FEBRUARY 2004

Downtown Lowdown

{Downtown Lowdown is written and photographed by Jamie Manser, jamie@downtowntucson.org}

Tucson Origins Heritage Park

Once upon a time, the Santa Cruz River west of I-10 downtown actually had water in it. As the basic formula for life, when the H₂O dried up downstream from being diverted upstream, so too did the vegetation.

These days, the locale is a wasteland that is hard to imagine as a previously lush and fertile area. The 1940s and 1950s saw it used as a landfill, quite literally trashing a site that had been inhabited 11,000 years ago and continuously occupied for over 4,000 years.

As a part of the Rio Nuevo project, the Tucson Origins Heritage Park is slated for “re-greening” and is billed by planners at WLB Group as the cultural cornerstone of Rio Nuevo.

With construction plans projected in three phases, an open house on January 13 revealed an ambitious program with an estimated price tag of $38.5 million. Phase One is projected to include the development of the Mission Gardens on the west side, as well as the Presidio Heritage Park at Church and Washington—the northeastern corner of the original walled presidio. The perimeter of the presidio wall will be memorialized in some manner to be determined. Phase One also includes further site preparation on the west side, including archaeological investigations, landfill remediation, and installation of utilities and streets. The projected cost of Phase One improvements is $11.4 million, with the Presidio and Mission Gardens projects slated for a 2006 opening.

Phase Two is projected to include the reconstruction of the San Agustin Mission complex, including the Convento, chapel, granary, mission walls, and other amenities, at a cost of $7.9 million.

The third phase of the Tucson Origins plan will include a $14.7 million interpretive center, a festival area or plaza, reconstructed ancestral villages, and other features, at a total cost of $19.3 million.

A request for proposals for a firm to design and build the project will be sent out mid-2004 with construction scheduled to begin early next year.

Immaculate Heart to become The Academy Lofts

Immaculate Heart will soon be lofts.

On January 2, The Academy Lofts, LLC purchased the historic building that used to house the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart Convent and the St. Joseph’s Academy at 35 E. 15th St.

Steve Fenton, president of Fenton Investment Company and managing partner of The Academy Lofts, LLC, said the basic structure of the building has never changed.

“We find this immensely exciting and are thrilled to be involved in a historic renovation of this caliber.

The outside of the building will be restored to its original character and the inside of the building, including the dormitory that was added in 1956, will be remodeled into 36 lofts. Each loft will have a new kitchen and bathroom as well as new electrical, heating and cooling systems. Rents are expected to be $800 to $900.

Rehabilitating 27 W. Congress

The Fox Tucson Theatre Foundation began work in January on rehabbing 27 W. Congress, preparing it for its future uses as support space for the Fox, including ticketing, concessions and ground floor restrooms. The space was occupied until December by the Italian Kitchen, which has since moved a few doors west as Enoteca.

Prior to serving those roles, the space may be utilized as a visitor information center for the Fox project as well as a location to collect memories and stories for the planned “Fox Memories” book and video project being completed by the foundation.

“With the addition of the 27 W. Congress St. property, the Fox finally has the room it needs to be a functioning, modern performance facility,” said Fox Tucson Theatre Foundation Executive Director Herb Stratford.

The building was built at the same time as the theatre in 1929 and was recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places due to its exterior design elements –a Southwestern Art Deco motif. The original exterior decorative tile work has been partially uncovered and will be fully restored as part of the rehabilitation.

The Gem Show’s Golden Anniversary

The Gem Show is celebrating its 50th birthday by showcasing $20 million worth of gold recovered from the SS Central America. The ship sank in a hurricane off the Carolina coast in September 1857. In the late 1980’s the ship was found and much of the gold recovered. Millions of dollars in gold coins and bars will be on display in a 40-foot long replica of the ship’s hull. Other special exhibits include the first nugget of gold that started the California Gold Rush, as well as the golden wedding band of Wyatt Earp (who shot a man near the site of Locomotive 1673 at Downtown’s Historic Depot on Toole).

Democratic Presidential Candidate Kucinich speaks at Muse, 516 N. 5th Ave.

Presidential Candidate Dennis Kucinich Visits Downtown Tucson

Democratic Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich campaigned in Downtown on Friday, January 16. Drawing a crowd of approximately 700 people at Muse, 516 N. 5th Ave., the US Representative from Ohio spoke for an hour and then took questions from the audience. This was the Congressman’s first visit to Tucson with a subsequent visit on January 30, also at MUSE.

New Businesses

Silver Sea

Upon entering Silver Sea at 137 E. Congress St., the nostrils are nicely nudged by the soft, clean scents of Elizabeth Mead’s aromatherapy products, lotions, oils and hand-made soaps.

Mead, the proprietor, said she can custom scent her lotions and can custom blend oils and make colognes.

She also carries aromatherapy microwaveable heat pads for the shoulders and neck, along with candles, sea spirals, chain mail, large and small figurines, framed Van Gogh lithographs and jewelry.

Elizabeth Mead of Silver Sea

“I have the most experience with jewelry,” Mead said. “I make jewelry. It’s my main thing, the main product.” She sells necklaces, rings and earrings that stylistically range from mainstream to Celtic.

Before opening her Congress Street shop, Mead had a cart at a local mall. “I’ve been in the mall for a long time, but I outgrew it,” she said.

“With the Rio Nuevo project kicking in, I wanted to get in early,” Mead said about her choice to move her shop downtown. “I’ve already done really well.”

She plans to use her space for events, including a fairy festival and having a monthly Irish song circle.

You can find her shop just west of Hydra and be sure to keep an eye out for a mermaid mannequin to take up residence in the shop’s sidewalk display case.

Café 54

Exposed red brick and track lighting will complement local art hanging on textured white walls at a new “healthy comfort food” café - set to open within this or next month.

Scott McMahon, Mindy Bernstein and Laura Coleman of Our Place Clubhouse and Café 54.

Café 54 on 54 E. Pennington St. is an expansion of the 501 c (3) non-profit Our Place Clubhouse at 66 E. Pennington St. Our Place already runs the thrift store Re-Threads.

The organization helps mentally ill individuals re-enter the work community through pre-vocational and vocational rehabilitation services.

Director Mindy Bernstein said the “goal is to help people back into the community through education and employment.

Mental health patients are referred to the organization and involve themselves on different levels. Members can choose to simply hang out, help with daily operations, as well as take career courses. The restaurant will be another preparation outlet and encapsulates a long time desire for the director.

“I had always dreamed about having a restaurant training program.”

She said that the restaurant will be “putting a face to mental illness because it has such a stigma.”

Answering the call for the café’s job coaches is long time restaurateur Scott McMahon and previous social worker Laura Coleman.

McMahon has over 20 years of restaurant experience and was an integral part of Café Terra Cotta, Barrio Grill, Ventana Grill and Lume.

Coleman previously worked in a woman’s shelter and thought, “combine social work with food? Why not?”

Bernstein said that the menu will have daily specials of three main entrees with main dishes consisting of beef, chicken or vegetarian fare, they plan to be open for breakfast and lunch and will provide take out for dinner “so people can avoid the grocery store after work!”

Creative Slice

On February 2, design and marketing firm Creative Slice opened its Tucson office at the old Firestone building on 6th Avenue and 6th Street. Creative director Tim Bowen said they chose that location because the raw industrial surroundings facilitate creative collaboration and they draw inspiration from the high energy area that is in proximity to Downtown and 4th Avenue. After three months of closed-door creation and development, Creative Slice is inviting interested individuals or businesses to stop in and learn about innovation, branding and success through design. Visit www.CreativeSlice.com for more information.

Saying Goodbye

After two years as the executive director for the Historic Stone Avenue Temple at 564 S. Stone Ave., Josh Protas is moving on.

After February 20, Protas will be the new director of the Jewish Community Relations Council at the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona.

“I feel fortunate to have worked with an extremely dedicated board of directors to continue the process of building community for this very worthy organization. Together we accomplished a great deal in the past two years, and I have no doubt that the organization will have many continued successes in the time ahead,” Protas said.