On June 29 the Downtown Phoenix Partnership hosted a stakeholder forum at the Downtown Sports Grill in the Collier Center.
The lunchtime event brought together building representatives and security personnel and featured a presentation by Dave Roderique, President & CEO, and Terry Madeksza, Vice-President of Operations, detailing the organization’s current efforts to improve the Downtown experience.
The Partnership is coordinating the installation of a comprehensive wayfinding system, including both pedestrian and vehicular signage. The installation marks the culmination of an extensive design process and is sure to make traveling Downtown much easier. Along with wayfinding, the Partnership is engaged in various other streetscape improvement projects including new LED uplights, rehabilitating irrigation and electrical systems and painting the trashcans and benches silver. The presentation also included comments from Lt. Jeff Lazelle of the Phoenix Police Downtown Operations Unit, who highlighted the low crime rate and efforts to curb panhandling and property crimes.
Dave Roderique updated the group on the progress of several major Downtown projects, including the Health Science Education Building, the County Court Tower and the Freeport McMoRan/Westin Center. On the verge of the biggest retail investment in Downtown Phoenix history, the area will soon welcome a CVS Pharmacy, Lucky Strike Bowling Lanes, Oakville Grocery, Urban Outfitters and more than 12 new restaurants when the retail portion of CityScape opens this fall. Already more than 80 percent of the office space has been leased and Gold’s Gym has opened for business. The latter half of 2010 promises more excitement as restaurants and businesses open and the pedestrian environment is enhanced.
DREAMR stands for Downtown Revitalization Effort Awards of Merit and Recognition and honors the individuals, projects and organizations that dare to dream and work to make those dreams come true. Thanks to DREAMRs, urban blight and decline have been replaced with new centers of retail and commerce, urban residential opportunities, and an active arts and entertainment community. Because these DREAMRs followed their dreams, crowds of people are returning to a renewed and invigorated Downtown Phoenix.
