Skyline relit blue flame signals $40 million housing plan

​​​​EL PASO – The iconic blue flame atop Downtown’s 18-story Blue Flame building was relit after years of darkness to officially launch a $40 million plan by the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso.

The the long-vacant tower will be transformed into a 150-unit apartment complex.

​The $40 million renovation will begin in January 2018 and will be completed in January 2020, according to Gerald Cichon, CEO of the Housing Authority.

Once completed, the building, located at 120 N Stanton St. and Texas Ave., will have 120 apartments for low-income residents and 30 market-rate apartments, as well as ground-floor retail space.

The inside of the building will be gutted, the mechanical systems replaced and modern apartments built inside.

The 1950s style lobby will be preserved along with the brick, aluminum and glass-window exterior.