Phoenix Area Low- and Mid-Rise Development Thread

[ASU Diablo]

It's about time! The Coronado Hotel & original Matt's Breakfast location are set to be leveled.

I would've loved to see more height here but The Herrera is pretty cool looking, design wise.

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2026/03/17/downtown-phoenix-hotel-demolition.html

Two decades-old buildings in the Roosevelt Row Arts District may be demolished to make room for more housing.

Applications for the demolition of the Coronado Hotel & Motel at 807 N. 1st Street and the 78-year-old building where the original Matt’s Big Breakfast first opened more than 20 years ago, at 801 N. 1st Street, were submitted to the city of Phoenix in February, according city documents.

The demolition application for the Coronado was discussed during the March 16 Phoenix Historic Preservation Commission meeting.

The orange brick Coronado Hotel & Motel has remained unchanged for years and is notable in part for a distinct vintage sign advertising the hotel and "Color TV." But it wasn't always a hotel. A home had been constructed on the property by 1909, according to a city spokesperson. A hotel addition was added to the rear in 1929, then the front home was torn down in 1964, and a second hotel addition was added to the 1929 building.

Jessica Bushong is listed as the applicant for both properties. She’s affiliated with Drive Development Partners, a development advisory and construction management firm based in Phoenix. But an attorney representing the applicant made clear March 16 that the project is being led by Jonathon Vento, founder and CEO of True North Studio.

Vento doesn’t own the hotel property yet, but his attorney, Nick Wood of Snell & Wilmer, said he would like to buy it, knock down the buildings and extend his recent three-story apartment project to the south. An entity affiliated with Vento bought the property next to the hotel at 813 N. 1st Street for $1 million in 2020, according to Maricopa County documents. The multifamily complex is called The Herrera.

Vento has led a number of historic restoration projects in downtown Phoenix, including on The Pemberton, Luckys Indoor Outdoor, Lom Wong, The Knipe House (now Sottise restaurant) and more.

“Even before he filed for the demo permit, he took several months trying to figure out — scratching his head — is there a way that he could save that building and make it work? And his answer was, unfortunately, no,” Wood said on March 16.

No formal action was taken March 16 regarding the Coronado; discussion about the former Matt's Big Breakfast building will be presented at a later meeting because it's on a separate application. Both demolition permits have a hold until April 28, per city documents.

Just south of it is a smaller building — built in 1945 — that was once home to the original Matt’s Big Breakfast. The locally owned restaurant opened its doors Oct. 21, 2004, in the 800-square-foot space with 24 seats before making multiple moves on the same street. The latest move was announced in December 2025, as the restaurant took over a spacious building at 817 N. 1st Street with a larger patio, kitchen, dining room and diner bar, according to an Instagram post from the restaurant. Since opening, Matt's Big Breakfast now has five locations across the Valley.

A home was also once on this property, but it was demolished in 1964, the city said.

Roosevelt Row Arts District in downtown Phoenix is known for its art galleries, restaurants, bars and street art. It’s also where the First Friday Art Walk takes place.