PHOENIX — The owner of the historic Yaun Ah Gim Groceries property in South Phoenix has plans to restore the site and turn it into new housing for the community.
The main building, located at 1002 S. 4th Ave., is a former food market with housing units that play a significant role in the history of Chinese immigration here, according to city of Phoenix documents.
After eyeing the property for several years, South Phoenix native and resident Omar Fabian, who works for a local school district, purchased the historic property in 2023 with plans to apply for a historic preservation overlay zoning.
Fabian said his plan is to turn the six residential units on the property into studio apartments but is still deciding what to turn the former market into. He said it could be used as a food market again or as a community gathering space such as an art gallery.
