This spring and summer, downtown Phoenix’s $900 million CityScape development will start to show signs of life.

In early April, the first office tenants will begin to move into the 27-story tower at First and Washington streets. As the weather gets warmer, shops, restaurants and a reconfigured Patriots Square Park will open.

Next year, there will be more to see: Travelers will be checking into the 240-room Hotel Palomar near Central Avenue and Jefferson Street.
The sprawling three-block development is bordered by First Avenue, Second Street, Washington Street and Jefferson Street. An official grand opening is planned for the fall.

Phoenix, which gave more than $120 million worth of incentives as part of the development deal, hopes the project will bring more 24-hour energy to the business district. CityScape is part of a huge investment that Phoenix taxpayers have made downtown in recent years. Phoenix has helped bankroll a $600 million convention-center expansion, the $1.4 billion light-rail line and a Downtown ASU campus and subsidized the $350 million Sheraton hotel.

Experts say that it’s too early to say whether CityScape will have a significant impact of the surrounding neighborhood.

The office tower, which has about 600,000 square feet of space, is 75 percent full.

There is roughly 180,000 square feet of retail space on two blocks and it’s 85 percent full, said Jeff Moloznik, development manager for RED Development LLC. The Scottsdale-based firm is the project’s developer.
“If you look at the retailers in CityScape, there is a common theme to all of them. The diversity of very hands-on, owner-operated retailers,” Moloznik said.

Especially the restaurants. The list of CityScape eateries is sprinkled with well-known names from Phoenix food circles.

That includes Aaron May, the chef behind Sol y Sombra and Over Easy, as well as restaurateur Sam Fox, who opened Olive & Ivy Restaurant & Marketplace and a string of other Valley restaurants.

Bob Lynn, owner of the La Grande Orange restaurant group, plans to open a CityScape restaurant called LGO Public House.

There will also be a CVS/Pharmacy, clothing shops and Oakville Grocery Co., a specialty food shop.