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Edinburg Economic Development Corporation reports $140+ million in construction activities in city during the first four months of 2017

Edinburg Economic Development Corporation reports $140+ million in construction activities in city during the first four months of 2017 - Titans of the Texas Legislature

Featured, from left: William Brock, Chief Medical Officer, South Texas Health System; Richard Hinojosa, Edinburg City Manager; Roxanne Godínez, Chief Executive Officer, Cornerstone Regional Hospital; Jennifer Garza, Chief Executive Officer, Edinburg Regional Medical Center/Edinburg Children’s Hospital, and Member, Board of Directors, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; Anthony De Luna, TIS Total Imaging Solutions; Mayor Richard García; Precinct 4 Hidalgo County Commissioner Joseph Palacios; Cat Domian, Chief Nursing Officer, Edinburg Regional Medical Center/Edinburg Children’s Hospital; and Councilmember Richard Molina, Member, Board of Directors, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce. The group was on hand on Tuesday, May 23, 2017 for the groundbreaking of the $8.6 million STHS ER (medical emergency room), located in north Edinburg.

Photograph By RONNIE LARRALDE

Days after South Texas Health System held a groundbreaking on Tuesday, May 23, 2017, of its multi-million dollar, stand-alone STHS ER (medical emergency room) to be built in north Edinburg, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation announced that total construction activities in the city reached more than $140 million from January through April 2017, including $23.1 million for the month of April. The year-to-date figure of $140.4 million continues to outperform last year’s pace, when total construction in Edinburg for the first four months of 2016 had reached almost $82.1 million. For the month of April 2017 – the latest figures available from the city – Edinburg saw construction permits issued for work valued at $23,146,234, with multi-family residences and single-family homes leading the way, at $11.8 million and $6.3 million, respectively. The building permits do not include the value of the land for the homes and buildings. Those totals do not include the value of any building-related activities at The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley and the UTRGV School of Medicine in Edinburg because the state government, not the city, oversees all construction at the Edinburg campus. The Edinburg EDC, of which Gus García 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 Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr., as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Ruppert and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members. Mayor Richard García and Edinburg EDC Executive Director Gus García are not related.

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Edinburg Economic Development Corporation announces $117.2 million in construction has taken place in city during the first quarter of 2017

Edinburg Economic Development Corporation announces $117.2 million in construction has taken place in city during the first quarter of 2017 - Titans of the Texas Legislature

Featured: The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley honored the City of Edinburg Solid Waste Management and the United Way of South Texas on Wednesday, April 19, 2017 with its Distinguished Community Engagement Partner Awards. Back row, from left, are Jeanette Ahlenius, Board Member, United Way of South Texas; Janie Chapa, Recycling Coordinator, City of Edinburg Solid Waste Management; Dalinda Cárdenas, Administrative Specialist, City of Edinburg Solid Waste Management; Ramiro Gómez, Director, City of Edinburg Solid Waste Management; and Dr. Dean Kyne, UTRGV Assistant Professor of Sociology. Front, from left, are Fidencio Mercado, Board Member, United Way of South Texas and UTRGV Clinical Associate Professor of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling; Celene González, Accounts Manager, City of Edinburg Solid Waste Management; Dr. Doris Mendiola, Data and Research Manager, UTRGV Community Engagement and Assessment; and Cris Trejo, UTRGV Assistant Vice President for Community Engagement and Assessment.

Photograph By PAUL CHOUY

As the multi-million dollar Edinburg Transit Terminal gets ready for its official groundbreaking at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 12, 2017, total construction activities in the city have reached more than $117 million during the first three months of the year, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. That level is almost double the $65 million figure reached from January through March 2016. For the month of March 2017 – the latest figures available from the city – Edinburg saw construction permits issued for work valued at more than $14.6 million, with new homes and new businesses leading the way, at $4.55 million and $4.51 million, respectively. Those totals do not include the value of any building-related activities at The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley and the UTRGV School of Medicine in Edinburg because the state government, not the city, oversees all construction at the Edinburg campus. The building permits do not include the value of the land for the homes and buildings. The Edinburg EDC, of which Gus García 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 Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr., as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Ruppert and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members. Mayor Richard García and Edinburg EDC Executive Director Gus García are not related. In general, a building permit is legal permission given by the City of Edinburg, through the Code Enforcement Department, 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.

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Edinburg EDC: $102.6 million in construction took place during first two months of 2017; “We are on track to exceed $209 million by the end of this year,” Mayor García confidently predicts

Edinburg EDC: $102.6 million in construction took place during first two months of 2017; “We are on track to exceed $209 million by the end of this year,” Mayor García confidently predicts - Titans of the Texas Legislature

Featured, from left: Mayor Pro Tem J.R. Betancourt; Harvey Rodríguez, Jr., Vice President, Board of Directors, Edinburg Economic Development Corporation; Elías Longoria, Jr., Secretary/Treasurer, Board of Directors, Edinburg Economic Development Corporation; and City Councilmember Homer Jasso, Jr. The local leaders were in attendance on Wednesday, April 12, 2017 for the State of the City Address by Mayor Richard García, held in the recently-opened IMAX theatre in Edinburg. “Success attracts success, and major developments such as this venue where we are, is one such example,” García said. “We are proud to be the home to the only IMAX theatre south of San Antonio. This IMAX is a $5 million investment, creating 50 jobs, and contributing a riveting movie experience.”

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Edinburg EDC: $102.6 million in construction took place during first two months of 2017; “We are on track to exceed $209 million by the end of this year,” Mayor García confidently predicts - Titans of the Texas Legislature

Featured, from left: City Councilmember David Torres and his wife, Ellie Torres, who currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District; and Ambrosio “Amos” Hernández, M.D., Mayor of Pharr, on Wednesday, April 12, 2017 for the State of the City Address by Mayor Richard García, held in the recently-opened $5 million IMAX theatre in Edinburg. Torres also is a former member of the Board of Directors for the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation. Mayor Richard García predicted that the construction activities in Edinburg are sure to break last year’s mark. “In 2016, the Planning and Zoning Department issued $209 in construction project permits, up from $139.5 million in 2015, $120.5 million in 2014, and $123 million in 2013,” the mayor reported. “We are on track to exceed $209 million by the end of this year.”

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Edinburg EDC: $102.6 million in construction took place during first two months of 2017; “We are on track to exceed $209 million by the end of this year,” Mayor García confidently predicts - Titans of the Texas Legislature

Featured: City Councilmember Richard Molina and his wife, Dalia (shown smiling at the camera), take a photograph with an unidentified resident outside the recently-opened $5 million IMAX theater in Edinburg. The Molinas along with the Edinburg City Council and the Board of Directors for the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation joined several hundred area residents on Wednesday, May 12, 2017, for the State of the City Address by Mayor Richard García. Total construction activities in Edinburg during February 2017 reached more than $9.2 million – almost the exact total for the February 2016 figure – with the construction of new homes leading the way, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. Year-t0-date, however, as a result of a construction permit valued at $80 million for the city-owned Bert Ogden Arena being issued in January 2017, total construction in the city for the first two months of 2017 is valued at more than $102.6 million – more than double the $45.4 million combined level for January and February 2016.

Photographs By ALEX RÍOS

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Edinburg EDC: Retail economy shows continued growth, with January 2017 local sales tax revenue up by more than 3.7 percent over January 2016

Edinburg EDC: Retail economy shows continued growth, with January 2017 local sales tax revenue up by more than 3.7 percent over January 2016 - Titans of the Texas Legislature

Featured: Dr. Peter Dabrowski, Maestro of the Valley Symphony Orchestra, and a member of the Board of Directors for the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, on Tuesday, February 28, 2017, was inducted into the Rio Grande Valley Walk of Fame at Hidalgo’s BorderFest. Presenting him with the honor was Miss Hidalgo 2016 Alma Pamela Niño. Dabrowski was nominated by the City of Edinburg and selected to the Rio Grande Valley Walk of Fame by the City of Hidalgo, Hidalgo’s BorderFest committee, and the Rio Grande Valley Walk of Fame Commission. Dabrowski is in his 15th season as Music Director and Conductor of the Valley Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, he serves as Associate Dean of the College of Fine Arts, Professor of Music, and Conductor of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Symphony Orchestra in Edinburg. He is committed to providing exhilarating musical performances and education in the Rio Grande Valley. The Walk of Fame celebrates life, achievements and significant civic contributions of outstanding men and women in all walks of life to the communities in the Rio Grande Valley and South Texas.

Photograph By RONNIE LARRALDE

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Edinburg EDC: Retail economy shows continued growth, with January 2017 local sales tax revenue up by more than 3.7 percent over January 2016 - Titans of the Texas Legislature

Featured, from left: Hiren Govind, Chief Operating Officer, Qube Hotel Group; Mike Govind, Owner and Operator, Best Western Plus – Edinburg Inn & Suites; Letty González, President, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; and Jacob De León, Funeral Director, Memorial Funeral Home, and Chairman of the Board, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce, on Tuesday, February 28, 2017, at the State Farm Arena in Hidalgo. During that evening, as part of the City of Hidalgo’s 2017 Borderfest, Mike Govind, a former member of the Board of Directors for the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, was inducted into the Rio Grande Valley Walk of Fame.

Photograph By RONNIE LARRALDE

Edinburg’s retail economy showed an improvement of more than 3.7 percent in January 2017 compared with January 2016, based on local sales taxes generated during those months, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. The amount of local sales taxes collected also helps reflect the strength of an economy, along with construction activities, per capita income, education, historical performances, and related trends. The local sales tax is used in Edinburg to help pay for many city services, while the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation uses its one-half cent local sales tax to help generate economic development in the city. For January 2017, Edinburg’s retail economy produced $1,573,510.95 in local sales taxes, compared with $1,516,885.34 in January 2016, representing an improvement of 3.73 percent. Edinburg’s 3.73 percent increase was third-best among the Valley’s major economies, with Harlingen posting the top improvement, a 4.10 percent growth in January 2017 over January 2016. In terms of local sales tax revenue for January 2017, McAllen led all major Valley cities with $4,129,303.57. Brownsville was second, ($2,586,308.57), Harlingen was third ($1,769,340.94), and Edinburg was fourth ($1,573,510.95). 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 Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr. as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Rupert and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members.

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Total construction in Edinburg passes $199 million from January through November 2016

Total construction in Edinburg passes $199 million from January through November 2016 - Titans of the Texas Legislature

Featured, from left: Mayor Richard García, Councilmember Homer Jasso, Jr., and Hidalgo County Commissioner Precinct 4 Joseph Palacios on Monday, December 12, 2016 during a joint city council/county commissioners work session, held at Edinburg City Hall, on the proposed $150 million Hidalgo County Courthouse.

Photograph By MARK MONTEMAYOR

With one month to go in 2016, construction activities in Edinburg just barely missed the $200 million mark for the year, compared with almost $128 million during the first 11 months of last year, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. Those totals do not include the value of any building-related activities at The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley and the UTRGV School of Medicine in Edinburg because the state government, not the city, oversees all construction at the Edinburg campus. New single-family homes and multi-family residences (duplexes to apartments) continue to lead the way from January through November 2016, having been issued building permits for a combined total of $119,303,812 in the value of their construction. That figure is more than double the $51,916,366 combined value of single-family homes and multi-family residences approved for construction during the same period last year. Year-to-date (January through November 2016), building permits were issued for 437 single-family residences, valued at $56,586,297 compared with 307 single family residences, valued at $43,652,244 from January through November 2015. Year-to-date (January through November 2016), building permits were issued for 255 multi-family residences, representing 980 units, valued at $63,717,415, compared with 42 multi-family residences, representing 83 units, valued at $8,264,122, from January through November 2015. In general, a building permit is legal permission given by the City of Edinburg, through the Code Enforcement Department, 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 Edinburg EDC, whose Executive Director is Agustín García, Jr., is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr., as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Ruppert and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members.

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