McLellan Building
63 E. Congress in the heart of downtown Tucson
"Downtown booster and solar power enthusiast John Wesley Miller has put the former McLellan's five-and-dime at Congress Street and Scott Avenue on the market for $2.7 million."- Jim Becker, KOLD News 13.
Resturant, Retail and Office space avaliable for lease. Information
Built in 1948, the historic McLellan Building (on the north west corner of Congress & Scott in downtown Tucson) was the home of the McLellan five & dime store, where builder John Wesley Miller "used to order a hamburger at the lunch counter, right here in this building."
John Wesley Miller Companies is completely remodeling the building, adding solar power and energy efficient materials to keep heating and cooling costs low. The building's first tenants, On A Roll Sushi opened in September of 2008.
In regards to the motivation for the project, Miller explained, "We’re reserving the Congress Street side for retail that will attract people downtown. It’s about revitalizing downtown again.”
On A Roll Sushi is located within the McLellan building, 63 E. Congress
“(The McLellan Building and other downtown developments) will make the heart of the city an instant Mecca.”- Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup
Builder unveils downtown redevelopment plan
By Philip S. Moore, Inside Tucson BusinessDeveloper John Wesley Miller believes one person can make a difference, and for downtown Tucson, he wants to be that person.
Miller has jumped into the speculative city center redevelopment frenzy with the purchase and proposed redevelopment of the McLellan Building, on Congress Street at Scott Avenue. Builder of the 90-plus-home Armory Park del Sol infill project as well as other housing developments around Tucson, he announced plans to transform the site of the former discount store into a four-level, 33,000-square-foot, office, retail and restaurant complex.
At a Dec. 14 press conference, with Mayor Bob Walkup present, Miller unveiled plans for the site, a block west of Stone Avenue. After Armory Park del Sol, he said a commercial redevelopment was the logical next step. “I’m committed to downtown. I grew up here in Tucson and I used to order a hamburger at the lunch counter, right here in this building. So, this is about more than making money. It’s about revitalizing downtown again.”
He said it is intended to become a focus for retail and entertainment, providing new commercial office space, less than a block from the new Pennington Street Garage, and give the downtown a place for people to go in the evenings.
Miller said he will be moving his company’s offices to the building and he has a tentative commitment from another business for 18,000 square feet of office space, surrounding an atrium entrance facing Scott Avenue. “We’re reserving the Congress Street side for retail that will attract people downtown.”
He said, “There might be a grocery store, or art galleries or a restaurant. Opportunities are open. Mostly, we’re listening because we want what’s best for downtown.”
Also speaking at the conference, Walkup said, “This is a really big deal. This is a major investment in downtown and other major projects are either starting as we speak or just around the corner.”
The mayor said Miller’s project, in conjunction with the other planned developments in downtown, “will make the heart of the city an instant Mecca.”