For Elaine Molinar, Downtown El Paso has always held promise.
As a child growing up on the city’s Westside, Molinar pursued passions such as climbing trees, exploring the desert and studying ballet. She also longed for the weekends when her family would make the trek Downtown to visit her father, Martin Molinar, while he served customers at the now-defunct McKee Pharmacy.
In those hours spent Downtown, Elaine Molinar stood engrossed not only by her father’s work, but also at the architecture that surrounded the pharmacy on San Antonio Avenue near its intersection with Oregon Street. Weekly views of the Kress Building, the Plaza Hotel and other iconic Downtown landmarks spurred Molinar’s desire to one day live among an urban landscape.
Decades after graduating from Coronado High School and the University of Texas at Austin, she is living that dream serving as managing director for the New York office of Snøhetta, a Norwegian architectural firm that has constructed internationally renowned facilities such as the Oslo Opera House, Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion.
In a little more than a month, Molinar and representatives from the firm will be in El Paso for the official opening of another of its projects — La Nube, a long-awaited STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) discovery center that has been taking shape at 201 W. Main Drive across from Southwest University Park since 2017. For Molinar, the chance to christen a building in Downtown El Paso represents an opportunity to leave an enduring structure in the heart of an area of the city that has left an indelible mark in her.
La Nube, a long-awaited $72 million STEAM discovery center in Downtown El Paso, opens its doors Saturday, Aug. 10, marking the culmination of a 14-year journey that began with voter approval of a Quality of Life bond in 2012. (Armando Vela / El Paso Matters)
“When I was growing up, Downtown, I always loved the vibrant energy of the area,” Molinar said. “To see it transform over the years and now to be part of that change is truly special.”
After several years of delays, La Nube will open its doors Saturday, Aug. 10, marking the culmination of a 14-year journey that began with voter approval of a quality of life bond in 2012. La Nube — a name inspired by the region’s expansive skies and limitless potential — will offer a fusion of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics in a space that officials say is designed for visitors of all ages.
It’s nestled in the Arts District amid El Paso’s cultural facilities, across the street from the site of the former Insights El Paso Science Center, the children’s museum that was demolished in 2013 alongside the old City Hall building to make way for what is now Southwest University Park.
La Nube’s interim CEO, Stephanie Otero, who is also the vice president of the El Paso Community Foundation, reflected on the facility’s circuitous journey to its opening day during a recent media tour of its exhibits.
“There are almost no words to describe the excitement and anticipation we feel,” Otero said. “For so long, we looked at pictures and renderings, and now, to see those things come to life — everything is bigger, bolder than we imagined. The community really stepped up to ensure that we ended up with this state-of-the-art, world-class facility.”
Stephanie Otero, interim CEO of La Nube, explains the artistic elements embedded into a wall depicting constellations that is part of an exhibit inside the STEAM discovery center. Visitors will be able to draw variations of constellations using rubber bands, just one example of the art inherent science. (Armando Vela / El Paso Matters)
La Nube’s development has been a collaborative effort, Otero said, highlighting a successful public-private partnership between the city of El Paso and the Community Foundation. Originally budgeted at $19.2 million under the voter-approved 2012 bond, the project’s scope and ambition grew significantly, reaching a final cost of $72 million. The city agreed to contribute $20 million in certificates of obligation, or bonds that don’t require voter approval, to help reach that goal. The additional funds were raised through private donations and increased public investment, demonstrating the community’s commitment to the center, officials said.
A hub for all ages
Unlike traditional children’s museums or science centers, La Nube intentionally omits these terms from its name, embracing a broader, more inclusive vision.
Designed by Snøhetta in collaboration with El Paso’s Exigo Architecture, the 77,000-square-foot complex features nine distinct learning zones, each designed to engage visitors of all ages in hands-on STEAM education.
“It was incredibly exciting to be designing a cultural venue for Downtown El Paso,” Molinar said. “The project location, in the midst of the art and science museums, Abraham Chavez Theater, the ballpark, and the Plaza Theatre couldn’t be better.”
La Nube features an area for infants and young children where they can experience age-appropriate science discoveries in comfortable environments. (Armando Vela / El Paso Matters)
Inside La Nube, visitors will be greeted by nine immersive zones, each brimming with interactive exhibits. Highlights include the Anything’s Possible Climber, a four-story structure combining math and physical activity, and Fly High, an area dedicated to exploring airflow and gravity through hands-on experiments. Otero said each zone is designed to foster curiosity and creativity, providing a dynamic environment where learning and play intersect seamlessly.
“We’re calling it a STEAM center because it bridges the gap between a science center and a children’s museum, making it accessible and engaging for everyone from toddlers to adults,” Otero said. “There’s something for everyone here, whether you’re a 2-year-old or a high school student. We’re even planning after-hours events specifically for high schoolers.”
Economic impact and community growth
The excitement surrounding La Nube is not solely due to its educational offerings. City and community leaders say the center is poised to be a significant economic driver for El Paso.
La Nube officials didn’t respond to requests from El Paso Matters to provide the center’s first-year operational budget or attendance projections, but according to Randy Cohen, vice president of research for Americans for the Arts, the impact of cultural institutions such as La Nube extends far beyond their walls.
The Americans for the Arts’ 2023 Arts and Economic Prosperity 6 report, which was released in October 2023, underscores this point. The report indicates that nonprofit arts and culture organizations and their audiences generated $151.7 billion in economic activity nationally in 2022. This spending supported 2.6 million jobs and generated $29.1 billion in tax revenue, showcasing the profound economic impact of cultural investments.
“Arts and cultural events generate significant spending in the community,” Cohen said. “Our research shows that the typical attendee spends $38.46 per person per event, not including the cost of admission. For events drawing visitors from outside the county, this spending can exceed $60 per person. These are dollars that go directly into local businesses — restaurants, hotels, shops — stimulating the local economy and supporting jobs.”
For El Paso, the projections are equally promising. The 2017 Arts and Economic Prosperity 5 report estimated that the city’s nonprofit arts and culture sector generated over $103 million in economic activity, supporting more than 4,100 jobs. La Nube officials did not offer specific figures but relayed that they expect the museum to contribute to the region’s economy, drawing tourists and locals alike to its doors and contributing to the city’s broader economic development goals through job creation.
The fourth floor of La Nube features exhibit areas that allow visitors to harness the power of sound and water. Highlights include an interactive, oversized marimba and a cause-and-effect hydro wall. (Armando Vela / El Paso Matters)
Otero adds that La Nube will be a vital asset for the city, playing an important part in attracting new businesses and talent to El Paso.
“When companies consider El Paso as a location, they look at quality-of-life amenities,” she said. “Having a world-class STEAM center like La Nube shows that we’re investing in the future and providing valuable resources for families and the community.”
A community’s dream realized
La Nube stands as an example of the potential for community collaboration, Otero said.
“People gave at the highest levels they could because they believed in what the impact could be,” she said. “This is a star piece for how a public-private partnership can work together to better a community.”
Molinar echoed these sentiments, highlighting the symbolic significance of the center’s design. Her firm’s involvement in this project came after her firm was invited to enter a competition that assessed the design team’s creative thought processes rather than the building’s aesthetic. Snøhetta was eventually tapped for the project.
“We embraced the idea that the sky is shared by everyone and doesn’t recognize borders of any kind,” she said. “We all grew up imagining shapes and creatures in clouds and we began to see the building as a cloud. The roof has a cloudlike shape, and it appears to float above the ground. It has tall windows which let in daylight and provide views of the mountain landscape. Many museums of this type can be quite dark, but in this one you are always aware of your surroundings.”
As the opening date approaches, El Paso residents await the opportunity to explore La Nube’s offerings. Families can begin purchasing daily admission tickets in mid-July or secure year-round access to the center through various membership options. To learn more about La Nube, visit la-nube.org.
The post Transforming Downtown: Counting down to La Nube STEAM Center’s Aug. 10 opening appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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