Local businessman and restaurateur Kell Duncan continues to reimagine parts of Phoenix, now with two more projects in the works in Downtown and Grand Avenue.
Previously, What Now reported that Duncan was approved to open Jefferson House food hall later this year in downtown Peoria. He’s now working on two more projects, according to Phoenix New Times. First, Duncan and Mainstreet Capital Partners are working on a new 30-story, 325-foot high-rise on Central Avenue and Garfield Street—the other project partners with McKinley Club owners Celine and Kevin Rille. The trio plans to restore the historic Paper Heart building at 750 W Grand Avenue.
The downtown project will feature two main floors full of food and retail options, all curated by Duncan. Mainstreet Capital Partners will manage the rest of the building. Customers can expect a seasonally inspired restaurant and bar, a lobby cafe, and a boutique grocery with local produce on the first two floors. While this downtown project has no exact timeline, Duncan hopes it will open sometime in 2027.
His other Phoenix project will create a permanent image for the historic Paper Heart building on the corner of Grand Avenue and Polk Street., which has seen itself transform into many different businesses since being built in 1954. Then, in 2021, the property caught fire and was left vacant until the trio acquired it the following year. Now, the owners will take 8,800-square-foot of space, a studio, gallery, and store to sell artworks, as well as a restaurant and bar. Duncan hopes also to use the space to make local art more accessible, both for admiration and purchase.
