Phoenix Sets Sights on Vacant Lots for a Development Boom
Two vacant plots and an upcoming empty police station? It might not seem significant. However, for the City of Phoenix, this presents a valuable chance to revitalize downtown area.
The city mentions that there isn’t significant growth around 7th Avenue and Washington Street compared to areas such as Roosevelt Row and Central Avenue. Therefore, they aim to alter this situation.
Currently, the southwestern corner features a gravel lot. In contrast, the northwestern corner houses a parking area, with the Phoenix Police headquarters located directly opposite. It’s worth noting that the police department plans to relocate from their current site at some point; they will be moving into the previous location of the Wells Fargo tower several blocks down the road, thus rendering this particular structure empty once they depart.
The city has employed an economist to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the local demographic landscape. The focus includes identifying gaps in retail establishments and dining options present within the region. Currently, these sectors seem underdeveloped. Additionally, they are assessing the number of individuals who commute into the area for work during the day, as well as analyzing traffic volumes on 7th Avenue and Washington Street to gauge daily vehicular movement through this zone. Furthermore, they aim to determine the resident count within the commercial trading district surrounding this junction.
According to Christine Mackay, who serves as the Community and Economic Development Director for the city, from their perspective, these three locations present an ideal chance for developing mixed-income housing. They also envision activating the street level with elements like grocery stores, dining options, and various facilities aimed at integrating this part of downtown more closely with Central Avenue and offering similar benefits, she explained.
The city indicates that this study will assist in illustrating why this particular intersection is highly attractive to developers. They plan to issue calls for proposals to understand the conceptsdevelopers have in mind for the area. However, they anticipate receiving these submissions sometime around late 2025 or early 2026.
Regarding the future of the police headquarters, the city states that it hinges on what developers imagine for that intersection.
>> Download the 12News app For the most recent local breaking news delivered directly to your phone.
Comments
Post a Comment