TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — All along Historic Miracle Mile, old gas stations, motels and neon signs line the streets; a reminder of what Tucson was like decades ago.
Pima Community College bought three of those historic motel properties (Tucson Inn, El Rancho Motor Motel and Frontier Motel) over half a decade ago, voting unanimously in November of 2024 to demolish the buildings.
PCC's new board of directors met for the first time Wednesday night. Over half of the 2024 board members were replaced, reigniting hopes for local preservationists that the buildings could be saved from demolition.
January 6, The Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation and Arizona Preservation Foundation filed a request for a stay to an appeals court to halt demolition on the buildings. That stop was temporarily granted the same day.
With the new board, preservationists are hoping to turn the temporary stop into something more permanent, asking PCC to sell the properties or look into development that would keep the structures standing.
A PCC representative said in a statement to KGUN 9 that they respect the court's decision but the litigation "only delays our efforts to address critical safety and security issues on the site and diverts taxpayer resources away from our educational mission."
Those preservationists say saving these buildings is part of PCC's duty to the community.
——
Alex Dowd is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9, where her work combines her two favorite hobbies: talking to new people and learning about the community around her. Her goal is to eventually meet every single person in Tucson. Share your story ideas with Alex via email, alex.dowd@kgun9.com, or connecting on Instagram or X.
