By
Maggie Burnett
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Citizens will have better access to cultural, commercial attractions of downtown district
The Tucson Downtown Alliance, in conjunction with the city of Tucson, will begin implementing several projects in an effort to connect the shopping, restaurant and cultural districts of the Fourth Avenue, University Boulevard and downtown areas.
Among the first projects to get underway is the city of Tucson Parkwise shuttle service, which began running throughout the downtown area earlier this week. The service is intended to help transport both downtown visitors and city employees throughout the downtown area.
"We need to keep the parking facilities opened up for more visitors," said Donavan Durband, project manager for the Tucson Downtown Alliance. "Government workers and downtown employees are using a lot of the existing parking. We are trying to encourage people to park on the outskirts of town and take the shuttle into work."
The free shuttle service includes seven vans painted and decorated by local artists. The shuttle picks up at certain locations every 10 minutes every day, with the exception of Sundays.
Plans for the shuttle also include providing a route up Fourth Avenue and along University Boulevard.
The majority of the projects to be implemented throughout the downtown area are city-funded. Durband said the Tucson Downtown Alliance is in charge of security, maintenance, marketing and advocacy for business owners and property owners downtown.
He added that the owners also pay an extra tax for the services offered by the Tucson Downtown Alliance.
"We have a defined district," he said. "We have people patrolling every area of that district."
He added that if the project is in the district, the Tucson Downtown Alliance aids in its maintenance.
Durband said other projects intended to bring vitality to the downtown area include extending the service area of the Old Pueblo Trolley and the building of a new underpass heading south at Fourth Avenue.
"The underpass is going to happen sometime next year," Durband said. "The hope is that once the underpass is done and we've got the tracks extended downtown, we can eventually connect it to Hotel Congress and the convention center."
The underpass currently located at Fourth Avenue, just south of Sixth Street, will eventually be converted into a trolley and bike underpass. A new underpass will be added solely for vehicular traffic.
Richard Oseran, owner of Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress St., said he would like to see a reunion between the downtown and university areas.
"I envision a downtown 24/7, a full-time deal. Part of that needs to be a natural link between the Main Gate and downtown areas," he said. "Hopefully, what we're really working toward is a really vital and vibrant core. It will and can have a lot of specialty."
Oseran also mentioned the opening of the latest addition to Hotel Congress, "The Room," which should help restore life to the hotel as well as the surrounding downtown area.
"The Room," to be completed this week, will act as a ballroom/event center that people can rent for private parties, meetings or dinner events.
Future projects include the building of a history museum by the Arizona Historical Society and the launching of the Rio Nuevo project, also intended to rejuvenate the downtown area.
Maggie Burnett can be reached at catalyst@wildcat.arizona.edu.
