Photo by Keith R. Cerny In honor of their economic contributions in the form of urban renewal throughout Alamosa, Chuck and James Hsu were awarded a street bench for downtown by the Alamosa Community Development Corporation (ACDC). The Hsu brothers have constructed new buildings and remodeled others substantially, all of which house businesses primarily in the core of downtown, extending west to Safeway. Shown at Tuesday’s presentation in front of the Alamosa Bus Company and Harleez Sports Bar, former home of the Valley Courier, are City Manager Nathan Cherpeski, ACDC President Russ Johnson, James Hsu, Donna Wehe of the SBDA, Ruthie and Larry Brown of the Alamosa Downtown Merchants, Inc. The downtown bench project was initiated this year by ADMI.

ACDC

recognizes efforts



By RUTH HEIDE

ALAMOSA — Brothers and business partners James and Chuck Hsu are putting a new face on Alamosa.

The restauranteurs have saved several vacated downtown buildings, built new structures and brought varied cuisine to the San Luis Valley through their restaurant enterprises.

Although the brothers have completed their varied remodeling and construction projects as business investments, by doing so they have invested in Alamosa economic development.

Chuck and James Hsu’s business ventures began more than two decades ago in 1986 with the opening of Hunan’s Restaurant in Alamosa. They subsequently opened a Hunan’s in Monte Vista, and both are still viable businesses.

The brothers then opened Quiznos Subs that featured a different menu than their original restaurants and have since opened East-West Grill restaurants in Alamosa and Pueblo with yet another menu on the table. Their most recent restaurant project is the Blue Foxx in the Cattails Golf Course’s new clubhouse in Alamosa.

James Hsu said the real estate ventures naturally fell into place. The Hsu brothers developed Shops At Midtown, the property in front of Safeway where the Blockbuster is located; the Coldwell Banker property; the former Valley Courier at Fourth and State Avenue; and most recently the former auto parts and then motorcycle shop at Main and West (Highways 160 and 285) where Valley-Wide Health Systems plans to place a convenient care clinic.

James Hsu said he saw potential in downtown buildings that had been vacated and believed it would have been a waste not to remodel those buildings and put them to use. For example, the former Valley Courier newspaper site was transformed into a steakhouse and office building. “It is a very good location,” Hsu said. “Why would you let a corner like that die?”

Hsu added he would consider building a business west of town if the town needed it, but he was not a fan of everything moving to the west, especially at the expense of the downtown. “It’s just a shame to see these buildings empty when they are building new construction west of town. I don’t see the sensibility expanding that way when the downtown has not been filled up.”