The Arizona Republic has reported on the renovation of the Santa Fe Freight Depot at Fifth Avenue and Jackson Street.  The Depot, originally opened in 1929, is being refurbished to serve as the headquarters for the Maricopa County Assessor’s Office.  For decades the Depot was a hub of freight traffic in the Valley and includes tunnels connecting the nearby icehouse to provide ice designed to keep food fresh during transit.  The building has sat vacant for more than 40 years and since the County acquired the property a decade ago, it has become storage for outdated office equipment and furniture.  The Assessor’s Office is in the midst of consolidating operations and will close four offices around the Valley;  the streamlining is expected to save Maricopa County taxpayers more than $700,000 a year.  The new Assessor’s office is expected to open in April of next year. 
For more information on the project, including a more detailed history of the building please visit:  Historical Phoenix Freight Depot Gets New Life.