SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. (June 9, 2025) – A.R. Mays Construction is honored to mark the June 5 groundbreaking of the Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center (HFHEC), a landmark project dedicated to preserving the stories of Holocaust survivors and inspiring action through remembrance.
“I am honored to be the builder for the Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center,” said A.R. Mays Construction President Adam Mays. “The opportunity to participate in the development of a project that furthers the education of our community of young people on the atrocities of misguided human behavior and its devastating results to fellow human beings is one I am proud to be a part of. This facility is truly a contribution to our community that will elevate awareness of all future generations to come in Arizona.”
A.R. Mays Construction is leading the development of a 31,944 SF, two-story education center with a basement, integrated around the historic Cutler Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center at 122 E. Culver St. in Downtown Phoenix. Once complete, the Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center will stand as Arizona’s leading institution for Holocaust education and learning experiences.
The Center is designed as an interactive and immersive space that will transform the way visitors engage with Holocaust history. Highlights include a permanent exhibit chronicling the progression of Nazism and the Holocaust, woven with personal accounts from Arizona-connected survivors; life-sized interactive testimonies and holographic storytelling, powered by next-generation technology; curriculum-aligned student programs and professional development opportunities for Arizona educators; and a digital learning platform, preserving survivor narratives and expanding Holocaust education.
“We’ve been working with A.R. Mays the past six months, doing a lot of the pre-planning and estimating; they’ve done a phenomenal job, complete confidence this is going to be an exciting project; executing this project to the highest level,” said Steve Hilton, a member of the leadership team at the Arizona Jewish Historical Society whose father is a Holocaust survivor and whose family the center is named after.
“This project will have cool architectural features, Jerusalem stone and great metal and glass work. The interior will feature fantastic exhibit spaces that are state of the art. We’re excited to be working with them,” Hilton said.
Distinguished guests, including Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, and Holocaust survivor Oskar Knoblauch attended the groundbreaking ceremony. Attendees received an exclusive preview of the Center’s innovative gallery plans and celebrated the shared commitment to fostering empathy and confronting antisemitism and injustice.
The Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center is expected to open in spring 2027, ushering in a new era of education and remembrance in the heart of Phoenix.
The architect of record for the building is Deutsch Architecture Group. The exhibit’s architect is Gallagher Design, and the owner representative is Chermack Consulting Group.