This week on Arizona Illustrated… the Pima County Historic Courthouse and the Curley School in Ajo are two of the best examples of Spanish colonial revival architecture in Arizona, see how recent renovations are keeping preserving their history and keeping them busy; explore Casa Video, one of the largest video rental stores left in the country and meet a chess champion who is passionate about the game and serving his community.
Story descriptions:
Favorite Places – Historic Pima Courthouse
History comes to life in an iconic building that was designed in 1928 and continues to serve the community. The Pima County Historic Courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places but is finding new uses after a renovation project that began years ago. It is one of the favorite places for Tucson architect Rosemary Bright.
The Curley School
The Curley School in Ajo, Arizona, originally built in 1919 was in danger of being demolished. Now, it’s model for historic preservation, adaptive reuse, and regional and economic development. See how the International Sonoran Desert Alliance transformed the building in an effort to reinvent this historic mining community.
Casa Video
Tucson’s Casa Video is one of the largest video stores left in the U.S. It has roughly 80,000 titles including a diverse selection of foreign films, documentaries and classics, many of which are not available on streaming services. Casa has survived the near-total collapse of the video rental industry by staying true to its movie-loving roots and reinventing its business model.
Chess King
Jonathan Martinez started playing chess at eight, a few years later he became the Arizona state chess champion. His passion for chess is matched only by his drive to serve the community. Jonathan teaches chess to senior citizens at assisted-living facilities, and to kids at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson. He believes in chess as a powerful tool to create community and empower change.
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