"Bike Texas" and "Building Communities" Workshop Named Tenants for E. 11th Street Properties

After months of speculation fueled by window signs announcing a proposed downtown mayoral office, a police substation and downtown revitalization headquarters, it appears two non-profits will have offices in two of the three cubicles at 609, 611 and 615 E. 11th in downtown Brownsville.

Future office of BikeTexas at 615 E. 11th

BikeTexas, formerly the Texas Bicycle Coalition, declares its mission on its website as:  "advancing bicycle access, safety, and education. We encourage and promote bicycling, increased safety, and improved conditions. We unite and inspire people and provide a cohesive voice for people who ride bikes in Texas."

BikeTexas created the  Connecting Brownsville: The 2013 Bicycle and Trail Master Plan adopted by the City of Brownsville.  The non-profit will occupy the space at 615 E. 11th.

The bcWorkshop(bc=building communities) will occupy the cubicle at  609 E. 11th.  Their website described the organization as "a Dallas based nonprofit community design center seeking to improve the livability and viability of communities through the practice of thoughtful design and making. We enrich the lives of citizens by bringing design thinking to areas of our city where resources are most scarce. To do so, the bcWORKSHOP recognizes that it must first understand the social, economic, and environmental issues facing a community before beginning work."

Hugh Colon of bcWorkshop recently presented a request to the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation for $208,000 for the Belden Connect Project to connect the landscaping of the Belden and Battlefield Hike & Bike Trails.  Add that to the $400,000 allotted to overlay E. 6th Street, adding a bike lane, including the $150,000 TXdot grant, the total taxpayer cost(local and federal) surges to $608,000 to connect the two trails.  

City Planner II Roman McAllen conferring
with Hugo Colon of bcWorkshop

"We're not doing a typical remodel with sheetrock and ceiling tiles, explained Planner II Roman McAllen.  "We want to preserve the original 1870 brick.  With the two outside rooms we peeled back the floor layers to concrete etched in a block pattern.  The middle room will have a red brick floor."

Roman took me out to the alley to show the outline of the original 1870 era building.  

"Sometime during the 1920's, it was divided into 5 individual units," he stated.  

When asked about remodeling issues, McAllen mentioned a severely leaking roof.  

"The former tenants had to carry on 'as is,' but we we're able to fix the roof for just over $20,000."

Downtown Revitalization Information Center's
lease expires October 7, 2014

"The interior room will be offered as a meeting room for the Heritage Advisory Board. Actually, meetings about downtown could be held there."

When I mentioned that the lease on Tony's original mayoral office, now the Downtown Revitalization Information Center would expire October 7, 2014, McAllen said:  "Thanks for reminding me.  I need to go over there and pick up some things for this room."