By Katie Malles | AZRE
Redesigning an old building is hard enough, but what if that building is next to one of the oldest gentlemen’s clubs in Phoenix?
That is the predicament design partners Bill Tonnesen and Gabriel Saia encountered in December when they bought a property on 12th Street and Highland Avenue near Hi Liter Phoenix Gentleman’s Club.
Instead of turning their backs on their neighbor, the partners decided to incorporate the strip club in the concept for a two-story office and restaurant hub. One way was naming the renovated building The Strip, complete with a giant white sculpture of a voluptuous woman on display. Built around 1958 by architect Bennie Gonzales, The Strip is located in uptown Phoenix.
