Photos: Start of demolition for Tucson's La Placita Village office complex
Demolition is underway at the colorful, signature downtown Tucson office complex known as La Placita Village that opened in 1974. It had its origin in the days of downtown urban renewal projects that spawned the city hall, court complex, Tucson Hotel, Symphony Hall and Tucson Convention Center. But newer office, residential and retail buildings have slowly overtaken the shady, quiet complex that paid homage to the old barrios.
Demolition of La Placita
Crews with BCS Enterprises bring down the colorful buildings of La Placita Village as pedestrians walk by on South Church Avenue on Feb. 13, 2018, in downtown Tucson, Ariz. Current plans call for apartments to be built with space for ground-floor retail and a restaurant and coffee shop.
Demolition of La Placita
Crews with BCS Enterprises bring down the colorful buildings of La Placita Village on Feb. 13, 2018, in downtown Tucson, Ariz. Current plans call for apartments to be built with space for ground-floor retail and a restaurant and coffee shop.
Demolition of La Placita
Crews with BCS Enterprises bring down the colorful buildings of La Placita Village on Feb. 13, 2018, in downtown Tucson, Ariz. Current plans call for apartments to be built with space for ground-floor retail and a restaurant and coffee shop.
Demolition of La Placita
Crews with BCS Enterprises bring down the colorful buildings of La Placita Village on Feb. 13, 2018, in downtown Tucson, Ariz. Current plans call for apartments to be built with space for ground-floor retail and a restaurant and coffee shop.
Demolition of La Placita
A worker with BCS Enterprises removes sections of metal railing during demolition at La Placita Village on Feb. 13, 2018, in downtown Tucson, Ariz. Current plans call for apartments to be built with space for ground-floor retail and a restaurant and coffee shop.
Demolition of La Placita
Crews with BCS Enterprises use heavy equipment to remove scrap and debris as they bring down the colorful buildings of La Placita Village on Feb. 13, 2018, in downtown Tucson, Ariz. Current plans call for apartments to be built with space for ground-floor retail and a restaurant and coffee shop.
La Placita Village demolition
Heavy equipment tears down the colorful La Placita Village in downtown Tucson on Feb. 5. La Plaza de la Mesilla is the site’s original name and was the hub of Tucson’s Mexican community.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
Construction of La Placita Village; middle foreground; which is a $6.3 million; 2.6 acre complex with Mexican-style stores, cafes and offices along the newly realigned West Broadway Boulevard in downtown Tucson on Feb. 26; 1973. It is adjacent to the Tucson Convention Center; background and the convention downtown hotel; lower right; then called Braniff Place which eventually became the Hotel Arizona.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
Church and Broadway in downtown Tucson in 1969, looking south.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
The colorful La Placita Village, middle, at 100 S Church Avenue is scheduled for demolition and possibly replaced by mixed use residential in Tucson on Oct 17, 2016. It has been fenced off and the tenants have left the premises.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
The southwest side of of La Placita Village in the initial stages of demolition on January 26, 2018.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
Several walls have been torn away and the elevator shaft is missing its car along the west side of the remains of La Placita Village, shortly before its entire demolition, Tuesday, January 23, 2018, Tucson, Ariz.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
The original El Charro Mexican Restaurant on Broadway Road in downtown Tucson in the mid-1960s. It is now part of the La Placita Village office complex.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
The original San Agustin church was later a hotel on Church St. between Congress St. & Broadway Blvd. It's now the site of La Placita Village.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
This is the old Mariano Samaniego house at 112 W Jackson on May 9, 1969 which was spared during the creation of the Tucson Convention Center and adjacent La Placita complex.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
The gazebo at La Placita Park on January 4 1967. Note: The photo is looking east and the Greyhound bus depot is in the background. It was retained as part of La Placita Village offices.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
St. Augustine Cathedral, right. Many of the buildings to the left were demolished as part of urban renewal projects in the late 1960s.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
Fiesta de La Placita at La Placita Park in Downtown Tucson on April 2, 1974.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
La Placita Park in mid 1960s, which was on West Broadway Boulevard near South Church Avenue, was surrounded by several businesses including El Charro restaurant and the Ronquillo's Bakery.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
This is a view of the proposed urban renewal area that included La Placita Plaza which was later built to the left of the gazebo which is left of center. The view is from the then Tucson Federal Savings Tower. The photo was taken on June 15, 1965.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
Construction continues on the convention downtown hotel then called Braniff Place which eventually became the Hotel Arizona on Feb. 26; 1973. Construction is also underway on La Placita Village, lower left, a 2.6 acre complex with Mexican-style stores, cafes and offices. It is adjacent to the Tucson Convention Center, background.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
Work is underway at La Placita Village as they build the structures around the old band shell, middle. Broadway Boulevard was realigned to make way for the construction of the village in early August, 1973.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
Construction is underway at La Placita Village, Veinte de Agosto Park, the Braniff Place-Tucson and the new county Superior Courthouse. Broadway Boulevard was realigned to make way for the construction of the village and the hotel in early August, 1973.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
1973 photo of La Placita Village under construction. The three story United Bank building, left was the first portion of La Placita Village to open. At right is the old El Charro Restaurant. In the background is the steel frame of other village shops. Looking east St. Augustine Cathedral can be seen in the distance.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
Cinema La Placita, which screened Sidney Poitier's 1950 debut "No Way Out" on July 29, 2010.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
Dancers enjoy themselves while on a temporary dance floor at La Placita as the Latin Jazz group Descarga performs on the first night of the Downtown Tucson Latin Jazz Festival on September 23, 2009.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
The remains of La Placita Village, seen from its east side along Church St., shortly before its entire demolition, Tuesday, January 23, 2018, Tucson, Ariz.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
The La Placita Village, Hotel Arizona and a portion of the Catholic Diocese of Tucson building, lower left, as seen from the roof of 1 W. Broadway building on the southwest corner of Stone and Broadway in Tucson on Sept 27, 2016.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
La Placita Village in 2015, a colorful, mixed use, multi storied building complex with office and retail space on West Broadway Boulevard and South Church Avenue in downtown Tucson.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
La Placita Village in 2015, a colorful, mixed use, multi storied building complex with office and retail space on West Broadway Boulevard and South Church Avenue in downtown Tucson.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
La Placita Village on July 26, 2006 in Tucson.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
Still colorful in places despite the damage, the remains of La Placita Village, shortly before its entire demolition, Tuesday, January 23, 2018, Tucson, Ariz.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
Most of the square's walls are pocked with holes bashed into the remains of La Placita Village, shortly before its entire demolition, Tuesday, January 23, 2018, Tucson, Ariz.
La Placita Village in downtown Tucson
The northeast entrance to the lower level of La Placita Village in the initial stages of demolition in Tucson, AZ. on January 26, 2018.
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