Ever since I can remember, I've always been fascinated by places that have history. As a kid, I became obsessed with old plantation homes and Victorian homes that I saw in Florida growing up, and in bigger cities I've always been enchanted by old warehouses. I have never been a fan of brand new buildings. I like my buildings like I like my books, used and thoroughly enjoyed by someone else. :)
Tucson is a place rich in history, so rich that sometimes the beauty of it can be overwhelming. Every single section of the city has some form of historical landmark or piece of history. In my eyes, Tucson is a town as well as a city.
Usually when people hear the word "city" they think of some big metropolis - high rise buildings, backed up traffic, crowded sidewalks, etc. Well Tucson has some of that, but not as much as a place like NYC or LA. Some cities have history that can span 100+ years (like NYC), whereas others may still be an infant in terms of how many years its actually existed and have no true identity or culture (I lump Phoenix into this category). So I like to consider Tucson a small city - we have some high rise buildings (a very small cluster in downtown), but we don't fully have the hustle and bustle of a big city.
The history of Tucson is both long and fantastic. Places like Hotel Congress are full of rich history dating all the way back to early 1900's with the Dillinger Gang. There's also still a strong Mexican culture here with annual celebrations like Dia de Los Muertos where a procession is held through downtown Tucson. I really could go on and on and on about the history and culture, but I think I've proved my point.. so saying all that, I'm afraid for Tucson.
Growing up, my family and I moved around a lot. We seemed to average about 6 years at a place before we moved again. We didn't move because my dad was in the armed services (even though he was), we moved because we liked to. So far in my life, I've lived in Tucson longer than anywhere else, 12 years now. Tucson does feel like home in a lot of ways, and that mostly has to do with the history and culture. I'm scared that Tucson will be losing all that, scared because I'm starting to see signs.
I think in some ways I have a greater appreciation for history since I've moved around so much. Where my history is rooted in many different places, most of my friends here in Tucson were born and raised here. It's much easier for them to travel a few blocks or miles to reflect on their childhood hangouts than it is for me (mine require 2000+ miles travel). Where I do take pride in having experienced growing up in many different cultures, I am in some ways envious of those who have the iconic American childhood of growing up in one place that been the focus of many movies like Stand By Me or The Sandlot.
I like to think that my experience with living in many different places has allowed me to view the cities from a different perspective than those who have grown up in one place. I have grown to love Tucson with all its little quirks like the giant Lumberjack and the silly snake bridge on Broadway that welcomes you in the downtown area. I was there for the opening of the new 4th Avenue underpass and love what they did with widening it as well as the artistic touches like the tiles of people's faces. This is the Tucson that I love, a Tucson that takes pride in its diversity and history. This is the Tucson that I'm afraid for.
Tucson has definitely grown over the years since I first moved here. New housing developments being built as you take Valencia out towards Three Points, as well as more being built out on east side of town. New businesses built, other businesses going out of business. What has saddened me is to see pieces of history being torn down to accommodate growth.
As Tucson seems to be expanding outward, big changes are happening inward. Muse, a local art and performance center, was closed and torn down. I was lucky enough to attend an African performance there shortly before it was torn down. The Santa Rita Hotel, which had been in Tucson since 1917, was torn down after bids fell through for renovation. What's going in its place? A building for the local power company. A beautiful hotel, full of history as well as ghosts, now gone because it wasn't preserved. A piece of Tucson history now completely gone.
Now we're dealing with wanting to continue a road through part of downtown Tucson to ease the flow of traffic (that may or may not exist). Aviation Highway was built around 1995 as a way for people from the east side of town to quickly get to the interstate and downtown area. The wikipedia article I linked will explain the history. Well now Tucson is basically wanting to finish what has started, continuing the road to the frontage road of the interstate. Whether or not this is needed, I'm not really sure. I've never thought the traffic in Tucson to be terrible, but I do know that Aviation highway is used a lot. The problem Tucson is facing is that in order for this road to continue, more historic buildings must be torn down. Originally they were going to tear down the entire warehouse district full of historic warehouse buildings, but now it appears they only need to demolish about 5. I guess that's a small price to play for traffic flow, right?
I don't envy city planner jobs, not one bit. It seems one gigantic juggling act - keeping citizens happy as well as trying to keep a city functional as it grows. What I'm not sure about is whether or not this extension is really needed, and in the end if it's worth tearing down more Tucson history just to get someone to the interstate a couple of minutes faster. Personally, I prefer driving through the downtown area to get to the interstate because I like the sites, but that may just be me.
What I worry about is that as Tucson tries to continue to meet demands of growth, it loses its culture and history. A culture and history that people have purposely moved here for. I worry that Tucson will become Phoenix - a metropolis of rude people who are too busy driving from point A to point B to take the time to stop and take in the sites. I would hate to see Tucson become the next Phoenix.
So how does a city keep its culture alive as it expands? That is a question I definitely don't have an answer for. I hope the city knows what it is doing and that it is acting in the best interest for all that is Tucson and not just for their wallets.
