Landmark: Broadway Village
Location: 3000-3502 E Broadway Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85716
<div>This village is located on the edge of Tucson's Urban development. There have been some minor modifications of the original conception, but the intent was to maintain the original design.
What is Broadway Village?
This village is focused around capturing Spanish Mission Revival architecture in what is known as Arizonas first shopping center. Broadway Village is the result of the iconic collaboration between local real estate developers, John and Helen Murphey and their architect, Josias Joesler.
Today, this village contains merchants from restaurants, desserts, and beverages to fashion, gifts, beauty and health services. Each merchant is different making the village a very unique Tucson Experience.
History:
Broadway village was established in 1939. This project was the developers of this area only commercial project together making it extra special. This project was is a great representation of their legacy as well. Although they had other things to showcase their success, Broadway Village does the best job. One of the important aspects of this center is the different style ad architectural design that went into it. The style of building was new to the Tucson architecture and made this area stand out. The idea of it was also a newer concept, similar to a mall, Broadway Village was experiencing many different kind of shops in one area.
The original store in the shopping center was the Broadway Village Market. Next were the Broadway Village Hardware store and the Broadway Village Drugstore. Over the years the city grew around this village.
In 2008, a new real estate company, FrinFrock's bought Broadway village. This was during a great recession and the company was taking a big risk to buy the village. They decided to clean it up. This remodel included re-laying foundations, replacing light fixtures and sconces, cleaning the bricks and beams, and removing nails.
https://parentseyes.arizona.edu/josiasjoesler/index.html
Design:
According to the Broadway Village Shopping Center PAD document, the Murphey’s found the impetus for Broadway Village on a visit to Patzcuaro, a quaint village in Central Mexico. They decided to recreate the village square with Joesler’s expertise, using its Spanish Colonial Revival forms, low-pitched clay tile roofs, arched openings, carved niches, arcades, stairways, mortar-washed brick, and colored ceramic tile. Together they crafted a romantic sense of place in Broadway Village for locals and visitors alike to admire and enjoy.
</div>
<div>
Expansion:
Over the years it has been important to continue the growth of the shopping center and maintain its business. Broadway Village has continued its operations for over seventy years. This includes adding and removing merchants throughout the years. The developers say they have a hard time letting go of merchants and feel sad having to say goodbye, but is important for them to continue improving and advancing as the city does.
Current Merchants:
Avenue
Barrio Bread
Bisbee Breakfast Club
Cashew Cow
Falora
Golberg and Osborne
Natural Grocers
Session Yoga
Sidecar
Sushi Garden
Village Salon
Notable news references to Broadway Village:
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/24/dining/tucson-food-unesco.html?auth=login-google
https://issuu.com/mcserres/docs/biztucsonsummer2016/54
https://tucson.com/entertainment/dining/bisbee-breakfast-club-expands-in-tucson/article_c58a005f-4aef-5bca-9a56-71e005fab793.html
See also:
http://broadwayvillagetucson.com/broadway-village-turns-75/
https://www.azpm.org/s/27707-broadway-village-turns-76-continues-to-evolve/
https://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/pdsd/pdfs/Broadway_Village_HL_context_and_inventory_form.pdf
</div>
