Weslaco Economic Development Corporation has an ambitious goal of reinventing Weslaco’s downtown in the next 24 months. Getting 100 percent occupancy of the store fronts on Texas Boulevard is the cornerstone of the reinvention plan developed by Hernan Gonzales, EDC executive director.
Downtown Weslaco has experienced spurts of revitalization in its central business district in the past. In 1998, Larry and Patti Dittburner resuscitated the Hotel Cortez, a historic landmark. Annabel Cardona has overseen the tremendous growth of Valley Grande Institute in six downtown buildings, and WORD recently transformed a vintage bank building into a mixed use complex of offices and restaurant. Downtown’s long-established businesses include Wells department store, Cisneros Jewelry and Lionel’s Western Wear. Mimi’s Attic, Jitters Coffee House and the Weslaco Museum are newer additions to the downtown scene.
The new Weslaco 100 Plan is far more extensive, involves a greater financial commitment from the EDC and serves a loftier goal than previous revitalization efforts. “It’s a positioning statement, if you will,” said Alicia Aguilar, business retention and marketing director. Revitalizing downtown encourages people to see the entire community of 35,000 in a new way. Alfresco Weslaco, a recently launched monthly jazz and art on the downtown street festival, is a major component of the city’s economic development, introducing people to Weslaco as a great place to live and work.
Weslaco’s downtown has been able to tap into an EDC grant program for façade upgrades. But too many vacant buildings were not up to code and there was next to no chance that tenants would occupy them as is. Under the Weslaco 100 Plan, matching grants have been made available to property owners to upgrade South Texas Blvd. buildings by bringing electrical, plumbing and structural elements up to code.
“We want those buildings rented. There are too many vacancies, and we want these owners to call us,” Aguilar said. That’s why the EDC doubled its annual commitment to $100,000 with a $25,000 matching limit. Façade grants are available to businesses on adjoining streets and along Business 83.
Weslaco Alfresco and Weslaco 100 are part of one master plan.
“We’re doing this for the city as a whole. The gravy is it benefits downtown merchants,” Aguilar said.
Read more of this story by Eileen Mattei in the September print edition of Valley Business Report, out now.