Navigating Rio Nuevo
By Karen Thoreson
ardon Our Dust. It’s a phrase that signifies dirt, and mess, and occasionally inconvenience – but always progress. As Río Nuevo and several private sector developers begin construction on a number of exciting projects, it’s also a phrase I like to associate with Downtown. We’re getting messy here, and it’s a great feeling because it means progress is underway!
Construction of the 750-space Pennington St. Garage has begun at the corner of Pennington St. and South 6th Avenue. When it’s complete next summer, the east side of Downtown will have ample, convenient parking in an attractive facility that will also include ground floor retail shops, restaurants and businesses. The garage represents a number of exciting firsts for the City, including its first solar-powered facility and the first use of a state-of-the-art parking validation system that will allow quick entry and exit. Its design is inspired by Tucson’s historic art deco style, which can be seen on a number of Downtown buildings, including the Hotel Congress, Reilly Funeral Home, and a number of bridges and other structures.
By now you’ve probably noticed that several buildings along the south side of Congress Street are missing. Work began in early September to remove most of the aging structures from Scott to Stone Avenues to make way for ‘The Post’ – the exciting new residential/retail development being built by Bourn Projects, Inc. Demolition is expected to last until early December, with construction soon to follow. Of course, the historic Indian Village Trading Post and Bank One Annex are being carefully preserved and will continue to be integral parts of the block and of Downtown.
Río Development, a private sector firm, will break ground soon on the Mercado District of Menlo Park, a 200-home residential development on West Congress St. Río Nuevo and the project team have worked closely with the Menlo Park Neighborhood to plan and design Mercado in ways that will enhance the area while blending with the nearby neighborhoods to reflect their distinct culture and history. A variety of home designs will be available, including small bungalows, lofts, traditional Sonoran row houses and barrio-style townhouses, as well as rammed earth, adobe and masonry single-family and custom homes. The project will be a fantastic addition to Downtown when it’s complete.
Franklin Court is another exciting Downtown residential project that’s almost complete. As with Mercado, it features architecture inspired by Tucson’s past and places an emphasis on energy efficiency and ‘green’ building materials. Contemporary West Development, of Tucson, is building the nine-home community, located across from El Charro Restaurant on the northeast corner of Franklin Street and Court Avenue. The homes come in three styles that reflect the traditional architecture of Downtown Tucson: a pre-1800’s Sonoran row house, an 1880’s territorial, and a turn-of-the-century modified craftsman. Developer Michael Keith has already sold all nine homes at Franklin Court, which will be complete in early 2005.
This isn’t to say that everything Downtown is new. Much of what makes our city center unique is its historic architecture. With help from many historic groups and involved citizens, Río Nuevo and the City have worked hard to protect that heritage by preserving and restoring many of Tucson’s historic buildings and structures, which are being turned into key features of Downtown. Much of the planned new construction is inspired by that unique past, as with the design of the Pennington St. Garage.
Downtown will soon be a dynamic mix of historic architecture integrated with vibrant public spaces, modern cultural attractions and many exciting housing choices. It’s a goal that’s well worth a little mess and inconvenience. So please, Pardon Our Dust.
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
