Navigating Rio Nuevo
By Karen Thoreson
owntown Tucson is a great place – and it’s getting more exciting all the time - because Río Nuevo, the business community and private citizens are working together better than ever before to bring out the best in what this unique area has to offer. Here’s a look at just a few recent events and projects that are strong examples of the collaboration, involvement, and participation that are helping turn the Heart of the City into a great place to live, work and play.
Planning the Plazas
A public meeting on February 2 drew a large crowd of people eager to learn more about Downtown’s new Civic and Cultural Plazas. Attendees met the project team, led by internationally acclaimed urban design firm Hargreaves Associates, and had a chance to ask questions and provide their valuable input about these two exciting projects. There will be several more opportunities for the public to review and comment on plans for the Plazas as the Hargreaves team moves forward with design.
The Civic Plaza, to be located south of Congress Street and east of I-10, will connect the Tucson Convention Center with the University of Arizona Science Center and the proposed new arena with open space, ramadas, fountains and landscaping. The Cultural Plaza, west of the Santa Cruz River, will include the west end of the UA Science Center, Tucson Origins Heritage Park, and other potential museum attractions including the Arizona State Museum and the Arizona Historical Society. A major parking garage to support all the attractions on the two Plazas will also be an important element in the design.
Finishing the Fox
There’s been a lot of talk lately about the best way to accelerate the restoration of the Fox Theatre. Although they, as much as any Tucsonan, want to finish the Fox, our City Council is approaching the funding for its completion in a fiscally responsible manner that is fully accountable to taxpayers. We believe we’ve developed an approach that achieves that, and the private sector is an important part of that approach. Business leaders were brought into the discussion and planning process by Council Members who saw their involvement as a key element in fundraising and financial and strategic planning. There has been strong community support for the Fox Tucson Theatre Foundation in recent years and this new enhanced private sector involvement will bring even more energy to the drive to finish the Fox within the next 12 months.
Gem Show: More Than 50 Years of Success
February brought us another tremendously successful Tucson Gem and Mineral Show – one of Downtown’s biggest and longest running success stories. What began 51 years ago in an elementary school parking lot is now our largest annual attraction by far, with more than 4,000 individual vendors from all over the world selling gems, minerals, fossils, jewelry, art, clothing, and much more. The gem show contributes $76.5 million to our economy each year and brings in at least 50,000 out-of-town visitors. This year’s show was a tremendous success, and another spectacular show is already being planned for 2006.
Broadway in Downtown Tucson
Downtown also continues to attract world-class performing arts entertainment. In January more than 16,000 people came to the Tucson Convention Center Music Hall to attend Broadway in Tucson’s weeklong engagement of Chicago. The cast, crew and invited guests celebrated the Opening Night performance with a party at Enoteca, attended by Gregory Harrison and Wayne Brady. Following Wayne Brady’s first performance in Tucson on Thursday evening, the cast celebrated with an after-show dinner at Café Poca Cosa. In what may seem to be a weeklong series of parties, cast and crew returned to Enoteca on the weekend to celebrate Patti Labelle’s first performance as Mama Morton. Broadway will be back in Tucson in April when Thoroughly Modern Millie caps off the 2004-2005 Broadway in Tucson season at the Music Hall from April 26 to May 1.
New Homes Coming to Paseo Estrella
Paseo Estrella, a community of 104 energy-efficient homes designed in the historic Presidio architectural style, is underway on 22nd Street near Starr Pass Boulevard. Doucette Homes and Standard Pacific Homes, both local builders, have teamed up on the project, which will have a total value of $20 million. The homes will be available in a variety of floor plans and, even though construction is a month away, they are already attracting tremendous interest from both families and singles who want to be part of our revitalized Downtown. Paseo Estrella is one of more than a dozen new residential projects that are under construction, recently complete, or in the planning stages in the Heart of the City. In the next few years these projects will deliver more than one thousand new homes with a total value of $200 million.
Karen Thoreson is a Downtown enthusiast and City of Tucson Assistant City Manager. Her primary responsibilities are the Río Nuevo project and Downtown. If you have questions about Río Nuevo or suggestions on topics for this column, please contact Ms. Thoreson at Karen.Thoreson@tucsonaz.gov.
