Plaza Block

The Plaza Block

For 130 years, the Plaza Block has been part of La Junta's heartbeat. Built in 1895 by architect William H. Robinson, this red brick building on Trinidad Plaza has witnessed our community's entire modern history.

From its earliest days as G.B. Round's grocery store, through its transformation into a telegraph relay station in 1903, to its years housing bowling alleys, billiard halls, furniture shops, and small businesses, the Plaza Block has always been a place where community happens.

By the 1990s, the building stood vacant. Three decades of abandonment took their toll. Floors caved in. The roof disappeared. The basement filled with dirt. What had once been La Junta's pride became a painful reminder of downtown's decline. Many assumed the Plaza Block would be demolished like Robinson's other buildings, erased from Trinidad Plaza forever.

We refused to let that happen.

Through historic designation and restoration grants, the Plaza Block is rising again. We've stabilized the structure, restored the pressed-tin ceilings, rebuilt the floors, and put a roof back on Robinson's 130-year-old building.

Saving the building was just the beginning. Now comes the exciting part: transforming the Plaza Block into the Arkansas Valley's premier arts center.

The Southeast Colorado Creative Partnership sees the potential every time we enter the building.  We walk through those doors and picture art studios where children discover their talents and adults rediscover forgotten passions. A professional gallery showcasing Arkansas Valley artists. Meeting spaces where community organizations gather and plan. A commercial kitchen where culinary arts flourish and food brings people together.

We Need Your Help to Finish

The building has bones again. Now we need to give it heart.

Your donation will provide:

• Art supplies and materials for classes, workshops, and programs
• Tables and chairs for community gatherings, meetings, and events
• A reception desk where visitors receive a warm greeting
• Kitchen equipment and supplies for our commercial kitchen
• Operational support to keep our doors open, lights on, and programs running so the Plaza Block can serve our community sustainably for years to come

Your Colorado Gives donation transforms possibility into reality. It turns empty rooms into studios buzzing with creativity. When someone in La Junta or Rocky Ford or anywhere in the valley wants to take an art class, attend a gallery opening, or gather in a beautiful historic space, the Plaza Block will be there with doors open and lights on.

Help us complete what we started. Help us create the arts center our community deserves. Help us prove that beautiful things are worth saving and that the best is yet to come. The Plaza Block has been serving La Junta since 1895. With your support, it will serve for 130 more years.

Every donation matters. Every gift makes a difference. We're not just restoring a building. We're investing in our community's creative future.

Thank you for believing in the Plaza Block. Thank you for believing in La Junta. Thank you for believing that art, community, and historic preservation can transform lives.

The Southeast Colorado Creative Partnership is honored to lead this work, and we're grateful you're joining us.

Let's make history together.