Quote:
Originally Posted by HooverDam
I think that website is mistaken. I have been told by multiple people that the structure is kind of a faux historic building. It's a pastiche of old parts from other historic buildings that have been knocked over in the past. Which makes sense when you look at it, it's lay out seems awfully perfect for a modern restaurant, and the oversized picture windows don't quite fit the rest of the style of the building.
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According to this site, it's even on the Historic National registry:
http://travelphotobase.com/s/AZPH.HTM
I'm not sure how much a structure can be altered and qualify, but I wouldn't be surprised if it actually held several commercial businesses at one point with entrances where the large windows have been installed.
I can't see how/why Renaissance Square wouldn't have had it demolished or moved as it creates a pretty significant barrier to their retail plaza. Which, looking at the photos posted by PHX, is a definite loss compared to what was there (surprise). They could have easily left the tower on Central/Adams as their retail is never fully leased out and the main courtyard is hidden and inward-facing.
On the topic of this area of Adams I have two questions - one on the Renaissance Hotel, and the second on HP.
Renaissance Hotel
After a bit of Googling, I discovered that there are three business very much open on the ground level of the Renaissance (despite the closure of the Starbucks space): Marston's Cafe at Central and Adams (entrance off Central), ICON Lounge (patio fronts Adams to the east of the drop-off, but is accessed through the lobby), and a full service salon/spa that I believe is located on 1st Street/Adams (accessed via Adams)... this may seem like an exaggeration, but I truly believe one of downtown's biggest failures is SIGNAGE. There should be several, large signs indicating these businesses, even if their main target is hotel guests.
Downtown's reputation is all about perception. And, this well-frequented area has a lot more going on then you would know from driving or walking around. There needs to be:
1) Wall-mounted letters on Central for Marston's above the arch, with a perpendicular sign protruding into the street (like the signs at Orpheum or Luhrs) at around car level; benches or cafe seating on Central
2) Wall-mounted letters on Adams above the arches for both ICON Lounge and the salon/spa, with maybe some curtains/treatment to the arches near the ICON patio
Other HP Questions
In 1989, there was supposed to be a development on the entire block where Phelps Dodge sits called Square One by the same developers of Renaissance Square. This article mentions that two historic buildings were going to be saved, Hanny's and Switzer's, and that a third - the Stroud - was going to be moved to the government district brick-by-brick.
Article:
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1989-...uare-one/full/
Obviously, this development fell through, but how/why did the Switzer and Stroud end up being demolished instead of preserved as originally planned? The Switzer's address was 25 E Adams, which I believe is the empty lot on Adams/Central, so there's no reason for it to have been demo'd - Phelps Dodge doesn't even extend onto that lot at all, and was probably built years after it was destroyed. Meanwhile, I realize how poor the City handles HP issues, but if they had an agreement with one developer to preserve the Stroud, why did they either 1) break that agreement, or 2) allow a new developer to destroy it? It was demo'd in 1989, the same year that it was supposed have been moved. I don't have photos of the Switzer building, just one link regarding it (
http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2014/...itzers-stores/), but if it's anything like the Stroud, what a loss for Phoenix as these kind of buildings would have been great complements to the type of structures around Central/Adams in what is still the most ped-friendly area of town, but could be so much more so.
Link to The Stroud in its various forms:
https://books.google.com/books?id=YC...hoenix&f=false