www.elpasobuilders.com www.epbuilders.

org

Builders

utlook

2013
issue 12

EPAB New Leadership Installed

Banquet honors members with special recognition
The 66th annual installation and
awards dinner was held at the Marriott
El Paso hotel on Friday, December 13.
The event culminated the year for the
association as we handed out the
Associate of the Year, the Builder
member of the Year, Pat Cox award
winner and an Honorary Life Member
award. In addition this year we
honored three pioneers of the
association with the first ever hall of
fame Pioneer Award.
The festivities started with hosted
cocktail compliments of MTI Ready Mix
and host Tony Mullen. When asked
about saying a few words to the
assembled guest Tony was quick.
Merry Christmas to everyone, and
have a great evening, he said. That
was the shortest speech of the night as
we moved into the dinner prepared by
the chefs at the Marriott. Guest dined
on medallions of beef, Italian chicken
breast, pan toasted red potatoes and
steamed vegtables. The desert was
classic Key Lime pie.
The ballroom welcomed the nearly
300 guests in comfort and a classic
elegance to witness the installation of
the 2014 Board of Directors and
Executive Officers in addition to
learning the evenings winners.
Presenting the Associate of the Year
was Angelique Roman from Sierra Title
who announced WestStar Bank as the
2013 Associate of the Year. Accepting
for the bank were Burt Blacksher and
Henry Tinajero who along with
WestStar Bank president Larry Patton
received individual Star Awards.
Next the Builder Member of the Year
was announced by Mark Dyer, Past
President from Winton & Associates.
The award went to Edmundo Dena for
his work as president for 2013. It was
a great year for the most part and I
have to say that our board and
executive gets a lot of credit for that,
Dena said. I am humbled to have
served and to get this award, he
continued.
Mike Santamaria, Past President
and last years Pat Cox Lifetime Award
winner announced the 2013 award
winner, Sam Shallenberger from
Western Wholesale Supply. I can say
without a doubt in my mind that
Sammy is so deserving of this award,
Mike told the Outlook. I am feeling a
little warm and fuzzy right now, a little
emotional if you would at this award,
said Shallenberger. It is the biggest
award Ive ever gotten, and I would like
to say thanks, he continued.
The Honorary Life Member award is
presented infrequently but the
association couldnt see holding off
any longer as Rudy Guel announced
the eighth recipient in the 66 year old

association. E.H. Baeza, Sr. was

emotional as he stepped up to the
podium to get the honor. He told the
crowd that he was undeserving but
very grateful and proud to be honored.
I want to thank all of you for this, I will
treasure it, Mr. Baeza told the crowd.
At 89 years of age Mr. Baeza is an
active builder and was president of the
EPAB in 1967. He attends our
meetings and participates, Rudy Guel
told the audience.
Several special awards were made
to members. The Star Awards went to
John Reich from Texas Gas; Bret
Thompson of Foxworth Galbraith; Joe
Bernal of Employee Benefits of El
Paso; Frank and Isela Torres from
GMF Homes; and Beverly Clevenger
of Automated Division 6 Builders.
Reich, who is retiring from Texas
Gas in April, summed up his feelings
by saying he was overwhelmed by the
kindness and accolade. I got to say
that this one is a big surprise to me and
I will proudly hang it on my wall, Reich
told us.
I never suspected or
expected this award, said a stunned
Beverly Clevenger. You do what you
say youll do and never expect any sort
of payment for doing it, she said.
The evening continued with the
Pioneer Awards as each of the
honorees or their family accepted the
honor. George D. Thomas, son of
George Thomas our posthumous
honoree, accepted the award for the
family. I can tell you that we are so
grateful to the association for honoring
our father and for allowing us to be
here with you, said Mr. Thomas, an
attorney in Dallas. All of us know that
there are so many builders and subs
out in El Paso and other places
because my dad taught them or hired
them, he continued.
Pete Yegge, a childhood friend of
Bob Bowling III, the next honoree, told
the audience about the early years of
Tropicana, and how Bob got started.
We were kids in school and here we
are over fifty years later still friends and
still doing business together, Yegge
told the Outlook.
I owe what I have to great people,
my family and my lovely wife Paulette
for all that we have, with special thanks
to God for allowing me to do what we
do, Bowling said as he accepted the
award.
The last of the honorees was Jack
Winton, owner of Winton and
Associates, Inc. who was introduced
by Edmundo Dena. I am honored to
have been selected as a Pioneer, and
although I am in my 80s I feel like I still
have 80 more to give, he told us. My
whole philosophy in life is to treat
people with respect, honesty, and

EdmundoDena

WestStar Bank

commitment to do the right thing, he

told the audience. He then went on to
recite from memory the Builders
Prayer, a beautiful prayer outlined in
Mr. Wintons book, the House that
Jack Built.
The evening continued into the early
morning with music provided by
Michael Armstead, who masterfully
played the music for those who stayed
to dance.
Dozens of toys were
donated by the guests and those will
be distributed to needy children by the
Junior Womens Club of El Paso.
Pema Garcia, president of the JWC
thanked all the guests for the critical
donation. Our women will hand these
out to less fortunate children right
before Christmas. You all have
outdone yourselves, thank you for the
gifts, she continued.

2013 EPAB Award Winners were:

Builder Member of the Year,
Edmundo Dena, Accent Homes
(Pictured above)
Associate of the Year,
WestStar Bank (Pictured above)
Pat Cox Lifetime Award,
Sam Shallenberger,
Western Wholesale Supply, Inc.
Honorary Life Member,
E H Baeza, Sr.
More photos on page 7

Builders Outlook

2013 issue 12

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM YOUR FRIENDS

AT TEXAS GAS SERVICE.
The holidays are a time to give thanks and celebrate with the ones you love. At Texas Gas Service,
wed like to express our gratitude to you for building with natural gas and for giving your buyers
the gift of savings. We wish you and your customers a safe and warm holiday season.
For more information about building with natural gas, contact Eduardo Lucero at
ealucero@txgas.com or (915) 680-7216.

ONEOK, Inc.

Oklahoma Natural Gas

Kansas Gas Service

ONEOK Partners, L.P.

Texas Gas Service provides natural gas to more than 620,000 customers in the state of Texas, including customers in Austin, El Paso, the Gulf Coast and the Rio Grande Valley. Texas Gas Service is a division of ONEOK, Inc. (NYSE: OKE), a diversified energy company.
ONEOK is the general partner and owns 41.3 percent of ONEOK Partners, L.P. (NYSE: OKS), one of the largest publicly traded limited partnerships, which is a leader in the gathering, processing, storage and transportation of natural gas in the U.S. and owns one of
the nations premier natural gas liquids (NGL) systems, connecting much of the NGL supply in the Mid-Continent with key market centers. ONEOK is among the largest natural gas distributors in the United States, serving more than 2 million customers in Oklahoma,
Kansas and Texas. ONEOK is a Fortune 500 company. For more information, visit www.texasgasservice.com. 2013

2013 issue 12

Builders Outlook

Presidents Message |
Edmundo
Dena

ElPasoDisposal

President,
El Paso Association
of Builders

So this is it. The end. The final column of my presidency. I always

wondered what it would be like to come to the end of my term and how I would
feel about it. I guess I can sum it up with this: I know enough now to actually
know what to do. Interesting isnt it that I would come to this and finally figure
it out. As I talked with Greg Bowling about the feeling he said that he felt the
same way, at least sort of. He told me that you come into the position with a
lot of questions, nervous and at times wondering what you got into. Then
about six months into the year things begin to flow and finally near the end you
realize you are ok. I never thought being ok would be ok, but here I am and
Im ok. I feel like we did a lot and yet feel a sense of not doing enough. I told
Ray that I know we did some spectacular things this year yet I failed in one I
felt I just didnt do enough, and that was retention of members. As the calendar
moves into 2014 I realize that we will need to fill our membership back up, and
with the direction that Frank Torres announced at his installation it will be a
priority. Im looking forward to his leadership with this initiative and will do
everything I can to make sure we gain membership not lose it.
This last column is hard for me because I have really enjoyed my time as
president. I want to thank my family, especially my wife Claudia for giving me
the time to do this. I owe so much to Jack Winton and Herschel Stringfield for
supporting me at work. I also want to thank Mark Dyer for always asking if I
needed help with anything. Tony Mullen and Ruben Orquiz out at MTI Ready
Mixyou guys are special. To Margaret Adauto, thanks for allowing us to be
ourselves and for working hard for us. You hear a lot but never repeat what
youve heard, and thats a special quality. To Ray, well I can only tell you that
he has been there for me. He has guided me when I needed it; stopped me
when I wouldnt; and shared this wonderful adventure with me. He has been
my concierge, my guide, my go to but most of all my friend. We are lucky to
have him.
So to all of you, to the advertisers, supporters, volunteers and to my boards,
thank you for this year. I will now move onto the Immediate Past President role
with great memories and greater friendships. Now go sell something.

772-7495

Showroom:
2131 Missouri
915 533 6045

fax 533 6096

Thomas R. Brown, Owner

Builders Outlook

2013 issue 12

Perspective

Ray Adauto,
Executive
Vice President
EPAB

What a year this has been. Success

after success with a chance of failure.
Concerned about the economy and
the state of the association, yet at
peace with it all. The end of the year
is a time for reflection and some
healing I think. I cant say that its my
favorite time of year because of my
personal journey during Christmas
and New Years, but I can say that I
find a certain joy to it. I know what I do
like about this time of year: getting to
say thank you to so many, and to see
people happy and stressed all at the
same time.
Yes I get some
satisfaction from both of those
extremes as I look at and anticipate a
new year. I reflect on this tired, old
2013 and cant wait to see what
comes in 2014. I also realize that Ive
grown another year older and with the
odds stacked against me for another
six decades of life I also begin to think
about my mortality.
I especially think of my mortality
when I drive. I have had some close
calls in the past, but folks the driving

Good wishes for new year, if we can make it through traffic

during the holiday rush is outrageous.
The much overflowed intersection of I10 and Hawkins is now super crowded
with the opening of the Fountains at
Farah. I think the city and the state
should have collaborated to put a
flying ramp directly onto Cielo Vista
Mall from I-10 both ways. I also think
that the exits onto Gateway West from
the Fountains are dangerous, very
short and not well thought out with the
traffic coming off I-10 West. My best
route to the Fountains is the back way,
go all the way to Hunter then back
towards those stores. Its a tragedy
waiting to happen the way it sits now.
On the day I wrote this column I
almost got hit when turning left onto
Geronimo from Gateway East. I was
in the middle lane, blinker on, and with
every right to turn left or go straight.
The car on my left was supposed to
turn, no option. The guy driving
mustve been thinking about his
girlfriend or something but he came
within a camel hair of t-boning me.
Glad he had quick reaction and glad I

did also. This intersection is notorious

for those foreign plates to rush
through without a thought. Its not just
the intersections anymore as people
fly down the interstate, down the
gateways and down Montana, Mesa
or Alabama. Speed and lack of
attention is a risky combo. Please,
slow down. Please monitor your
drivers as well. I cant begin to tell you
how many times Ive called a member
to see whos driving one of their
marked vehicles and tell them to have
them obey school zones or to quit

cutting people off. Now days you cant

afford to rankle the public any more
than you need to, and besides, your
trucks are marked with your name on
it.
So if we survive the hassles of this
season, and the traffic, then I should
want to wish you a Merry Christmas
and Happy New Year. Be safe, be
prudent, and be all you can be. Share
the joy with those who dont have the
how to, and those who just need to be
remembered. Well all be better for
that. My joy is having my grandkids
Gaby, Matt and my two most
wonderful Austin gifts, Ian and Adam.
They join my other grandkids
Tommy, CG and Nicki whom I love
dearly (my great nephews and great
niece). I hope we can get Ian and
Adam into the family permanently
soon, maybe by the time we read this.
They are a blessing, just like my first
five grandkids, that make this old guy
have hope. Love to all, and Gods
blessings.

2013 issue 12

Builders Outlook

Industry News
Housing Markets
Continue Slow Climb
Back to Normal

Markets in 54 out of the approximately

350 metro areas nationwide returned to
or exceeded their last normal levels of
and
housing
activity,
economic
according to the National Association of
Home Builders/First American Leading
Markets Index (LMI), released today. The
indexs nationwide score of .86 indicates
that, based on current permits, prices
and employment data, the nationwide
market is running at 86 percent of normal
economic and housing activity.
The LMI figures for November showed
that 55 housing markets were operating

at or above their last normal levels and

the nationwide market was operating at
85 percent of normal growth.
LMI data for the two months were
released simultaneously because of the
delay in collecting data during the partial
government shutdown in October.
This index shows that most housing
markets across the nation are continuing
a slow, gradual climb back to normal
levels, said NAHB Chairman Rick
Judson, a home builder from Charlotte,
N.C. Policymakers must guard against
actions that could impede or even
reverse the modest gains of the past
year.
Noting that smaller metros accounted
for most of the 54 markets on the current
LMI that are at or above normal levels,
NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe
said that smaller markets are leading
the way, particularly where energy is the
primary economic driver. Nearly half of
the markets in the top 54 are in the
energy states of Texas, Louisiana, North
Dakota, Wyoming and Montana.
The fact that more than 125 markets
on this months LMI are showing activity

levels of at least 90 percent of previous

norms bodes well for a continuing
housing recovery in 2014, said Kurt
Pfotenhauer, vice chairman of First
American Title Insurance Co., which cosponsors the LMI report.
Baton Rouge, La., tops the list of major
metros on the LMI, with a score of 1.42
or 42 percent better than its last normal
market level. Other major metros at the
top of the list include Honolulu,
Oklahoma City, Austin and Houston,
Texas, as well as Pittsburgh all of
whose LMI scores indicate that their
market activity now exceeds previous
norms.
Looking at smaller metros, both
Odessa and Midland, Texas, boast LMI
scores of 2.0 or better, meaning that their
markets are now at double their strength
prior to the recession. Also at the top of
the list of smaller metros are Casper,
Wyo.; Bismarck, N.D.; and Grand Forks,
N.D., respectively.
The LMI shifts the focus from
identifying markets that have recently
begun to recover, which was the aim of a
previous gauge known as the Improving

Markets Index, to identifying those areas

that are now approaching and exceeding
their previous normal levels of economic
and housing activity. More than 350
metro areas are scored by taking their
average permit, price and employment
levels for the past 12 months and
dividing each by their annual average
over the last period of normal growth.
For single-family permits and home
prices, 2000-2003 is used as the last
normal period, and for employment,
2007 is the base comparison. The three
components are then averaged to
provide an overall score for each market;
a national score is calculated based on
national measures of the three metrics.
An index value above one indicates that
a market has advanced beyond its
previous normal level of economic
activity.

Builder Confidence
Rises Four Points in
December
Builder confidence in the market for
newly built, single-family homes
improved four points to a 58 reading on
the National Association of Home
Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market
Index (HMI) for December, released
today. This gain reflected improvement in
all three index components current
sales conditions, sales expectations and
traffic of prospective buyers.
This is definitely an encouraging sign
as we move into 2014, said National
Association of Home Builders (NAHB)
Chairman Rick Judson, a home builder
from Charlotte, N.C. The HMI is up 11
points since December of 2012 and has
been above 50 for the past seven
months. This indicates that an increasing
number of builders have a positive view
on where the industry is going.
The recent spike in mortgage interest
rates has not deterred consumers as
rates are still near historically low levels,
said NAHB Chief Economist David
Crowe. Following a two-month pause in
the index, this uptick is due in part to
release of the pent-up demand caused
by the uncertainty generated by the
October government shutdown. We
continue to look for a gradual
improvement in the housing recovery in
the year ahead.
Derived from a monthly survey that
NAHB has been conducting for 25 years,
the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market
Index gauges builder perceptions of
current single-family home sales and
sales expectations for the next six
months as good, fair or poor. The
survey also asks builders to rate traffic of
prospective buyers as high to very
high, average or low to very low.
Scores for each component are then
used to calculate a seasonally adjusted
index where any number over 50
indicates that more builders view
conditions as good than poor.
All three HMI components posted
gains in December. The index gauging
current sales conditions jumped six
points to 64, while the index gauging
expectations for future sales rose two
points to 62. The index gauging traffic of
prospective buyers gained three points
to 44.
Looking at the three-month moving
averages for regional HMI scores, the
South edged one point higher to 57 while
the Northeast, Midwest and West each
fell a single point to 38, 59 and 59,
respectively.

Builders Outlook

2013 issue 12

2013 ISSUE 12

Builders

Builders Outlook

utlook on the scene |

EPAB Installation and

awards Banquet
Continued from Page 1

el paso development news

CRRMA Readies
for Opening of
Toll Lanes

Drivers Can Use Border

Highway Lanes in December
After years of construction, El Paso
drivers will get to choose whether or not
to use managed toll lanes on the Cesar
Chavez Border Highway in December
when construction is expected to be complete. And now the Camino Real Regional
Mobility Authority (CRRMA) is preparing
to educate the public about how the toll
program will work.
The CRRMA board will review a
presentation on the Cesar Chavez
Managed Lanes Project at its meeting this
week that will include details on the toll
collection process and the marketing outreach that will roll out in the coming
months.
Drivers on the nine mile stretch of
the Border Highway between US-54 and

the Zaragoza Port of Entry will still have

two free lanes to use, while the additional
toll lane will be the left-most lane in each
direction.
Pricing for use of the toll lanes will
vary based on the time of day, starting at
a base rate of $0.10 per mile. The minimum toll for any trip will be $0.40. Large
trucks and trailers will be unable to use
the toll lanes, while emergency and public
transit vehicles will be exempt from tolls.
There will be two tolling points in
each direction, between Midway Drive
and Yarbrough Drive, and between
Yarbrough and Padres Drive. Entrance
and exit points will favor drivers taking
longer trips with only two exits from the
toll lane for eastbound travelers, one
before Yarbrough Drive and another
before the Zaragoza Port of Entry.
The Border Highway has been

widened to accommodate the new toll

lanes. There is still a 10-foot inside-shoulder in each direction. The toll lanes will be
separated from the free main lanes by a
two foot buffer.
Collection of tolls will be an electronic process with no actual payment infrastructure on the highway. Sensors will
scan vehicles for a toll tag for those that
are registered with a toll service and bill
the driver accordingly. Cameras will be
used to capture license plate information
for non-registered drivers who decide to
use the toll lanes. A bill will be sent to the
address of the vehicles registered owner.
The CRRMA expects to spread the
news about the new toll lanes via stories
on various news stations, broadcast
advertising on television, radio, and billboards, and through grass roots efforts
involving elected officials and community

meetings.
At least two other managed lane
projects are in the works. The Americas
Managed Lanes Project will continue the
Cesar Chavez toll lanes at the eastern
terminus from the Zaragoza Port of Entry
north to Bob Hope Drive on El Pasos
East Side. And the massive Border
Highway West project will create a brand
new tolled expressway from Downtown El
Paso to the citys West Side.
The CRRMA will discuss the presentation at its October 9, 2013 meeting.
More information can be found at
www.crrma.org.
Above: The managed toll lane will be the
innermost lane in each direction. Rates
per mile will vary based on congestion
and the time of day. (CRRMA)

The Latest Trends In Kitchen Remodeling

By Alden Smith Home Repair & Personal Finance

The kitchen is no longer a gathering place

like it was in the 50's and 60's, when large
country kitchens were the focal point of the
family. Now they are designed to be efficient
and time saving. Very few families eat in the
kitchen any longer. Those that do will wisely
chose the proper remodeling scheme when
they redo the kitchen. Often, people do not
think of future home owners when designing
their kitchen, but instead design to meet their
own preferences. That is okay, as long as
the owners plan on staying in their home forever. If, however, you wish to plan ahead for
a future home sale, then you need to take a
few things into consideration when redesigning your kitchen. Here, we will discuss current trends and what to look for in a new
kitchen design.
What Leads In Trends?
If you want to know what leads the market
in remodeling, look no further than current
high end homes. These expensive homes
pave the way in trends, and paying attention
to what is being done is critical if planning to
sell at a later date. According to a Harvard
University study, about 90% of the remodeling ideas are driven by homes that cost in
the neighborhood of $400,000.00. These
ideas trickle down to the middle market, and
are then incorporated by many home
builders.
Who Is Buying?
Baby Boomers are growing older, with the
first retiring in 2007. They are generally set in
their homes or plan for a retirement setting.
Now, Gen X'ers are coming up and look at
things more differently than Boomers. The
Boomers are looking to downsize, and Gen

X'ers are fast coming into the age where

their families are growing, they are more
affluent, and wish more space. When remodeling, keep this generation in mind.
What's Hot, What's Not
What works yesterday will not work today.
A kitchen is dated the minute construction is
finished. Building a classic and efficient
kitchen takes a lot of homework. Let's look at
some of the hottest trends in kitchen
rebuilds:
Be sure to match your dcor. Nothing sticks
out more than an ultra modern kitchen in a
shabby chic setting.Plan the kitchen
around the theme of your home.
Countertops are the most regarded item in
a kitchen.Gone are the days when Formica
would do. Upscale homes generally have
granite or marble counter tops. They are
beautiful and long lasting, but a word of
caution is in order - they have a tendency to
absorb oils and stains. Although they can
be cleaned, this is the downside of these
materials. You may wish to opt for the new
composite countertops that are stain resistant, yet simulate the more expensive (and
heavier) marble or granite countertop.
Corian by Dupont is becoming more fashionable these days.
Let lighting be the focus of your kitchen. In
a lot of kitchens, a single overhead light
serves purpose. This is not only frustrating
for the chef but makes cooking a much less
enjoyable experience. A kitchen needs to
be well lit, yet have a homey atmosphere. A
smaller kitchen can benefit from correct
overhead lighting and task specific lighting
such as under cabinets, lighting the prep
area. In larger kitchens lighting needs to be

more functional, with areas such as cupboards and drawers well lit. The trend for
fluorescents is past, and now we see
recessed lighting installed over stoves,
sinks, and prep areas. Keep in mind that it
must not only be functional, but add to the
ascetic appeal of the kitchen. According to
research done for this article, pewter lighting fixtures are the current hot trend.
Flooring in the kitchen is essential for a well
designed room. Try to apply flooring that
contrasts with the appliances and setting
instead of matching it. Current trends are
towards long plank flooring and the more
exotic darker hardwoods such as
mahogany and cherry. Trending is terracotta, porcelain and even Spanish roofing tiles.
The color goes deep in these materials and
gives any kitchen a well designed look.

Keeping up with the latest trends in

kitchens can be a time consuming and
expensive job. Some people may feel that
making expensive upgrades to kitchens
increases the resale value. Although this
can be true, there is a point where spending
money on remodeling is not to your advantage. Remodeling Magazine's annual Cost
vs. Value survey points out that upgrading a
kitchen can increase the value. Other
sources say that doing such things as resurfacing kitchen cabinets, replacing countertops and replacing outdated appliances puts
you in a position to do better on resale than
a full modern upgrade. Whatever your
choice, read up on kitchens and remodeling,
and make your kitchen the focal point of your
home.

Builders Outlook Issue 12.2013

Content provided by
El Paso Development News
visit: elpasodevnews.com

Medical Center of the Americas Growth Foundation Presents

First Annual Impact Fund Report
The City of El Paso received the first
annual report from the Medical Center
of the Americas (MCA) Foundation in
October on various ongoing efforts bolstered by the Citys investment last
year. A Chapter 380 Economic
Development Program Grant
Agreement was established on
February 7, 2012 between the City and
the MCA Foundation.
Representatives of the MCA will
update City officials on various
endeavors including funding resources,
staffing efforts, and planning and
design details for a biomedical institute
and the tech park. The Foundation is
also working continuously to acquire
properties in the vicinity of the MCA
campus.
The Biomedical Institute of the
Americas (BMIA) was formed last year
with help of City grant funding to
encourage biomedical research and
innovation in the El Paso region. To
date, the BMIA has triaged biomed
companies on a local and national
level, according to the report, and
hopes to become a robust innovation
pipeline within five years.
Another venture the MCA
Foundation has undertaken is the
Clinical Research Organization (CRO),
an effort to launch a local clinical trials
network. The Foundation will align
itself with one or more CROs, identify
products needing clinical trials, and
integrate them into the local provider
network. The CRO launched in 2012.
Representatives will also update
Council members on one current and
one near-future construction project
underway at the MCA campus.
The $37.9 million Cardwell
Collaborate building will be the first for

leasable space. The projects architect

is the Philo Wilke Partnership firm of
Houston (www.pwarch.com). The firm
opened an El Paso office in 2010.
To the south and closer to the
MCA Campus core, the new building
for the Gayle Greve Hunt School of
Nursing is now under construction. The
$14 million project will move the school
from its temporary location near
Downtown El Paso to the new 33,000
square foot facility in spring of 2015.
Recently updated renderings of
the planned structure show a three
level building that will be located
across the street from the Paul L.
Foster School of Medicines Medical
Education Building. The Page
Southerland Page firm
(http://www.pspaec.com) is the architect on the project with offices in
Austin. The contractor is Vaughn
Construction based in Houston
(www.vaughnconstruction.com), with
an office in El Paso.
The report was presented to City
Council at its October 15, 2013 meeting. More information on the MCA
Foundation can be found at mcamericas.org.
Top Image: This rendering shows what
the entrance to the Cardwell
Collaborative Building may look like
when it opens in August 2015. (MCA
Foundation)
the 13-acre MCA Tech Park off of
Gateway Boulevard East. Design of
the building is expected to be complete
by October 17, 2013, with demolition
and site preparation beginning in
January of next year. Officials hope to
have it open by August 2015.
The 83.000 square foot, multi-

Rio Valley to Use Drainage

Area as Skate Park

story building will be highly visible from

Interstate 10 just east of the Spaghetti
Bowl. According to floor plan schematics in the report, the first level will have
conference rooms, administrative
offices, and a caf. The upper levels
will have rooms for laboratories and
research equipment, as well as some

Construction has been ongoing at

the future site of the Rio Valley community in El Pasos Upper Valley,
and crews this week are working on
a concrete drainage area that will
serve double duty. The approximately 80 by 35 foot area will also be
used as a skate-park and has been
designed with these dual uses in
mind.
The philosophy behind our
inclusion of this improvement in our
park is that we wanted a park that
parents would see as attractive with
facilities that could help keep kids
entertained, states Scott Winton of
Winton Associates, the developer of
the 62-acre Rio Valley neighborhood.
Since the park area also
serves as a drainage facility and
since we were going to be pouring
concrete, it made sense to make it
multi-purpose.
The skatepark was designed by
longtime skating advocate Paul
Zimmerman, one of the founding
board members of the El Paso
Skatepark Association (www.elpasoskatepark.org), a local nonprofit

Bottom Image: Tables and benches

make up a seating area in front of the
Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing
building in this concept image. (MCA
Foundation)

organization. The association advocates for high-quality designed

skateparks, citing studies showing
one in seven children and teenagers
rides a skateboard.
The Rio Valley development is
located at the northwest corner of
Borderland Road and Westside
Road, west of Doniphan. It is billed
as a small village that will make
multiple housing types available and
which will also have a Main Street
with different retail, restaurant, and
office uses.
The development should be
ready for home construction by
January 2014. The new
drainage/skatepark area is being
built by Bain Construction.
Image Caption: Design of the combination drainage area/skatepark at
Rio Valley in the Upper Valley.

10

Builders Outlook

2013 issue 12

The Economy

Rising
mortgage rates
dissuade new
home buyers
Diana Olick CNBC.com
A sharp rise in mortgage rates over the
last few weeks means it may be too late for
some homeowners to benefit from a
refinance.
This just as thousands were gaining
equity in their homes and finally becoming
eligible.AQt the same time, the still-low rates
are encouraging some renters to buy out of
fear that they too will miss the boat on the
best conditions for buying a home.
Refinances dropped 12 percent last week,
while mortgage applications to purchase a
home rose 3 percent and are now up 14
percent from a year ago, according to the
Mortgage Bankers Association.
"Rates rose in response to stronger
economic data and an increasing chance
that the Fed may soon begin to taper their
asset purchases," said Mike Fratantoni of
MBA in a statement.The Federal Reserve
has poured billions of dollars into the
mortgage market since the housing crash
began, pushing mortgage rates to record
lows. But recent remarks by Fed Chairman
Ben Bernanke suggest the monthly
mortgage market infusions may end soon.
That has pushed the rate on the 30-year
fixed conventional mortgage to 3.90 percent,
the highest level in a year, dangerously
close to the emotional 4 percent barrier. This
as home prices are jumping higher and
faster than expected.
It's amazing to see the frenzied pick-up in
home buying, as renters get nervous that
both home prices and rates will rise quickly,"
said Craig Strent, CEO of Maryland-based
Apex Home Loans. "They are trying to catch
the beginning of the curve here."
In Cincinnati, however, Dan Green, a loan
officer with Waterstone Mortgage, said his
refinance clients are being hit the hardest,
especially those who need lower-cost FHA
loans. His home-buying clients seem more
indifferent to the situation.
"Among the Main Street set, there is little
awareness of this month's change in
mortgage rates, let alone the changes of this
week," added Green. "There's been very
little panic among rate-shopping households.
There's an acceptance, almost, a 'low rates
couldn't last forever'-like attitude."
Rising rates could not come at a worse
time for the housing recovery. Home prices
rose over 10 percent in March, according to
the latest surveys from S&P/Case-Shiller.
Every 1 percentage point rise in mortgage
rates reduces the average home buyer's
maximum purchase price by 11 percent,
figures Green.
First-time home buyers will be hit hardest
by rising rates, just as they were beginning
to trickle back into the market. They made
up just 29 percent of buyers in April,
according to the National Association of
Realtors, the lowest level in two years.
Historically, they usually account for about
40 percent of the market.
The 30-year fixed mortgage hit a record
low rate of 3.47 percent in December of last
year. Even though it is still well below
historical norms, this small rise is already
taking its toll. "In my world it's clearly slowing
the market and pricing. Right now I have
properties that are well-priced yet sitting on
the market unsold," said David Fogg, a real
estate agent in Burbank, Calif. "Should rates
continue to rise, values will likely soften."

Housing Affordability
Continues to Slide in
Third Quarter
Strengthening house prices and increased
interest rates in metros across the country
contributed to lower housing affordability in
the third quarter, according to the National
Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo
Housing Opportunity Index (HOI), released
today.
In all, 64.5 percent of new and existing
homes sold between the beginning of July
and end of September were affordable to
families earning the U.S. median income of
$64,400. This is down from the 69.3 percent
of homes sold that were affordable to
median-income earners in the second
quarter, and the biggest HOI decline since
the second quarter of 2004.
Housing affordability is being negatively
affected by a perfect storm scenario,
observed NAHB Chairman Rick Judson, a
home builder from Charlotte, N.C. With
markets across the country recovering,
home values are strengthening at the same
time that the cost of building homes is rising
due to tightened supplies of building
materials, developable lots and labor.
The decline in affordability is the result of

higher mortgage rates and the more than

year-long steady increase in home prices,
observed NAHB Chief Economist David
Crowe. While affordability has come down
from the peak in early 2012, the index still
means a family earning a median income
can afford 65 percent of homes recently
sold. Some of the decline in the affordability
index could be the result of a loss in some
more modest priced home sales as tight
underwriting standards have limited the
purchases by moderate income families.
Indianapolis-Carmel, Ind., and Syracuse,
N.Y. were tied as the nations most
affordable major housing markets as 93.3
percent of all new and existing homes sold
in this years third quarter were affordable to
families earning the areas median incomes
of $65,100 and $65,800, respectively.
Meanwhile, Kokomo, Ind., claimed the title
of most affordable smaller market, with 96.9
percent of homes sold in the third quarter
being affordable to those earning the median
income of $60,100.
Other major U.S. housing markets at the
top of the affordability chart in the third
quarter included Youngstown-WarrenBoardman, Ohio-Pa.; Harrisburg-Carlisle,
Pa.; and Buffalo-Niagara Falls, N.Y.; in
descending order.
Smaller markets joining Kokomo at the top

of the affordability chart included VinelandMillville-Bridgeton, N.J.; Davenport-MolineRock Island, Iowa-Ill.; Bay City, Mich.; and
Springfield, Ohio.
For a fourth consecutive quarter, San
Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, Calif.
held the lowest spot among major markets
on the affordability chart. There, just 16
percent of homes sold in the third quarter
were affordable to families earning the
areas median income of $101,200.
Other major metros at the bottom of the
affordability chart included Los Angeles-Long
Beach-Glendale, Calif.; Santa Ana-AnaheimIrvine, Calif.; New York-White Plains-Wayne,
N.Y.-N.J.; and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa
Clara, Calif.; in descending order.
All of the five least affordable small
housing markets were in California in the
latest quarter. At the very bottom of the
affordability chart was Santa CruzWatsonville, where 20.3 percent of all new
and existing homes sold were affordable to
families earning the areas median income of
$73,800. Other small markets at the lowest
end of the affordability scale included San
Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, Santa RosaPetaluma, Napa and Salinas, respectively
-NAHB.

2013 issue 12

11

Builders Outlook

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12

Builders Outlook

2013 issue 12

Ho, Ho, Ho: Toys bring joy to kids and givers alike
The El Paso Association of Builders
installation dinner was overwhelmed by
generous party goers who brought gifts
for boys and girls ages 0-13. The annual
installation banquet has requested
guests to bring unwrapped toys to the
event over the years. The response this
year allowed the EPAB to provide two
area nonprofits with gifts for their charity.
Bags of toys were gathered at the
Marriott Hotel ballroom lobby and spent
the night with Executive Officer Ray
Adauto.
I must admit that some of these trucks
and remote control cars, the games and
puzzles all looked like fun to play with,
he said. Its pretty cool to play Santa for
the Association, and all I can say is
thank you to all who brought something
with them, he continued. Frank and
Isela Torres loaned their SUV for the
transport to the association office. Once
there Santa Ray and his elf Margaret
separated them into boys, girls, older
and younger and laid them out for the
two groups to pick up.
First was the Junior Womens Club of
El Paso founded in 1934 is comprised of
about 30 ladies from the El Paso area
who in private life are police officers,
business owners, teachers, doctors,
businesswomen and in other
professions. They come together to
provide resources for some community
services and providers like Ronald
McDonald House, Childrens Crisis
Center, McGruff the crime fighting dog,
the Reynolds Home, Anthony Fire
Department community effort, Special
Olympics, City County Nutrition, Reach

for a Star Foundation, La Posada Home,

Warrior Transition Battalion, and others.
These women hold a couple of fund
raisers to make the money to give out
including the yearly Spooktacular at the
county Coliseum, and a spring golf
tournament. Pema Garcia, president of
the JWC gathered toys for 24 families of
one of the poorest schools in El Paso,
Hart Elementary. We cant begin to give
you enough thanks for all the toys, Ms.
Garcia said. We go out and buy as
much as we can with what we have
collected from our events and we work to
have enough, she said. This
contribution will go a long way to give a
special something to the neediest right
here in our city, Garcia told us. The
distribution was held on Wednesday,
December 18, 2013.
The second group to get toys was
Ciudad Nueva, a community outreach
program located in central El Paso at
840 Yandell. Their motto is advancing
the renewal & development of inner city
El Paso... by loving God and loving our
neighbors. Begun through the efforts of
St. Clements Church the outreach
program is designed to help the
immediate neighborhood around the
center, deep in the heart of El Paso and
just north of downtown. This 501 c 3
nonprofit developed a program, Launch
Pad, to mentor youth in elementary,
middle and high school. Launch Pad
has received consistent positive reviews
from students, parents, teachers and
school counselors. Consequently, the
center receives frequent requests for
students to be admitted into the Launch

Pad Program. Launch Pad has received

awards for the last four years from the El
Paso Independent School District for its
outstanding support of elementary
school students. Presently, over 35
volunteers help mentor, tutor, lead
lessons, prepare snacks, drive vans,
paint murals, decorate the center, and
assist in a variety of other capacities with
the Launch Pad program.
Sami DiPascuale, executive director at
the program, came to the EPAB office to
pick up the toys for the kids. It was truly
a surprise and blessing, all wrapped up
in one, he told the Outlook. When Ray
called me I missed the call because we
were in a meeting trying to figure out
where we could get some more toys.
The giving has been good but we
actually were short and wondering how

we could secure some, he continued.

Just then I looked at my phone and
there was a message from Ray who told
me to call him about a gift. I did and he
said, Sami I need for you to come by
and see what we have for the kids, he
said. When he arrived at the office
DiPascuale couldnt believe the
generosity of the association. Oh my,
which ones can we have? he asked.
Ray told him that what he was looking at
was for them. My heart was pounding,
thinking thank you Lord, thank you,
Sami said. Thank you to all the folks
who made this possible. Our sincere
thanks to everyone who came to the
dinner with a toy. Next year we plan to
do the same request so start looking for
toys. As you can see from this story the
need is great.

2013 Issue 12

13

Builders Outlook

www.elpasobuilders.com
www.epbuilders.org

Membership News
UPCOMING EVENTS |
JANUARY 11
BOARD ORIENTATION
8:00 11:00 AM
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14

Builders Outlook

2013 issue 12

Associates Council

Sam Shallenberger
Western Wholesale Supply
Happy holidays to everyone. The
associates council had one of its best years
as well as the association did. I want to
thank all of you that helped us with the golf
tournaments, and bowling outings, Parade
and all our other events.
The spring Pachanga during a tornado

ome
Your New H eva

Su Casa Nu
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e best tim
NOW is th
new
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yo
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to bu
Paso!
home in El

el
Ahora es
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tiempo pa
comprar
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en El Paso

was my favorite of all time. Ascarate Park is

not the best place to be in 60 mph wind but
neither is El Paso in general. The thing that
got me the most was that everyone showed
up, no one left and the harder the wind blew
the more fun everyone had. I think the
(tinas) tubs on every other hole had a lot to
do with that not to mention our friend with
the wind medication riding around and
nursing the poor golfers. Yes we know who
they are. Let us not forget the title company
that provided Mundo, Gaby and I a place to
hang our hat and forget the wind. It would
be nice not to have the wind next year but
rest assured that we will have another
pachanga.
The bowling outings were a blast. Where
can you go and spend $100.00 get lunch
and bowl for four people. The Pro Am was a
huge success as we were sold out two

weeks after we announced it. This was a

great tournament as there was no cheating
since the pros kept score. The prizes were
gift certificates to The Painted Dunes Pro
Shop. By the way we each got a $50.00
certificate just for playing. What a deal!
I want to thank my very close friend
(especially when I need a loan) the
President and CEO of WestStar Bank Larry
Patton for being our title sponsor for both
golf tournaments. The guys at WestStar
Bank do a great job for the association.
They were deserving of the Associate of
The Year award given at the installation.
Congratulations to WestStar Bank and all
the employees who help us every year.
I also want to thank everyone who
participated and sponsored for the
association. Without the participation from
all the sponsors it would be difficult, no it

would be impossible to make these events

happen. I wish I could list everyone that
sponsored this year but the page is not big
enough.
On a personal note I am humbled to have
received the Pat Cox Lifetime Award. I cant
begin to tell you how surprised and proud I
am at having been selected for this.
Probably has to be one of my life highlights
and something I can take off my bucket list.
When Mike Santamaria started talking
about me I thought he was going to say
something about the associates council.
You cant imagine how honored I am.
Thank you to our Executive Board and to
Ray and Margaret. I hope to represent this
honor well.

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E L PO CAISA OT I O N
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OF

BUILDERS

ASS

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UILDING
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46
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www.elpaso

Builders

utlook

www.elpasobuilders.com
www.epbuilders.org
6046 Surety Dr. El Paso, TX 79905
915-778-5387 Fax: 915-772-3038
execuTive oFFicerS
edmundo Dena President
Accent Homes
Frank Torres vice President
GMF Custom Homes
edgar montiel Secretary/Treasurer
Palo Verde Homes
Sam Shallenberger Associates chair
Western Wholesale
Frank Arroyos- immediate Past President
Cisco Homes
ray Adauto executive vice President
El Paso Association of Builders

TABSTATe DirecTorS
Doug Borrett, Karam Co., Life Director
Randy Bowling, Tropicana Homes
NATioNAL DirecTorS
Bobby Bowling IV.
Demetrio Jimenez
NATioNAL ASSociATioN oF
Home BuiLDerS
(800) 368-5242

TexAS ASSociATioN oF
couNciL/commiTTeecHAirS
Associates council
Sam Shallenberger
Build PAc
Randy Bowling
Desert Green Building council
Javier Ruiz
Land use council
Sal Masoud
Young Designer Award
John Chaney
remodelers council
Rudy Guel
membership retention
Mike Santamaria, Greg Bowling
Finance committee
Edgar Montiel
Womens council
Lorraine Huit
ADviSorYToTHeBoArD
J. Crawford Kerr, Attorney, Firth, Johnston
& Martinez
BoArDoFDirecTorS
Juanita Garcia, Icon Custom Builders
Samira Gonzalez, Edwards Homes
Walter Lujan, Dawco Construction
Carlos Villalobos, Pointe Homes
Don Rassette, Rassette Homes
Beverly Clevenger, Automated Division 6 Builders
Frank Spencer, Aztec Contractors
Kathy Parry, Hunt Communities
Sal Masoud, Del Rio Engineering
Robert L. Foster,
Southwest Land Development Services
Leti Navarette, Custom Dream Homes
Linda Troncoso, TR-Engineering
Lance VanDeman, Hub International
John Chaney, Passage Supply
Joe Bernal, El Paso Employee Benefits
Ken Wade, El Paso Building Materials
Ruben Orquiz, MTI Ready Mix
Kathy Carrillo, Pioneer Bank
Henry Tinajero, West Star Bank
Paul Zacour, Zacour & Associates
Chuck Gabriel, Carpets West
Ted Escobedo, Snappy Publishing
Lorraine Huit, Cardel Design
Javier Ruiz, Border Solar & Senercon

BuiLDerS
(800)252-3625

2012 Builder member of The Year

Frank Arroyos
Cisco Homes
2012 Pat cox Award
Mike Santamaria
Mountain Vista Homes
2012 Associate of The Year
Sam Shallenberger
Western Wholesale Supply
John Schatzman Award
Hunt Companies

Honorary Life members

Rudy Guel
Brad Roe
Cliff Anthes
Wayne Grinnell
Chester Lovelady
Don Henderson
Anna Gil

Past Presidents
committed to Serve
Greg Bowling
Kelly Sorenson
Mark Dyer
Mike Santamaria
John Cullers
Randy Bowling
Doug Schwartz
Robert Baeza

Bobby Bowling, IV
Rudy Guel
Anna Gil
Bradley Roe
Bob Bowling, III
E. H. Baeza
Hershel Stringfield

ePAB mission Statement:

The El Paso Association of Builders is a
federated professional organization representing
the home building industry, committed to
enhancing the quality of life in our community by
providing affordable homes of excellence and
value.
The El Paso Association of Builders is a
501C(6) trade organization.
2013 Builders Outlook
is published and distributed for the
El Paso Association of Builders
by Snappy Publishing
240 Thunderbird Suite C
El Paso Texas 79912 915-820-2800