MAYOR TREY MENDEZ' $200,000 REQUEST REMOVED FROM BCIC AGENDA

Coca Cola Building, 1018 East Washington Street

For those following the story of Mayor Trey Mendez' attempt to use $200,000 of taxpayer-funded 4B money to fix up his newly purchased building, item 6d on the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation agenda containing that request was removed.

The item concerned an application request by Urban 8 L.L.C. for $200,000 to make "exterior facade, interior capital and vertical activation improvements" to the Coca Cola Building at 1018 East Washington Street.

While Mayor Trey Mendez and former City Official Ramiro Gonzalez are the principals of Urban 8 L.L.C., Cameron County records show the building currently has a Superior Vendor's Lien in the amount of $382,555, held by Joe Quiroga, the president of Texas National Bank.

The BCIC did approve three other projects:

1. Rolando Garza's application for $80,000 for improvements to a food truck park at 850 East Adams Street.  The total projected cost of the park is $340,000 to include a juice & cocktail bar, boutique convenience store, six spaces, a courtyard, stage and doggie park.

2.  Blanka Perez' request for $160,000 of a $565,000 project on the two story building at 1112 East Washington.  The improvements include a brick patio, elevator and a stairway upgrade.  The first level will be a restaurant/bar, the second level a jazz/comedy venue.

3.  Maria Cisneros Solis Johnson's request of $130,000 on a $309,000 project at 1105 East Washington Street.  

To date in 2021 the BCIC has spent $912,000 on improvement projects in the city, still maintaining a balance of $728,000 in their operating fund.

1848 Barbecue Uses Grant for Outdoor Eating Area and Roof Overhang

At the last meeting the BCIC approved two $15,000 grants to former Mayor Tony Martinez to make facade and capital improvements to the 1848 Barbecue on Palm Boulevard.

We stopped at the business to observe the progress of the work.

An item of note:  Cameron County District Attorney Luis Saenz was at today's meeting, but left immediately after the board considered monies for downtown improvement projects.