As a local, I always knew non-Tucsonans had a less than stellar view of the city. But, it wasn’t until I graduated from the University of Arizona and moved to Phoenix to start a job that I realized there was a common thread connecting almost every visitor’s “Well, Tucson is kind of run down and dirty” opinion.
Although everyone’s visit to the Old Pueblo differed, it was their route into town that remained the same. You see, Tucson’s public imagine problem isn’t caused by the city as a whole, the problem is our “Visitor’s Entrance.”
When outsiders drive into Tucson for a visit, many exit I-10 onto Speedway and drive straight to campus. They may visit a house party, or a nearby restaurant, but once the campus visit is over, or ASU inevitably loses to the UA, they get back onto Speedway and head home.
So, what is their impression of Tucson?
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Out of the 12 intersecting avenues they passed driving down Speedway between the I-10 and 4th Ave, nearly all of them have at least one empty dirt lot on them. They drove passed tired buildings, insurance billboards, chain link fences, and unkept public landscaping. The only glimmer of culture is the “TUCSON” street art on the northeast corner of Stone and Speedway, and there’s a chance they had to look past a dust devil, or an airborne grocery bag to see it.
Our visitors are too far away to take in the beauty of the surrounding mountains, too turned off to venture into our thriving downtown scene, and too disinterested to really care about changing their mind. To them Tucson is, and will always be, nothing more than that tired stretch of Speedway.
Now, you may be thinking, “Why should we care what people from California and Phoenix think of Tucson?” But, we really should. Think about all of the Phoenix Valley residents who would take a day or weekend trip to Tucson if they had a better first impression.
Think of all of the recruits and potential incoming freshmen the University of Arizona may be losing to another school. Think of the economic potential Tucson is unknowingly missing out on because of its lousy curb appeal.
Why is it that the most tourist-traveled street in the city is the most forgotten? Why does the corner of Main Street and Speedway make Tucson look like nothing more than a dried up town along the highway you’d only stop in for gas?
What’s stopping developers from turning the corner of Speedway and Stone into a beautiful corner flanked by De Anza Park and Pima Community College? Tucson prides itself on its local culture; is this the best we can do?
There aren’t simple answers to these questions, but the city, its residents and developers need to work together to find a solution. There are obvious challenges, and fine lines to walk. But, protecting the communities that flank Speedway by repelling growth will not benefit the neighborhoods, it will only push them further out of sight and out of mind as rejuvenation is redirected down Grant and Broadway.
Tucson is an amazing city, and we’ve spent too much time and money improving downtown to do our local economy and city-pride the disservice of allowing our “Visitor’s Entrance” to remain in such disrepair.
The recent economic pop has placed an “Open House” sign in front of Arizona’s cities for the whole nation to see. We have buyers coming through — let’s freshen up our curb appeal.
Louie Christensen is a young Tucson local who, along with many of Tucson’s home-grown young professionals, regretfully had to move to Phoenix to start his career. Contact Louie at lou.christensen.ag@gmail.com
