The downtown revitalization project in Juarez aims at remodeling everything between the Avenida Vicente Guerrero and the cathedral. In between is one of the most traditional bars in Juarez. It is now at risk of closing its doors forever.
El Arbolito opened in 1945, before the Mariscal was known for prostitution and illegal drugs. Since then, El Arbolito has become a historic site for locals and tourists. Now people call it “los chuchos” since its owner Juan Francisco Calderon, better known as Panchito, was the creator of the famous drink with sotol, tequila and chuchupaste, a herb used for many medicinal purposes with a peculiar flavor.
Panchito passed away three years ago. Sergio Calderon Chacon, his son, is now in charge. He says many things have changed, but the essence of the bar is still the same.
“My father created a tradition of having calm customers, of making this place an alternative for the bohemian crowd. We may lose this tradition very soon,” Sergio says.
Three months ago, Sergio received a call from a lawyer representing the city. He was told that his bar was in the way of the revitalization project. He was offered a small sum of money for the bar, which does not compare to the actual worth of the land. The city plans to demolish the bar and construct parks, monuments and open new businesses.
“I’ve been getting many calls pressuring me to take the deal. Many of the bars around have given in. I’m willing to cooperate but I won’t give in so easily. They need to consider the tradition of this place and that three families make a living off of this bar,” Sergio says.
El Arbolito is now the only bar standing in the Mariscal since the revitalization plan for downtown began this year. The rest of the businesses left are strip clubs and brothels. Sergio says that in the past months, he has received several unjustified fines. He claims it’s something new every time: for having a door locked, for having it open, for allowing people to smoke before it was prohibited and for allegedly having more than 40 people inside, which is more than the bar’s capacity.
“I can’t keep up with so many fines, it’s unfair, especially since our clientele has been on the decline because of the violence,” Sergio says.
Sergio believes that the city should have other priorities and cherish the good places it already has.
“They want to get rid of El Arbolito to remodel the area and attract tourism. What tourism? They should fix the violence first and allow traditional places like this one to be part of the attraction,” Sergio says.
In the more than sixty years of the history of El Arbolito, several Mexican celebrities like El Charro Avitia, called the king of el corrido, and many people from different countries have visited. Several international magazines have featured it as a unique place to visit in Juarez.
“This place is old but it has its charm. The wooden bar is crooked because we got flooded several years ago and it acquired the unique shape. We don’t play music, people come in with their guitars, organs or violins and the customers sing along,” Sergio says.
The office of tourism in Juarez states that the downtown revitalization project is underway in several stages. One spokesperson, Tania Cervantes, states they are in the process of buying lots, houses and buildings downtown.
The only visible change, she says, is the new module on the Santa Fe Bridge that opened up as a center for tourist information.
The plan also includes paving the streets downtown and remodeling the Mercado Juarez among other changes.
Sergio claims there is even a plan to get rid of the Gimnasio Neri Santos famously known for housing all of the lucha libre matches that take place in the city.
Cervantes did not confirm nor deny this claim; she was hesitant to give more information about the plan stating that the supervisor of the project, the lawyer Julio Cortez is the one with all the details and was out of the office.
Long time customers hope a solution can be found and that they don’t have to lose their favorite bar.
Outside of El Arbolito, there is a distinctive graffiti sticker in English that says: ‘We get fucked everyday by someone.” Sergio says it has been there for years. “It’s true, for those who allow it,” he says.
Carlos
September 30, 2008
Also, Salon de baile La Fiesta will be demolished, several places of remarkable Architecture beauty and importance will be demolished to give place to new stuff, instead of doing the right thing and recycling, include those typical places into the new project, lack of architectural culture and identity has made presence in Cd. Juarez many times.
licenciado
October 1, 2008
The Cd. Juarez revitalization plan is based on the idea that "if you build it, they will come." This is the same basis for El Paso's downtown revitalization plan. The planners on both sides of the bridge apparently don't realize this was a line from the fantasy movie, "Field of Dreams."
Cd. Juarez' so called "revitalization plan" is moving forward at a fast pace. The planned parks, monuments, and new buildings will occupy the area. But when it is all said and done, after a few years it will revert to the same type of activity that has prevailed in the Mariscal area for decades. The Cd. Juarez revitalization plan will become a glorious example of the failure of forced redevelopment in the wrong area.
As long as Mexico is committed to providing a large, perpetual cheap labor supply for the maquila industry, it will never develop the large middle class needed to change Cd. Juarez to a better city for all Juarenses. Approximately 30% of children in Cd. Juarez do not attend school. The Maqulia industry, with the cooperation of the Mexican authorities, are engaged in collusion to artificially keep wages paid to maqulia workers low. Approximately 250,000 Juarenses work in the maquila industry plants. The market forces of supply and demand do not set wages in the Maquila Industry. Collusion does.
The same failure will happen to the City of El Paso's downtown revitalization plan if it is carried out. The "Redevelopment Zone" is the wrong area for redevelopment.
The San Jacinto Plaza area, where Paul Foster is investing, is the right area for redevelopment. The San Jacinto Plaza area is not in the "Redevelopment Zone." Revitalization is taking place, organically, in the residential area immediately north, northwest, and northeast of downtown.
The "Redevelopment Zone" is an area three blocks south of San Jacinto Plaza from Overland to the Border Highway and another area four or five blocks east of San Jacinto Plaza. These areas cannot be changed to high rent, high end retail areas. They will revert to low rent, government subsidy rental areas and to low end retail areas. Anybody really familiar with the dynamics of these areas knows this.
David Crowder
October 1, 2008
What a great piece, Alejandra!
What is the response to this from those in this area who have railed about the potential use of eminent domain in Downtown El Paso for the sake of revitalization??
This is the real thing, and just because it's Mexico and the government seems to have infinite powers to appropriate properties that are valuable for commercial purposes and invaluable historically is no reason for everyone to give their silent assent.
For Juarez to carry on this revitalization project that involves the demolition tourist attractive assets for the sake of tourism seems crazy to start with and even farther out when you consider what is happening there. There is no law, no police who can be trusted and no crime prevention at all. It's a free for all with no consequences, except for the destruction of a once-great city.
For all intents and purposes, it's Baghdad, and probably more dangerous right now. Tearing down tradition to attract more happy shoppers and party-goers to Juarez now makes about as much sense as starting a scenic cruise line for party boats that will motor peacefully through war-torn Baghdad on the Tigris River.
Save Arbolito or raise hell trying, Juarez.
Roberto Camp
October 1, 2008
Carlos, el licenciado and Crowder have it right. Downtown Juárez is being decimated, with no signs of any private investment to replace the private, tax paying businesses that are being demolished with the same slash and burn mentality that has run rampant in El Paso.
This should not come as a surprise, since the key figures behind these moves are Juarenses who live in El Paso.