Jorge's princesses admiring the view of the Lincoln Memorial at the end of the National Mall. Washington, D.C.
Jorge is a husband, a father of two beautiful princesses, a designer, a dreamer, and an award-winning freelance photographer. In his free time he likes to play with his girls and make them laugh. He can often be found trying new digital settings to apply to the thousands of pictures he takes on a regular basis, or out catching Texas bass at local neighborhood ponds.
Professionally, Jorge is an accomplished urban designer with over twenty-seven years' experience leading and managing complex urban projects at the City of El Paso, TX and the City of Austin, TX. He is accredited by the Congress for the New Urbanism through the University of Miami School of Architecture and a graduate of the Form-Based Code Institute Core Curriculum - a part of Smart Growth America. Jorge earned an architecture degree in Environmental Design from the Texas A&M University College of Architecture in 1997.
During his professional tenure, he has led and managed some of Austin’s most important projects such as the Downtown Austin Plan, Great Streets Program, University Neighborhood Overlay Streetscape Standards, Transit-oriented Design Standards, the Downtown Density Bonus Program, managed over eighty zoning cases, and is an expert in municipal code development and design standards. He was project manager for the Airport Boulevard Form-Based Code Initiative seeking to apply form-based standards to a section of Airport Blvd. in Austin, TX, and multiple drafts of Austin's Land Development Code rewrite.
Today, Jorge is the division manager over Urban Design at the City of Austin Planning Department where he oversees Austin's marquee urban projects seeking to elevate the human experience in urban spaces.
Today, Jorge is the division manager over Urban Design at the City of Austin Planning Department where he oversees Austin's marquee urban projects seeking to elevate the human experience in urban spaces.
Ten little-known facts about Jorge:
1. Born in Guatemala City, Guatemala and spent his first eight years there.
2. Grew up in El Paso, TX and loves Chico’s Tacos - wants to be buried there, right under the sign!
3. He began experimenting with photography at the age of four and took his first pictures at the age of six - soon after, he was published in a children's magazine featuring his photography skills. He loves black and white photography and learned the craft from his father in a homemade darkroom.
4. He fell in love with his beautiful wife - instantly at first sight.
5. He is currently growing a seventh batch of his famous “Assassin Jalapeños” – a mean pepper that is sure to liven any homemade salsa.
6. He bleeds Aggie Maroon and during college football season, can be found cheering-on his beloved Texas A&M Aggies.
7. He is absolutely nuts about Star Wars and knows all the lines to the original Star Wars movies (Episodes IV – VI).
8. He recently caught an 8-pound 6-ounce TEXAS-sized largemouth bass! A personal best!
9. He was mesmerized by the study of urban environments in architecture school and decided to become an urbanist.
10. He often dreams he is flying.