Demolition of downtown Phoenix building causes rift between Stanton, developers

PHOENIX — The fight to save a historic building in downtown Phoenix took a sharp turn on Friday after its developers began demolishing portions of the building, much to the opposition of Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton.

Portions of the former Stewart Motor Company building on Central Avenue and McKinley Street began to get demolished in an effort to transform the building into apartments, according to the Phoenix Business Journal.

In a statement posted to Facebook, Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton said he was “angry” that the developer began the demolition, saying it happened during a time he was dealing with negotiations to save the “iconic” building.

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“After my office participated in discussions between the developer and neighborhood leaders, I was confident that a resolution would be found,” the statement read. “However, sadly, it appears that the developer was acting in bad faith.”

The building, which is currently home to record store Circles Discs and Tapes, was bought by Scottsdale-based Empire Commercial Development earlier this year for $2.65 million.

According to the article, Empire principal Geoffrey Jacobs said the company plans to redevelop the site into a 300-unit apartment complex and want to keep historic portions of the building.

In a statement, Jacobs said the company has been working to “save even more of the building” to “create a vibrant project that activates both streets, provides for a superior resident experience and compliments the needs of the area.”

The demolition continued through the weekend, tearing down some interior and roof portions of the building, according to the article.

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