A decommissioned Boeing 727 is becoming an unusual construction project on El Paso's East Side. John and Ismael Lara, both educators, bought the aircraft after it spent more than two decades at El Paso International Airport and are reassembling it on private property as they explore whether it can support a neighborhood-oriented venue and hands-on educational programming.
The brothers purchased the plane through an online government surplus auction, though accounts of the final price differ: according to El Paso Matters, the brothers paid $10,000 for the mid-size, three-engine jet airliner, while per KTSM 9 News, the aircraft was auctioned online for $2,000. According to El Paso Matters, the jet itself is also described differently across accounts, with KTSM identifying it as a 1961 aircraft while El Paso Matters refers to the engineering behind the 1966 aircraft.
Whatever the exact number, John Lara said he was excited about potentially buying a plane for less than $10,000, per KTSM's reporting. The aircraft had sat idle at El Paso International Airport for nearly 20 years before the city put it up for auction, as reported by El Paso Matters, and it had been previously owned by the U.S. Marshals Service and used to transport prisoners.
Gutting a Derelict Jet, Tank by Tank
The plane the Laras bought was far from flight-ready. It had been deemed “not airworthy” and in “derelict condition,” the same report states, and it was mostly gutted by the time the brothers took ownership. KTSM's reporting describes four to five auxiliary fuel tanks tucked under the floorboards.
Clearing the aircraft required calling in hazardous materials crews to make sure all the fuel, oil and coolant were removed, along with permits for towing oversized aircraft parts, as noted by El Paso Matters. Ismael and John Lara were given six months to pick up the plane, and by late May, about one-third of the plane's length, including the cockpit, had already been removed and transported to the brothers' property.
From Airport Tarmac to East Side Property
The brothers initially planned to move the aircraft to property they own on El Paso's Far Eastside, El Paso Matters reported in March. The project has since taken shape on El Paso's East Side, where it has already attracted attention from neighborhood residents watching the wings and fuselage sections slowly come together into something resembling a building.
John Lara works as an assistant principal at the Alicia Chacon International School and founded STEAMspirations, while Ismael Lara primarily works as an educational consultant, according to El Paso Matters. That educational bent runs through the whole project: the brothers want to teach children and adults about airplanes, aerodynamics, and force and motion, and they hope kids walking through the fuselage can pick up STEM lessons that include engineering design and planning.
Still Deciding What the Plane Will Become
The brothers have floated several ideas for what the finished aircraft could become. El Paso Matters reported brainstorming that has included a food-truck park and party venue, while KTSM mentions a possible short-term rental, event space and restaurant. The Aero-News Network reports the duo has settled on calling the broader effort a “Hangar Hangout,” with plans to refurbish the interior using immersive aviation-themed displays, LED lighting and artist-designed murals. The GovDeals blog post on the sale similarly describes a refurbished plane hosting field trips, child-friendly STEAM activities and flight simulators.
The brothers also present the project as a lesson in reuse. Ismael Lara has said he wants children to see how discarded objects can be given a new purpose. Reported cost estimates vary: KTSM put transportation, refurbishment and assembly at about $500,000, a figure similar to HGTV's reported all-in estimate for transportation, land and conversion. Aero-News Network reported that moving and restoration costs could reach $250,000 or more, while John Lara separately estimated licensing costs of $100,000 to $150,000, according to KTSM.
No Firm Opening Date Yet
Approvals Could Shape the Project
If the aircraft becomes an event, restaurant or educational venue, the property would need more than a finished interior. According to the City of El Paso Planning & Inspections Department, a permit is required to construct, alter, move or change the occupancy of a building or structure within the city. The city's Code Enforcement guidance also says residential properties cannot be used as entertainment venues without proper zoning approval, and that venues must meet fire-code, occupancy and health requirements. The city's planning documents place those potential approvals within a broader development context. The Eastside Master Plan was designed to evaluate facilities, thoroughfares and infrastructure and provide policies for managing growth. A related city presentation identified growth management, limited public infrastructure, limited public amenities and traffic as challenges in the study area.
There's no set completion date for the renovations, and the final use of the aircraft remains undecided. John Lara has said part of the project may open to the public by November, with the brothers hoping to fully open everything by summer 2027, per a report from KTSM 9 News. Until then, the half-reassembled jet sitting on El Paso's East Side remains a work in progress, one wing-turned-porch at a time.
