When Daniel Scordato acquired Treasury 1929 in Downtown Tucson, he saw an art deco gem. He envisioned a venue hosting weddings or co-workers enjoying a teambuilding event.

The lower level also intrigued him. He thought “speakeasy,” but he didn’t think he was “cool enough to own a bar” or that it would be successful. 

But he threw caution to the wind and gave it a go. Emerald 29 was born — with its green light making the entrance. Open sporadically from 8 p.m. to midnight, the speakeasy hosts live jazz, blues and soul.

“I found a lot of people — including people who live Downtown — say, ‘We were looking for a place to get more dressed up.’ Do they want to go every night? No. But do they want to go occasionally to celebrate and meet friends?” he said.

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Emerald 29 has light bites, more than the traditional olives and nuts.

“They’re a little bit different — but not weird different,” he said. “There are no fries. There are no sliders. There’s a grilled chicken salad slider with grapes and almonds. It’s not your typical ones.”

The signature drink is the espresso martini, created with Licor 43 Liqueur and espresso from a cold press nitro espresso machine. 

“It’s for coffee and espresso,” he said excitingly. “It puts these little capsules you put in it to brews the coffee nitrogen coffee. It injects nitrogen and uses cold water to brew it. When you go to Starbucks, they have a mix that they put in. Then, they add nitrogen as it comes out. But it’s already brewed. It’s usually cold brew. 

“This is literally pressed to order. It gives this beautiful crema on top that lasts and almost tases like whipped cream.” He discovered this method and equipment at the National Restaurant Association meeting in Chicago. 

Treasury 1929

Scordato, a seasoned restaurateur with 51 years of success in Tucson, is using his expertise by transforming a historic building, The Treasury 1929, into a sophisticated banquet hall with a creative atmosphere, food, and event experiences.

Scordato said the whole project was somewhat of a surprise to him. He had no intention of opening another business, but when he saw it, he said to himself, “This is my chance. I’ve always wanted to do a place with weddings and large parties, with cooked-to-order food,” he recalled. “That’s why I got into the business.” 

The bespoke event space boasts 22,000 square feet for weddings, private events, candlelit dinners and music performances. 

“Our approach to creating your perfect event begins with a simple conversation,” Scordato said in a statement. “We want to get to know you and from there, we can start to build a proposal that aligns with your dreams for your big day. 

Built and designed in 1929, the rare historical design features hand painted ceilings, and ornate chandeliers in the main hall and columns from the first to second-floor mezzanine. 

“People don’t even have to decorate that much,” he said. “They could just get flowers. I just know it’s a good thing for Downtown Tucson.”