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Recapping the goings-on at April's Downtown Voices Coalition meeting. Here you go...
Greetings Friends of Downtown Voices Coalition,

The Downtown Voices Coalition Steering Committee and guests met Saturday and discussed a number of topics. Let's get right to it! 

GUEST SPEAKER

Saturday’s guest speaker was Terry Benelli, executive director of Local Initiatives Support Corp. (LISC). Since its formation in 1992, LISC Phoenix has played an important role in the gradual rebirth of a number of blighted neighborhoods throughout metro Phoenix. It has been a major proponent of quality development along the light rail corridor in Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa, including financial support for the Sustainable Communities Transit Oriented Development Fund. Terry invited everyone to attend the April 22 grand opening of Arizona’s first Financial Opportunity Center in Mesa, a place where low to moderate income individuals and families can receive help in planning for their financial future. Another LISC-sponsored event is the “Creative Placemaking: Transforming Communities through the Arts” workshop on May 20 in downtown Phoenix. Click here for more information and to register. For more information about LISC Phoenix, visit their website

CORE DEVELOPMENTS

Brandi Porter with DPI reported that downtown is home to a new neighborhood association – Phoenix Downtown Neighborhood Alliance – comprised of residents of the growing number of residential developments south of Fillmore St., north of Lincoln St., west of 7th St., and east of 7th Ave. For more information about PHX DNA, visit their Facebook page.

Chris Mackey with the City of Phoenix Community & Economic Development reported that the City has received requests to form an entertainment district by downtown businesses and property owners whose operations are limited by their proximity to a church or school. More detailed information about this proposal will be formally presented at DVC’s May meeting. Chris noted that she’s excited in her new role with the City, is working on a myriad of projects that may or may not pan out (but hey, it’s the journey!), and wants to work closely with groups like DVC to improve our downtown even more. To learn more about what her department does day-in-and-day-out, visit their webpage.

A Warehouse District Business Association has been formed to help promote Phoenix’s historic warehouse district as an eclectic, close-to-light-rail destination for businesses, entertainment, dining, and the arts. Brian Cassidy with CCBG Architects is current chair of the association. It was also noted that Gould Evans, another architectural firm, is moving from midtown Phoenix to the warehouse district.

ASU Professor Dale Larsen introduced Professor Michael Shafer, downtown resident and head of the ASU Center for Applied Behavioral Health Policy. The Center’s mission is to build organizational effectiveness in systems that provide human services, and help find solutions to the challenges brought on by limited access to behavioral healthcare. Michael shared plans to house the Center on ground level, east side of the Westward Ho. You may have noticed and wondered about the large sheets of plywood covering up the windows along Central, well now you know! Tours will be scheduled in the near future as the build-out of the space nears completion, and a DVC representative will be asked to serve on a community working group. For more information about the Center, visit their webpage.

DEVELOPMENT WEST OF CENTRAL

Kathleen Santin noted that the Containers on Grand residential storage container project is moving forward and that there’s already a waiting list that far exceeds the number of units (8). Anticipated opening is early July. For more information, visit their website.

Jim McPherson with Arizona Preservation Foundation noted that the formal building assessment of the 1938 WPA Administration Building, threatened with demolition last summer, has been completed. The information in the report, commissioned by the City of Phoenix Historic Preservation Office, and conducted by Swan Architects, provides excellent background, justification for preservation, and possible future uses of the historic Arizona State Fairgrounds building. In addition, ASU professor Lauren Allsopp is spearheading an effort to laser scan the remainder of the fairgrounds historic buildings, not just the 1938 Grandstand. If you would like to support this effort, view the Indiegogo campaign.

Dan Klocke with the Downtown Phoenix CDC reported that the Phoenix City Council approved moving forward with a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a multi-parcel site just west of the downtown core (on and around the site where the Pappas School once stood). Significant community input has been garnered to date to get to this point. The RFP should be issued by the end of the month and “out in the public” for approximately 60 days. For background on this project, click here.

Several meeting attendees also attended the April 7 groundbreaking for the Portland on the Park condominium project adjacent to Hance Park. Tim Sprague, the developer of the project and a Downtown Voices Coalition fixture, was lauded for the high quality work of his development firm for not only Portland on the Park but the adjacent Foundry Hotel renovation (formerly know as the Lexington/Best Western). For more information about Portland on the Park, visit their website. For more information on the Foundry Hotel, click here.

Eric Johnson with the City of Phoenix noted that staff and community feedback about two empty parcels at 2nd Ave. and McKinley will be presented to the Phoenix City Council’s Downtown, Aviation, and Redevelopment Subcommittee on April 21. The goal is to get their support to continue the RFP process for these vacant properties.

DEVELOPMENT EAST OF CENTRAL

Eric Johnson noted after a Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued for the small, empty parcel on the northeast corner of 2nd St. & Portland, a city staff/citizen panel reviewed the proposals received and recommended a storage container-focused residential complex led by Stark James Architects.

The former GreenHaus and Scientology buildings at 3rd St. & Roosevelt were demolished to make way for an apartment complex by Denver developers, Baron Properties. The saga of the vintage building, its LGBT history, and unique murals by Arizona artist Ted DeGrazia was retold here in this New York Times story. Interest has been expressed by the developer to use the city-owned property between the historic Knipe House and monOrchid for construction staging, employee parking, and some public parking for local businesses and events. Community organizations representing neighborhood and downtown interests, including DVC, have been invited to meet with city staff to discuss the proposal. (Post-meeting, Roosevelt Row’s development issues was highlighted in this Arizona Republic article. DVC Steering Committee chair, Tim Eigo, was quoted.)

Urban alleys are being “reclaimed” as interesting and useful public spaces. In that context, Thunderdome Neighborhood Association for Non-Auto Mobility has been meeting with downtown stakeholders and city officials to come up with a plan and/or policy that makes better use of these spaces. For more information about this initiative, contact Jeff Sherman.

On March 19, the City of Phoenix Street Transportation Department and their consultant presented recommendations for streetscape modifications on 1st Street between McKinley and Moreland. The overall response from meeting attendees was negative, and specific concerns and ideas for improvement were communicated back to the department leadership.

Word from Dana Johnson with Garfield Organization is that the construction on the Circle K proposed for the southeast corner of 7th St. & Roosevelt could begin as early as next week with a 150-180 day construction timeframe.

PLANNING & ADVOCACY

Louise Roman with the Hance Park Conservancy noted that the Phoenix City Council approved the second phase of the Hance Park Master Plan design for the area slightly to the west of Central Ave. to 3rd St. The goal over the next seven months is to create actual projects for implementation. Details and updates will be communicated through various channels, including the Hance Park Master Plan Facebook page. Louise also noted that a Request for Proposal (RFP) will be issued soon for the former fire station building at 1st St. and Moreland. Finally, big congrats to the Hance Park Master Plan Team for winning an Honor Award from the Arizona Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects for the original conceptual plan design.

A discussion ensued about the closure of the Men’s Overflow Shelter at the Central Arizona Shelter Services campus and its negative impact on the homeless population it had served. Everyone has noticed an influx of homeless individuals downtown, surrounding neighborhoods, city parks (including Hance Park), and neighborhoods outside the core (including Sunnyslope). Lawrence Robinson, who works in the Mayor’s Office on the homeless issue (among others), was out of town, but would like to visit with DVC and others soon to discuss the situation and provide an update on efforts to mitigate/resolve the situation for all parties involved. ASU professors Dale Larsen and Michael Shafer noted that issues like this are “right up the alley” of the ASU College of Public Service and Community Solutions. They would go back to Dean Jonathan Koppell and discuss what role ASU could play (if they aren’t playing a role in this specific issue already). Any DVC meeting attendee was welcome to forward ideas for compilation to Tim Eigo.

Steve Dreiseszun with F.Q. Story updated everyone about the ongoing saga of the Federal Aviation Administration flight path changes over various residential neighborhoods, including several historic districts just west of downtown. The issue has so many moving parts and changes almost daily, it’s best just to send you to the Let’s Make Some Noise Facebook page for the latest news and information.

Mark your calendars for these key Reinvent Phoenix meetings. For background information and copies of draft district plans, click here.

  • April 21, 2015: Neighborhood, Housing, and Development Subcommittee reviews Gateway, Eastlake Garfield, and Midtown Transit District Policy Plans

  • May 12, 2015: Planning Commission reviews WU Code, Uptown and Solano Transit District ​​​​Policy Plans

  • May 13, 2015: City Council reviews Gateway, Eastlake Garfield, and Midtown Transit ​District Policy Plans

  • May  19, 2015: Neighborhood, Housing, and Development Subcommittee reviews WU Code, Uptown and Solano Transit District Policy Plans

  • June 3, 2015: City Council reviews WU Code, Uptown and Solano Transit District Policy Plans​

Bill Scheel with the Move PHX campaign noted that the Phoenix Transportation Plan that the City Council voted to put on the August 25th ballot is now in “advocacy mode.” Proponents of the $31.7 billion, 35-year transportation initiative say it will allow Phoenix to attract new businesses, connect education hubs, ease congestion as the city grows, and repair aging streets. For more information about the initiative, review this Arizona Republic article or visit the Move PHX campaign website or Facebook page.

Jeff Sherman and Jim McPherson reported on progress being made with the City of Phoenix Tree Ordinance Review Committee, set up because of (1) “the Hanny’s incident,” (2) garbage trucks getting nicked by those pesky shade-producing trees in Garfield and other urban neighborhoods, and (3) the need to get greater citywide support for the City’s Tree & Shade Master Plan. Both Jeff and Jim noted that it has been great to see all the departments that “impact” trees sitting down and discussing what everyone does, what is working here in Phoenix and “best practices” elsewhere, and what could be improved. Several recommendations that “tree fans” would appreciate have been discussed with more to come (fingers crossed). The next meeting of the Committee is in August, so maybe a more formal presentation to DVC by the Committee’s chair and/or staff liaison could be scheduled. To review the Tree and Shade Master Plan, click here.

Sean Sweat and Louisa Stark, wearing their Central City Village Planning Committee hats, reported that their VPC voted in support of the Walkable Urbanism Code but included a stipulation to reduce the degree of staff flexibility to modify a WU Code-related project “up to 25%” without public notification or review through, for example, the City’s Design Review Committee (which does have a public participation component). DVC will draft and send a letter recommending a continuation of openness and transparency. For more information about the VPC’s action, contact Sean or Louisa. To review and download the latest WU Code draft, click here.

POST MEETING NEWS THAT RELATES TO STUFF DISCUSSED AT DVC

From State Representative Ken Clark comes this recap on a piece of legislation that DVC opposed in the past but reared its ugly head this past session: "Flex Loans" (Read: Payday Loans, Part Deux) -- This bill, which passed the house but died in the senate would have made the same companies that sell predatory payday loans around the company (and which used to operate here) very happy. We would have seen the same anti-consumer, anti-neighborhood, anti-working class legalized loan sharking that we saw with payday loans. Your interest rate would have ONLY be 218%, rather than the old 400% under the original payday loans however. Did you pick up on that sarcastic tone? Thank you to all of the neighborhood leaders, active military and retirees, and advocates who stood with us. Watch for this issue to return next year.”

From our friends at the Phoenix Public Market: “Starting Fall 2015, the Phoenix Public Market will launch a new Thursday evening concept at the Open Air Market. 'Downtown Sundown' will be a weekly event for our community to gather at the Market after work for dinner, drinks, entertainment, and unique shopping experiences. We are in the process of formalizing plans for this new weekly market, and we’ll share more details with you over the coming months. We will be suspending our weekly Wednesday evening Open Air Market as we work on plans to launch the Thursday market. Our final Wednesday market will take place April 29. Our Saturday Open Air Market will continue as usual, every week, rain or shine. Food Truck Friday will also continue as usual. Also, be sure to say hi to our new full time Market Manager, Sara Matlin, the next time you shop at the Open Air Market.”

EVENTS, EVENTS, EVENTS


Well that about wraps it up. If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or ideas, feel free to drop me a line.

Tim Eigo
Chair, Steering Committee
Downtown Voices Coalition
tim.eigo@downtownvoices.org
downtownvoices.org
facebook.com/downtownvoices
twitter.com/downtownvoices
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