Like many, many cities, both small and large, in the U.S., Tucson has been negotiating the line between “urban renewal” or “beautification” and gentrification for at least the last decade.  In particular, the downtown area has undergone a lot of transformations since I left it 9 years ago. Many of these changes involve new businesses moving into the downtown area that cater to the desires of a wealthier swath of the population.