Hotel Paso Del Norte renovation in Downtown El Paso delayed as owner seeks new contractor

Oct. 16–Renovation of the Hotel Paso Del Norte in Downtown El Paso has stopped while the historic hotel's owner looks for a new general contractor.

Officials with the Meyers Group, which owns the hotel, did not say why InterServ, a Los Angeles hotel renovation company, is no longer general contractor for the $70 million renovation project.

A statement issued by the Meyers Group said in part: "At this time, we are in the process of changing our primary general contractor. The new contractor we will select will offer the highest standards and efficiency we and the community expect, demand, and deserve."

The Meyers Group, the Miami multifamily-housing development company headed by Stewart Meyers, who has El Paso family ties, bought the hotel in October 2016.

The group is doing the renovation in partnership with Two Sabes LLC, an El Paso company led by Richard Aguilar of EPT Land Communities, which is developing the huge Montecillo Smart Growth community in West El Paso.

Aguilar declined to comment about what happened with InterServ.

InterServ was hired in August 2017 to lead renovation of the 106-year-old hotel building, which previously was the Camino Real Hotel.

InterServ representatives could not be reached for comment.

"We are thrilled to be part of this remodel, and look forward to restoring the hotel to its historic glory…." InterServ Chief Executive Officer Brian Brooks said in a statement issued last year when the Meyers Group announced InterServ as the project's general contractor.

The hotel, located at 101 S. El Paso St., across the street from the El Paso convention center, is set to have 350 rooms when the renovation is completed.

It will be a Marriott Autograph Collection Hotel.

Renowned El Paso architect Henry Trost designed the original hotel building, which opened in 1912. Years later, a large addition was constructed.

The Hotel Paso Del Norte is one of three buildings being renovated in Downtown for new hotels. A another hotel renovation was completed in May.

The renovation originally was slated to be done by this fall, but was pushed to April 2019, according to the hotel's website. That tentative opening date was posted before construction stopped last week.

The hotel is required to open by Aug. 29, 2020, under an economic development agreement between the city and the Meyers Group, said Israel Irrobali, marketing and communications coordinator for the city's Economic and International Development Department.

Under the agreement, the Meyers Group is to get up to $32.6 million in city and state grants and tax abatement to help pay for the renovation, if all requirements are met.

The Meyers Group has so far received $4 million in city grants since the El Paso City Council approved the incentives agreement in April 2017, including $1 million for completing half of the renovation, Irrobali said.

It will receive another $1 million when 75 percent of the renovation is completed, he said.

The Meyers Group told city officials last week that construction was halted while it looked for another contractor, but did not provide other details, Irrobali said.

"They are still in compliance" with the city incentives agreement, he said.

Vic Kolenc may be reached at 546-6421; vkolenc@elpasotimes.com; @vickolenc on Twitter.