The Rio Nuevo Board unanimously agreed to pledge $500,000 for renovations to bring one of Tucson’s oldest restaurants, Lerua’s, and their amazing tamales, back to the Sunshine Mile on Broadway. Lerua’s had to vacate their original location at 2005 E. Broadway when it closed in January as part of the Broadway Boulevard expansion project. Lerua’s had been in its original location since 1922 and the Hulquist family has been searching for the right location to re-open on Broadway. It looks like they have found their match.
The new Lerua’s will be located at 2243 and 2245 E. Broadway, in two former retail spaces on the eastern end of “the Friedman block” between Plumer and Country Club The new Lerua’s location will be approximately 6,000 square feet and both a retail store for tamales and catering along with a sit-down restaurant. The remodeling will be done in phases starting with the retail portion and then moving to the restaurant portion.
Board Chairman Fletcher McCusker stated, “This is a very exciting step and adds another important piece to the revitalization of the Sunshine Mile. We are pleased that Mike Hulquist and the Hulquist family are anxious to bring Lerua’s back to Broadway.” This project is similar to the Rocco’s Little Chicago Pizzeria move to 2635 E. Broadway in the Solot Plaza which Rio Nuevo is also assisting with a $500,000 loan for renovation.
Both of these projects will result in leases and rebates on site-specific sales tax to fund future Rio Nuevo developments.