American Pi

Phoenicians are ambivalent about historic preservation. We mourned the Ciné Capri but turned our backs on the Washburn Piano building. Tempe’s geodesic dome disappeared overnight and we barely noticed. Enter artist-developer and Artlink founder Beatrice Moore, the Supergirl of historically significant structures, who stops bulldozers and saves buildings with a single check. Moore unveils her latest project -- a 15,000-square-foot former pastry plant that she and partner Tony Zahn have transformed into 10 affordable small-business spaces -- at the Bragg’s Pies Factory Building Sneak Preview. Moore calls the 1940s-era structure "streamline moderne."

“We started to see big SUVs circling like sharks,” says Moore, “so we decided to purchase [Bragg’s], as we were sure speculators would tear it down.” The pair encountered a few roadblocks during renovations, including decayed acoustic tiles and plywood walls. “But we did have a few pleasant surprises,” she says. “While peeling off the old panels, we discovered a wonderful glassed-in point on the corner of Grand and McKinley.”