Duranguito Proponents Also Protested To Save The Lincoln Center Last Year

If some of the faces of the Duranguito proponents look familiar, it’s because you probably remember them from last year when many of the same people were protesting and trying to save the Lincoln Center.

The Lincoln Center is the building under I-10 west near the Spaghetti Bowl that was damaged during Storm 2006 and in danger of being demolished to make way for TxDOT's I-10 Connect project. The building was saved, but it remains closed, something TxDOT says will stay that way because of the I-10 Connect project.

Miguel Juarez, who has led many protests in the Durangito and at the Lincoln Center, says he is hoping that either the City or an educational institute will acquire the center and work with TxDOT to re-open it. TxDOT told NewsChannel9 that reopening the Lincoln Center anytime soon is unlikely because of the ongoing construction in the area.

The Lincoln Center and the Duranguito represent the problem with historical sites in El Paso. There are so many wonderful historical sites in town that need to be saved, but until the City, historical societies, and the general public work together to pressure property owners to keep their properties in good condition, places like Duranguito and the Lincoln Center will continue to deteriorate. At a certain point, we are going to need to realize that not everything can be saved and move to save the sites that can be rehabbed and reused in the present and continue to be used in the future.