Designer Studio Opens at 'Fountains'

One of the Fountains at Farah's newest tenants celebrated a grand opening last weekend. Designer Studio opened its 3,000 square foot location in the promenade section of the Fountains.

According to a press release, the store's "custom interior design is an open concept that features eye-catching details like LED screens, stunning shelving displays, and will also include a large artistic mural."

This is the third store for the company which sells designer clothing for men and women. 

Read the press release at the Designer Studio website.

Cinemark Movie Bistro Now Open at Sunland

Cinemark’s latest concept movie theater, Cinemark Movie Bistro, has opened at El Paso’s Sunland Park Mall, only the second location in the country. The theater opened last Friday.

The theater serves expanded menu items, like hamburgers and pizzas, as well as alcohol. Visitors can expect large seats with eating trays. The auditoriums contain non-stadium seating.

Visit the Movie Bistro's website for more details.

Café Italia Wins Interior Design Award

A Downtown El Paso restaurant was awarded the 2013 Texas Downtown Association’s Design award for Best Commercial Interior. Cafe Italia's owner, Jose Fong, gave DWNTWN El Paso a Q&A.

Country Club Road Closes Completely

The City of El Paso has been forced to close Country Club Road from Doniphan Drive to Love Road due to unforeseen obstacles. Road crews discovered buried AT&T telephone lines that were not disclosed by the communications company prior to the start of construction. 

City to Hold Meeting on Sun Metro Public Art Finalists

The designs of three semi-finalists were recently chosen for an art piece planned for the new Sun Metro Operations Center, and now the City of El Paso wants the public’s input on the concepts.

‘Fountains’ Retailers Stellar Performers

Stores at the Fountains at Farah shopping center are performing at top levels when compared to other stores around the country. 

Façade Improvement Update

An old commercial building in the historic Union Plaza area of Downtown El Paso has received a facelift thanks to help from the Façade Improvement Program administered by the Downtown Management District. 

Bike Share Continues Despite TxDOT Moves

The Texas Department of Transportation’s El Paso district engineer, Robert Bielek, considers the tentative Bike Share program a “boutique” program unworthy of federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds. 

County Approves Incentives for Downtown Hotel

County of El Paso Commissioners approved an incentives package for Summit 11 Investments this week, the group that purchased and plans to renovate the former Artisan Hotel building Downtown. 

Historic Warehouse in Central El Paso to Become Event Hall

A warehouse built in 1917 is now an adaptive reuse project in Central El Paso. 

The old 180,000 square foot Hussman building at 2201 East Mills Avenue has served as factory/warehouse space for decades, but part of it will now be repurposed as an events hall. About 80,000 square feet of the building will be used for EPIC Railyard Event Hall. 

Owner Jack Dulaney also operates El Paso Import Co. out of the building that spans two city blocks. Plans are also in the works for storefronts on the ground floor.

Read the story at the El Paso Times website.

Schuster Ramp to Close During Weekends

The Interstate-10 eastbound entrance ramp from Schuster Avenue will close for 15 consecutive weekends beginning Saturday, November 16, 2013. 

Old Fort Bliss Has Murky Future

One of the city’s most historic sites is in the crosshairs of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Old Fort Bliss, home to cavalry and infantry garrisons dating from 1879, currently houses some apartments in the old adobe buildings on Paisano Drive near the Yandell overpass.