Wonder

Opwest Tucson AZ

Delivered February 17, 2021. Contributor: Kennedy H.

Goals

Identify and describe the historical, physical, cultural, competitive, demographic, and psychographic context that makes the hotel located at 1 South Church St. in Tucson, AZ an iconic destination. This research should address the following categories and data points: 

Historical Context: 
   a) The building itself ("The Tower" at 1 South Church St.)
   b) The street (South Church St.)
   c) Neighborhood (downtown/university and transition over last decade)
   d) City (Tucson, AZ)
   e) Region (Southern AZ)

Physical Context: 
   a) Geological context (what is nearby, what surrounds the city, etc.)
   b) Architectural style
   c) Flora and fauna
   d) Sights and smells
   e) Textures and colors
   f) Location of hotel on the map and relation to nearby landmarks and notable destinations

Cultural Context: 
   a) Top activities (include activities for visitors who want to "live like a local" while staying at the hotel)
   b) Trends, shifts, and behavior changes that are altering Tucson and the neighborhood
   c) Top business/industries in the area
   d) Notable citizens (both past and present)
   e) Notable restaurants
   f) Art and music scenes
   g) Local iconography, aesthetics, styles, flavors
   h) Quirky local customs

Visitor Landscape: 
   a) Reasons to visit Tucson
   b) Reasons to stay in the neighborhood (downtown/University, where the hotel is located)
   c) Notable demographics of locals
   d) Notable demographics of visitors
   e) Any statistics that capture market opportunity (i.e. prevalence of conventions/events, visitor presence and spend, hotel market, growth, etc.)

Competitive Landscape (for each of the hotels listed below, the following points should be addressed): 
 Hotels: 
   a) The Graduate Hotel — Main Gate University
   b) The AC Hotel — Downtown Tucson
   c) The University Marriott — Main Gate University
   d) Arizona Inn
   e) Hacienda Del Sol
   f) The Tuxon Hotel (Design Hotels)
   g) The Downtown Clifton Hotel Tucson 

 Data Points: 
   a) Location (street address and distance in miles from 1 South Church St.)
   b) Rates start at (the lowest price per night according to Orbitz, Expedia, etc.)
   c) Description (from hotel website)
   d) Reviews (1-3 per quoted customer reviews per hotel)
   e) Service ratings (ratings across cleanliness, service, comfort, and condition)

This information will be used to inform the brand messaging, identity, and design of the hotel and its guest experience, so as to attract visitors looking for a unique boutique hotel, while also revitalizing the area in which the hotel is located. 

Early Findings

Historical ContextThe Tower at 1 South Church St. in Tucson, AZ is the tallest building in downtown Tucson. 
The 23-story tower was built in 1986 by Sundt Corp., and was previously called the United Bank Tower and Citibank Tower, among other names. It was not until 2011 that people began referring to the tower by its address, One South Church. 

Cultural ContextThe Arizona Theatre Company, Etherton Gallery, and Ben's Bells are just a few of the entertainment amenities located nearby The Tower at 1 South Church St. in Tucson, AZ. 
The Valley of the Moon is a local landmark in Tucson that offers enchanting stone walls and paths, grottoes, and more. This landmark was originally purchased by artist George Legler in the 1920s, and was intended to be a place to send kindness to others that visited. Since Leger passed away, an organization that was started by local high school students in the 1960s have been maintaining the land and offering tours for visitors. 

Physical ContextTucson, AZ is approximately 2,389 feet above sea level and takes up 500 square miles worth of space. 
The city of Tucson is only a one-hour drive from Mexico and less than two hours south of Phoenix, AZ. 
West of the city of Tucson is the Sentinal Peak, also commonly referred to as the "A" Mountain. The base of A Mountain was the site of a major archaeological dig, in search for artifacts from the earliest settlers in Tucson nearly 4,000 years ago. 


Summary of Early FindingsWithin our first hour of research into the context surrounding 1 South Church St. in Tucson, AZ we were briefly able to identify a few key findings related to the physical geography, cultural context, and historical context of both the tower and the city of Tucson. Our initial searches indicate that there are a myriad of relevant and recently published sources on this area, indicating that further research based on the proposal suggested below could yield many more useful findings. We then proceeded to outline the next steps below to encompass all of the data points that we plan to locate through additional research. 

Proposed next steps:

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