Terra Cotta restaurant has put its building up for sale. That doesn’t mean the end of the restaurant, says Michael Luria, president, just that the 13,000 square-foot building is up for sale.
 Terra Cotta is up for sale but that doesn’t mean the award winning restaurant will be gone. It may lease back the building or move to a smaller location. |
Our intention is to continue the restaurant but he said a variety of factors contributed to make this an opportune time to put the building and its two prime Catalina Foothills acres up for sale.
Depending on who might buy it, Luria said, Terra Cotta would either seek to lease back the restaurant’s operation in the building or look to find another, probably smaller, location.
The building is listed with CB Richard Ellis for $3.7 million.
Jerry Hawkins, of CB Richard Ellis, says the location at 3500 E. Sunrise Drive is not only desireable but is in an area where there is almost no more available property for sale. He said likely purchasers might be a financial institution, a restaurant or an investor.
Luria said the combination of factors include the retirement of his father, founder Don Luria and his wife, chef Donna Nordin, and the fact that they have received inquiries about the location.
Ideally, Luria said he hopes whoever buys the building will lease back at least a portion of it for Terra Cotta so it can continue operating there. But he said the restaurant doesn’t really need all of the 13,000 square-feet it has and would consider sharing the building with another tenant. If either of those two options don’t work out, Luria said the restaurant would look to move to another location.
In an e-mail to customers, Luria wrote "We moved from St. Philip’s in 2001 and survived 9/11, competition from La Encantada’s opening in 2003 and the devastating fire in 2004. If 2008 brings another move, so be it. Frankly, there are many advantages to making such a move and if that is the direction we ultimately take, we will gladly embrace it."
Opened originally in 1986 as Café Terra Cotta in St. Philip’s Plaza, at North Campbell Avenue and River Road, the restaurant has come to define southwestern cuisine. Through chef Nordin, it put Tucson on the culinary map winning awards and worldwide notoriety.
The restaurant moved north to its current location in 2001, which is 2½ times the 5,000 square feet it had at the old location. A July 5, 2004, fire forced the restaurant to close for six months. When it reopened, the word "café" was dropped from its name and other changes were made to update the decor.
As it is used now, Terra Cotta has separate bar and restaurant areas plus second-floor space for large gatherings and a wine room.
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