Sun Mercantile Building
National Register of Historic Places

Sun Mercantile Building

Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona
Listed
September 3, 1985
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
85002075

About this property

The Sun Mercantile Building (or "Sun Merc") is a warehouse building in Phoenix, Arizona designed by E.W. Bacon and constructed by Wells & Son in 1929. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 and has been a locally protected historic landmark since 1987. Sun Merc is the last remaining building from Phoenix's "second Chinatown" period (c. 1890 – c. 1960). It is located directly next to the Talking Stick Resort Arena and is used by the Phoenix Suns. In the mid-2000s, plans were proposed to build a new $200 million luxury high-rise hotel and condominium tower, part of which would be atop the Sun Mercantile Building tearing off the roof and preserving only the base. Historic preservationists and the city's Asian-American community voiced their disapproval of the plans. However, the city council did not agree and the project was given the go ahead. A lawsuit was then filed in court and in the fall of 2007 a judge ruled that "the Phoenix City Council had improper talks with Sarver (the developer) before it decided the fate of the warehouse on the hotel site." and the project was effectively dead.

Location

232 S. 3rd St.
Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona
33.43658, -112.06883

Categories

COMMERCE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Sun Mercantile Building

This page lists Sun Mercantile Building. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Sun Mercantile Building report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Phoenix Union Colored High School
Civil War
0.2 mi
General Sales Company Warehouse
Industrial
0.3 mi
Adams, W. E., House
Industrial
0.4 mi
Sharp, M. J., House
Industrial
0.4 mi
House at 818 South 1st Avenue
Industrial
0.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Sun Mercantile Building listed on the National Register?

Sun Mercantile Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 3, 1985.

What type of historic resource is Sun Mercantile Building?

Sun Mercantile Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Sun Mercantile Building?

The period of significance for Sun Mercantile Building is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1929.

Can I research the history near Sun Mercantile Building?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Sun Mercantile Building will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Maricopa County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Maricopa County.

Explore MaricopaCounty ›

More historic places in Arizona

Browse all historic places in Arizona.

View Arizonahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Arizona history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Arizonahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Sun Mercantile Building will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report