If you live or work downtown, you've probably walked past the property that sits on the southeast corner of Congress and 5th Avenue. And if you've walked past it, you've probably wondered (like myself): what's happening there?
Earlier in the summer, there was a flurry of construction activity at the site, which sits directly to the west of the Historic Rialto Theatre, but after the installation of a nice set of wood-and-glass entry doors and the addition of planter boxes on the second floor, all work seemed to have ceased. I see this building every day from my balcony, so I decided to find out the story.
I spoke with the developers associated with the project, Scott Stiteler and Don Martin. Admittedly, these two guys have gotten their fair share of press in recent months, good and bad. Personally, I think anyone that contributes to growing businesses in downtown is good - I've spent too much of my living/working time downtown looking at boarded-up windows and empty storefronts, and I'm ready for something new. Sure, I want downtown to keep its vibe. But you've got to have money to support that vibe, and empty buildings don't bring money. And if any of my readers know of anyone else who has been interested in developing these properties downtown, let me know. Seriously.
"There is a lot of optimism, a lot of forward momentum on the development of this property, and we want to take our time to make sure that we make the best possible use of the property for downtown," said Stiteler by phone.
He was in San Francisco when we spoke, but maintains a strong presence in Tucson by splitting his time between the two cities.
"As with any venture, there are challenges and opportunities, and our aim is to find the right fit for the property. We are continuing to work with many different vendors for the various downtown openings, and I am in close contact with Janos [Wilders] regarding our shared vision."
Stiteler stated that Don Martin was spearheading the development for this property. For his part, Martin is also very optimistic about the property.
"We're very excited about this property, and about master-planning the space. We plan to have the facade done by Christmas. The original facade was almost exactly like that of Hotel Congress across the street, and we've elaborated on that - the space will have 9' swinging doors, and the plan is for a restaurant, bars, and live music venues, as well as what will be downtown's best courtyard."
Asked about Janos' (of J Bar up at the Westin La Paloma) involvement, Martin confirmed that the restaurateur will not be opening a restaurant at the location, but that he (Martin) and Stiteler remain in contact with Janos. "We were originally developing the property around Janos' needs, and now we look forward to being able to master-plan the entire set of spaces."
The PR department at La Paloma stated that Janos is away on vacation until later this month, and so unavailable for comment.
So, it looks like the Rialto block will no longer be a series of plywood walls sitting next to the historic theatre. I think this is a good thing - downtown needs some new blood, something to bring people to the area from all over Tucson. I understand that it seems to be fashionable to shout from the sidelines about the changing tone of downtown, but think of the alternative. After all, if the revitalization stops, I'm going to be looking down from my balcony at a few streets that bear a frightening resemblance to downtown Willcox. Yikes.
