Mesa Demolishes Gurtler Corner for Apartments

Downtown Mesa's 70-year-old Gurtler Corner building, designed by architect Martin Ray Young, is set to be torn down to make way for a new apartment complex.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Construction

Mesa Demolishes Gurtler Corner for Apartments

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Should cities protect older local buildings from demolition for new development?

Crews are removing asbestos from Gurtler Corner, a downtown Mesa building designed by architect Martin Ray Young, ahead of its demolition. The site is being cleared for an apartment complex.

Why it matters

The city of Mesa has said it cannot stop the demolition because the building is not a registered historic site and is not in a protected neighborhood. The loss highlights how existing local architecture can be removed when it lacks formal historic protection.

Gurtler Corner is about 70 years old and sits on a downtown Mesa site slated for an apartment project. The extraction does not provide the apartment unit count, project valuation, or developer financing.

The players

Martin Ray Young

Martin Ray Young was an architect who designed scores of buildings across Mesa, including Gurtler Corner.

Mesa Preservation Foundation

The Mesa Preservation Foundation is a local organization focused on protecting the city's historic architecture and buildings.

The details

Crews have begun work on the apartment project and are removing asbestos from the building before demolition. Martin Ray Young designed scores of buildings across Mesa, and Vic Linoff of the Mesa Preservation Foundation has commented on the loss.

Demolition of Gurtler Corner is expected to begin within the next few weeks.

Construction Pipeline

Demolition for new apartment construction in Mesa reflects the broader pattern of unregistered older downtown buildings being cleared for housing projects. The city's inability to intervene underscores how historic designation determines which downtown structures are protected.

Residents who value Mesa's downtown architecture have little recourse under current rules, since unregistered buildings can be demolished without city intervention. The change will alter the look of the downtown corridor where the apartment project replaces Gurtler Corner.

The takeaway

Local buildings without formal historic registration can be removed even when they carry notable architectural and community value. Residents who want protection for older structures should look into historic designation before a project is proposed.