by Legislative Media | Aug 19, 2016 | Politics
Featured, from left: McAllen Mayor Jim Darling; Edinburg Mayor Richard García; Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernández, M.D.; and University of Texas System Chancellor William H. McRaven on Thursday, August 11, 2016 at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance. The leaders participated in a panel discussion about the UT Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, which has a major component in Edinburg. The Edinburg Mayor, Edinburg City Council, and Edinburg Economic Development Corporation played key roles in 2013 in securing a full-fledged medical school from the Texas Legislature for deep South Texas. In July 2016, the first class of medical students began their education at the $54 million Medical Education Building, which is located on the UTRGV campus in Edinburg.
Photograph By DAVID PIKE
Construction and related building activities in Edinburg from January through July 2016 have passed the $152 million level, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has reported, with the month of July 2016 accounting for almost $21 million of that amount. The Edinburg EDC, of which Agustín García, Jr. is Executive Director, is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mark Iglesias as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Ellie M. Torres as Secretary/Treasurer, and Mayor Richard García and Richard Ruppert as Members. Combined, building permits from January through July 2016 were issued for work valued at $152,426,011 compared with $78,554,684 for the same seven months in 2015. During July 2016, building permits for work valued at $20,681,153 were issued by the city, compared with $13,330,130 in July 2015. The top construction projects in Edinburg for July 2016, not including the value of the land, are: $9,430,920 – Wisconsin Street Housing LP, 2132 E. Wisconsin Rd., John Closner Subdivision; $2,800,000 – Edinburg Village Apartments, 701 S. 4th Avenue, Maverick Subdivision; $960,000 – Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District, 1202 N. Monmack Rd., Tex-Mex Subdivision; and $379,259 – South Texas Independent School District, 510 S. Sugar Rd., Tex-Mex Subdivision.
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by Legislative Media | Jul 27, 2016 | Politics
Featured, from left: Agustín García, Jr., Executive Director of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation; City Councilmember Homer Jasso, Jr., Mayor Richard García; Mayor Pro Tem Richard Molina; Councilmember David Torres; Ellie M. Torres, Secretary/Treasurer, Board of Directors, Edinburg Economic Development Corporation; and City Manager Richard Hinojosa on Thursday, July 21, 2016, immediately following the ribbon-cutting for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility at the South Texas International Airport in Edinburg.
Photograph By RONNIE LARRALDE
Construction and related building activities in Edinburg from January through June 2016 have passed the $131 million level, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has reported, with the month of June 2016 accounting for almost $32 million of that amount. Combined, building permits from January through June 2016 were issued for work valued at $131,744,588, compared with $65,224,544 for the same six months in 2015. During June 2016, building permits for work valued at $31,699,427 were issued by the city, compared with $6,212,165 in June 2015. The most valuable projects, not including the value of the lots, which led the way in June 2016, were: $22,500,000 – Edinburg Legends LTD, 1815 W. Chapin St, Tex-Mex Railway Co. Survey Subdivision; $500,000 – The Shoppes at Rio Grande Valley LLC, 609 Trenton Rd., The Shoppes at RGV Subdivision; $450,000 – Kamel Investments LLC, 3020 W. Trenton Rd., Marvel Plaza Subdivision; and $400,000 – Edinburg Independent Consolidated School District, 310 E. Palm Drive, Tex-Mex Subdivision.
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by Legislative Media | Jul 9, 2016 | Politics
Featured, from left: Daniel Rivera, Founder, Grindstone Coworking of Edinburg (www.TheGrindstone.co) and Agustín García, Jr., Executive Director of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, reviewing key data about the strength of the Edinburg economy prior to a broadcast interview on Tuesday, May 10, 2016 on KURV710 Talk Radio.
Photograph By DIEGO REYNA
For the second consecutive month, Edinburg’s retail economy during May 2016 had the best rate of improvement – 10.78 percent – over the same month last year among the Valley’s major cities, while by comparison, cities statewide reported a combined average improvement of 2.7 percent in May 2016 compared with May 2015, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. These figures are based on sales made in May 2016 by businesses that report tax monthly. For May 2016, Edinburg’s retail economy generated $1,730,440.77 in local sales taxes, compared with $1,561,948.68 during the same time in 2015, representing the improvement of 10.78 percent, according to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. The local sales tax is used in Edinburg to help pay for many city services, while the Edinburg EDC uses its one-half cent local sales tax to help generate economic development in the city.
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by Legislative Media | Dec 30, 2015 | Politics
Featured, from left: Agustín García, Jr., Executive Director of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, Harvey Rodríguez, Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, Mayor Pro Tem Homer Jasso, Jr., and City Councilmember David Torres take a break in Dallas during the statewide convention of the International Council of Shopping Centers, held at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center on Wednesday, November 4, through Friday, November 6, 2015. The local leaders posed for this shot at Pioneer Plaza, located next to the convention center. Not shown, but who also played a leadership role at the convention, is Ellie M. Torres, Secretary/Treasurer of the Board of Directors for the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation.
Photograph By DIEGO REYNA
With one month to go in 2015, construction and related building activities in Edinburg reached almost $128 million in value, with more than $13.1 million of that amount taking place in November, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. Both of those figures are ahead of the pace for the same periods last year, when total construction activities from January through November 2014 came in at more than $113.1 million, and more than $4 million for November 2014. The value of construction of new homes for the first 11 months of 2015 leads all year-to-date categories, amounting to more than $43.6 million, compared with more than $31.6 million from January through November 2014. The most valuable construction project to receive a building permit in November was the Marriott Towne Place Suites, being built at 5002 W. Trenton Road by Qube RGV Systems Industries. The construction aspect of the new hotel is valued at $5 million, but the investment for everything, from land to furnishings to the facility, will eventually reach $10 million, according to investors. This Marriott is a new concept and will be the first of it’s kind for the Marriott brand and is scheduled to be open in the Fall of 2016. The second-most valuable project, classified as Multi-Family Residences/New Construction/Addition/Remodel and located at 4604 S. Sugar Road, was issued a building permit for work worth $2 million to Greenpoint Developers, LLC. Also, National Border Patrol Council was issued a building permit for work valued at $580,000 for a new commercial facility to be located at 4174 Crosspoint Boulevard. Chris Ryan Homes & Investments, LLC, was issued the most valuable building permit for a single-family residence, worth $280,000 for its construction, and located at 4817 August Dr. in the Summerfield Manor Subdivision. The EEDC, of which Agustín García, Jr. is Executive Director, is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. The EEDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mark Iglesias as President, Harvey Rodríguez as Vice President, Ellie M. Torres as Secretary/Treasurer, and Mayor Richard García and Richard Ruppert as Members. Richard García and Agustín García, Jr. are not related. A building permit includes the estimated value of the work, but does not include the costs of the lot, equipment and furnishings. In general, a building permit is legal permission given by the City of Edinburg to erect, construct, renovate, maintain, or conduct any other specified activity on any building or structure, or on any installations or facilities therein. The term “building permit” includes but is not limited to building permits, electrical permits, mechanical permits, and plumbing permits. The top categories in Edinburg from January through November 2015 were: $43,652,244 – Single-Family Residences New Construction; $27,431,178 – Commercial New Construction; $24,259,705 – Non-Taxable New/Alterations (government, religious, but not including the value of construction activities at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley or its School of Medicine); $18,472,564 – Commercial Alterations; $8,264,122– Multi-Family Residences New Construction; and $5,742,670 – Residential Alterations. The top categories in Edinburg for November 2015 were: $5,731,000 – Commercial New Construction; $3,870,670 – Single-Family Residences New Construction; $2,298,766 – Multi-Family Residences New Construction; $509,205 – Commercial Alterations; $391,601 – Residential Alterations; and $356,900 – Non-Taxable New/Alterations (government, religious, but not including the value of construction activities at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley or its School of Medicine). Also according to the city’s Code Enforcement Department, 307 single-family residences have been approved for construction from January through November 2015, compared with 256 single-family residences during the same 11-month period in 2014. The most valuable construction project to receive a building permit in November was the Marriott Towne Place Suites, being built at 5002 W. Trenton Road by Qube RGV Systems Industries. The construction aspect of the new hotel is valued at $5 million, but the investment for everything, from land to furnishings to the facility, will eventually reach $10 million, according to investors. This Marriott is a new concept and will be the first of it’s kind for the Marriott brand and is scheduled to be open in the Fall of 2016. The second-most valuable project, classified as Multi-Family Residences/New Construction/Addition/Remodel and located at 4604 S. Sugar Road, was issued a building permit for work worth $2 million to Greenpoint Developers, LLC. Also, National Border Patrol Council was issued a building permit for work valued at $580,000, and listed as Commercial News Construction, for a facility to be located at 4174 Crosspoint Boulevard. Coming at a value of $339,400 was a project by the City of Edinburg located at 1231 N. Doolittle Road, categorized as Non-Taxable Additions/Repairs, while Aldama Investments was issued a building permit for a Multi-Family Residences New Construction/Addition/Remodel, located at 1804 Horse Tail Falls, valued at $298,766. Chris Ryan Homes & Investments, LLC, was issued a building permit for the most valuable single-family residence, worth $280,000 for its construction, and located at 4817 August Dr. in the Summerfield Manor Subdivision.
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by Legislative Media | Sep 30, 2015 | Politics
Featured, Mayor Richard García, who also serves on the Board of Directors for the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, on Wednesday, May 13, 2015, signs documents relating to Edinburg municipal business as Myra L. Ayala Garza, City Secretary, reviews his action at the raised platform used for city council, EEDC and Planning and Zoning board meetings. Those public sessions are held in the council chambers at Edinburg City Hall.
Photograph By MARK MONTEMAYOR
With construction and related building activities in Edinburg from January through August 2015 totaling almost $86 million, area leaders on Thursday, September 17, gathered at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance to celebrate the grand opening of the city’s latest architectural showpiece – Day Surgery at Renaissance. Day Surgery at Renaissance, located at 5520 Leonardo Davinci, immediately east of Women’s Hospital at Renaissance, is a 90,000 square foot, two-story outpatient surgical center that features eight operating rooms, 40 pre-operative beds, 40 recovery beds, and 10 endoscopy suites. Day Surgery at Renaissance, based on the building permit issued more than a year earlier, in August 2014, by Edinburg’s Code Enforcement Department, represents an investment of $14 million for its construction. As a result, the value of Day Surgery at Renaissance is not included in the year-t0-date total construction figures of almost $86 million for January through August 2015. Ellie M. Torres, who serves on the Board of Directors of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, and who also is a member of the Edinburg school board, was on hand for the 2 p.m. standing-room only event. “This outstanding facility will have significant economic and quality-of-life benefits for our hometown and our neighboring cities,” said Torres. “Along with our other excellent hospitals, physicians, health care professionals, and our University of Texas medical school that will open in the Fall of 2016, Edinburg continues to build on its deserved reputation as a preferred city in which to live, raise a family, work or own a business, and succeed.” The EEDC, of which Agustín García, Jr. is Executive Director, is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. The EEDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mark Iglesias as President, Harvey Rodríguez as Vice President, Ellie M. Torres as Secretary/Treasurer, and Mayor Richard García and Richard Ruppert as Members. Richard García and Agustín García, Jr. are not related. Mayor Richard García noted that Edinburg is blessed with nationally-recognized hospital systems. “In mid-July, Doctors Hospital at Renaissance and South Texas Health Systems, which includes Edinburg Regional Medical Center and Edinburg Children’s Hospital, were ranked among the top 20 hospital complexes in Texas, according to U.S. News and World Report,” Mayor García said. “Across-the-board, from education to health care, from entertainment to construction, these and other economic development advances continue to lead to new jobs and stronger businesses.” EEDC Board President Iglesias said the city’s construction activities so far this year also reflect strong growth in new homes. “From January through August 2015, Edinburg has seen 223 new single-family homes, valued at more than $31 million, authorized to be built – including 41 homes approved for construction during the month of August alone,” Iglesias reported. “During the same eight months in 2014, there were 199 homes, valued at more than $23.8 million, issued building permits. Those statistics and more reflect the overall strength and consumer confidence that speak volumes about our city’s economy.” EEDC Executive Director Agustín García, Jr. added that Edinburg also benefits from another DHR complex, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Family Medical Center, literally located across Owassa Road but in the city limits of McAllen, which was part of the September 17 ribbon-cutting ceremony for Day Surgery at Renaissance. “As a direct result of state legislation passed in 2013, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley was given the authority and resources to build a full-fledged School of Medicine, with a major presence in Edinburg,” said the EEDC executive director. “But in helping shape the creation of the School of Medicine, the Edinburg mayor, Edinburg City Council, and EEDC Board of Directors always took a regional approach in order for the Valley to stay united and strong in order to make the medical school a reality. “That is what the UTRGV Family Medical Center symbolizes, and Edinburg also benefits as a result.” The Family Medicine Center will serve as a physician training center for family medicine medical residents. That newly-constructed facility will serve as a base for integrated programs of health care and education that are built around a team approach to cover a spectrum of health services, including prevention and treatment.
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