The Peach development group has won a city contract to redevelop the Ronstadt Transit Center in downtown Tucson to hold the busy bus hub plus businesses, a hotel and apartments.
The Tucson City Council approved the deal with Peach on Tuesday after a two-year process. Next, the company and the city must negotiate a development agreement.
The project includes redeveloping 4.7 acres of city land at the northeast corner of Sixth Avenue and Congress Street. It’s a key parcel in the revitalization of downtown Tucson, Councilman Steve Kozachik said.
There are 17,000 passenger trips on an average weekday at Ronstadt Transit Center. The development agreement must be reviewed by the Federal Transit Administration, because federal money is used in the transit center, and approved by the City Council.
The winning project keeps the transit center but changes it to a through-way instead of a circle. It also adds several buildings, a public market and public plazas, a pedestrian bridge across the railroad tracks, retail — possibly including a pharmacy and wellness center — a hotel and spaces for artists.
Councilwoman Regina Romero called it “a beautiful plan.”
Architect Phil Swaim said the contemporary styling will make it a “great, cool, public space.”
At open house meetings in July, some residents questioned the contemporary style for buildings that would be next to older and historic buildings.
Swaim said the architecture should “make a statement about Tucson’s future,” although the plans have been modified to be “less Miami” and more respectful of the context of surrounding buildings.
Other partners in the Peach team include developers Ron Schwabe and Scott Stiteler, FORS Architecture + Interiors, Ryan and HDR.
