ASARCO's property to the east of I-10 could be used for both residential and commercial developments, site trustee Roberto Puga told KFOX 14.

This, after the first round of soil sampling is completed in September.

"What we found was that roughly two thirds of the property over there, that part that was not touched, appears to have no impacts and would be available for unrestricted use," Puga said.

By unrestricted, the ASARCO site trustee means both homes and businesses can potentially be built on the east side of I-10 of the old ASARCO site. 

"The other third, as we knew already, did have impacts and was used to dump concrete debris, construction debris and slag. And we are already in the process of removing that material.
Typically the chemicals of concern on this property are metals: arsenic, cadmium, lead."

But Puga said the land should be safe. City development officials agree. 

"From the city's standpoint, we don't see any qualms or concerns that the remediation isn't going to be at the level that it needs to be," Carlos Gallinar with El Paso Planning said.

The development type will be Smart Code. 

"That area looks at having compact walkable neighborhoods similar to the ones you see adjacent to UTEP in Sunset Heights and so that terrain could be perfect for student housing, could be useful for auxiliary land uses that could be used for the university, a hotel perhaps, retail that could service the community," Gallinar said.

Puga tells KFOX 14 more samples will be taken from the site. 

Soil testing should be finished by 2013.