After being one of the lowest-scoring projects last year from the federal tax-credit competition, Artspace for downtown El Paso has a second chance. The project would include 50 low-income apartments and commercial spaces for artists.

This project would transform an irrelevant corner in Downtown into a modern beautiful building.

“We want to provide opportunity for people to live where they work,” head of the city’s and Community and Human Development department, Bill Lilly said to the El Paso Inc. Jan. 5.

However, about 70 percent of the project’s cost is to be financed by low income housing tax credits.

The tax-credit competition keeps threatening the construction of the building. The City Development Department and the El Paso Community Foundation have been working on it for more than four years, but the project keeps getting pushed aside by more urgent projects.

“I hate to say this, but I just don’t see it for Artspace, this is about helping as many poor people get quality housing as you can, not about revitalization,” Bobby Bowling IV, president of Tropicana Building Corporation said to the El Paso Times last March.

Making Artspace a little more affordable has been suggested by Downtown Representative Courtney Niland, however Greg Handberg, senior vice president for Artspace Properties didn’t think it’s a good idea since they are trying to make it as good as they can, so it can successfully attract public.

“There’s a lack of creativity in the community. Art is anything and everything,” art teacher Eduardo Salcido said.

Although Artspace is expensive and way more out-there than the other projects, Artspace will be a signature space downtown reserved for culture and creativity. For all kinds of artists: actors, writers, musicians.

“Plus, we’re going to build something that’s going to be around longer than 30 years. I’m not sure if you can say that about the other project,” El Paso Community Foundation President Eric Pearson said to the El Paso Times last March.