Yup. Seeing is believing after years of hashing ideas all around and choosing what buildings, with some history here on Main Street, get a make-over of sorts from the outside sidewalk level and up the fronts. Here's the world-famous Nile Theater today just after a crew from Rytan Construction and the city got all the safeguards and signage installed on-site. That pink stucco stuff in an historic district always knocked my urban sensibilities the wrong way on the south side of Main Street almost directly across the street from Chandler Court where the original Spanish Mission exterior is still mostly intact, even though the interior court was filled in a long time ago.
As you can see in the image below, the arched portico will go - into the dustbin of history!
https://www.mesaaz.gov/about-us/city-projects/downtown-transformation/downtown-facade-improvement-program
There is some restoration and semblance to original details, but something gets lost in the 21st Century translation: character.
The one-story LeBaron Building, on the north side of Center Street just east of Country Club Drive and a Valley Metro Light Rail station platform, is likewise getting a work-over in the neglected downtown area that now qualifies as an Opportunity Zone with long-term tax incentives for real estate developers, depending on the regulated improvements and use of the buildings. Looming behind is the tallest building here in downtown Mesa, the 15-story Courtyard Towers, an assisted-living facility.
Oro Brewing
| Address | 210 W Main St, Mesa, AZ 85201 |
| Parcel ID | 138-55-001 |
| Property class | Store Building - Commercial (1120) |
| Buildings on lot | 2 |
| Square footage | 6,464 |
| Year built | 1945 |
| Stories | 1 |
Downtown Mesa Brewery and Taproom serving House Beers and select Arizona Craft Beers.http://www.orobrewing.com/
212 W. Main (now vacant and available for lease)
| Address | 212 W Main St, Mesa, AZ 85201 |
| Parcel ID | 138-55-001 |
| Property class | Store Building - Commercial (1120) |
| Buildings on lot | 2 |
| Square footage | 6,464 |
| Year built | 1945 |
| Stories | 1 |
National Comedy Theatre
| Address | 214 W Main St, Mesa, AZ 85201 |
| Parcel ID | 138-55-011 |
| Property class | Store Building - Commercial (1120) |
| Buildings on lot | 2 |
| Square footage | 4,900 |
| Year built | 1940 |
| Stories | 1 |
City of Mesa Downtown Façade Improvement Program
