Flying Saucer
Though pushing 70 years old, the Firestone Building on the southwest corner of 6th Avenue and 6th Street is quickly becoming a hip haven. Approximately a dozen tenants, ranging from artists’ studios and art galleries to marketing and biotechnology firms, populate the warehouse at 439 N. 6th Ave.
Contributing to the building’s verve is the recent addition of coffee nook Flying Saucer, opened by Santa Theresa Tile Works sisters Leslie and Susan Gamble.
“When the space became available we were trying to get all kinds of people in this spot,” Leslie said. “One by one the possibilities faded to dust and we just thought, ‘What the heck, we’ll just do it.’
“We want to establish this corner as a destination and we see the coffee shop as a lateral expansion of Santa Theresa,” Leslie explained.
The cozy café faces 6th Avenue and its chalk board menu offers a sundry selection of caffeinated concoctions brewed by Barista Rich Johnson.
The beans are roasted by Roaster X and their varied gourmet take-out is provided by Blue House Catering and Sushi Savvy, with baked goods from Epic Café.
Flying Saucer is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Further information can be procured by dialing 882-4242.
Royal Elizabeth
The oldest Victorian-era inn operating in Arizona was sold last month for $990,000 to Jeff DiGregorio and Chuck Bressi by Jack Nance and Robert Ogburn.
“We moved here from Washington D.C.—expatriates from the corporate world,” said DiGergorio. “We were over our jobs and wanted to move somewhere else. We always wanted to own a bed-and-breakfast.
“We saw the house on the internet and put a bid on it without actually seeing it.
“It’s a really unique place with a really unique history.”
The adobe mansion was built by Charles R. Drake in 1878. Drake shipped in the original woodwork, hardware and leaded skylights from San Francisco to use in the structure’s construction.
In 1891, Drake sold the property to Charles Blenman and it stayed in the Blenman family until the 1990s. It was vacant until Royal Henry purchased it in 1998. Henry named the B&B after himself and his wife and opened it for business in 1999.
“We are so proud to own this gem of history in Tucson and be a part of the revitalization,” DiGergorio said. “One of our goals is to let people know this place is here!”
The Royal Elizabeth is located at 204 S. Scott Ave., is online at www.RoyalElizabeth.com and can be reached by phone at 670-9022.
Tucson Museum of Art School
On January 24, the TMA School will begin its spring session with new classes starting each month.
“We’re expanding,” said TMA School Manager Sally Krommes, “by adding more diverse classes like abstract painting, art of the sequence and mixed media with encaustic.
“We added new photography classes too. We’re having a lot of fun over here!”
The school offers adult and after-school teen classes, evening classes as well as “wacky and great workshops” that will correspond with the museum’s exhibits.
“We’re getting great artists from our community who teach,” Krommes added. “It’s a perfect combination of all these resources that we have in a two-mile radius.”
The spring catalog and registration form are available online at www.TucsonArts.com, by stopping by 140 N. Main Ave. or calling 624-2333 x111 or x121.
Tucson Police Department
Prior to this month, a call from downtown to TPD after 3:00 a.m. would be answered by the Operations Division West – whose substation is at Prince and Flowing Wells.
Now, Wednesdays through Saturdays, the Operations Division Downtown (ODD) will be on 24-hour service, and come May 2005, ODD will provide service 24/7.
Captain McNally said there was a push to reallocate existing resources and that TPD will be “pulling a little bit from each division to provide that coverage down here.”
TPD will also have two off-duty officers patrolling the Ronstadt Transit Center Monday through Friday from 12:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. come January 3. McNally said the police have an agreement with Sun Tran to improve public safety at RTC, which generates more calls for service than any other Downtown address. He said that TPD plans to “really hit that area hard from different angles. There will be significant changes in that area in the next few months.”
TPD has also changed its practice of barricading North Fourth Avenue between 9th and 6th Streets on friday and saturday nights.
“There were concerns about the barricading from FAMA (Fourth Avenue Merchants Association). We’re going to try to minimize the times of barricading unless cruising activity picks up. We’ll try best as possible not to do it and a supervisor in the field will determine if barricading is necessary,” McNally said.
Parade of Lights
The 10th Annual Downtown Parade of Lights was the largest ever with 70 entries and crowd estimates exceeding 20,000 spectators. Special parade participants included the “Mayor of 6th Avenue”, Johnny Gibson, who served as grand marshal, and Tucson’s “Grande Dame” Cele Peterson, who rode with the “Father of Chicano music”, Lalo Guerrero. Mayor Walkup waved to the crowd alongside wife Beth, and Council Members Ronstadt, Scott, and Vice Mayor Dunbar also participated. Seven parade entrants were recognized as award winners:
- Grand Marshal’s Award (Best in Show) – Many Mouths, One Stomach.
- Presidio Award (Best Business Entry) – Miss Anna’s Child Care.
- Old Pueblo Award (Best Non-Profit Entry) - Old Nogales Summit Neighborhood.
- Bright Horizon Award (Best Youth Entry) - Old Vail Girl Scouts.
- Pioneer Award (Best Historic/Cultural Entry) – Ballet Folklorico Tapatio.
- Holiday Spirit Award (Best Use of Lights) – Old Pueblo Fire Brigade.
- Harmony Award (Best Music/Live Performance) – KXCI 91.3FM.
Downtown’s New Starr
Despite some construction delays, the stars seem to be in alignment for a January 1st opening of the $174-million JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa, marking Tucson’s first luxury resort not built in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains.
“We were looking for a resort location a little different, a little more unique,” says Starr Pass marketing director Mike Kass.
The 50-acre, 575-room resort is nestled at the doorstep of the Tucson Mountain Park just 5 miles west of Downtown. That makes it the area’s largest resort in both room number and meeting space size, as well as the closest resort to Downtown and Tucson International Airport.
The amenities include: four swimming pools; two tennis courts; a full-service spa; fitness room; 27 holes of Arnold Palmer Signature Golf; seven restaurants ranging from casual to fine dining; and 88,000-square- feet of indoor/outdoor meeting space, including the largest ballroom in Tucson with 22-foot ceilings.
“I think that Downtown will be a real asset to the resort as well, as its guests will be looking to get out and explore Tucson,” says Donovan Durband, executive director of the Tucson Downtown Alliance.
Starr Pass should give impetus to the Rio Nuevo revitalization project since, according to Barbara MacDonald, spokesperson for the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau (MTCVB), many visitors and convention goers are “very interested to see the history and culture Downtown.”
“I think Downtown success is our success, and vice versa,” adds Kass. “”I think the guests staying here will also be eager for the unique and different dining, shopping and cultural activities.”
For that, the resort plans to offer unscheduled shuttle service to the Downtown area.
- D.A. Barber
