Villa House, 504-506 South Convent Avenue, Tucson

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS ARIZ,10-TUCSO,30/49-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

This simple Mission Revival style ado"be stands out vith its neighbor across the street S. Convent Ave., (AZ-73-10) as the only two examples of this style on this "block of South Convent Avenue. The two buildings have similar sculptured parapets, although this structure has an attached front porch. Built as a blacksmith shop by the owner and occupant, Librado Villa, this building is related to the adjacent building on the north by its setback, size, porch, and distinctive size. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION ^a& A. Physical History: 1. Date of erection: 2. Architect: None known. 3. Original and subsequent owners: See chain of title below. Part of tot 5, Block 2Ul, parcel 22. Deed, May 10, recorded in Volume 7, page 51. Corporate Authorities of the Village of Tucson to William Zeckendorf.

Deed, February 21, recorded in Volume h2, page 125 Julia Zeckendorf to Albert Steinfeld. Deed, May 55 recorded in Volume 55, page Albert and Bettina Steinfeld to Librada A. Villa. Deed, March l6, recorded in Volume 86, page 17U. Librado 0. Villa to Celestino Sanchez et al. Deed, January 25, recorded in Volume 92, page 12. Celestino Sanchez to Librado Villa. VILLA HOUSE, SOUTH COIfVEKT AVEmJE HABS No. AZ-73-^9 (Page 2) Deed, July 3> recorded in Volume page Librado and Maria Louise KLias&e Villa to Eufemiano Moyza. Deed, June 21, , recorded in Volume page Angela M. Moyza *fco Florencio Moyza, et al. Deed, August 16, recorded in Volume > page Estate of Manuel Moyza, Ulibarri, Adm. to Yslas. ^ Deed, September 7, recorded in Volume page Moyza et al to Yslas.

Deed, April 2k, recorded in Volume page Yzlas to Moyza, et al. Deed, September 1, recorded in Volume page Estate of Manuel Moyza to Delia I. Moyza.' Deed, August 26, recorded in Volume page Peralta, Adm. for Moyza to Meine. h. Builder: probably Librado Villa. 5. Alterations and additions: This structure vas built originally as a blacksmith shop and residence. The front and back porches -were added and the building converted to two apartments between and There were no outbuildings associated with this struc- ture. B. Historical Events and Persons Connected with the Structure: Librado Villa and his wife, Dolores, were the first occupants of this structure.

The Villas lived here and operated a blacksmith shop until except for a short period of less than a year vhen the property was sold to Celestino Sanchez. The business was then known as Serrano and Sanchez and advertised as a blacksmith, machinery repair, and masonry shop. The property was sold to Eufemio Moyzas, a prominent Tubac rancher, in who converted the building to two apartments and rented them to several long-term tenants. Prepared by: Ann E. Huston Project Historian, Maureen L. Gerhold Assistant Project Historian, Historic American Buildings Survey September t VILLA HOUSE, SOUTH COWEIJT AVENUE HABS No. AZ-73-^9 (Page 3) PAKT II. ARCHITECTURAL I1TF0RMATION A. General Statement;: 1.

Architectural character: This simple Mission Revival style double house was once a blacksmith1 s shop. The two units, now connected, have three-room-deep shotgun plans. A simple shed roof open porch is on the east front. 2. Condition of fabric: Good. B. Description of Exterior: 1. Over-all dimensions: The building measures north-to- south along the east front, and U9f 9" east-to-west along the sides. In addition, there is a ramada attached to .the west rear; this ramada contains the bathroom enclosure. 2. Foundations: Several portions of the building have rock founda- tions. The center of the west wall does not have rock foundations. This portion may have foundations of concrete. 3.

Wall construction, finish, color: This building is constructed of raw mud adobe; the east walls measure thick; other...exterior walls measure thick. The walls are covered with stucco and are painted white and pink. k. Structural system, framing: The adobe bearing walls support a light-weight roof-truss system composed of 2" x U" members. 5. Porches, stoops: There is a 6f-deep porch along the east front of the building, extending full width of the building. It has a simple shed roof. The rear of the building has a shade ramada about 12" deep, covered with bamboo reeding. 6. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: The double house has two entrance doors. ' They are situated at the center of the facade t flanked by win- dows to the outside The doors are recessed about 13" into the opening.

The doors have a glass panel over a wood panel. The rear doors are 5-horisontal-wood-pan el doors. b. Windows: The windows are wood double-hung, one-over-one light weighted sash. They are recessed about 13" into the win- dow opening. The sills are of concrete, the lintel is covered with stucco. c. Other: Two former openings on the south wall have "been filled with adobe brick. VILLA HOUSE, 5OU-506 SOUTH COHVENT AVENUE HAES No. AZ~73-^9 (Page h) 7. Roof: a. Shape, covering: The 'building has a gable roof -with its ridge running east and west- from front to back. The east or front end of "the gable abuts a sculptured parapet; the vest or rear of trie gable is closed off with a corrugated fibreglass closure.

The entire gable end, from "the beginning, was of frame construc- tion, the adobe wall extending up to the height of the eaves but no farther. The roof is covered with rolled asphalt, as is a shed roof attached to the east front b. Cornice, eaves: The 2" x V rafter ends are exposed and pro- ject about beyond the walls. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plan: The building is a double house with shotgun plans, three rooms deep on each side. The units have been connected via the middle rooms to create a single living unit. 2. In the original unit plan, the living room was situated at the front, with the "bedroom in the' middle, and the kitchen behind. In the present house, the living room is in the northeast corner, the kitchen in the northwest corner, and a bedroom in the south- east corner.

The other rooms are being used temporarily for storage and workrooms. The bathroom is situated to the rear of the building at the south end of the ramada. 2. Flooring: The floors are of 2%" tongue-and-groove pine boards. 3. Wall and ceiling finish: Walls are of plaster on adobe. The ceil- ings are of 3V V-groove tongue and-groove boards, and have a cove molding. Ceiling heights are 9f-UV and there is a picture rail in the center rooms at a height of The ceiling of the north- west room (kitchen) has been removed. Interior walls are and thick. k. Openings: Interior doors have 5 horizontal wood panels. Door- ways and windows have either 3^" or W flat board trim on the jambs and 6V flat board trim at the heads. In some rooms the moldings have "been removed.

The jambs of the doorways are plas- tered, -with a simple wood door frame. VILLA HOUSE, SOUTH CONVENT AVENUE HABS No. AZ-73-^9 (Page 5) 5. Decorative features and trim: The trim is referred to in the above section. There is also a 5V1 flat board baseboard with a quarter-round toe strip. The ceiling meets the -walls "with a crown molding. 6. Equipment: a. Electrical: Standard electrical service is provided. "b. Plumbing: The kitchen has standard plumbing equipment. The bathroom, situated in the addition to the rear has - - standard fixtures. c. Heating: There is no fixed heating system. A wood "burning stove is placed in the house in the -winter. D. Site: 1.

General setting and orientation: The house is situated on the vest side of South Convent Avenue, with its principal facade to the east. There is a areaway between the house and its neighbor to the north. A south yard of about 10 feet separates this property from the neighbors on the south. There is a setback of about 15' from the sidewalk and about 22' from the curb. 2. Enclosures and planting: The building has a large rear yard which has been landscaped by the present owners. New planting areas have been defined and several new trees and plantings have been provided, There are some mature mesquite trees along the west property line. New trees include Palo Verde s pomegranate, acacia, pathfinder juniper, Arizona ash. There is a tamarisk tree near the south property line. Prepared by: Prof.

Robert C. Giebner Project Supervisor Professor of Architecture University of Arizona July PART III. SOURCES OF INFORMATION Arizona Historical Society clipbooks (Eufemio Moysas). Building slip, Pima County Assessor's Office El Mosquito (Tucson newspaper), April 20, P- 5* (Advertisement for Serrano and Sanchez). Sanborn Fire Insurance Company maps, > Tract Books,. Pioneer National Title Insurance Company (Microfilm, Recorder's records ) . Tucson City Directories, &6itfefe'--' VILLA HOUSE, SOUTH CONVENT AVENUE HABS No. AZ-73-^9 (Page 6) PART IV,

Project Information

This project was undertaken "by the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) of the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service's National Architectural and Engineering Record (NAER) in cooperation with the Tucson Barrio Association, Inc. Funds for the project were provided "by the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office and the Arizona State Office of Economic Planning and Development. Under the direction of Robert Kapsch, Chief of NAER, John Poppeliers, Chief of HABS, and Kenneth L. Anderson, Principal Architect;, the project -was completed during the summer of I98O at the HABS field office in Tucson, Arizona, by Robert C. Giebner, Project Supervisor (Professor of Architecture, University of Arizona); William Joseph Graham, Project Foreman (University of Maryland); Ann E.

Huston, Project Historian (California State University, Sacramento); Maureen L. Gerbold, Assistant Historian (Pennsylvania State University); Student Architects Scott Marshall Dolph (University of Arizona); Carol Jean Lemon (Washington State Uni- versity); and Harrison Adam Sutphin (Virginia Tech): and Comprehensive Employ- ment and Training Act (CETA) Summer Youth Employment Program Interns: Maria Arriola (Tucson High School); Ernest Cota; Lupita Lopez (Tucson High School); and Anna Trinidad. Photographic records were made for HABS by David J. Kaminsky, Photog- rapher, Roswell, New Mexico.

Editing and final preparation of the documentation was carried out in in the HABS Washington Office by William Joseph Graham, Architect, and Lucy Pope Wheeler, Writer/Editor, of the HABS professional staff.