By Shelley Ridenour East Valley Tribune
The owners of a creative redevelopment company are pretty excited about their current project in downtown Mesa.
Lorenzo Perez, one of the owners of Venue Projects, describes his company’s renovation project at the historic Alhambra Hotel as “not for the faint of heart.” Once finished, the building will be leased to Benedictine University for student housing.
Perez and his partner, Jon Kitchell, came upon the Alhambra after a friend, who owns the building next door, told them the hotel’s previous owners might be amenable to selling. Since the two men were looking for a downtown Mesa project, it made sense to look into the prospect.
Perez remembers being stunned when he walked into the Alhambra because the 122-year-old building was largely intact. While some modifications had been made, he knew they could “quickly be undone.”
