What’s Next?

The Sentinal Plaza, the new senior housing complex being built on Congress next to the oldest tree, should see residents this fall. And, if you read the AZ Daily Star on Sunday, you’ll know that the new student housing The District on 5th complex is entirely booked for the fall!

So, what’s next? Here’s some things that are in the works. Oasis & Capstone Development still plan two student housing complexes in the Plaza Centro area. Three stories of apartments will sit atop the garage, while two seven-story towers will rise across the street next to the Rialto. Thunder Canyon Brewery now suggest a September opening at Broadway and Fifth in Tucson’s former first Safeway store.

The Sheraton at Speedway and Campbell is being refurbished into a hip new hotel, Aloft (of the famed W chain). The other potential hotel (remember that developers and planners don’t always complete their ideas) is planned on Congress, east of I-10. The Green Line on Congress includes a boutique hotel, 320 residential units and retail. Now, if only someone could come in and smartly save & renovate the Hotel Arizona!

West End Station, in the new Mission District, will begin in summer 2013, eventual home to 239 apartments and 30K SF of retail. I think that West End Station might be designed by Tucson’s Ibarra Rosano architect team. If so, expect something really fantastic and unique! The Monier Brickyard, across the street, once planned as condos, will also become an apartment building.

This fall, the RTA plans breaking ground at One E. Broadway, building six stories to house the RTA, 39 apartments and street level retail. The building across the street could easily be converted to apartments, too, right on the line of the Modern Streetcar!

Anyway, lots of ideas on the drawing boards! What do you think will come next? Take the poll.

The Tracks of My Tears

Those are tears of joy you see. While my first ride is more than a year off, the tracks for our Modern Streetcar are being laid on Fourth Avenue already. With the aggressive build schedule, you can eye changes daily! Holes are being dug, pipes are being laid. The Eighth Street infrastructure is complete. Foundations are now being dug for the building that will house the streetcars! The decorative balustrades are being formed and built on the new bridge. Steps from the Santa Cruz River walk/bike trail lead up to the bridge (which should be complete next month!)

West End Class

My partner and I stopped into Augustin Brasserie, at the Mercado San Agustin, west of I-10 on Congress Avenue, last weekend for Sunday brunch. It was a quiet afternoon. We could actually carry on a conversation without yelling across the table. While they were out of salmon, the wait staff was very gracious and friendly. My water glass was always full.  The ambience is like nothing else in Tucson. I was transported to another place. The food was divine. And reasonable.

Another place for Tucsonans to be proud of!  I can’t wait to go back, with friends in tow!

I anxiously await three additional restaurants to open downtown – two on Broadway and one in the famed art deco spot across from Poca Cosa on Pennington. Each week I take a peek into the windows to eye the progress. It is slow, but it is progress.

The classy and modern interior at Augustin Brasserie.

Tags: Eat

Business As Usual

Yes. The streets are being torn up. No. It’s not as crazy as people make it out to be. Riding my bike through Main Gate, Fourth Avenue and downtown districts recently revealed that everyone is still open for business and people are still visiting those destinations. While some think all of Fourth Ave is shut down, only University to Sixth Street is currently under renovation. And, yeah, there are a couple of blocks at Congress closed, but you can still stop into all the stores. OK. I’m not gonna lie. I stopped in at Hub to get my requisite salted caramel ice cream. It’s true that the work plans currently underway weren’t the plans shared at meetings. However, what better time to rip things up? Summer approaches and the town sleeps. A few days ago, I eyed a stack of rails on University in a new section that took less than a week to rip up.

Hey, we’re already one month into this. Three to go! And, whether you’re a fan of the approaching light rail or not, it behooves all of us to support local business. We’re in this together. Spending local dollars benefits us all. Kum bah yah.

It’s Just Around the Corner!

Be prepared! As soon as this weekend’s Fourth Avenue Street Fair is complete, tracks will begin to be laid for the long-awaited streetcar. The first phase will include a good portion of the track on Second Street, University Boulevard, Fourth Avenue, Congress and Broadway. The downtown work will be done at night, while the other spots will take place during the day. All of the Eighth Avenue infrastructure work will be complete end of April. The Cushing Street Bridge (now the Luis G. Gutierrez Bridge) will be complete in June. I, for one, cannot wait for our streetcar. I’ve always enjoyed the convenience of cool and accessible public transportation in other places & envy my friends who live & ride there. The aggressive schedule shows completion in 475 calendar days. The bid for the building that houses the cars goes out in less than a month.

I can’t wait to have dinner downtown and take the streetcar to Centennial Hall! Or, I could eat on University and travel down to Orchestra Hall to see the symphony or a musical!

Now, if only they would extend further north & near home. I’d never drive again!

Check it out @ www.tusconstreetcar.com!

March Madness!

The downtown core has its own March Madness this spring.  Agustin Brasserie, the new French restaurant at Mercado San Agustin is set to open on March 20th.  Meanwhile, workers can be seen laboring at their craft at Thunder Canyon Brewery (Fifth and Broadway) and Reilly Pizza (Pennington).  The nameless restaurant on Broadway is seeing AC ductwork going in.

We’re told that the new art and design work at the Ronstadt Center is to begin this month as well.

Meanwhile, WAMO has begun the first stage of re-envisioning the Steinfeld Warehouse as nine live/work studios and art galleries for Tucson’s artists.  The gifted architects at Poster Frost Mirto are designing the plans.  Scaffolding is up and folks are working.

Phase One of the Mission Gardens – the Kino Heritage Orchard section – will be complete before the end of the month!

Your Mission, should you choose to accept it…

Thanks to a feisty and determined group of dedicated folks, the plan for the Mission Gardens moves forward!  These folks have recognized the importance of place and history and are bringing back to life Kino-era gardens on the west side of downtown at the foot of Tumamoc Hill.  This project has been years in the making, with botanists, gardeners, scientists and historians working diligently and intelligently together.  

 

In the last several weeks, many orchard trees have been planted in the gardens.  These trees come from historic grafts of Kino plantings.  You’ll find peach, pear, pomegranate, grape, fig and quince rising from the soil of our ancestors.  I have found great joy in assisting the all-volunteer crew to see this to realization.  Thanks, Alfredo, for teaching me how to properly plant a fruit tree.  Thanks, Molly McKasson, for your joy and grace and support.  It has been a pleasure to work with you.  Thanks to all of my fellow volunteers for allowing me to help!  I can’t wait for us to begin work on Phase Two.  I am grateful to the Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace board for your diligence, fund raising and determination!  We are two weeks away from completing phase one!

Woo hoo!