Phoenix group seeks historical preservation status for Sunnyslope building

AZ group seeks to preserve Sunnyslope building

There's a move underway to preserve a mid-century modern building in Phoenix's Sunnyslope neighborhood. The building was home to various businesses, including a Mexican restaurant, over the course of decades. FOX 10's Steve Nielsen reports.

PHOENIX - There's a move underway to preserve a mid-century modern building in the Sunnyslope neighborhood of Phoenix.

What we know:

For more than 50 years, the building was home to Pedro's Mexican Restaurant. Located near 6th Avenue and Hatcher Road in Phoenix, the restaurant was a beloved landmark in the Sunnyslope neighborhood for decades.

"Isn't it a beautiful building?" said one woman, identified only as ‘Julia.’

Built in 1960, it was known not only for its food, but also for its mid-century modern architecture.

"This is very rare to see a mid-modern century building that has like residential elements be commercial," Julia said. "You don't usually see this."

New plans in place for the building

The other side:

The building is empty for now, but it will soon become "Rise Over Run," an Arizona-focused taproom and community space.

The building owners have big plans.

"We want things to be better here and to improve and to grow, but we also want to embrace the character and culture that was already here," said Joe McCallum.

McCallum and his brother grew up nearby, and knew it was a piece of history they wanted to preserve. They have owned the building since 2021.

"We grew up just over the mountain in Moon Valley and had always really thought Sunnyslope had a lot of potential," McCallum said. "And yeah, we decided to take the plunge back then."

New owner talks about building's history

Dig deeper:

Throughout its 65 years and many reincarnations — from Pedro's to Tom & Tiny's, to Eye Opener Restaurant and most recently, Eye Opener Curated Vintage — the building blocks of history remain in place.

"The historical preservation is something that, as a fan of architecture, I think is important because a lot of people question what kind of culture or history do we have in Phoenix?" said McCallum. "And while we may not stretch back into hundreds of years, what we do have is a lot of great architecture that was built in the mid-century."

"It really does help prevent demolition and also gives the owner opportunities to apply for grants and preserve the building for the community," Julia said.

As for helping to preserve buildings like this, Julia says it's satisfying to see it happen.

"It's a beautiful thing to preserve our history. It's very hard and it's time consuming," Julia said. "And I know a lot of other people have given up because, you know, it's a hard thing to do."