There are a host of reasons Jeannette Maré, the force behind Ben's Bells, feels an affinity with the Charles O. Brown house downtown.
A fan of old homes, Maré is excited about the prospect of helping to breathe new life into what historical advocates say is one of the oldest standing houses in the city limits, as it becomes the new branch of the charity she started nearly nine years ago, after the death of her toddler.
Maré feels some connection with the home's namesake and owner, Charles Brown, a saloonkeeper who lost an infant son in 1873, followed later that decade by two daughters in a smallpox epidemic. Maré's son, Ben, who died of croup just before his third birthday, was the inspiration for her project.
And the whole point of her nonprofit - highlighting kindness and community-building - is coming full circle, with an outpouring of help from volunteers and professionals to bring the house at 40 E. Broadway back.
It's a pretty place, to be sure.
Some Tucsonans may remember its days as the El Adobe restaurant, which closed in the early 1990s.
Others may have been struck by its curious juxtaposition as it sits, quaint and humble, across the street from Tucson's tallest structure, the UniSource Energy Tower.
A complex of adobe structures on the property surround a pleasant courtyard. There are cozy fireplaces in several rooms, strong wood spines along the high ceilings and original wood floors in the main room of the house. Tree-ring technology dates the beams in the ceiling to the 1840s.
Steadily running into disrepair, it had been largely been shut off from public access, used as small office and storage space for years.
Ben's Bells, meanwhile, draws a big crowd. Groups of 30 at a time are regular occurrences on a daily basis.
That works for downtown businesses that need the traffic, Maré said, and it works for her, since space at her current East University location is tight.
In exchange for the space, owned by the Arizona Historical Society, Maré has pledged to funnel 10 percent of her retail sales back into the building. Last month, the retail component of the charity did $6,000 in work. But it will add up.
"Ultimately, the building will tell a story, and we're excited to have it open again for public use," she said, adding she hopes to rent out the refurbished space for weddings and special events as well.
So far, the adobe walls have been shored up, with the help of emergency grants of about $30,000 from the city's Historic Preservation Office.
When the floors had to be pulled up in all the rooms but one, an archaeological dig was performed, again pro bono. Before anyone even broke out a shovel, they found all sorts of stuff just lying under the floor, from a bullet casing dating to the 1800s, to wooden toys and even a sock.
Even with architectural and landscaping plans drawn up, Maré has only actually shelled out about $300 because of all the volunteer help she's received.
And to top it all off, she won a $20,000 award in July from Goodman's Interior Structures, which selected Maré from 10 nonprofit finalists for an office remodel.
Because the property was donated to the Historical Society, it escaped the bulldozer-driven revitalization efforts in the 1960s that displaced many barrio families and razed their homes. "That's why it's one of the few historic buildings in that part of downtown that's still preserved," said Jonathan Mabry, the city's historic preservation officer.
The complex is expected to house a multitude of other uses as well, including a bookstore and a museum shop. With the modern streetcar expected to have a stop in front of the building, there's even talk of serving coffee and pastries.
Michael Urman, a board member with the Historical Society, said the deal ensures there will be ongoing maintenance put into the building, especially given an era of shrinking resources. "Aside from that, our main concern was getting the building open to the public so people can see it. There are very few buildings like this left in the downtown area."
The effort could use help to hit its January opening date. The floors will be brick on sand - which is intended to help the adobe breathe better - so they're looking for folks willing to lay bricks. Some carpentry needs to be done. There's a need for plants and paint and assorted fix-up materials.
Anyone willing to help can get in touch with the nonprofit at 628-2829.
DID YOU KNOW?
Charles O. Brown's saloon, which opened in 1868, was called the Congress Hall Saloon. Built in the days when Tucson was the territorial capital, it was a popular meeting place for legislators - and even used for official business - because there were few large spaces available at the time. According to the city's Historic Preservation Office, Congress Street was named after the building.
Contact reporter Rhonda Bodfield at rbodfield@azstarnet.com or 573-4243.
