Look back: Here's what downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ once looked like
See downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ in the 1960s, and the buildings that existed before urban redevelopment projects transformed the area.
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Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

The Legal Tender bar Barbary Coast night club at 80 W. Congress on July 12, 1968. The area is now the county courts and administration buildings.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings including ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ia Hotel, Miller's Army Surplus and Gold Furniture on June 1966. The block was demolished to make way for new government buildings.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings in the late 1960s, including the Lyric Theater at 171 W. Congress St., Lyric Outfitting and La Selva Club. The site is now home to the Federal Building. The ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Federal Savings and Loan Building on Stone Ave. towers in the background. It was the tallest building in the city from 1967 to 1977. It is now the Pima County Legal Services Building.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Greyhound Bus Station in on Stone Ave. between Congress and Broadway downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ on July 12, 1968.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Carrillo Mortuary on S. Stone Ave. in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ on July 12, 1968.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Urban Renewal Model on October 17, 1965. In the City Court House, Mayor Davis displays model of the city, which was shot looking North. In the picture, is the building which will house the Mayor's office. Note the east-west urban freeway at the bottoms of the model, likely the Cushing/14th Street alignment.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Army Surplus Store at 42 S. Meyer, south of Broadway in downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ on July 12, 1968. It's now La Placita office complex.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings including Desert Leather Wear in June 1965. The building at far left was replaced by a city parking garage that housed the now-closed Cafe Poca Cosa.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

A closed down Del Monte Market on Meyer Street probably at Ochoa St. in downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ on July 12, 1968. The area is now part of the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Convention Center.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

The Plaza Theater (lower right) at Congress and Court streets in downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ on May 28, 1968, at about where the Garces Footbridge now stands, Photo taken looking south from the current site of the Pima County courts and administration complex. St. Augustine Cathedral is upper left. The loop drive known as Avenida San Augustine and buildings in that block were demolished to make way for Veinte de Agosto Park, which divides Congress and Broadway.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings in 1960. Holloways Southwest Auto Service was listed as 247 N. Stone Ave., which is now a Pima County building.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Flores Nacional (formerly Farmacia Flores) in downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ on July 12, 1968, on Congress St., at Main Ave., what is now the parking lot for the former ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Hotel.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings on Broadway looking west from 6th Ave. including Hotel Roskruge, Chevron gas station and the original Federal Courthouse building on Broadway Road in June 1965, as the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Federal Savings and Loan Building rises in the background.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

The historic Santa Rita Hotel on Scott Ave at Broadway Road in February 1954. The main hotel was building in 1904. It is now the site of the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Electric Power Co. headquarters.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Midtown Market and Liquor Store on Stone Ave. on July 12, 1968. It's now the spot of the parking lot for the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Police Dept. headquarters.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings on Broadway Road in June 1965. The old Federal Courthouse at Scott Ave. is at right. The buildings in foreground have been replaced most recently by the Pima Association of Governments building.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings including Stein's Clothiers and Leed's Shoes in May 1953. Picture taken from Stone Ave. looking north at Congress St. The corner where Stein's is pictured is now occupied a former US Bank branch.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings at Congress and Meyer in June 1966. Now, Meyer dead ends at Cushing Street. This corner is now the La Placita office complex.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

The Pioneer Hotel along Pennington St. as seen from Scott Ave, probably in the 1950s. The building at left now houses Cafe 54.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings including Aaronson Brothers (now the Chicago Store) and the Valley Bank on Congress St. in June 1965.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

An old building to be demolished on Alemeda and Meyer on January 2, 1968 during urban renewal efforts in downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Urban Renewal- West Congress on December 29, 1966. The county administration and courts complex and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ city hall is under construction at right, after a block of vintage buildings including the Plaza Theatre were cleared out.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

A gas station in downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥? How convenient. It was the Don Jones Gas Station, at the southeast corner of Church and Alameda on January 12, 1967. Note the vintage ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Police cruiser at right.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Urban Renewal- The old YMCA building at Court and Congress on October 7, 1966. It was demolished to make way for the new Pima County complex, including superior court and county administration.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings including Greater ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Savings and Loan on Stone Avenue at Broadway Road in June 1965. The St. Augustine Cathedral is background left.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings including the Plaza Theatre and Imperial Home Furnishings in June 1966. The Plaza was demolished in the late 60s as part of "urban renewal."
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings on Scott Ave north of Congress St. Photo taken June 1965.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings including Consumers Market on South 6th Ave. in 1953. It was designed by noted ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ architect Merritt H. Starkweather, who designed several ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ schools and co-founded the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings including the Skyroom at Stone and Alameda in June 1965. It is now a Pima County building.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ building. June 29, 1964.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings including what is now the Wells Fargo Bank on Stone Ave., taken June 1965.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Urban Renewal area buildings in downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ on July 12, 1968.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Urban Renewal area buildings in downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ on July 12, 1968.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

The Plaza Theater, 132 W. Congress St., was demolished in 1969. It featured Spanish-language films near its end. It was designed by local architect Roy Place and opened in 1930 with seating for 650 people.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Plaza Ends 40-Year Run- Demolition of the Plaza Theater, 132 W. Congress St., on May 14, 1969. The movie house, which featured Spanish-language films near it end, was torn down to make way for the widening of Congress Street, part of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s urban renewal project.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Urban Renewal- Remains of the old ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ia Hotel at North Main Avenue and West Congress Street were hauled away on November 29, 1966 as site clearance for new Pima County office buildings. A new county morgue and central utility plant, a health-welfare building, administration and courts building were planned for the spot.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings including the historic Fox Theater on Congress St. in June 1965.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

And It Looks Good, Too- The new $500,000 Downtown Shoppers' Garage on December 9, 1958 In addition to handling more than 370 automobiles, it lends its colorful panels to the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ downtown scene. The building was designed by architect Terry Atkinson.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Phoenix Title and Trust in January 1956.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

A Ticket For Everybody on December 9, 1958- There's no margin for error as the ticket dispenser is completely automatic. Upon entering, the customer's automobile passes over a bar in the floor which trips the machine into handing out a ticket. Don Jones, manager of Harold Steinfeld's garage, stands beside the machine.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

The Fox Theatre at West Congress Street, people waiting for their bus to arrive on December 30, 1980.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

The Roy Place Building, which housed S.H. Kress & Co. at Stone Ave. and Pennington St. in downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ in January 1955. It was built in 1929 as a Montgomery Ward. It became a Walgreen's pharmacy, was covered with a facade, but has now been restored. It is occupied by University of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings including Grand Central Public Market and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Realty and Trust in June 1965.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ buildings

Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ barrio in 1962.