city of brownsville

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS - Edmund Haas, a transportation planning manager with Freese & Nichols, spoke in depth about the City of Brownsville’s proposed Capital Recovery Fee program at a public hearing held at city hall on Jan. 16. 

Freese & Nichols are consultants to the City of Brownsville on the Capital Recovery Fee initiative. 

The plan is to impose a one-time charge on developers as they begin new projects. The fees raised would go towards roadway improvements. Certain exemptions are being built into the program, such as affordable housing projects and extensions to legacy businesses, which are defined as those based in Brownsville for a minimum of five years.

Here is an audio recording of what Haas said at the public hearing. It includes questions from city commissioners. Haas is introduced by J. Joel Garza, Jr., multimodal Transportation director for the City of Brownsville.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS - Affordable housing expert Nick Mitchell-Bennett spoke about the City of Brownsville’s proposed Capital Recovery Fee program at a public hearing held at city hall on Jan. 16. 

The plan is to impose a one-time charge on developers as they begin new projects. The fees raised would go towards roadway improvements. Certain exemptions are being built into the program, such as affordable housing projects and extensions to legacy businesses, which are defined as those based in Brownsville for a minimum of five years.

Mitchell-Bennett is CEO of CDCB (Come Dream, Come Build). Here is an audio recording of what Mitchell-Bennett said at the public hearing: 

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS - Real estate attorney Renee Sanchez spoke about the City of Brownsville’s proposed Capital Recovery Fee program at a public hearing held at city hall on Jan. 16. 

The plan is to impose a one-time charge on developers as they begin new projects. The fees raised would go towards roadway improvements. Certain exemptions are being built into the program, such as affordable housing projects and extensions to legacy businesses, which are defined as those based in Brownsville for a minimum of five years.

Here is an audio recording of what Sanchez said at the public hearing: 

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS - Land developer Dennis Sanchez spoke about the City of Brownsville’s proposed Capital Recovery Fee program at a public hearing held at city hall on Jan. 16. 

The plan is to impose a one-time charge on developers as they begin new projects. The fees raised would go towards roadway improvements. Certain exemptions are being built into the program, such as affordable housing projects and extensions to legacy businesses, which are defined as those based in Brownsville for a minimum of five years.

Sanchez, who was the developer behind the 1,300-acre Madeira upscale, master-planned community, spoke at the public hearing. Here is an audio recording of what he said:

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS - The City of Brownsville, working with consultants Freese & Nichols, hosted a public meeting at the Brownsville Events Center on Monday, Jan. 8, to discuss the proposed capital recovery fees program. 

The plan is to impose a one-time charge on developers as they begin new projects. The fees raised would go towards roadway improvements. 

At the meeting, builder Javier Peña, CFO and co-founder of Luceca Industrial & Commercial Construction, quizzed Edmund Haas, transportation planning manager of Freese & Nichols, about the proposals.

Peña asked Haas if any other city along the border is contemplating the imposition of Capital Recovery Fees. Haas replied that El Paso started such a program in 1988 but sunsetted it in 2016.

Peña asked if cities in the Rio Grande Valley that have industrial and commercial development, such as McAllen, Edinburg, Pharr and Weslaco, had considered imposing such a fee. Peña  answered his own question by saying, no.

“Why haven't they?” Peña asked. 

“Each city has their own priorities and visions and funding,” Haas responded.

Peña said cities such as McAllen, Edinburg, Pharr and Weslaco, “are offering credits and not fees,” in an effort to attract new business. Brownsville, he said, was going in the other direction.

“Someone has to pay for this infrastructure,” Haas responded.

Peña asked Haas what the feedback was when city officials met with the Brownsville-South Padre Island Board in early December to discuss the capital recovery fees program. 

Haas responded: “It was kind of a mixed bag, quite honestly. The board of realtors, there were several of them that were very concerned, that it would have a negative impact, that they would probably go develop elsewhere.”

 But, Haas added: “there were some that kind of got it. Like, somebody's got to pay for this stuff.”

In a press release, the City of Brownsville said the capital recovery fee will fund specific improvements that would otherwise be paid for by taxes from residents. “Capital Recovery Fees will ensure an increase in property values and attract businesses that will provide new jobs to the community,” the press release stated.

After the meeting had concluded, Haas gave an interview with the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service’s Mario Muñoz. Haas said the City of Brownsville had to find a new way to fund road construction.

“The state has caps on how much they (the City of Brownsville) can tax per year. So, they're at that three, three and a half percent or whatever it is, and so they're really maxed out,” Haas said.

Haas pointed out that around 55 percent of the City of Brownsville’s tax collections are spend on public safety. He said that does not leave much to repair roads and build new ones.

“And so that's really why this whole question came up. The city is going continue to grow. The city does not want to stymie growth but they understand that with new growth and development, there are going to be traffic impacts. You can see the congestion today. Then tack on new development coming in,” Haas said.


Editor's Note: Go to the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service to watch a video of the the exchange between Peña and Haas.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

RANCHO VIEJO, Texas - Three leaders from the lower Rio Grande Valley have been asked how they think 2024 will go for their respective organizations.

Eduardo Campirano, port director for Brownsville Navigation District, said: 

“Obviously, the continued progress of the Port (of Brownsville). The growth and the construction is still ongoing. And, of course, the biggest one of all is going to be the Rio Grande LNG project. That project is underway and is going to be very, very significant. That will probably suck up a lot of the attention over the next year or two or three or four or five or six or seven. It is growing and, of course, we've got projects in addition to that as well. We're looking at a great 2024, another record year.”

Brownsville City Manager Helen Ramirez said the City of Brownsville has been awarded almost $180,000 in grant money from the North American Development Bank. It is the first time the City has received money from this bank, she said, pointing out that the City’s matching fund is about ten percent. Ramirez said the funding will be used to help develop a rapid transit system between the Port of Brownsville and the City in order to get cars off the road. 

“NADBank is allowing us to be more innovative in how we handle road congestion. They're great partners, it was easy to get funded,” Ramirez said. “Right now, part of the scope of work… is to study the best route between the City of Brownsville, the city limits and the Port of Brownsville and all the companies that they're serving. Companies such as Rio Grande Valley LNG, SpaceX, Keppel, Steelcoast. Where can we put some park and rides where the employees are happy, the company is, and the city and the county also wins as well?”

Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr., said his city commission colleagues are hoping to end 2023 on a high.

“We're hoping to end with a bang and thankful for all of the progress and development that we've had over this past year. Hopefully we're going to start the new year with some very exciting development and, as soon at it happens, you'll know what I'm talking about. I don't want to jinx it. We're looking forward to continuing to work on all of the projects that we've been working on over the last several years. We hope some of them will come to fruition in a very short period of time,” Treviño said.

The lower Valley leaders were interviewed at a NADBank listening tour hosted by Estrada Hinojosa and Company and held at Rancho Viejo Country Club. Here is an audio recording of the interviews.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Renowned Mexico expert Duncan Wood spoke about near-shoring and re-shoring in a speech held at Texas Southmost College on Thursday, July 27.

The event was hosted by the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation and drew an audience of business leaders, diplomats and elected officials from Brownsville and Matamoros.

Wood is senior advisor to the Mexico Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington, DC. Before Wood spoke, Brownsville City Commissioner Roy De los Santos was asked to say a few words. After De Los Santos, Brownsville City Manager Helen Ramirez spoke. She introduced keynote speaker Wood. 

Here are the remarks of De Los Santos and Ramirez.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - The most Friday With The City breakfast event, hosted by the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce, featured the new mayor of Brownsville, John Cowen, Jr.

Cowen spoke about a range of topics from the podium. He was then interviewed by Brownsville Chamber President Esmy Villarreal. After this, Cowen took questions from the audience. The near sell-out event took place at the Brownsville Events Center.

One of the big topics Cowen addressed was BTX Fiber, the city's eagerly-anticipated fiber-to-the-home service. He gave an update during his remarks from the podium and in a Q&A with Villarreal.

Cowen said that when a resident gets connected with BTX Fiber, he or she gets the fastest internet in the area. He or she also gets friendly customer service from a local team who live, work, and serve in Brownsville.

Here is an audio recording of everything Mayor Cowen said about broadband at the Brownsville Chamber-sponsored event.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Brownsville Mayor John Cowen says Avelo Airlines could make his city its base of operations in Texas.

“Hopefully, one day, Brownsville will be a base for them,” Cowen told the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service.

Asked what he meant by “base,” Cowen said: “Having their crew operate out of here. Instead of the other cities that we fly to.”

Avelo Airlines is headquartered in Houston but Brownsville-South Padre Island International Airport is the only city it flies out of in the Lone Star State.

The huge success of its first routes out of Brownsville, non-stop to Burbank, California, and Orlando, Florida, helped persuaded Avelo to add Las Vegas as another destination. Starting Sept. 8, 2023, Avelo will fly non-stop, twice weekly, from Brownsville to the entertainment capital of the world. The introductory price, one-way, will be $69.

In this podcast, the Guardian interviews Mayor Cowen, Brownsville assistant city manager and aviation administrator Bryant Walker and Avelo’s general counsel, Daniel Camejo.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - The official Grand Opening of the eBridge Center for Business & Commercialization is scheduled for Thursday, March 9 beginning at 3:00 PM, sponsored by PNC Bank.  

The Center is the culmination of over three years of design and construction efforts in partnership between the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation (BCIC), the City of Brownsville, the Lower Rio Grande Valley Economic Development Council, the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and UTRGV Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Center (UTRGV ECC).

“The best way to stimulate job growth and create new opportunities in industries is to find the people who are already doing amazing things in our community and support them,” says Cori Peña, President and CEO of BCIC. “We are committed to strengthening our entrepreneurial ecosystem by supporting local talent our community already has, and helping them grow through meaningful collaboration.” 

Peña said the 36,000 square foot facility aspires to be the “entrepreneurial bridge” for startups and legacy businesses to grow and commercialize their service or product on a larger scale. 

She said the center consolidates all the foundational resources necessary for entrepreneurs to start their ventures, obtain capital, scale their businesses, and reach new markets. 

The eBridge Center will be having an open house for the community, potential members and collaborators to tour the space as well as register for membership for the UTRGV ECC Incubator on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 7th & 8th from 10 AM to 4:00 PM.

On Monday, Brownsville Mayor Trey Mendez got a sneak preview of the center. In the attached audio interview, The Rio Grande Guardian International News Service asked Mendez what he thought of the facility.  Also interviewed is the director of business development for BCIC, Nathan Burkhart.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Asked how big a deal it is that Avelo Airlines chose Brownsville for its first flights in Texas, Brownsville City Manager Helen Ramirez said: “It’s huge.”

From May, the Houston-based low-cost carrier will be offering $69 for a one-way ticket from Brownsville-South Padre Island International Airport to Orlando, Florida, and $89 for a one-way ticket from Brownsville to Burbank, California.

“First and foremost, our community will have a low-cast carrier. How many families have lost that opportunity because of the cost of the flight? Many, many, many,” Ramirez said. 

“Giving options, and giving choice to a Brownsville community with disparate socio-economic levels, it is hugely important. It is an important goal for the City of Brownsville and for our airport.”

Ramirez added: “It’s just a great moment in our history. Here you have the first airline recruited after the construction of our new 91,000 square-foot airport.”

In the attached podcast, Ramirez is joined by Bryant Walker, assistant city manager and aviation administrator for the City of Brownsville, and Travis Crist, head of marketing for Avelo.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Helen Ramirez, the new city manager for Brownsville, says there are now 60-plus companies based at Brownsville-South Padre Island International Airport.

"I always talk about the Brownsville Airport as an economic driver, as a regional driver, but it's a regional driver not only because it provides a service, which is air service, but also because it has everyone from Fisher Dynamics to SpaceX, to other smaller tenants, logistical companies, hangars. So it has a whole mix of different types of companies," Ramirez said.

Ramirez gave the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service an exclusive interview following a recent event hosted by Brownsville Chamber of Commerce at the Brownsville Events Center. 

She said the City of Brownsville has just finished a feasibility study for a micro grid at the airport. "So actually having a sustainable energy source there is also important because it's very advanced in its technology."

And, as reported previously, Brownsville is also aiming to secure spaceport designation for its airport. 

"That (spaceport designation) is something that we really need in the nation and the state of Texas. So we're really excited about our airport and actually growing a lot of the companies that are there."

Asked if there is room for any more tenants at the airport, Ramirez said: "Absolutely. We're actually looking at our next spec building for industrial development. And you know, we do have a large acreage, from eight acres to two acres to 30 acres of land within the airport protection zone and outside. So, it's really exciting to see that people, depending on the company, can locate within or outside the airport property lines.”

In the interview, Ramirez also spoke about development of a new industrial park, workforce training, the importance of Texas Southmost College, and eliminating the digital divide.

Here is the interview. 

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - The City of Brownsville will celebrate a first this evening as an international soccer game is played at Brownsville Sports Park between two of the biggest clubs in the world.

The women’s team of Chivas de Guadalajara are champions of Mexico. They play Inter Milan of Italy in an exhibition game with the kickoff at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at www.socio.mx or in person at Brownsville Golf Center, Brownsville Visitor’s Center, or Brownsville Events Center.

The players of Inter Milan are doing their pre-season training in Brownsville and New York ahead of the new season. It is the first time their women’s team has visited the U.S. The game against Chivas is the only one on their schedule. 

On Tuesday, Inter players coached young soccer players from Brownsville at the Brownsville Sports Park. A press conference was also held to promote the game.

The attached podcast features the analysis of Jorge Villalobos, the founder of Socio.MX.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - The City of Brownsville will celebrate a first this evening as an international soccer game is played at Brownsville Sports Park between two of the biggest clubs in the world.

The women’s team of Chivas de Guadalajara are champions of Mexico. They play the women's team of Inter Milan of Italy in an exhibition game with the kickoff at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at www.socio.mx or in person at Brownsville Golf Center, Brownsville Visitor’s Center, or Brownsville Events Center.

The players of Inter Milan are doing their pre-season training in Brownsville and New York ahead of the new season. It is the first time their women’s team has visited the U.S. The game against Chivas is the only one on their schedule. 

On Tuesday, Inter players coached young soccer players from Brownsville at the Brownsville Sports Park. A press conference was also held to promote the game.

The attached podcast features the analysis of Helen Ramirez, interim city manager of Brownsville. 

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - In an in-depth interview with the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service, Helen Ramirez, Brownsville’s interim city manager, discusses a new international business park, broadband services, and foreign investment in her community. 

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - On Tuesday, July 29, the Brownsville City Commission unanimously agreed to enter into a public-private partnership with Lit Communities for the design and construction of a citywide broadband fiber network. 

But who are Lit Communities? The attached podcast sheds some light on the company as we interview the group’s CEO Brian Snider.

Snider was present at the recent Broadband Signing ceremony. Those signing the agreement included Snider, Brownsville Mayor Trey Mendez, and John Bruciak, the general manager of Brownsville Public Utilities Board.

The network Lit Communities will build includes a 93-mile middle mile backbone with design to last mile fiber. It will connect 32 anchor institutions including city facilities, Police, Fire, EMS, and public parks.

Through the agreement, Brownsville residents and business owners will have the infrastructure in place to provide a minimum broadband capacity of 100 megabits city-wide.

“Today was a historic day for the City of Brownsville and one that will have a multigenerational impact. We have effectively taken the first and most important step to eliminating the digital divide in Brownsville through an innovative public-private partnership with Lit Communities and our local stakeholders. Very soon, residents will have accessible and affordable broadband right here in Brownsville,” said Mayor Mendez.

Mendez said the city will be utilizing $19.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for the approved middle mile fiber network, allowing for public-private partnerships to deploy last mile services. 

Snider said Lit Communities will contribute an additional $70 million to execute the last mile infrastructure.

“It is such an exciting day to complete this partnership and make it official.  The City of Brownsville has inspired us, and we continue to see the values and beliefs that we have as a company as well. Because of that, we were able to create a unique partnership that will set the example for future municipalities across the country. While it is an exciting day, the job still isn’t done, and we are now looking forward to getting engineering and construction started,” Snider said.

According to a news release from the City of Brownsville, the city was, in March, named the winner in International Data Corporation’s (IDC) Government Insights’ Fifth Annual Smart Cities North America Awards for Digital Equity and Accessibility for its comprehensive planning efforts to increase broadband accessibility and speed. 

In December of 2020, Mayor Mendez was awarded the “Change Maker” award by New Century Cities for his work in addressing the digital divide in Brownsville.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - The City of Brownsville is spending $1 million to overhaul its permitting system, interim city manager Helen Ramirez has announced. 

The reason for doing it, Ramirez said, is to make it easier for businesses to relocate to the city.

Ramirez announced the news during a recent conference titled: “The Future of Aerospace, Defense & Energy.” Held at the Brownsville Events Center, the conference was co-hosted by SelectUSA, a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation. Ramirez is executive director of GBIC.

SelectUSA is a program run by the U.S. Department of Commerce that seeks to attract foreign direct investment to the United States. Every June, SelectUSA hosts a major summit near Washington, D.C. In addition, it has regional spinoff events. 

Brownsville was the only city in Texas to be selected for a spinoff event. GBIC had to select two industries to focus on and it chose aerospace and energy.

In a speech at the spinoff, Ramirez gave a shout out to J. Brant Arseneau, founding partner at 9Point8 Capital and a founder of Spaced Ventures. Both have a presence in Brownsville. She also praised Natalie Rens, founder of Astreia, a company that is building Habitat Zero, a community of 125 homes designed to support Brownsville’s growing aerospace hub.

Both Arseneau and Rens spoke at the spinoff event.

“The fact that they are locating here, they are growing here and believe what we are doing and then tell the world about us is very important because this is a great place to do business,” Ramirez said.

“It is an easy place to do business. We are not Austin. We do not want to be another city. We want to be us. We don’t want to be known for a permitting process that takes a year and a half to two years. We don’t and we won’t be that. That is why we redid our codes. The city is doing a new permitting system, spending a million dollars on just how do we streamline permits because we know it can be difficult.”

Ramirez added: “So, it is those types of things that the city is doing, that the county is doing to really accelerate the Space economy in our region.”

This podcast features Ramirez’s remarks at the aerospace conference. 

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - SpaceX is becoming a good corporate citizen of the Rio Grande Valley.

That is the view of Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr.

By way of example, Treviño pointed to the help SpaceX provided when 3,000 endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles were saved during the Big Freeze in February 2021. Another example, he said, was when the City of Los Indios lost power and SpaceX sent a generator.

“They are becoming, I think, a good member of the community. A lot of that stuff doesn’t get advertised or well-known because the focus, obviously, is on their business operations. But, I think they are committed to being a good corporate citizen,” Treviño said.

In response, Helen Ramirez, the City of Brownsville’s interim city manager and the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation’s executive director, pointed out that the Musk Foundation donated $20 million to Cameron County schools and $10 million to revitalization plans for downtown Brownsville.

Ramirez and Treviño spoke about SpaceX at a recent conference co-hosted by GBIC and SelectUSA. Their discussion took the form of a Q&A, with Ramirez pitching questions to Treviño.

One of the questions posed was: Why did SpaceX choose Brownsville? Another was: What impact has SpaceX had on the Cameron County economy?

Ramirez also asked Treviño about the environmental safeguards SpaceX has had to put in place at Boca Chica, and the role of the Spaceport Development Corporation. 

The conference was titled: “The Future of Aerospace, Defense & Energy.” It was held at the Brownsville Events Center. Select USA is a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – In a Zoom interview with the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service, Helen Ramirez has discussed a new project that will see 125 net zero carbon rental homes built in Brownsville.

Ramirez is deputy city manager for the City of Brownsville and executive director of the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation. 

The new project comes from Astreia, which describes itself as a vertically-integrated developer. The company says its mission is to build low-carbon footprint homes and sustainable communities.

Astreia recently announced plans to develop Habitat Zero, its first build-for-rent neighborhood, in Brownsville. It is said to be the first development of its kind, not just in Texas but the whole of the United States.

Habitat Zero will offer 125 homes complete with solar panels, Tesla Powerwall batteries and 30 EV chargers throughout the community.

“We are very excited about this project,” Ramirez said. “They found a beautiful property on a resaca and really a straight shoot to the airport and SpaceX. We are very excited about being the first city to approve such a project.”

Editor's Note: To read the full story go to the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service website.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - In a Zoom interview with the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service, Helen Ramirez has discussed Pineapple RE Holdings’ proposed five-story Hilton Garden Inn.

Ramirez is deputy city manager for the City of Brownsville and executive director of the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation. 

Last month, Brownsville City Commission approved a funding agreement for the Hilton project. The operator, Pineapple RE Holdings LP, plans to build a five-story Hilton Garden Inn in a high traffic and retail area on W. Morrison Road. 

The prototype will be built on a five-acre site and will feature a minimum of 150 guest rooms. Some of the amenities will include a full-service restaurant and bar, minimum of 10,000 square foot conference and meeting space, swimming pool, health spa and fitness, a sundry shop and Wi-Fi in all guest rooms and hotel public spaces.

Editor's Note: Go to the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service to read the full story.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.