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The Brownsville Convention and Visitors Bureau is out of the pyramid and into a snazzy, renovated former auto supply store next door to the eBridge Center for Business and Commercialization downtown.
The new complex, which took about a year to rehabilitate, with architectural design provided by Brownsville’s Roberto J. Ruiz, also now houses the city’s Communications and Marketing Department, Brownsville TV studio, and Office of Space Commerce. A ribbon-cutting and grand opening took place Friday at the complex, located at 1312 E. Adams St.
A number of city departments were honored with plaques for their roles in moving the project forward, including communications and marketing, the city’s Internal Services Department, and Engineering and Public Works. Brownsville Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Esmy Villarreal presented a plaque to city leaders on behalf of the chamber.
An enormous framed photograph of rocket ships at SpaceX’s Boca Chica/Starbase site by photographer and retired educator Daniel Sanchez, who gifted it to the new complex, was unveiled as part of Friday’s ceremony.
The $4 million-plus project to renovate the 12,000-square-foot (including outdoor courtyard) space was paid for entirely through Public Education Grants through the Texas Education Agency, according to City Manager Helen Ramirez, who noted that much of the complex is devoted to Brownsville TV, which serves a public education purpose.
“I think that demonstrates one of the things that the city does well, is grants,” she said.
The aim was to create something “bigger, grander and better,” Ramirez said.
“We deserve a building dedicated to collaboration communication, innovation, tourism and space commerce,” she said.
Ramirez said the city doesn’t yet have plans for the former CVB headquarters, located at 650 Ruben Torres Blvd. and built to resemble a Mesoamerican pyramid, but that there are plenty of opportunities for re-purposing it.
“Stay tuned for what that will be,” she said. “(The city) will hang onto it until it finds the highest … use for that building.”
Bringing CVB, communications and marketing and the other functions downtown is an example of the city’s commitment to helping revitalize downtown — the heart of any city, Ramirez said.
“The fact that the city is finding ways to utilize these buildings, rehab them, bring them back to life, it’s another entity that is investing in downtown,” she said.
Ramirez noted that the city owns other buildings on the block and hinted more rehabs are coming at some point.
Daphne Maldonado, CVB and Office of Space Commerce director, said moving out of the pyramid was bittersweet, but thanked city leaders, including Ramirez, Mayor John Cowen Jr. and city commissioners for helping make the new complex a reality. Maldonado also specifically thanked Dr. Rose Gowen, commissioner At-Large “B,” for her efforts.
Taking her turn at the microphone, Gowen said the new complex was some 14 years in the making.
“When I first came to this city it was clear that we needed to revitalize downtown,” she said. “And that vision was to bring back restaurants and vibrant spaces and green spaces and pedestrian spaces. It was a hard fight. Those of you who were here back then know exactly what I’m talking about.”
Moving CVB and the other offices into a historic downtown space equals a win, Gowen said.
“Brownsville deserves this space,” she said. “We deserve this revitalized downtown, and we’re not even finished yet.”
