‘Duranguito Fight Will Continue’ Vows Paso Del Sur – They’ll Announce How Later This Week

Last week, the group that has spent almost three years trying to save the downtown neighborhood known as Duranguito found out that the Texas Supreme Court had chosen not to listen to their case. The Texas Supreme Court's decision effectively handed a victory to the City of El Paso to go ahead and demolish the buildings in the Duranguito neighborhood and move forward with steps toward building a voter-approved arena.

When I wrote about the decision on Friday, I said that even though it looked like the end of the battle, Max Grossman, the UTEP professor who has been spearheading the fight to save Duranguito, always seemed to have another ace up his sleeve. On Sunday afternoon, the group known as Paso del Sur announced on their Save the Union Plaza Neighborhood Facebook page that they would be continuing the fight to save the Duranguito neighborhood. So far there haven't been any big developments from the group or from Max Grossman.

Earlier this week, I decided to take a drive downtown to check out Duranguito. I was surprised by the fences that have been put up in the area to keep people out of the proposed arena footprint. There is still one lady living in the area. Her home is very brightly painted and looks out of place in what is expected to soon become a construction zone.

Here's a walk around Duranguito as it looks this week:

1. Chinese Laundry - There was a large Chinese community here with the building of the railroads. This building is the last remaining building that housed a Chinese laundry.

2. Martinez Grocery - This building has become the face of the neighborhood.

3. The Mansion - El Paso was once a true Wild West town, complete with whorehouses. This building housed one of the most famous houses of ill repute.

4. Last Duranguito tenant - This group of houses is where the last resident of the neighborhood lives. It is well-kept and colorful. It's unlikely these buildings will remain standing after the arena is built.

5. Mural - This mural is on the wall in front of the last residential house in the neighborhood.

6. Sidewalk art - This is a beautiful bird in front of the last residential house in the neighborhood.

7. Sidewalk art - Another beautiful bird in front of the house.

8. Sidewalk Altar - This altar is in front of the house. It is really beautiful and such an El Paso display.