The task was straightforward.
Renovate a historic building that has minimal parking but create a space that will draw customers from across Tucson and, at the request of neighbors, no national chains please.
Local developer Larsen Baker managed to do all of that with the former Solot Plaza, 2609 E. Broadway, which has been rebranded .
Located along the Sunshine Mile, the Sol Block is within the Rio Nuevo district.
The center was built in the 1950s by Benjamin Solot, who had his realty business there and, over the years, housed various retail businesses.
In the fall of 2022, the Rio Nuevo board chose Larsen Baker as the developer of the project, between Tucson Boulevard and Treat Avenue.
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Surrounded by neighborhoods Broadmoor-Broadway Village, Colonia Solana, El Encanto, Mittman and Sam Hughes, the goal was to bring a variety of retail and entertainment venues to neighbors and draw visitors from all over town.
By adding patios along Broadway, and doing the majority of the construction work on the back side of the site, the renovations won’t result in a shiny, out-of-place venue.
Businesses will be accessible from the south and north side of the development, with patios located on the back side by the parking area.
Larsen Baker has already inked leases for nine local tenants, including a relocation for .
will share a patio space with a future restaurant tenant that Larsen Baker is negotiating with now. The block has six spaces still available for lease.
Construction is expected to wrap up in the fall with tenants starting to move in by September.
Sol Block has been selected as a recipient of the Metropolitan Pima Alliance 2024 Common Ground Award.
“They did a really good job of keeping the culture of that site and added a modern twist to it,†said Allyson Solomon, executive director of MPA, a nonprofit group that promotes collaborative real estate developments.
“All of the shops are local entrepreneurs, which lifts the local community,†Solomon said. “I think this will be a blueprint for other redevelopments.â€
Sol Block is among several recipients of this year’s Common Ground Awards.
Other projects being recognized include:
in Sahuarita
The awards ceremony will be held May 16 at the Fox Tucson Theatre. Ticket information can be found at
Contact reporter Gabriela Rico at grico@tucson.com