I have lived in Tucson 25 years. Like most of the community, I ignored downtown and thought of it as a place that was hard to find parking, boarded up businesses, crime, dirty novelty shops and lots of homeless people.
About 5 years ago I was participating in a program called Greater Tucson Leadership. It was my first time really spending any time downtown. The Fox theatre was recently completed, Rio Nuevo had grand plans and my perception of downtown changed a little bit, but it was still not an area that was fun to hang out and the life left with the workers every night at 5. Club congress, the Rialto the Fox theatre and ATC were all that were happening and never in harmony.
About the time that Tucson started seriously talking about the modern streetcar, things began to change. Was it a coincidence? Many who are skeptical will say yes. However, the developers and business owners who have made the decision to expand their business at a time when the economy should have only seen a decline in downtown. It is working. Look at the new 700 bed apartments on 5th and 5th. I called the leasing office. 100% leased for this fall. Look from Borderland Brewery to the Hub, Janos downtown kitchen, the Scottish Rite allowing their building to be used, The new Electric company building, O2Modern Fitness, Maynard ,the Playground, 2nd Saturdays, Barrio Brewerry, new parking structures.... DOWNTOWN IS HAPPENING. I came out of a concert at the Rialto a few months ago on a Monday night expecting the night to be over. Downtown was still rocking and did well into the night. Bars, clubs, restaurants. This is not the Tucson I knew.
When you ad in Main gate square, U of A games, and 4th AVE into downtown we have a decent core that will all be connected.
The perception is that downtown is going in a good direction and the streetcar has been the catapult for this transformation. It was estimated the 600-800 million in construction projects will go in along the streetcar. If you actually go downtown, you know that this is happening.
I can not force people to use the streetcar, but I will definitely use it and encourage others to as well. If we all do a little to help our core, the rest of the community will be a better place. Damion Alexander
Recent Comments
About 5 years ago I was participating in a program called Greater Tucson Leadership. It was my first time really spending any time downtown. The Fox theatre was recently completed, Rio Nuevo had grand plans and my perception of downtown changed a little bit, but it was still not an area that was fun to hang out and the life left with the workers every night at 5. Club congress, the Rialto the Fox theatre and ATC were all that were happening and never in harmony.
About the time that Tucson started seriously talking about the modern streetcar, things began to change. Was it a coincidence? Many who are skeptical will say yes. However, the developers and business owners who have made the decision to expand their business at a time when the economy should have only seen a decline in downtown. It is working. Look at the new 700 bed apartments on 5th and 5th. I called the leasing office. 100% leased for this fall. Look from Borderland Brewery to the Hub, Janos downtown kitchen, the Scottish Rite allowing their building to be used, The new Electric company building, O2Modern Fitness, Maynard ,the Playground, 2nd Saturdays, Barrio Brewerry, new parking structures.... DOWNTOWN IS HAPPENING. I came out of a concert at the Rialto a few months ago on a Monday night expecting the night to be over. Downtown was still rocking and did well into the night. Bars, clubs, restaurants. This is not the Tucson I knew.
When you ad in Main gate square, U of A games, and 4th AVE into downtown we have a decent core that will all be connected.
The perception is that downtown is going in a good direction and the streetcar has been the catapult for this transformation. It was estimated the 600-800 million in construction projects will go in along the streetcar. If you actually go downtown, you know that this is happening.
I can not force people to use the streetcar, but I will definitely use it and encourage others to as well. If we all do a little to help our core, the rest of the community will be a better place. Damion Alexander