City of El Paso received a $900,000 FY21 RAISE grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to conduct a Feasibility Study for the project.
The City engaged Stantec to conduct the study. A series of interactive meetings were held with the community to shape the vision for the Deck Plaza that would include high-quality amenities like an amphitheater, field house, children's playground, dog park, and more.
Based on the Feasibility Study, the total cost of the project is $207 million (in 2027 dollars) for the design and construction of the 6.5-acre park from Kansas Street to Santa Fe Street to include the cap structure and park amenities. An additional $32 million may be required by TxDOT for retaining walls to hold deck structure.
The detailed Feasibility Study and Project Budget can be found in the project library below.
$1 Billion in Economic Impact
A recent Economic Impact Study developed by HR&A projects that the Deck Plaza will generate nearly $1 billion in total economic output over 30 years. With an estimated 1 to 1.5 million visitors annually, the study reveals that the project would generate significant returns for the community, including new jobs, opportunities for local businesses, affordable housing, and critical environmental and health benefits.
The positive impacts of Deck Parks have been well-documented. A 2022 article by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta describes the economic impact of Klyde Warren Park in Dallas, Texas. "Relative to its peers," the article states, "Dallas experienced faster office and multifamily construction growth after lid construction began in 2012. Dallas added 1.3 million square feet of office space, a rate that is 50 percent faster than what occurred in the six prior years. Multifamily housing (apartments and condominiums in buildings with 5 or more units) grew even faster. Dallas added nearly 5,300 individual multifamily units after starting the project, more than twice as many units as the six years before."
Project Timeline and Funding
With the Feasibility Study and Economic Impact Study complete, the Downtown Deck Plaza Foundation is partnering with the City of El Paso and County of El Paso to develop the project, which has received $74.15 million in funding commitments to date.
- Texas State Senator Cesar Blanco and the El Paso State Delegation secured $10 million from the Texas Legislature to fund the design of the cap structure. The City of El Paso approved an Advanced Funding Agreement with TxDOT to begin this design.
- The El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization approved $25 million to support the cap structure and supporting infrastructure.
- The County of El Paso approved $1 million to support project design.
- Congresswoman Veronica Escobar secured $3.15 million from Federal Community Project Funding to support the cap structure and supporting infrastructure.
- The Downtown Deck Plaza Foundation has committed to raise $35 million in private philanthropy to support park amenities.
