Kell Duncan, the developer behind downtown hangout The Churchill, is betting big on pizza and cocktails in the Warehouse District. He is opening a pizzeria and companion bar inside a historic brick storefront at Third and Buchanan streets in downtown Phoenix. The new restaurant will be called Otra Pizzeria, paired with a next-door drinking spot named Better Days Bar.
As reported by the Arizona Republic, Duncan plans to turn the preserved brick space known as Gerardo’s Building into a two-venue operation, effectively graduating one of The Churchill’s concepts into its own standalone home. The outlet notes that the move links a rising downtown restaurateur to a landmark that has weathered wave after wave of change in the Warehouse District.
Gerardo’s Building Has Deep Local Roots
According to Downtown Phoenix, the red-brick structure at 421 S. Third Street was built in 1928 and historically housed a café, store and bar run by Gerardo Verdugo Walker. Venn Construction’s project page details how the property was adaptively reused as part of The Battery apartments, with updated plumbing, egress and building systems while keeping the original façade intact.
From Containers To A Brick-And-Mortar Spot
Duncan first made his mark with The Churchill, a shipping-container marketplace that gave local food and drink operators space to test ideas before some spun off into full-scale locations. Phoenix New Times has highlighted his community-focused development style and recent projects that stretch beyond the downtown core.
Timeline And What To Expect
The Arizona Republic reports that there is still no firm opening date or complete menu reveal, since the project is working its way through permits and construction. For now, developers and preservation advocates agree that pairing historic storefronts with fresh restaurant concepts remains a key strategy in downtown Phoenix’s ongoing revival.
Duncan’s latest move turns a carefully preserved relic of the Warehouse District into an active dining and drinking hub, a development that is likely to draw attention from Phoenicians who track local food openings and historic preservation. This story will be updated once the owner or project team announces an official opening date and full menu details.
