MacArthur Building, Tucson

The MacArthur Building is a three-story historic structure that began as the Hotel Heidel in the early 20th century. Its location close to the Southern Pacific Railroad depot made it convenient for passengers arriving by train. The hotel included services such as a restaurant, saloon, and barbershop, reflecting the needs of travelers during an important period of railroad growth. It was renamed the MacArthur Hotel in 1944.

One of the building’s most recognizable features is its narrow, triangular form, often described as Flatiron-style architecture. The exterior has pale stucco walls, rows of inset windows, arched openings along the ground floor, decorative tile details, corbels beneath the roofline, and horizontal string courses. These elements give the building a distinct early-20th-century appearance.

The hotel closed in 1979, and the building was later adapted for office use while much of its historic exterior was retained. Further renovations modernized the interior, creating a contrast between the preserved façade and contemporary workspaces. As it functions primarily as an office building rather than a public museum, visitors are generally best able to appreciate its architecture and railroad-era history from the exterior.