Painted Ladies gentrify historic Barrio Viejo

Just south of downtown Tucson is the Barrio Viejo which was built between the 1860s and the early 1900s by newcomers heading West after the Civil War. Sadly, many homes in large parts of this historic district were demolished during the 1960s-1970s national rush to so-called “urban renewal”.

Blocks of traditional white-painted adobe buildings constructed in traditional Southwest architectural styles were designated as old and outdated and the City of Tucson basically handed over the land to real estate developers with little or no regard for existing residents. Some homes, like those on the left, survived.

Let’s do what the Germans did

For whatever it’s worth, the idea behind building all new city-centers stemmed from Germany where, after WWII, whole cities–bombed into dust and rubble–were reconstructed with the intent of giving workers new, modern places to live, usually in high-rises.

These “new cities” impressed some U.S. federal government officials who thought it would be a good idea to do the same kind of thing in America. (I suspect these same officials thought that by 2020 we’d all be living in a Jetsons’ world!)

The mid-century damaging of America in the name of progress

What the bureaucrats overlooked was the fact that the neighborhoods that got destroyed across America during the urban renewal phase had not been bombed into rubble. And that Americans wanted to live in single family houses in the suburbs. The areas targeted for urban renewal were primarily older areas where the poor, the minorities and POC lived with affordable rent. By the 1980s the rage for urban renewal ended.

To be fair Tucson was not the only city that was sucked into the federal government’s plan for old neighborhood destruction under the guise of “development”. Dozens, if not hundreds, of cities across the U.S. did it too. And some regret it now.

Is it happening again?

There is another growth spurt–another urban revival–going on in Tucson today. And the people who have been living in the old, run down–but affordably priced–homes and buildings in Barrio Viejo that survived the 1970s neighborhood demolition are being displaced. This time instead of being called “urban renewal” it is called “gentrification”.

And I have to confess I feel ambivalent about it. I love wandering the streets of Barrio Viejo, seeing the old buildings, the restored structures as well as colorful, new-built homes in quasi-historic styles. But I wonder about the people who are being displaced who can no longer afford to live in this old area.

So here are some photos of the various stages of gentrification going on in Barrio Viejo now. And at the least I am thankful that the buildings are still low-rise, not the taller and appallingly hideous apartment blocks going up near Congress Street.

Obviously these buildings, below, need attention and are getting it. The building on the corner was a Mexican grocery store as the faded sign on the wall reveals. The last photo in this group is a building that appears to be slated to be demolished.

Within a block of Convent and Simpson, for example, are buildings and homes that have already been restored or well maintained since they were built. Some former homes have been converted to office spaces for local businesses, such as CPAs, lawyers and Real Estate companies.

And along Meyers Ave near 18th is a long block of “Painted Ladies” in bright non-traditional colors mixed in with very modern architectural designs that seem to fit right in. Love this street!