Downtown on Top: ABC documents the growth of Downtown Phoenix from 2004 to today (2015, apartments)

[JGMotorsport64]

. . .when Greg Esser joined with some other artists to start a downtown Phoenix art walk, he was among the few who called the run-down area home.
But Stanton, Sprague and Esser may just have the last laugh now.

Since 2004, $4.7 billion has been invested in downtown Phoenix, reinvigorating an area that was once known for vacant lots, shabby buildings and empty streets and sidewalks. . .


The less than 2 square-mile area of downtown Phoenix has experienced $4.7 billion in development between 2004 and 2015 . . .

. . . about to get 1.1 million more square feet of hotels, retail and educational space . . .

Sales taxes from hotels, stores, restaurants and bars have gone up 92 percent since 2008

Key victories include:
ASU and UA Campuses put downtown
Light Rail
Development of Roosevelt Row Arts District


Downtown on Top: ABC15 tracks rapid growth, development of Downtown Phoenix - ABC15 Arizona





Check out the map located here:

Downtown Phoenix

[Valley Native]

Admittedly, I was one of the skeptics of the downtown ASU campus at first ... however, it turns out that it has been a good investment in the growth of downtown. The city's core has improved immensely, but it still has a long way to go in order to compete with other cities our size (and smaller) with thriving central cores. Four years ago, Stanton called downtown Phoenix "a work in progress", but it still is a work in progress. The city really needs to be more aggressive about luring in the higher paying, competitive white collar jobs ... and offering incentives such as tax breaks to companies who decide to locate their HQs in the downtown/Central Corridor area. Phoenix could really use a financial district with more skyscrapers to enhance the skyline. Downtown could also use an entertainment district (as was planned a few years ago but didn't materialize).

[locolife]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

Admittedly, I was one of the skeptics of the downtown ASU campus at first ... however, it turns out that it has been a good investment in the growth of downtown. The city's core has improved immensely, but it still has a long way to go in order to compete with other cities our size (and smaller) with thriving central cores. Four years ago, Stanton called downtown Phoenix "a work in progress", but it still is a work in progress. The city really needs to be more aggressive about luring in the higher paying, competitive white collar jobs ... and offering incentives such as tax breaks to companies who decide to locate their HQs in the downtown/Central Corridor area. Phoenix could really use a financial district with more skyscrapers to enhance the skyline. Downtown could also use an entertainment district (as was planned a few years ago but didn't materialize).

There's a lot of competition for corporate HQ's and you really don't see large ones moving around much, not the type that are going to develop a new tower or enough to create an entire financial district. I'm okay with an incubator, startup economic engine, the types of things you're seeing happen at the Luhrs building for example. Were not going to be pulling in many fortune 500 HQ's here, but we should be growing the future ones right here, which is how you develop the kind of district we all want to see here.

I'm also very excited about what's happening down there, if it was up to me I'd move downtown right now, maybe someday if the Miss' approves.

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

Admittedly, I was one of the skeptics of the downtown ASU campus at first ... however, it turns out that it has been a good investment in the growth of downtown. The city's core has improved immensely, but it still has a long way to go in order to compete with other cities our size (and smaller) with thriving central cores. Four years ago, Stanton called downtown Phoenix "a work in progress", but it still is a work in progress. The city really needs to be more aggressive about luring in the higher paying, competitive white collar jobs ... and offering incentives such as tax breaks to companies who decide to locate their HQs in the downtown/Central Corridor area. Phoenix could really use a financial district with more skyscrapers to enhance the skyline. Downtown could also use an entertainment district (as was planned a few years ago but didn't materialize).

I think CityScape is quickly becoming the Entertainment District.


We have the bones for a pretty commendable downtown in the next few years. But i agree it's still a work in progress.

[Java Jolt]

I tell everyone how much downtown Phoenix has improved since I moved here in 1996.

Back then it seemed small-scale and very dead for how big this city is.

Now it's much more alive thanks to ASU, light rail, cityscape, convention center expansion, Chase Field, and more places to dine and shop.

It's not on the same scale as New York or Chicago but Phoenix doesn't have to imitate those supersized cities.

[new2colo]

Forget New York or Chicago, Downtown Phoenix is about on the scale of Salt Lake City, if even that. Now is not that time to announce that downtown revitalization is "done." I can admit that a lot of improvements have been made, but it is not done. Downtown still clears out after 5 on most weekdays (exceptions being game days, concerts, or huge convention center events). Many shops downtown still close either after lunch or no later than 4 on weekdays and are often shuttered on weekends. I cringe to think how deserted downtown must have been ten or twenty years ago if the downtown we have today is noteworthy.

[DougStark]

This is great news for Phoenix. One big problem I see for downtown Phoenix is the ever increasing "heat island" effect in an already hot climate. More buildings/concrete/air conditioners= heat.

Other cities have taken the heat island problem seriously (Chicago with its "cool roof" efforts comes to mind.) And Sacramento, for example, has shade tree requirements for parking lots to reduce heat. EPA has a lot of information on the topic.

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by new2colo

Forget New York or Chicago, Downtown Phoenix is about on the scale of Salt Lake City, if even that. Now is not that time to announce that downtown revitalization is "done." I can admit that a lot of improvements have been made, but it is not done. Downtown still clears out after 5 on most weekdays (exceptions being game days, concerts, or huge convention center events). Many shops downtown still close either after lunch or no later than 4 on weekdays and are often shuttered on weekends. I cringe to think how deserted downtown must have been ten or twenty years ago if the downtown we have today is noteworthy.

I don't think anyone is announcing downtown is done with revitalizing, not at all in fact.

But the progress made in the last few years is pretty amazing considering how much of a deadzone it was before then.

What could really use some life is midtown, that's the place that clears out at 5:00 everyday and has very little action after hours.

Downtown Salt Lake City is nice but downtown Phoenix still has more to offer, and it should anyway because it's a much bigger city.

[Champ le monstre du lac]

A vacant lot at a prime location is will soon have an infill project at Central and McDowell expected to be completed in March 2017.

Posh apartments going up on prime central Phoenix corner

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by new2colo

Forget New York or Chicago, Downtown Phoenix is about on the scale of Salt Lake City, if even that. Now is not that time to announce that downtown revitalization is "done." I can admit that a lot of improvements have been made, but it is not done. Downtown still clears out after 5 on most weekdays (exceptions being game days, concerts, or huge convention center events). Many shops downtown still close either after lunch or no later than 4 on weekdays and are often shuttered on weekends. I cringe to think how deserted downtown must have been ten or twenty years ago if the downtown we have today is noteworthy.

This post is a boiler plate relic of the Phoenix of yore.

Besides this article is a look at progress, not saying we're done it's saying look where we've come. This city is growing up.