There is already fresh paint on the streets and the walls in the El Presidio Historic District in downtown Tucson.
The neighborhood is named after the Spanish military fort, the Presidio San Agustín del Tucson, built in the area. It established Tucson as a city back in 1775.
“Really the longest continuing business block in the whole city,” said Amy Hartmann-Gordon, director of the Presidio San Agustín del Tucson Museum.
“This is really the center of where our modern day community started.”
Now, Rio Nuevo is investing $450,000 to beautify the historic stretch from the iconic El Charro restaurant to the Presidio Museum to the Pima County Courthouse.
“It’s important to the neighbors, it’s important to Tucsonans. And it’s a very popular place for tourists,” said Hartmann-Gordon.
The plan is to make the streets even more welcoming. New paint pops off the pavement thanks to the Living Streets Alliance.
“This is just a wonderful way to connect the businesses, to make it feel more pedestrian,” said Hartmann-Gordon.