In the heart of Tucson, where historic homes line streets near the University of Arizona, a demolition in the Jefferson Park neighborhood has sparked frustration and concern among residents.
Jefferson Park, a designated national historic district just north of the university, is known for early 20th-century architecture and deep roots in the city’s development. But neighbors say the recent teardown of a home at 1177 E. Lester St. — known as the Anne Lester House — represents a loss that could have been avoided.
“That was devastating. I was crying the other morning,” said Sharon Milan, who lives a block away in a home built more than 100 years ago by the same woman who founded the neighborhood. “I guess for me it brought up the impermanence of life and how things can change so quickly.”…