Roadway closures indicate areas where roads are closed to vehicular and bicycle traffic. Pedestrian access adjacent to these closures will be maintained at all times. Cyclists must walk their bikes while using the sidewalks.

Motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians should prepare for extensive traffic control changes in the downtown area. Officers will be on site at several locations to direct travelers and pedestrians through the area during peak traffic times. Please plan for additional travel time while these temporary traffic control changes are in place. Motorists should consider using Speedway Boulevard or 22nd Street as alternate routes.

View maps of the various construction areas by clicking here.

NEW/UPCOMING WORK ACTIVITIES

• The westbound I-10 frontage road from 22nd Street to Congress Street is open to traffic.

• One travel lane is open from 22nd Street to Cushing Street along the westbound I-10 frontage road.
• Two travel lanes are open from Cushing Street to Congress Street along the westbound I-10 frontage road.
• Cushing Street under I-10  remains closed.

• Cushing Street is reopened east of the westbound I-10 frontage road. Cushing Street under I-10 remains closed.

• On Tuesday, May 28, 2013, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. the following morning, the contractor will place temporary concrete barrier along portions of Granada Avenue and Broadway to prepare for the installation of the curved rail through the Granada Avenue and Congress Street intersection. In order to safely set the traffic control devices, eastbound Broadway will be closed from Granada Avenue to Church Avenue. All eastbound Broadway traffic will be detoured north at Granada Avenue, east at Alameda Street and south on Church Avenue back to Broadway. This temporary closure will be in place for one night only.

• On Wednesday, May 29, 2013, the contractor will begin work to install the curved rail at the intersection of Granada Avenue and Congress Street/Broadway. This work will take approximately four weeks to complete. Travel restrictions at the intersection of Congress Street and Granada Avenue during this operation are as follows:

• Westbound Congress Street will be open to through traffic and all turn movements with the exception of U-turns.
• U-turns will not be allowed.
• Eastbound Congress Street/Broadway will be open to through traffic and all turn movements.
• Southbound Granada Avenue will be open to through traffic and all turn movements.
• Northbound Granada Avenue will be restricted to eastbound turn movements only.
• Northbound Granada Avenue motorists wishing to turn west (left) or travel north through the Broadway intersection should consider using Cushing Street to Church Avenue, or Cushing Street to the westbound I-10 frontage road as alternate routes.

• The contractor is installing stop foundations and canopies and poles for the overhead contact system (OCS) in the downtown area along Congress Street and Broadway. Officers will be on site to direct traffic during this work.

ONGOING WORK – ALL SECTIONS:

• A project unrelated to the Sun Links Streetcar project, has begun installing a 90-inch storm drain along St. Mary’s Road and Sixth Street between Church and Granada Avenues. This work requires St Mary’s Road and Sixth Street in this area to be completely closed. The closure will be in place through the end of May 2013.

• Eastbound turn movements from northbound Church Avenue will be allowed.
• Granada Avenue will be open to north and south through traffic and westbound turn movements only.
• Through traffic at the intersection of Main Avenue and Sixth Street will not be permitted.
• The University Service Annex Building can be accessed through its parking lot on the east side of the building off Sixth Street and the entrance on Main Avenue, north of Sixth Street.
• Pedestrian access at the intersection of Granada Avenue and St. Mary’s Road and Sixth Street will be maintained.
• One travel lane in each direction will be maintained along St. Mary’s Road between Granada Avenue and the westbound I-10 frontage road.
• Access to Davis Elementary School will be maintained at all times.

Downtown

Access to the many events and activities in the downtown area can be reached from the north by using Sixth Avenue; from the east by using Broadway or Barraza-Aviation Parkway; from the south by using sixth Avenue; or from the west by using Congress Street and Broadway.

This area of the project includes Congress Street and Broadway through downtown from Granada Avenue to 5th Avenue. ONGOING traffic control in this area is as follows:

• The contractor has begun the installation of signal foundations and poles on the north half of the Scott Avenue and Sixth Avenue intersections at Broadway.

• North and southbound traffic will not be permitted through the Scott Avenue and Broadway intersection.
• Two travel lanes will be maintained along eastbound Broadway between Stone and Fifth Avenues.
• Northbound Scott Avenue motorists and bicyclist will be required to turn right (east) at the Broadway intersection.
• Southbound Scott Avenue motorists and bicyclists will be detoured right (west) at Congress Street and left (south) at Stone Avenue back to Broadway.
• Eastbound Broadway to southbound (right) Scott Avenue turn movements are permitted during this work.
• Eastbound Broadway to northbound (left) Scott Avenue turn movements will not be permitted.
• Pedestrian access will be maintained during this work.

• ONGOING: The existing traffic signals have been removed from the intersection of Broadway and Sixth Avenue.

• A temporary three-way stop is in place at the Broadway and Sixth Avenue intersection. This temporary traffic control will be in place while the new traffic signals are installed.

• ONGOING: The existing traffic signals have been removed from the intersection of Broadway and Scott Avenue.

• ONGOING: Broadway is reduced to one travel lane from Granada to Stone Avenues. The lane reduction will be in place through the end of June 2013, while the contractor installs rail along this section of roadway.

• One eastbound Broadway travel lane will be maintained from Granada Avenue through the Church Avenue intersection.
• Broadway and Stone Avenue intersection will not be impacted by this work.
• Because of the location of the work and restricted lanes, large trucks will not be allowed to turn at the intersection of Church Avenue and Broadway.

• ONGOING: North and southbound Church Avenue, at Broadway, has been reduced to one travel lane in each direction. This lane reduction will be in place through the end of June 2013.

• One eastbound Broadway travel lane will be maintained through the Church Avenue intersection.
• Because of the location of the work and restricted lanes, large trucks will not be allowed to turn at the intersection.
• North and southbound crosswalk access will be shifted from the east and west side of the Church Avenue and Broadway intersection as work progresses through the area.
• East and westbound crosswalk access will be maintained along both sides of the Broadway and Church Avenue intersection.
• Parking will not be allowed along the east side of Church Avenue, between Broadway and Jackson Street.

I-10 and West End of Line

This area of the project includes the west side of Interstate 10, Cushing Street under I-10 to Granada Avenue and Granada Avenue to Congress Street. ONGOING traffic control in this area is as follows:

• Cushing Street, between the eastbound I-10 frontage road west to Avenida del Palo Fierro, is closed to motorists.
• The eastbound I-10 frontage road is reduced to one travel lane between Congress and Cushing Streets.
• Access to the Congress Street I-10 on ramp will be maintained at all times.
• Access to businesses along the eastbound I-10 frontage road will not be impacted.
• The Cushing Street and I-10 underpass is closed to through traffic.

Fourth Avenue and University Boulevard

This area of the project includes 4th Avenue from the 4th Avenue underpass to University Boulevard, University Boulevard to Main Gate Square, and Park Avenue to 2nd Street. Traffic control in this area is as follows:

• No ongoing construction related activities are occurring along Fourth Avenue or University Boulevard at this time.

U of A and Health Sciences Center

This area of the project includes Second Street to Warren Avenue, the Warren Avenue underpass and a section of Helen Street that connects to the Health Science Center. ONGOING traffic control in this area is as follows:

• The intersection of Warren Avenue and First Street has been closed to allow the contractor to complete the removal of the existing roadway, underground utility work, rail placement and installation of the Overhead Contact System. This closure will be in place through July, 2013.

• Second Street has been re-opened to motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians from Park Avenue to Campbell Avenue.

• Helen Street, between Warren and Martin Avenues, is closed.

• The Warren Avenue Underpass closure is expected to be in place through June 2013, while the contractor completes the removal of the existing roadway, underground utility work, rail placement and installation of the Overhead Contact System. Detour signs will be in place to help direct pedestrian and bicycle traffic through the area.

Children performing a Mexican folkloric dance. Photo courtesy of Día de San Juan Fiesta Committee.

Traditions are what keep us close to our roots. Some have been part of our native culture since the beginning of its existence, and others have been influenced by a melting pot of people from different corners of the world. Throughout history, the Southwest has had people come in and out. There are those who have been here for hundreds of years, those who migrated here, and those who were just passing by. And, the diversity of our history reflects in some of the modern festivities we participate in. Our traditions and legends are a refreshing blend of native and foreign. But, as societies transform, it can get harder and harder to keep all traditions alive. Younger generations get caught up on what is new, and oftentimes forget about the roots that shaped them.

The Día de San Juan Fiesta Committee arose about 16 years ago hoping to preserve the Hispanic heritage of their neighborhood in the West Side of Tucson. For quite some time, these long-time residents of the area witnessed the deterioration of some traditions and the lack of interest from younger generations to learn about and celebrate their Latin American roots.

Similarly to other committees, (such as the Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe committee, which concentrates on preserving the Our Lady of Guadalupe fiesta) the San Juan Commitee focused on reestablishing and preserving  this ritual and celebration of St. John the Baptist. “There are a lot traditions, legends, and history here in Southern Arizona,” says Lillian Lopez-Grant, Día de San Juan Fiesta Committee Chair. “That same history and culture tend to be forgotten. So, it is very important to us to maintain our Hispanic culture and the traditions that make our neighborhoods and barrios so vibrant and alive.”

El Día de San Juan Fiesta saw its origins in 1540. Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, a Spanish conquistador, traversed through Southern Arizona when he, and his colony, encountered a destructive drought. Their fields dried up and their animals began to die. Legend says that, during this time of desperation, he turned to his Catholic beliefs, and prayed to St. John the Baptist near the Santa Cruz River. Shortly after, it began to rain.

Aguas frescas vendors. Photo courtesy of Día de San Juan Fiesta Committee.

This celebration to St. John became a tradition that gathered an increasing amount of faithful followers praying to St. John for an abundant monsoon season. Families in the Old Pueblo’s West Side celebrated it for a century. However, there were many years when the tradition was locked up in the dark. “There was a period of time when Día de San Juan, Día de los Muertos, and other Hispanic traditions weren’t celebrated anymore, and were dying out,” Lopez-Grant says. “Through the years, we’ve had an extraordinary effort in resurrecting our culture and traditions.” They overcame the dormant period, and since then, Día de San Juan has been celebrated religiously.

On June 24, the committee is hosting the 16^th Annual El Día de San Juan Fiesta to kick off this year’s monsoon season. The fiesta will begin with a procession, showcasing an antique statue of St. John the Baptist, which will start out on the west bank of the Santa Cruz River. Then, there will be a huge party at Mercado San Agustin with live music and dance, food and aguas frescas vendors, games for children, among other family activities.

The date is crucial to the tradition. Lopez-Grant says that the celebration has to be done on the day that it was promised to God: June 24. In the past, the committee tried to move the celebration to random weekends in June to assure a big gathering. However, many followers of the saint and tradition were disappointed by the date changes.

June 24 is the official day for St. John the Baptist according to the Catholic Church, and the day when many Latin countries and Spain honor the saint. Because it falls on a weekday this year, Lopez-Grant knows there is the possibility that many regulars will be unable to come. However, she knows that they will all be there in spirit. “We’ve had years when up to 5,000 people have shown up,” Lopez-Grant says. “But it doesn’t matter if there are times when not many are able to come. What’s important is the faith, whether it is religious or not, and to keep this tradition, and others,  alive.”

El Día de San Juan Fiesta will take place on Monday, June 24 at Mercado San Agustin on 100 S. Avenida del Convento from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.  Admission is free. For more information call 665-8618 or visit the committee’s Facebook page.

Kenneth Cooper Shorr, known by art authorities as a person of interest but not an interesting person, will be having a multi-personality exhibition at MOCA. Shore is showing recent work and or effluvium, depending on who’s talking. Shorn explores interstices of diverse media (video, digital and analog photography, collage, and a number of innovative and banned besmirching techniques). He will also debut his new video, “Chortles,” and share parts of his novella, “A History of Fog,” a unique blend of animation and film.

Chrysalis by Chico MacMurtrie.

Short’s show, alternately titled “Depraved Indifference” or, in French, “Staring is Caring,” invites the viewer or empty nester to examine the seminal issues of our culture, or not. His work is timelessly topical but never trendy.

The Jewish Museum in New York, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and the Center for Creative Photography are just a few institutions that have acquired his work.

Another of MOCA’s upcoming summer season exhibitions is a special installation of Chico MacMurtrie’s Chrysalis. Chrysalis is the most recent installation of a series of inflatable architectural structures that uses robotics and innovative technology. Chico MacMurtrie and Amorphic Robot Works (ARW) pioneered the use of inflatable high tensile Tedlar fabric “skeletons,” whose engineering allows the rigid, inflated structures to approximate the qualities of muscle and bone. Chrysalis starts out as a lifeless, organic form suspended from the ceiling. As air enters into the fabric, the material begins to inflate, accompanied by the syncopated respiration of the air blower. As the organic form expands it reveals its geometric pattern analogous to those found in molecular architecture.

On Thursday, May 28 at 5pm, Hotel Congress invites the public to celebrate Tiger’s 80^th birthday! With 80-cent wells in the Tap Room and a birthday cake topped with 80 lit candles, all are welcome to wish Tiger the happiest of birthdays.

Tiger is the Tap Room. His constant presence is one reason the space has become so iconic over the last half-century. As a special birthday surprise, the Tap Room will be officially be renamed “Tiger’s Tap Room” and a new, bright blue neon sign baring Tiger’s namesake will be revealed. Shhhhhh! Don’t tell Tiger!

Tiger started bartending at the Tap Room in the 50s, when it was the only bar at Hotel Congress. He served Coors and Budweiser for fifteen cents a glass, and mixed drinks for twenty-five cents.

“I just love the Hotel Congress. I love my ladies because they’re not bothered by the men unless they want to be, and I like the university kids that come here – they’re always ladies and gentleman. They’re nice kids,” says Tiger. “My co-workers are like a big happy family. I love coming here to work every day.”

Roadway closures indicate areas where roads are closed to vehicular and bicycle traffic. Pedestrian access adjacent to these closures will be maintained at all times. Cyclists must walk their bikes while using the sidewalks.

Motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians should prepare for extensive traffic control changes in the downtown area. Officers will be on site at several locations to direct travelers and pedestrians through the area during peak traffic times. Please plan for additional travel time while these temporary traffic control changes are in place. Motorists should consider using Speedway Boulevard or 22nd Street as alternate routes.

View maps of the various construction areas by clicking here.

NEW/UPCOMING WORK ACTIVITIES

• The westbound I-10 frontage road from 22nd Street to Congress Street will re-open to traffic by the end of the day, Monday, May 20, 2013.
  • One travel lane will be open from 22nd Street to Cushing Street along the westbound I-10 frontage road.
  • Two travel lanes will be open from Cushing Street to Congress Street along the westbound I-10 frontage road.
  • Cushing Street under I-10 will remain closed.

• Cushing Street will be re-opened east of the westbound I-10 frontage road by the end of the day Monday, May 20, 2013. Cushing Street under I-10 will remain closed.
• Prior to the installation of the curved rail at the intersection of Granada Avenue and Congress Street, the contractor will place temporary concrete barrier along portions of Granada Avenue and Broadway. In order to safely set the traffic control devices, eastbound Broadway, from Granada Avenue to Church Avenue, will be closed. All eastbound Broadway traffic will be detoured north at Granada Avenue, east at Alameda Street and south on Church Avenue back to Broadway. A special traffic alert will be sent detailing specific dates and times prior to this work taking place.

• During the week of May 20, 2013, the contractor will begin work to install the curved rail at the intersection of Granada Avenue and Congress Street/Broadway. This work will take approximately four weeks to complete.
  Travel restrictions at the intersection of Congress Street and Granada Avenue during this operation are as follows:
  • Southbound Granada Avenue will be open to through traffic and all turn movements.
  • Northbound Granada Avenue will be restricted to eastbound turn movements only.Westbound Congress Street will be open to through traffic and all turn movements with the exception of U-turns. U-turns will not be allowed. Eastbound Congress Street/Broadway will open to through traffic and all turn movements. A special traffic alert will be sent detailing specific dates and times prior to this work taking place.

• The contractor is installing stop foundations and canopies and poles for the overhead contact system (OCS) in the downtown area along Congress Street and Broadway. Officers will be on site to direct traffic during this work.

ONGOING WORK – ALL SECTIONS:

• A project unrelated to the Sun Links Streetcar project, has begun installing a 90-inch storm drain along St. Mary’s Road and Sixth Street between Church and Granada Avenues. This work requires St Mary’s Road and Sixth Street in this area to be completely closed. The closure will be in place through the end of May 2013.

• Eastbound turn movements from northbound Church Avenue will be allowed.
• Granada Avenue will be open to north and south through traffic and westbound turn movements only.
• Through traffic at the intersection of Main Avenue and Sixth Street will not be permitted.
• The University Service Annex Building can be accessed through its parking lot on the east side of the building off Sixth Street and the entrance on Main Avenue, north of Sixth Street.
• Pedestrian access at the intersection of Granada Avenue and St. Mary’s Road and Sixth Street will be maintained.
• One travel lane in each direction will be maintained along St. Mary’s Road between Granada Avenue and the westbound I-10 frontage road.
• Access to Davis Elementary School will be maintained at all times.

Downtown

Access to the many events and activities in the downtown area can be reached from the north by using Sixth Avenue; from the east by using Broadway or Barraza-Aviation Parkway; from the south by using sixth Avenue; or from the west by using Congress Street and Broadway.

This area of the project includes Congress Street and Broadway through downtown from Granada Avenue to 5th Avenue. ONGOING traffic control in this area is as follows:

• Congress Street, from Toole Avenue west, has been opened to at least one travel lane.

• The contractor has begun the installation of signal foundations and poles on the north half of the Scott Avenue and Sixth Avenue intersections at Broadway.
  • North and southbound traffic will not be permitted through the Scott Avenue and Broadway intersection.
  • Two travel lanes will be maintained along eastbound Broadway between Stone and Fifth Avenues.
  • Northbound Scott Avenue motorists and bicyclist will be required to turn right (east) at the Broadway intersection.
  • Southbound Scott Avenue motorists and bicyclists will be detoured right (west) at Congress Street and left (south) at Stone Avenue back to Broadway.
  • Eastbound Broadway to southbound (right) Scott Avenue turn movements are permitted during this work.
  • Eastbound Broadway to northbound (left) Scott Avenue turn movements will not be permitted.
  • Pedestrian access will be maintained during this work.

• The existing traffic signals have been removed from the intersection of Broadway and Sixth Avenue.
  • A temporary three-way stop is in place at the Broadway and Sixth Avenue intersection. This temporary traffic control will be in place while the new traffic signals are installed.

• The existing traffic signals have been removed from the intersection of Broadway and Scott Avenue.
  • A temporary three-way stop is in place at the Broadway and Scott Avenue intersection. This temporary traffic control will be in place while the new traffic signals are installed.

• Broadway is reduced to one travel lane from Granada to Stone Avenues. The lane reduction will be in place through the end of June 2013, while the contractor installs rail along this section of roadway.
  • One eastbound Broadway travel lane will be maintained from Granada Avenue through the Church Avenue intersection.
  • Broadway and Stone Avenue intersection will not be impacted by this work.
  • Because of the location of the work and restricted lanes, large trucks will not be allowed to turn at the intersection of Church Avenue and Broadway.

• North and southbound Church Avenue, at Broadway, has been reduced to one travel lane in each direction. This lane reduction will be in place through the end of June 2013.
  • One eastbound Broadway travel lane will be maintained through the Church Avenue intersection.
  • Because of the location of the work and restricted lanes, large trucks will not be allowed to turn at the intersection.
  • North and southbound crosswalk access will be shifted from the east and west side of the Church Avenue and Broadway intersection as work progresses through the area.
  • East and westbound crosswalk access will be maintained along both sides of the Broadway and Church Avenue intersection.
  • Parking will not be allowed along the east side of Church Avenue, between Broadway and Jackson Street.

I-10 and West End of Line

This area of the project includes the west side of Interstate 10, Cushing Street under I-10 to Granada Avenue and Granada Avenue to Congress Street. ONGOING traffic control in this area is as follows:

• Cushing Street, between the eastbound I-10 frontage road west to Avenida del Palo Fierro, is closed to motorists.

• The eastbound I-10 frontage road is reduced to one travel lane between Congress and Cushing Streets.
  • Access to the Congress Street I-10 on ramp will be maintained at all times.
  • Access to businesses along the eastbound I-10 frontage road will not be impacted.
  • The Cushing Street and I-10 underpass will be closed to through traffic.

  

Fourth Avenue and University Boulevard

This area of the project includes 4th Avenue from the 4th Avenue underpass to University Boulevard, University Boulevard to Main Gate Square, and Park Avenue to 2nd Street. Traffic control in this area is as follows:

• No ongoing construction related activities are occurring along Fourth Avenue or University Boulevard at this time.

U of A and Health Sciences Center

This area of the project includes Second Street to Warren Avenue, the Warren Avenue underpass and a section of Helen Street that connects to the Health Science Center. ONGOING traffic control in this area is as follows:

• The intersection of Warren Avenue and First Street has been closed to allow the contractor to complete the removal of the existing roadway, underground utility work, rail placement and installation of the Overhead Contact System. This closure will be in place through July, 2013.

• Second Street has been re-opened to motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians from Park Avenue to Campbell Avenue.

• Helen Street, between Warren and Martin Avenues, is closed.

• The Warren Avenue Underpass closure is expected to be in place through June 2013, while the contractor completes the removal of the existing roadway, underground utility work, rail placement and installation of the Overhead Contact System. Detour signs will be in place to help direct pedestrian and bicycle traffic through the area.

Elizabeth Denneau showing off one of her handmade pieces.

On the outskirts of Downtown, a few spaces down from Skrappy’s, is a little haven of body-positivity. CandyStrike, located at 197 E. Toole Ave., offers a stunning array of redesigned vintage clothing for plus-size women. This is frisky, adventurous plus-size clothing that women want to wear. As there is not a huge national, much less local, market for trendy plus sizes, this shop is a boon for Downtown indeed.

The brains behind the project is Elizabeth Denneau, and her passion is to combat all forms of body-shaming. “It’s fashion with a social conscience.” A native Tucsonan, Denneau has been part of the local design scene for awhile now, creating her fashion line, Siobhan, and organizing local runway shows. She loves this “wonderful, but stubborn, little town”, and appreciates that she couldn’t have a shop like CandyStrike anywhere else.

Southwestern-alternative style guides CandyStrike’s clothing, which sparkle with Mexican and Dia-de-los-Muertos influence. The newest additions are the Guadalupe skirts and swimsuits, eye-catching pieces made with gold and glitter accents that beg to be worn. The shop has plenty to offer to women of all sizes, including accessories that Denneau makes herself. Necklaces feature small, cute skulls and pastel-colored bows. Hair clips utilize buttons and funky ribbon. Painted purses deck table tops, and local art hangs on the red and pink walls. And smaller, smaller sized women need not despair – Denneau takes special orders.

Women can find sexy clothes of all sizes at CandyStrike.

CandyStrike opened in October of last year, making it a recent addition to the Downtown area. Already there have been good responses from the community, and Denneau has several loyal customers that chat with her as they browse the store. It helps that Denneau has a knack of making you feel welcome. CandyStrike is a perfect extension of the already-inclusive block as Denneau has a positive mission of her own – that every woman, no matter her size, deserves to feel sexy and experience the joy of owning their identity through clothing. Her other projects expand on this theme, including a book club that meets once a month at the shop to discuss body-positive literature and issues. The club is open to everyone and information about meetings can be found on the CandyStrike Facebook page.

Denneau plans to add hours next month, opening shop doors Wed-Fri from 12-7 and Saturday 12-6. The online shop is re-booting June 1st, and CandyStrike will celebrate with a launch party, deemed the Thick Chick Print Party, at the shop on June 8th from 7-8pm. Guests can mingle and purchase drool-worthy art prints by local artists.

The sisterhood is growing. Just let the mural of the pink cotton-candy-haired girl, painted by Denneau herself, point the way.

Find more info on the CandyStrike website.

Navajo Boy, Gallup, New Mexico, 1971, vintage gelatin silver print, 9 X 13 1/2 inches ©Danny Lyon

Etherton Gallery will present its summer exhibition, Unpacked: The Art Fair at Home, a selection of the exceptional — and exceptionally rare — photography and mixed media that Etherton exhibits at fine art fairs in New York, Los Angeles and Palm Springs. The exhibition opens June 18 and closes August 31, 2013.

Unpacked features a selection of photographs that Etherton displayed at the The Association of International Photography Art Dealers (AIPAD) fine art photography show in New York – including several vintage prints that represent the best American photography produced in the dynamic period following World War II. AIPAD is the premier fine art photography art fair in the US, drawing dealers and collectors from all over the world.

Highlights of Unpacked include a rare set of nine, 20 X 24 inch photographs from photographer Aaron Siskind’s series the Pleasures and Terrors of Levitation (1953-1961). Only 3-4 sets remain intact of the ten sets printed between 1982 and 1989. Originally known as the Divers, they are images of young men diving into Lake Michigan. Siskind emphasized the abstract quality of their twisted forms by photographing them from below and isolating them against the sky.  Aaron Siskind (1903-1991) is one of the giants of post-WWII American photography. Siskind’s archive is housed in the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona in Tucson, but even the CCP does not own a set of these rare oversize photographs!

Tehuantepec, Mexico, 1985, Fuji Crystal Archive print, ed. 2/12, 30 X 40 inches, ©Alex Webb, courtesy Etherton Gallery

Unpacked will also include a very rare, early, vintage gelatin silver print of Danny Lyon’s, Navajo Boy, Gallup, New Mexico (1972). The Etherton vintage print is one of only two known extant prints of Navajo Boy. The other print of Navajo Boy, also vintage, resides in the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. In 2012, Lyon, a major American documentary photographer was the subject of a traveling retrospective exhibition, This World Is Not My Home: Danny Lyon Photographs, organized by the Menil Collection in Houston. In May, a traveling exhibition of The Bikeriders portfolio organized by Etherton Gallery was named one of the “10 essential shows” at the Contact Photography Festival in Toronto.

Unpacked also features key images by Magnum photographer Alex Webb whose work was the subject of a traveling exhibition organized by the Aperture Foundation, Alex Webb: The Suffering of Light, Thirty Years of Photographs. Etherton displayed Webb’s photographs in a one-man show at Paris Photo Los Angeles.

Also on display in Unpacked — vintage and later works by Ansel Adams, Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Harry Callahan, William Clift, Lee Friedlander, Emmet Gowin, André Kertész, Danny Lyon, Richard Misrach, Timothy O’Sullivan, Wright Morris, Irving Penn, Aaron Siskind, Frederick Sommer, Brett Weston and many other icons of photography.

Don’t miss Etherton Gallery’s summer exhibition Unpacked — it’s a rare opportunity for Tucsonans to see exceptional museum quality photography and mixed media without leaving home! Load up the car and come downtown – you won’t be sorry.

For more information about Unpacked: The Art Fair at Home, contact Daphne Srinivasan or Hannah Glasston at  Etherton Gallery, 520-624-7370 or via email. Etherton Gallery is located in downtown Tucson at 135 S. 6th Ave, above the restaurant Downtown Kitchen+Cocktails.

Hand-made props and loads of excitement make the stories come alive. Photograph by Sharon O’Brien.

It began with a story about a girl and her father. It’s the middle of the night, and a much anticipated meteor shower is nearby. After two failed attempts at waking up her brother, the girl ends up watching the shower alone with her dad. It’s a simple setting, but it became a beautifully written piece of one of the girl’s most beloved memories.

The story made its way onto the hands of an organization that turned it into a play. The girl’s father sits in the audience. Tears drip from his eyes as he realizes that, out of all the events in her life, his daughter chose to write about that moment. Even more emotional, however, to see the actress, portraying his daughter, as she stands onstage. In real life, his little girl is paraplegic.

Sharon O’Brien, artistic director of Stories that Soar!, remembers this evening, too, with tears in her eyes. When she chose this story as one to be adapted into a short play, the last thing she thought was that the little girl had a disability. “It was so touching to see the girl’s father watch her daughter be recognized for her writing and creativity, instead of being ‘the girl in the wheelchair,’” O’Brien says holding back the tears as she talks. “It was a moment that showed me the power of what we do.”

For more than ten years, the minds at Literacy Connects, an organization that promotes literacy and the arts among children, have chosen to use a box to ignite freedom of creativity. This “Magic Box” has made its way into various elementary schools around Tucson for years. It appears as a green light for children to unleash their imagination. And, overtime, it feels up with literary treasures written by some of the city’s smallest authors. There are no prompts involved, and the little ones are not graded on grammar, spelling or punctuation. So, the result is a pure compilation of a child’s honest feelings and thoughts.

Stories that Soar! is an adjunction of Literacy Connects. Back in 2005, O’Brien, and other team mates, turned it into a non-profit organization that would use some of the stories in the Magic Box to shape them into live theatre.  The story about the girl and her father was among the first group of stories the troupe ever performed. They have been traveling around elementary schools since. “When we became a non-profit, we did about five shows a year,” O’Brien says. “This year, we had 15 shows, and had about 6,000 children participating with the writing.”

Actors help adapt stories into imaginative theatrical skits. Photograph by Sharon O’Brien.

On May 19, the crew of Stories that Soar! is hosting Best of Stories that Soar! For the eighth year, they have, once again, selected a group of this season’s most favorite stories. The Best of… is an opportunity for all audiences to experience the organization’s work, and get a taste of the creativity that brews inside the children’s miniature brains. All other performances throughout the year only take place inside the elementary schools. “It’s tricky to call it ‘The Best of’ because selecting the stories is almost like cutting off a limb,” says Dallas Thomas, production manager of Stories that Soar! “There are so many pieces that we all love but that don’t get to make it in this show.”

After the Magic Box makes its rounds at the schools, O’Brien (sometimes with the help of Thomas and others) sits at her kitchen table and reads every single story to decide which ones will be adapted into theatrical skits. To the Stories that Soar! team, all stories are valuable, and the decision, really, comes down to what themes will work best onstage. O’Brien says they don’t change the kids’ words, the intent of the story, or any of the events. “We develop these stories into performance pieces using drama, comedy, acrobatics, dance, or songs,” she says. “We are inspired by the words of the child and it brings tremendous satisfaction to bring them to life.”

O’Brien has been doing this for more than a decade, but she’s not retiring any time soon. She speaks of her work with loads of pride and satisfaction, as she should. Oftentimes, children are not taken seriously by the adult community. And, organizations such as Stories that Soar! place the core of their existence inside the imagination of kids.

Throughout the years, she has witnessed parents react to the work of their children. O’Brien has seen and heard the happiness that comes from realizing that such strong emotions exist inside these tiny beings. Many of them thank her for fighting for the empowerment of children through the arts. O’Brien knows that, oftentimes, kids are not listened to. And, she and the rest of Stories that Soar! put a lot of time and effort into presenting these stories so that people of all ages will stop and listen.

After the performance, children run onstage, happy to have seen their creations come alive. Photograph by Brendan Murphy.

In many schools, creative expression doesn’t have a spot on the curriculum. Oftentimes, the only writing time they get comes in the form of an essay. After visits from Stories that Soar!, Thomas says that children begin to demand more creative writing. “We all have the need to express ourselves,” Thomas says. “And for these kids to be exposed to that at such a young age is vital.”

Best of Stories that Soar! is a celebration of another successful season of the program. That evening, there will be two shows, both, presenting two completely different groups of stories. “These shows are a fun evening for everybody,” O’Brien says. “We’re doing something valuable in our community, and we need everyone to keep in mind that we need their support to keep the program alive.”

Best of Stories that Soar! will take place on Sunday, May 19 at the Temple of Music and Art on 330 S. Scott Ave. The shows are at 4:00 and 6:30, with the Red Carpet Reception from 5:00-6:30 in the Temple of Music and Art Courtyard. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. For more information call 882-8006 or visit the website.

Roadway closures indicate areas where roads are closed to vehicular and bicycle traffic. Pedestrian access adjacent to these closures will be maintained at all times. Cyclists must walk their bikes while using the sidewalks.

Motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians should prepare for extensive traffic control changes in the downtown area. Officers will be on site at several locations to direct travelers and pedestrians through the area during peak traffic times. Please plan for additional travel time while these temporary traffic control changes are in place. Motorists should consider using Speedway Boulevard or 22nd Street as alternate routes.

View maps of the various construction areas by clicking here.

NEW/UPCOMING WORK ACTIVITIES

• Congress Street, from Toole Avenue west, has been opened to at least one travel lane.

• On Saturday, May 11, 2013, from 4 a.m. to 5 p.m. the contractor will pour the concrete track slab along Broadway Boulevard, from Stone Avenue to just west of the Church Avenue intersection.

• Southbound Church Avenue through traffic at Broadway will not be permitted. Motorists and bicyclist will be detoured left (east) at the intersection of Broadway, right (south) at Stone Avenue, right (west) on Jackson Street back to Church Avenue.
  • Eastbound Broadway to southbound Church Avenue turn movements will not be permitted. Motorists and bicyclist will be detoured right (south) at Stone Avenue and right (west) on Jackson Street back to Church Avenue.
  • Northbound Church Avenue through traffic and turn movements will not be permitted. Motorists and bicyclist can use Stone Avenue as an alternate.
  • The intersection of Stone Avenue and Broadway will not be impacted by this work.

• During the week of May 13, 2013, the contractor will begin installing the stamped concrete crosswalks at the intersections of Congress Street and Fifth Avenue and Congress Street and Sixth Avenue. At least one travel lane in each direction will be maintained during this operation.

• On Monday, May 13, 2013, from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., Avenida Del Convento will be closed between Paseo de los Zanjeros and Cushing Street while the contractor installs wire for the overhead contact system.

• From 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, May 13, 2013, the contractor will pour the concrete track slab across the eastbound I-10 frontage road at Cushing Street. One travel lane will be maintained on the eastbound I-10 frontage road; however, there may be short intermittent delays to motorists as large equipment moves through the work area.

• On Monday, May 13, the intersection of Warren Avenue and First Street will be closed while the contractor completes the removal of the existing roadway, underground utility work, rail placement and installation of the Overhead Contact System. This closure will be in place through July, 2013.

• On Friday, May 17, 2013 – The westbound I-10 frontage road from 22nd Street to Congress Street will be re-opened to traffic. Cushing Street under I-10 will remain closed.

• On Friday, May 17, 2013 Cushing Street will be open east of the westbound I-10 frontage road. Cushing Street under I-10 will remain closed.

• The contractor will begin installing stop foundations and canopies and poles for the overhead contact system (OCS) in the downtown area along Congress Street and Broadway. Officers will be on site to direct traffic during this work.

• ADVANCE NOTICE: On Monday, May 19, 2013 – Installation of the curved rail at the intersection of Granada Avenue and Congress Street will begin. Travel restrictions at the intersection of Congress Street and Granada Avenue during this operation are as follows:
  • Southbound Granada Avenue will be open to all through and turn movements.
  • Eastbound Congress Street will be reduced to one through travel lane (right turns will be permitted from this lane) and one dedicated left turn lane.
  • Northbound Granada Avenue will be restricted to eastbound turn movements only.
  • Westbound Congress Street will be open to all through and turn movements with the exception of U-turns. U-turns will not be allowed.

ONGOING WORK – ALL SECTIONS:

• A project unrelated to the Sun Links Streetcar project, has begun installing a 90-inch storm drain along St. Mary’s Road and Sixth Street between Church and Granada Avenues. This work requires St Mary’s Road and Sixth Street in this area to be completely closed. The closure will be in place through the end of May 2013.

• Eastbound turn movements from northbound Church Avenue will be allowed.
• Granada Avenue will be open to north and south through traffic and westbound turn movements only.
• Through traffic at the intersection of Main Avenue and Sixth Street will not be permitted.
• The University Service Annex Building can be accessed through its parking lot on the east side of the building off Sixth Street and the entrance on Main Avenue, north of Sixth Street.
• Pedestrian access at the intersection of Granada Avenue and St. Mary’s Road and Sixth Street will be maintained.
• One travel lane in each direction will be maintained along St. Mary’s Road between Granada Avenue and the westbound I-10 frontage road.
• Access to Davis Elementary School will be maintained at all times.

Downtown

This area of the project includes Congress Street and Broadway through downtown from Granada Avenue to 5th Avenue. ONGOING traffic control in this area is as follows:

Access to the many events and activities in the downtown area can be reached from the north by using Sixth Avenue; from the east by using Broadway or Barraza-Aviation Parkway; from the south by using sixth Avenue; or from the west by using Congress Street and Broadway.

• The contractor has begun the installation of signal foundations and poles on the north half of the Scott Avenue and Sixth Avenue intersections at Broadway.
  • North and southbound traffic will not be permitted through the Scott Avenue and Broadway intersection.
  • Two travel lanes will be maintained along eastbound Broadway between Stone and Fifth Avenues.
  • Northbound Scott Avenue motorists and bicyclist will be required to turn right (east) at the Broadway intersection.
  • Southbound Scott Avenue motorists and bicyclists will be detoured right (west) at Congress Street and left (south) at Stone Avenue back to Broadway.
  • Eastbound Broadway to southbound (right) Scott Avenue turn movements are permitted during this work.
  • Eastbound Broadway to northbound (left) Scott Avenue turn movements will not be permitted.
  • Pedestrian access will be maintained during this work.

• The existing traffic signals have been removed from the intersection of Broadway and Sixth Avenue.
  • A temporary three-way stop is in place at the Broadway and Sixth Avenue intersection. This temporary traffic control will be in place while the new traffic signals are installed.

• The existing traffic signals have been removed from the intersection of Broadway and Scott Avenue.
  • A temporary three-way stop is in place at the Broadway and Scott Avenue intersection. This temporary traffic control will be in place while the new traffic signals are installed.

• Broadway is reduced to one travel lane from Granada to Stone Avenues. The lane reduction will be in place through the end of June 2013, while the contractor installs rail along this section of roadway.
  • One eastbound Broadway travel lane will be maintained from Granada Avenue through the Church Avenue intersection.
  • Broadway and Stone Avenue intersection will not be impacted by this work.
  • Because of the location of the work and restricted lanes, large trucks will not be allowed to turn at the intersection of Church Avenue and Broadway.

• North and southbound Church Avenue, at Broadway, has been reduced to one travel lane in each direction. This lane reduction will be in place through the end of June 2013.
  • One eastbound Broadway travel lane will be maintained through the Church Avenue intersection.
  • Because of the location of the work and restricted lanes, large trucks will not be allowed to turn at the intersection.
  • North and southbound crosswalk access will be shifted from the east and west side of the Church Avenue and Broadway intersection as work progresses through the area.
  • East and westbound crosswalk access will be maintained along both sides of the Broadway and Church Avenue intersection.
  • Parking will not be allowed along the east side of Church Avenue, between Broadway and Jackson Street.

I-10 and West End of Line

This area of the project includes the west side of Interstate 10, Cushing Street under I-10 to Granada Avenue and Granada Avenue to Congress Street. ONGOING traffic control in this area is as follows:

• Cushing Street, between the eastbound I-10 frontage road west to Avenida del Palo Fierro, is closed to motorists.

• The westbound I-10 frontage road, between 22nd and Congress Streets, is closed to allow the contractor to install water line and rail across the roadway. Motorists should watch for signs directing them around the work area.
  • Westbound I-10 frontage road traffic will be detoured onto I-10 at 22nd Street and off at Congress Street.
  • Neighborhood access from 22nd Street will be maintained.
  • In an effort to minimize motorists from cutting through the neighborhood, Simpson Street and 18th Street will also be closed at the frontage road.
  • The Cushing Street and I-10 underpass will be closed to through traffic.
  • Cushing Street will also be closed between Granada Avenue and the westbound I-10 frontage road.

• The eastbound I-10 frontage road is reduced to one travel lane between Congress and Cushing Streets.
  • Access to the Congress Street I-10 on ramp will be maintained at all times.
  • Access to businesses along the eastbound I-10 frontage road will not be impacted.
  • The Cushing Street and I-10 underpass will be closed to through traffic.

Fourth Avenue and University Boulevard

This area of the project includes 4th Avenue from the 4th Avenue underpass to University Boulevard, University Boulevard to Main Gate Square, and Park Avenue to 2nd Street. Traffic control in this area is as follows:

• No ongoing construction related activities are occurring along Fourth Avenue or University Boulevard at this time.

U of A and Health Sciences Center

This area of the project includes Second Street to Warren Avenue, the Warren Avenue underpass and a section of Helen Street that connects to the Health Science Center. ONGOING traffic control in this area is as follows:

• Second Street has been re-opened to motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians from Park Avenue to Campbell Avenue.

• Helen Street, between Warren and Martin Avenues, is closed.

• The Warren Avenue Underpass closure is expected to be in place through June 2013, while the contractor completes the removal of the existing roadway, underground utility work, rail placement and installation of the Overhead Contact System. Detour signs will be in place to help direct pedestrian and bicycle traffic through the area.

Attendees look around the room, waiting for the tour to begin.

As the area begins to fill up with locals, the undecipherable whispers of a few people grow into a mass of unanimous chatter for what’s coming to a little intersection of Downtown Tucson.

It’s a Thursday afternoon on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Congress Street. What began as a party of ten, quickly, became a gathering of about 200 people waiting for the tour to start. The tour: a celebration of the seven new businesses opening at Fifth and Congress this year.

Scott Stiteler, manager of Tucson Urban LLC and Rudy Dabdoub of North Face Investments had the initiative of inviting Tucsonans on an afternoon stroll through the locales of these newborn businesses. This backstage tour was followed by a small, outdoors shrimp boil party with lots of beer, wine, cucumber water, and jazz music.

The tour on May 2 seemed more like an Old Pueblo family reunion. People and children caught up to what’s new, showcased local accomplishments, and were reinforced on the need for an ever-growing support system.

Some of the buildings still have plastic on the windows, and wood dust remains from all the drilling and hammering. But, Stiteler wanted people to look at these places in raw form. “It is fun for people to go behind the scenes and see what happens long before a business opens,” he says. “I wanted everyone to see these wonderful, old buildings as they transform into something new.”

On this afternoon, people gathered inside a space next door to Sparkroot Coffee Bar. The adults chat around the candy table, and the children kill time throwing darts at “development darts” posters. Then, Stiteler announces that the walk is about to begin.

Paul Moir and Scott Stiteler at Proper, speaking to tour attendees.

First, he leads the group to 256 E. Congress St. The building is Shark’s Bar former home. And, hopefully as of August 2013, a new, Caribbean-inspired restaurant and rum bar by the name of Saint House (Downtown baby No. 3 for Travis Reese and Nicole Flowers, owners of 47 Scott and Scott & Co.) will bring the building back to life. The skeleton barely is being finished, but locals are so eager to see the end result that they can, already, taste the food in their mouths.

Onward to Proper: another creation by Flagstaff-based restaurateur, Paul Moir. Here, Stiteler stands next to Moir with a hand on his shoulder. The body language says a lot about the relationship between the pair and the rest of the business owners. Stiteler describes these relationships as “supportive.” “It is a lot more than just being a landlord,” he says. “It is about a shared experience, creating a culture of people who have a vision about how great Downtown Tucson is, how great it can be, and that we all need to work together.”

At Proper, Stiteler also speaks about the importance of keeping Fifth and Congress local. He says it feels good to support, not just the people and businesses of Arizona, but also the products of Arizona. So, it is not surprising that Proper (as well as Diablo Burger next door) has a menu replete of local everything. “I have a lot of great expectations for the culinary experience here,” Stiteler says. And so does the rest of the Old Pueblo.

People stand in line, ready to explore Diablo Burger and Connect.

The crowd begins to walk toward Diablo Burger for a quick glance. Derrick Widmark, owner of Diablo, stands inside, greeting visitors and handing them DB’s bright yellow menu samples. People continue to the back patio and up the stairs to the top of the Rialto Theatre. The empty construction site behind Diablo and the wooden skeleton above the Rialto are in the process of transforming into Connect, a co-working space that will have private offices and other work spaces available. A small group of attendees walk outside to the terrace. Some stand, absorbing the breathtaking view from atop, and others walk up and down the space, imagining what it’s going to look like once construction has wrapped up.  Stiteler says they hope to open it in the fall of this year.

As Stiteler stands in the middle of this project, he addresses guests with gratitude and satisfaction but also a realization that there is still a lot more to be done. His and the business owners’ work do not end on opening days. And, by the conclusion of the tour, everyone began to head to the shrimp boil with a clear understanding that it is now also up to them to help these new businesses thrive. “We have to keep looking forward on how much more we have to do together to finish strong,” Stiteler says. “I want the community of Tucson to understand how important Downtown is, and to come down and participate in its growth.”