The Downtown Deck Plaza will have a significant impact on the greater downtown area and across the region. The positive impacts of Deck Parks have been well-documented. A 2022 article by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta describes the economic impact of Klyde Warren Park in Dallas, Texas. "Relative to its peers," the article states, "Dallas experienced faster office and multifamily construction growth after lid construction began in 2012. Dallas added 1.3 million square feet of office space, a rate that is 50 percent faster than what occurred in the six prior years. Multifamily housing (apartments and condominiums in buildings with 5 or more units) grew even faster. Dallas added nearly 5,300 individual multifamily units after starting the lid, more than twice as many units as the six years before. "

Deck Parks have also been able to leverage significant state and federal funding. Just this April, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced $80 million in funding from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Reconnecting Communities program) for four deck parks in Dallas including the Southern Gateway Park, Klyde Warren Park, over the interstate near the Dallas Farmers Market, and State Highway 5 in McKinney.

With the Phase I Feasibility Study complete, El Paso's Downtown Deck Plaza is poised to compete for federal funding to make the project financially and economically viable, and an important new amenity for the region.

Case Study: Klyde Warren Park, Dallas, Texas

Opened in 2012, Klyde Warren Park is a 5.2-acre deck park over the eight lane Woodall Rogers Freeway. The $110 million project has seen over $300 million in value creation and catalyzed a 2-acre expansion of the park, currently under development. It is now the #1 tourist attraction in the City of Dallas. Downtown Dallas went from 500 residents in the greater downtown area 20 years ago to over 20,000 today. The trees and vegetation in Klyde Warren Park were found to have captured 18,500 pounds of carbon dioxide and reduce stormwater drainage by 64.214 gallons each year.

Case Study: The Stitch, Atlanta, Georgia

The Atlanta "Stitch" project will create 14 acres of new park space for Downtown Atlanta. It is further estimated to generate 3,000-3,400 affordable housing units, 15-17% of the Mayor of Atlanta's citywide goal of 20,000 units. Nearly 90% of new development is expected to be residential. Proximity to transit and low-cost transportation options reduce the cost of living for low-income residents. The Stitch will improve sustainability of Downtown Atlanta by addressing flooding and mitigating noise and air quality issues, while broadly lowering emissions, increasing pedestrian and bicycle use, and incorporating innovative climate change mitigation strategies. The Stitch will create an estimated 800 construction jobs and 12,230 permanent jobs to be housed in the newly-constructed residential, office and hotel developments.