READERS' PICK: See Best Historic Architecture, page 38.
READERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: Barrio Historico refers to what remains of the mixed commercial/residential neighborhood bordered on the east by Stone Avenue, and on the west by Main Avenue, directly south of the Tucson Convention Center downtown. The TCC itself required the razing of some 70 homes during its construction in the 1980s, under the mantle of "urban renewal." But the old barrio has weathered the sands of time and economic development to stand firm and proud as one of Tucson's most authentic historic legacies, remaining a mixed-income neighborhood characterized by colorful adobe row houses, red brick bungalows, and lush, Mediterranean-styled courtyards bursting with yellow verbena and fuchsia-blossomed bougainvillia. Its narrow streets are a pleasure for a leisurely walk or bike ride, especially in the early morning and evening. Anchoring the west end are El Tiradito, a wishing shrine located in the tiny lot immediately south of El Minuto restaurant on the corner of Main and Cushing Street; and the historic Carrillo elementary school, which keeps a beloved regional tradition alive with its annual Las Posadas processional in December.
