Draft Downtown Phoenix Entertainment District Plan

DOWNTOWN PHOENIX

Prepared by:

SECTION ONE Introduction DRAFT

Letter from Community and Economic Development Department

The Entertainment District Study provides a roadmap to transform the area surrounding the Phoenix Convention Center into a vibrant, walkable, and sustainable urban core. Leading the city to creating a district that can celebrate the unique identity of Phoenix while harnessing our strengths, world-class cultural venues, nationally ranked sports arenas, and a growing residential base to build an inclusive, 24/7 destination for residents, businesses, and visitors alike. By integrating and elevating the assets of downtown, this plan will position Phoenix as a premier city for entertainment, culture, and innovation.

Our momentum is undeniable. Chase Field and Mortgage Matchup Center attract over four million visitors annually, generating millions in economic impact. downtown is home to more than 14 live music venues, over 245 restaurants and bars (80% locally owned), and 1.6 million square feet of retail space, making it a powerful engine for local business growth. Since 2005, we’ve seen over $8.5 billion in public-private investment downtown, which generated more than $21 billion in economic activity just last year. With the Entertainment District, we’re building on this foundation investing in key infrastructure like enhanced shade, mobility, signage, and pedestrianfriendly streetscapes to improve quality of life and ensure downtown is as accessible as it is enjoyable.

Phoenix is uniquely positioned to lead the nation in entertainment-driven economic development. With one of the only downtowns within 15 minutes of an international airport and key attractions all within walking distance, we offer a seamless experience for conventioneers, tourists, and locals alike. Our population downtown has nearly doubled since 2010, supporting a true live-work-play ecosystem that fuels entrepreneurship and drives job creation. Over the next five years, we anticipate adding 6,700 new jobs and up to 1,200 new hotel rooms to meet growing demand. Through strategic investment and this plan’s collaborative vision, we are unlocking downtown Phoenix’s full potential and we invite you to join us in shaping the next chapter of our city’s evolution.

Ryan Touhill Director, Phoenix Community and Economic Development Department

Letter from Phoenix Convention Center

The Downtown Phoenix Entertainment District offers the opportunity to take the Phoenix Convention Center to new heights. Already a top-tier, nationally recognized space for premier meetings and events, the Phoenix Convention Center & Venues aims to leverage the incredible offerings of downtown Phoenix to draw in more visitors each year.

Creating and molding a vibrant, walkable and inclusive urban core around the Phoenix Convention Center reflects the energy and goals of our city. The Convention Center draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to downtown Phoenix each year, creating demand for downtown restaurants, businesses and entertainment.

In 2024, the Phoenix Convention Center hosted 62 conventions with more than 315,000 delegates. The economic impact of the Convention Center was an estimated $488 million, up significantly from the year before. The Phoenix Convention Center & Venues also includes Symphony Hall and the historic Orpheum Theatre Phoenix - both venues host hundreds of shows each year, drawing thousands of theatre patrons downtown.

The Entertainment District plan is a natural extension of this success. It will enhance the infrastructure that supports our growing residential population, improve mobility and wayfinding and create public spaces that invite people to linger, explore, and return. These are the kinds of forward-thinking investments that have already transformed our downtown into a hub for innovation, education and entertainment.

Phoenix has long been a place to do business; we know this Entertainment District will fortify our downtown as a place for memorable experiences.

Jerry Harper Director, Phoenix Convention Center

Acknowledgements

City of Phoenix Mayor and Council

Kate Gallego, Mayor

City Council Members:

Ann O’Brien, District 1

Jim Waring, District 2

Debra Stark, District 3

Laura Pastor, District 4

Betty Guardado, District 5

Kevin Robinson, District 6

Anna Hernandez, District 7

Carlos Galindo-Elvira, District 7 (Past)

Vice Mayor Kesha Hodge Washington, District 8

Project Lead:

City of Phoenix, Community and Economic Development Department

City Manager’s Office Staff

Ed Zuercher, City Manager

Jeff Barton, Former City Manager

John Chan, Former Deputy City Manager

Ginger Spencer, Assistant City Manager

Community and Economic Development Department

Ryan Touhill, Director

Christine Mackay, Former Director

Eric Johnson, Assistant Director

Xandon Keating, Deputy Director

Eric Prochnow, Economic Development Program Manager

Entertainment District Advisory Committee

John Chan, Former Deputy City Manager, City of Phoenix

Jerry Harper, Director, Phoenix Convention Center

Christine Mackay, Former Director, City of Phoenix

Mitch Menchaca, Former Executive Director, City of

Phoenix

Andie Abkarian, Downtown Voices Coalition

Steve Betts, Betts Real Estate Advisors

Terry Burke, Live Nation

Faith Burton, Arizona Center

Brian Cassidy, Warehouse District

Cindy Dach, Roosevelt Row CDC

Catrina Kahler, Artlink

Devney Majerle, Downtown Phoenix Inc.

Kaitlin Meyers, Culture Shock Hospitality

Eva Olivas, Phoenix Revitalization Corporation

Amilyn Pierce, Arizona Diamondbacks

Ron Price, Visit Phoenix

Paul Rivers, Player 15 Group

Phoenix Community Alliance

Catrina Kahler, Chair of Arts, Culture & Public Life Committee

Leah Fregulia, Vice Chair of Arts, Culture & Public Life Committee

Billy Shields, Co-Chair of Central City Planning & Development Committee

Matt Seaman, Co-Chair of Central City Planning & Development Committee

Brian Cassidy, Vice Chair of Central City Planning & Development Committee

Kyle Foxcroft, Co-Chair of Multi-Modal Connectivity Committee

Mark McLaren, Co-Chair of Multi-Modal Connectivity Committee

CONSULTANT TEAM:

HR&A Advisors, Inc.

Cary Hirschstein, Partner-in-Charge

Garrett Rapsilber, Project Manager

Raymundo Cabrera III, Senior Analyst

Samuel Jacobs, Analyst

Alex Stokes, Advisor

Multistudio, Inc.

Krista Shepherd, Principal

Aaron Herring, Principal

Nick Ryan, Project Designer

Executive Summary

A Different Downtown Plan for a Different Era of Downtown’s Growth

Downtown Phoenix has experienced nearly three decades of public and private investment to regain its position as the heart of the fast-growing Valley of the Sun. Corporate and government employers, sports, teams, convention and hotel visitors, and arts and performance patrons have at different times served as vanguards for a new era of downtown’s growth. This most recent evolution, though, owes its success to the growing critical mass of those calling downtown their home. Harkening back to the city’s earliest days, more and more people are living downtown and establishing it as a collection of neighborhoods each with their offerings of places to see and things to do. The distinction between this and other earlier stages of downtown’s growth is a focus on maturation—one of shedding the awkwardness of its adolescence into a place equally for live, work, and play.

The Entertainment District Implementation Plan sets forth a vision that seeks to, first, acknowledge this maturation, and next to lay out the elements that are hampering the realization of downtown at its most radiant and livable state. The aim of this plan is to create a vibrant, walkable, and sustainable urban core that celebrates the unique identity of Phoenix. This plan is designed to leverage and integrate the assets surrounding the Phoenix Convention Center, highlighting the area’s strengths, addressing its challenges, and unlocking its full potential as a premier destination for residents, visitors, and businesses alike.

Context and Process

Downtown Phoenix is home to a rich tapestry of entertainment anchors, including the Phoenix Convention Center (PCC), Chase Field, and Mortgage Matchup Center. These venues draw millions of visitors each year, yet the area faces significant challenges. Connectivity gaps, underutilized spaces, and a need for cohesive branding and marketing have hindered the district’s ability to fully capitalize on its assets. This plan addresses these issues head-on, proposing strategic interventions to enhance the urban experience.

The development of this plan was a collaborative effort, involving extensive stakeholder engagement and a thorough analytical process. Over ten months, the project team comprised of the City of Phoenix’s Community and Economic Development Department, HR&A Advisors, and Multistudio employed an analytical approach including assessing existing conditions, exploring feasibility, and developing actionable strategies. Analysis was informed by community engagement such as interviews, focus groups, and stakeholder meetings to gather insights and ensure the plan reflects the community’s needs and aspirations.

Key Findings and Strategy

Downtown Phoenix boasts numerous strengths, including a diverse array of entertainment venues, a growing residential community, and recent investments in mobility and shade infrastructure. These assets provide a strong foundation for further development and their dense concentration positions downtown as a whole to serve as Phoenix’s entertainment district. However, challenges such as disconnected public spaces and a lack of cohesive identity need to be addressed to realize the district’s full potential.

Executive Summary

The vision for the Entertainment District is to create a dynamic urban environment where locals and visitors can enjoy world-class cultural offerings and vibrant public spaces. The plan is guided by principles of enhancing walkability, promoting cultural vibrancy, ensuring sustainability, and fostering economic development.

Major Interventions and Implementation Plan

The plan identifies several catalyst projects, some under way and some proposed, that will serve as the linchpins for broader improvements to vitality and connectivity. Key sites include the Phoenix Convention Center South Building, Jefferson Street Garage, and Chase Field Plaza. These projects will introduce engaging public spaces, improve pedestrian experiences, and activate key locations, transforming downtown Phoenix into a lively and attractive destination.

A detailed action matrix outlines the specific steps needed to bring the plan to life. This includes timelines, order of magnitude costs, and responsible parties within and outside of City government, ensuring that the plan is actionable and trackable. Effective governance and diverse funding mechanisms are essential for successful implementation, which will require leveraging existing tools and exploring new opportunities to support the proposed interventions.

The Entertainment District Implementation Plan promises significant benefits, including increased economic activity, improved public spaces, and enhanced quality of life. By creating a dynamic urban environment, the plan will attract residents, visitors, and businesses, fostering a thriving community. Stakeholders are encouraged to support and participate in the implementation of the plan, working together to transform downtown Phoenix into a world-class entertainment district.

BACKGROUND

Downtown Phoenix hosts a unique concentration of anchor entertainment facilities, drawing over 5.2 million visitors each year. The intersection of Jefferson and 3rd Streets is particularly notable with the Phoenix Convention Center (PCC), Mortgage Matchup Center, and Chase Field all sited within just one block of that key intersection.

The PCC opened in 1972 with 120,000 SF of meeting and exhibition space and has grown to more than 900,000 SF to meet the event needs of a variety of users. The PCC also serves as the anchoring facility for a variety of ancillary activities, including major sporting events such as the Super Bowl and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) playoffs. On average, over 615,000 people visit the PCC each year.

Chase Field, home to Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks, opened in 1998 for the inaugural season of Phoenix’s professional baseball franchise. While originally built as a dedicated baseball facility, the stadium has evolved to host a range of concerts, motor sports, and college football bowl games, in addition to MLB and international baseball contests. Chase Field hosts approximately 2,000,000 people visitors annually.

Mortgage Matchup Center opened in 1992 as a multipurpose arena and has since served as the home to the National Basketball Association’s Phoenix Suns. Over the years, the arena has delivered on its multipurpose design, serving as a home for Phoenix’s professional women’s basketball, hockey, arena football, as well as professional boxing and mixedmartial arts matches. Beyond sporting events, the arena boasts a full schedule of premier musical acts. Mortgage Matchup Center hosts over 800,000 visitors every year.

These three premier facilities serve as a primary driver of visitation and activity throughout downtown. However, the significant visitation does not always create broader vibrancy across downtown as many people opt to

attend their event then go home rather than further exploring other downtown businesses and attractions. In recent years, the City has sought opportunities to maximize the impacts and associated benefits generated by the colocation of such valuable facilities. Specifically, a City-commissioned 2019 market study of PCC’s competitive position, which was subsequently updated in 2022, recommended the creation of an entertainment district. An entertainment district would provide conventioneers, visitors, and residents a walkable, vibrant, safe, and navigable area that could include amenities such as density of restaurants, bars, attractions, street performers, public art, significant lighting and landscaping, pedal bikes, scooter docks, and electric vehicle shuttles.

In September 2023, the City of Phoenix issued a request for proposals for consulting services to study the creation of an entertainment district in downtown centered around the PCC, Mortgage Matchup Center, and Chase Field. This work would explore the following questions:

• What is the viability of an enter tainment district in the vicinity of the Phoenix Convention Center?

• What would define the district – how would it be distinct from other parts of the downtown?

• Where would it be?

• What kind of enhancements or improvements would be necessary to facilitate its success?

• What kind of barriers have prevented its organic emergence? Or what kinds of barriers can be removed to ensure prolonged success and growth?

In December 2023, a consultant team comprised of HR&A Advisors, Inc. (HR&A), a national economic and real estate consulting firm, and Multistudio, a locally active multidisciplinary architecture, design, and planning firm, were selected to undertake this study.

SECTION TWO Plan Overview DRAFT

PROCESS TIMELINE

The Phoenix Entertainment District Implementation Plan is the result of a 10-month process that included existing conditions analyses, extensive stakeholder engagement, and close collaboration with the City of Phoenix Community and Economic Development Department (CED) as well as leaders from downtown’s key institutions. The Consultant Team followed a three-step analytical process to answer the study’s foundational questions and shape this Implementation Plan, supported by ongoing stakeholder engagement.

1. District Analysis and Vision Plan: Assessed the existing conditions that shaped this area of downtown (shown in map) and set a vision to guide the remainder of the project and eventual implementation.

2. District Concepts & Feasibility Analysis: Identified the physical and programmatic interventions that could support a cohesive downtown as the ‘Entertainment District’ and assessed the feasibility of each intervention based on their scale and the availability of existing or potential funding mechanisms.

3. Implementation Strategies: Developed specific strategies and associated actions grounded in economic, financial, political, and physical realties to advance the creation of an Entertainment District.

DRAFT

PRIOR PLANS

This Implementation Plan is heavily guided by and seeks to leverage the extensive planning efforts and initiatives already completed or underway in downtown, delivered by the City of Phoenix, Phoenix Convention Center, Downtown Phoenix Inc., and key downtown institutions. Plans referenced in developing this Plan include:

Market Feasibility Study for the Phoenix Convention Center and Surrounding Hospitality Assets (2022)

Phoenix Convention Center & Venues Five-Year Strategic Plan (2024)

Shade Phoenix: An Action Plan for Trees and Built Shade (2024)

Phoenix Comprehensive Parking Study (2022)

Process

TECHNICAL ANALYSIS

Building on previous planning efforts, the Team studied seven topics reflective of the diverse needs of downtown:

1. Real Estate Market

2. Mobility Interventions

3. Programming and Interim Activation

4. Tenanting Strategies

5. Code and Regulation Changes

6. Funding and Financing Mechanisms

7. Physical Study of the Public/Private Interface

ENGAGEMENT APPROACH

In conjunction with CED, the Consultant Team established a robust calendar of stakeholder engagement to serve as a critical input in shaping the recommendations and implementation actions within this Study. Over the course of the Study, the Consultant Team conducted:

• 12 interviews of representatives of City departments, downtown entertainment anchors, and economic development organizations.

• 5 focus groups, including the Enhanced Municipal Ser vices District Board, Phoenix Community Alliance Arts, Culture, and Public Life Committee, Downtown Phoenix Inc. CEO Roundtable, and City departmental leadership.

• 2 Advisory Committee meetings, as described further below.

• 2 community meetings open to the public, attended by 30+ members of the Phoenix community.

In particular, the Advisory Committee was central to the analytical process. The Consultant Team, in collaboration with the City, established the Advisory Committee as a set of informed stakeholders from a wide range of backgrounds to provide input and guidance on the development of this Plan. The Advisory Committee included representatives of City

leadership, anchor institutions, arts organizations, local business, and community advocates. For a full list of Advisory Committee members, please reference the Acknowledgements section.

Advancing the Plan centered around milestone engagement sessions with the Advisory Committee, which provided insight into the needs of downtown Phoenix and shaped the pathway to implementation. In November 2024, the Consultant Team convened the first Advisory Committee meeting to present an assessment of existing market and built environment conditions as well as takeaways from initial stakeholder engagement to solidify a vision statement to guide the project. In January 2025, the second meeting offered Advisory Committee members the opportunity to respond to preliminary recommendations while highlighting areas that may require additional study to inform the final Implementation Plan.

For more details on the Entertainment District Study process and outcomes such as the market scan and community meeting survey results, please reference the Appendix.

12 Interviews

5 Focus Groups

2 Advisory Committee Meetings

2 Community Meetings

Strengths + Opportunities

Phoenix is growing rapidly, ascending to the status of 5th largest city in the United States within the last decade. As the city’s population and profile increases, downtown in particular is undergoing a significant evolution. Bolstered by the influx of residents in new housing options in the downtown area and new developments such as Cityscape, the Phoenix Bioscience Core, Arizona State University’s Downtown Phoenix Campus, and Central Station, cultural vibrancy and a density of activity are beginning to ignite among the many longstanding, iconic entertainment anchors and their environs. In the face of both citywide and local changes, downtown currently faces an inflection point – an opportunity to capture the momentum of recent growth, invert the history of dispersed regional development, and embrace an urban identity befitting Phoenix’s world class status.

Rooted in Phoenix’s multicultural history, a collection of strengths shaped and will continue to inform the city’s growth. Similarly, in the face of recent changes, the city is presented with opportunities that when embraced will enable Phoenix’s ascension as a world class city. The table below summarizes an assessment of the strengths and opportunities that informed planning efforts for the Entertainment District and will continue to inform the future of downtown Phoenix.

Strengths + Opportunities

STRENGTHS OPPORTUNITIES

MARKET

• Downtown is increasingly becoming a residential community, adding over 7,000 housing units in the last decade.

• A diversity of enter tainment anchors and assets drive visitation to downtown from residents across the Valley (sports and entertainment, arts and culture, etc.).

• Downtown hosts a concentration of locally owned businesses that celebrate and enhance Phoenix’s unique identity.

• Downtown’s Roosevelt Row has emerged as a vibrant, arts-rich, walkable retail corridor supported by a variety of local food and beverage options.

• The area west of the Convention Center has a significant local food and beverage retail program that provides local flavor to downtown office workers and residents.

• Downtown’s collection of subdistricts (Roosevelt Row, Evans Churchill, Warehouse District), sports venues, arts institutions offer a series of distinct experiences, catering to the diverse interests of downtown residents or visitors.

• There is a diversity across downtown users unmatched by any other location across the Valley. These users include residents, workers, students, event attendees, tourists, fans of national sports teams, and conventioneers.

• As the downtown residential population continues to grow, it will drive increased demand for additional amenities (variety of retail, food and beverage options, increased walkability, signature open space, and quantity and diversity of entertainment destinations).

• Demand for a new large-scale “headquar ter” convention hotel and luxury hotel will support the Phoenix Convention Center by enabling downtown to draw larger events and better compete with other entertainment destinations across the Valley, nationally, and globally for convention audiences.

• An increased diversit y of retail types (shopping, casual food and beverage, fine dining) and locations within downtown can fill gaps in activity, better connect anchor institutions, and provide amenities to patrons of entertainment anchors.

• Expanded hours of use, further diversification of downtown uses and widening demographic composition can increase market resiliency, offsetting a potential decline in downtown’s daytime office worker population due to national office market challenges.

PHYSICAL

• Downtown has a unique concentration of world class entertainment assets, including: Mor tgage Matchup Center, Chase Field, Symphony Hall, Herberger Theater, Arizona Financial Theater, Arizona Science Center, and the Phoenix Children’s Museum. This dense collection of diverse entertainment anchors serves as a draw for a variety of regional residents as well as national and international visitors.

• Many downtown entertainment assets align along key corridors (3rd Street, Jefferson Street, and Washington Street) that have already experienced recent investments to improve mobility (i.e., light rail, bike lanes, etc.), providing a strong foundation for further connections and investment.

• There are a number of key sites available for activation and improvements adjacent to entertainment assets that create a concentration to support greater energy for redevelopment or reactivation (including PCC South, Jefferson Street Garage, and Regency Garage). Mutually reinforcing corridors with a new density of residents and downtown users and amenities is building greater vibrancy.

• The existing PCC South building site currently provides—and its suggested redevelopment can be—a site and funding mechanism for expanded open space or increased retail space to support a diversity of food and beverage options.

Strengths + Opportunities

STRENGTHS OPPORTUNITIES

• Downtown is well connected, by freeways and transit, to the airport, and regional cities that have recently invested in light rail infrastructure.

• Largely favorable climate with lots of sun and pleasant temperature outside of summer makes being outdoors viable almost year-round and allows for unique desert flora not found elsewhere in the nation.

• In recent years, the Cit y of Phoenix has invested in significant planning efforts that lay a strong foundation for implementing improvements to downtown’s shade infrastructure (Shade Phoenix | 2024) and parking strategy (Downtown Phoenix Comprehensive Parking Study | 2022).

• Continued improvements to existing infrastructure will encourage more locals and visitors to travel downtown, while new opportunities for micromobility options and a circulator could incentivize them to stay downtown longer.

• Many smaller open spaces adjacent or connected to key entertainment anchors present opportunities for design interventions that transform underutilized spaces into social hubs, provide additional shade, and improve thermal comfort.

• The Rio Salado is a crucial element of natural infrastructure that connects cities and tribal nations via open space and habitat restoration of the riparian flora and fauna. A regional effort is underway to leverage this infrastructure for greater sustainability and tourism.

• Increase the deployment of shade strategies along streets, parks and other shared open spaces to increase the opportunities for social activities among residents, events, and visitors.

GOVERNANCE

• The City of Phoenix is supported by very active and committed partners focused on the promotion and betterment of downtown. Strong partnerships already exist in marketing, events programming, and streetscape maintenance.

• The Streetscape Improvement District offers a proven model for long term success in funding capital improvement and maintaining enhanced streetscape corridors.

• The City has proven tools that can support further economic development in the area and fund capitalintensive investments. Established City funding structures such as General Obligation Bonds (G.O. Bond), Government Property Lease Excise Tax (GPLET), or the Streetscape Improvement District can support key interventions.

• An existing infrastructure of artists, and ar t centered community organizations (e.g., Latino Cultural Center, Phoenix Center for the Arts, Phoenix Theater, Children’s Museum, ArtLink) can support the City’s Office of Arts and Culture in advancing arts programming and public art across downtown.

• Several prominent sites are located on public land allowing for easier coordination on long-range planning for the Entertainment District.

• Downtown Phoenix Inc.’s significant marketing experience in suppor t of downtown events and programming can support downtown entertainment anchors (sports teams, performance venues, and arts and cultural destinations) in considering opportunities for cross promotion of downtown attractions.

• Community organizations and enter tainment destinations across downtown are interested in expanding events and programming if supported by a more accessible permitting process.

• Downtown has an opportunity to commit to a large -scale public art program that creates landmark art installations (beyond mural making), which express the City’s cultural identity and invites locals and visitors to experience the City through this arts lens.

Vision Statement

The downtown Phoenix Entertainment District Implementation Plan will shape downtown’s physical, civic, and social fabric to enhance downtown’s collection of entertainment destinations, celebrating the unique identity of each. These destinations will be joined by proximity and allure – a string of interests that enable locals and visitors to have a memorable experience of Phoenix’s world-class cultural offerings, planned and serendipitous.

Tactical Approach

DOWNTOWN IS “THE DISTRICT.”

Downtown Phoenix exists as a network of distinctive areas, from Roosevelt Row to the Warehouse District, encompassing a wealth of destinations for living, working, entertainment, and culture. This plan defines a strategy to enhance the area surrounding the PCC, Mortgage Matchup Center, Chase Field, and the arts and cultural destinations surrounding these venues. While the charge of this strategy is to enhance an “entertainment district,” the recommendations herein are formed by understanding that downtown contains great places, and the primary job of this work is to highlight and connect them.

TACTICAL STITCHING – A FRAMEWORK IN LIEU OF A MASTER PLAN

Downtown has grown outward (physically and socially) over time. As a relatively young city, investments have focused on dispersed development. As the city matures beyond its current adolescence, now is the ideal moment to develop the texture of its public realm. This texture, created by the layering of history and different types of uses, requires a tactical approach rather than a sweeping master plan. The act of stitching brings together many great destinations in a dynamic way.

The thing that determines whether a trip is too far to walk isn’t distance, or comfort –it’s interest. I walk until I’m no longer interested.

– CINDY DACH

Downtown boasts numerous great places, but they are often isolated, with unclear and unimproved paths connecting them. Visitors may question, “Is it worth the walk through this area?” to reach a destination found on Google. In older cities, a quick glance around can reveal interesting paths with various sights, making the journey feel shorter.

A tactical focus for an entertainment district prioritizes developing the interface between public and private realms – the sidewalks for pedestrians, public land and buildings, and the edges of private buildings and sites that connect these destinations.

The approach proposed is like stitching together a string of pearls – it seems appropriate for downtown.

– STEVE BETTS

ENHANCED CONNECTIONS

Through conceptual and technical reviews, along with input from the Advisory Committee and public engagement, specific pedestrian connections were identified as priorities to link visitors to various existing entertainment venues. These connections vary in condition – some feature well-crafted public edges and sidewalks, while others are ready for improvement. The tactical approach aims to preserve what works well and create new interventions at identified opportunity sites, addressing specific conditions such as building shade, tree canopy, sidewalk width, storefront activity, wall openings, lighting, and programming.

This approach builds on existing investments and acts as a catalyst for further change. It supports small, medium, and large investment opportunities that can occur on different timelines, emphasizing that all city occupants have a role in creating a vibrant public realm. Business owners, property owners, non-profits, cultural institutions, sports teams, and City departments can all contribute to welcoming the public and promoting public life.

NEEDS DAILY USE RETAIL - VAN BUREN STREET IS UNWELCOMING - VENUES - FARMERS MARKET

HIDDEN GEMS

RESTAURANTS AND STORES CLOSE TOO EARLY - SAFE

CORPORATE CHAINS - BIOSCIENCE HUB - WALKABLE - WELCOMING

DIFFICULT TO ACCESS - HOT CLEAN - TOO CAR FOCUSED

UNDISCOVERED - TRANSFORMATION - ECLECTIC - LIVABLE - RELEVANT - LACK COHESIVENESS - ART

EXPENSIVE PARKING - DISJOINTED - INNOVATIVE - DEVELOPING LIVELY GROWING - SPORTS - CLEAN - BIKING - BLENDED - EVOLVING A COMMUNITY FUN - DIRTY

CAPITAL - DISCONNECTED - COMMUNITY FOCUSED - IDENTITY CRISIS - TOO MUCH PARKING - TRAINS

EMPTY PARKING LOTS - LOCAL - MORE RETAIL UP AND COMING - APPROACHABLE

MATURING - GHOST TOWN AT NIGHT - NOT ENOUGH DIVES

DOWNTOWN PHX ITSELF IS NOT A DESTINATION - ARTSY - A CENTRAL PLACE FOR BUSES - SUSTAINABLE

MANHATTAN OF THE SOUTHWEST - MORE HIGH END - VIBRANT DENS E COSMOPOLITAN - PUBLIC SPACE - SHADE CORRIDORS - GREAT POTENTIAL - DIVERSE - CONNECTED

PEDESTRIAN FIRST - LIVE-WORK-PLAY MUSIC SCENE - POCKETS OF ACTIVITY

Guiding Themes

The Consultant Team’s tactical design response to “stitching” together great destinations throughout downtown was informed by themes that emerged from stakeholder engagement and were confirmed through existing conditions analysis. These themes provide guidance on how best to achieve this in ways that reinforce Phoenix’s unique identity.

CULTURALLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY ROOTED

The climate, geography, and people of the Southwest, especially those of the Sonoran Desert, shape distinctive and responsive cultures. Residents adapt their activities in tune with the dramatic and subtle shifts in weather. Visitors are captivated by the exotic beauty and overwhelming intensities of scale, traffic, sun, landscape, flora, and fauna. Rich desert places thrive through their connection to water, which is life-giving. Despite irrigation and reclamation efforts distancing residents and visitors from it, Phoenix and the surrounding Valley owe their existence and survival to the Rio Salado. downtown’s proximity to the river offers opportunities to experience a unique landform and riparian micro-climate that reminds us of the importance of water in an arid land. This distinctive landscape, combined with the region’s unique sociological makeup—including significant concentrations of Indigenous and Latin-American communities—and the rapid growth of Phoenix and its metropolitan area, creates a popular destination for visitors. Interventions to improve public space should emphasize the diverse cultures, distinct landscapes, and unique materials of this place.

CIVICALLY AND PHYSICALLY CONNECTED

Downtown’s growth has created muchneeded interior space, but less attention has been paid to the relationship between activities inside air-conditioned buildings and the city’s public realm. Programming and designing the edges of private buildings and sites to allow for the improvisation of unexpected uses and spaces is crucial for generating interest. Externalizing social activities and community gatherings in these spaces will create opportunities for unexpected moments and small wonders unique to each visit to the Entertainment District, whether it’s a first-time visitor or a lifelong resident of the city.

Visitors ask us where they can take their picture next to a Saguaro cactus or where they can see the desert.

– DPI DOWNTOWN AMBASSADOR

Phoenix has an authentic culture that the Entertainment District can tap into to create unplanned moments.

– MEMBER OF THE PCA ARTS, CULTURE, AND PUBLIC LIFE COMMITTEE

Guiding Themes

WORLD-CLASS SOPHISTICATION

Phoenix’s position as the largest city of the Southwest and the fifth largest in the United States, confer on it a certain expectation for sophistication. Visitors expect to find a full range of experiences in one place. A sophisticated experience in Phoenix can be as simple as enjoying a taco stand with authentic local flavors or dining at a fine restaurant. Sophistication in public space welcomes people of all economic and social backgrounds and supports a variety of cultural experiences, from pop-up street artists and performers to galleries and museums. The city’s sophistication is also evident in how residents voluntarily share public spaces for entertainment and leisure. downtown’s sports, performing arts, and other entertainment venues contribute to this inclusive sophistication, offering a wide range of unique experiences across different costs and levels of participation.

WALKABILITY

What makes a city walkable depends on multiple factors, including cultural perceptions of acceptable mobility modes, convenience and time, the desirability or hostility of the pedestrian environment, and safety and the perception thereof. Having useful destinations that attract people can create activity, visual interests, and comfort that enhances both interest and security through having more eyes on the street.

Creating interest, diversity, variability and separation from traffic along urban streets are essential for desirable walking conditions. The details matter: quality of shade, nighttime, easy access points to buildings, and public amenities for trash and pet-waste disposal.

Climate, particularly sun and heat, affects walkability. All cities face environmental challenges, and Phoenix is no exception. In downtown Phoenix, addressing thermal comfort is crucial and can be accomplished through various methods, including public investments in street trees and shade structures. Incentivizing private property owners to incorporate shade elements like awnings and structural features in the public right of way through sensible use-permits and stronger enforcement

Phoenix as the major city of the Southwest has the opportunity to be the place where you come to see the big show along with all the major cultural happenings.

– CHRISTINE MACKAY

No one ever goes to New York City and says, wow, that city has great ‘throughput’ on traffic.

– RICK NAIMARK

of landscape plans can enhance comfort and visual interest without straining public resources. As new construction and redevelopment occur in the downtown area, careful attention, shade provisioning, landscape opportunities, building orientation, and materials choice during the design process can help improve thermal comfort and the walkability of public and private spaces.

Safety, whether from actual or perceived risks, is vital for creating walkable places. The growing residential population downtown and additional “eyes on the street” will enhance safety. As the quality of the walking environment improves and supports resident and pet needs, a greater sense of safety may result. downtown Phoenix Inc.’s Ambassador and Clean and Green Team programs foster a sense of hospitality even as the critical mass of downtown residents grows.

Guiding Themes

Private property owners have a remarkable opportunity to create ‘inviting edges’ that present a welcoming face to public spaces and right of ways. Caring for the public realm in front of private properties can greatly promote a desirable walkable space. A sense of ownership, investment, and loyalty to responsive private property owners who personalize and give character to the city through property maintenance, monitoring local activities, edge activation, and investments in the right of way for desired amenities can create a rich tapestry of the public realm.

I feel safe when I see other people around in a city.

– MARK METTES

THEMATIC FOCUS OF STRATEGIES & RECOMMENDATIONS

SECTION THREE

Topic Introduction DRAFT

03

Topic Introduction

PURPOSE OF THE TOPICS

The Consultant Team identified nine distinct yet interconnected topics as lenses through which to observe the existing conditions of downtown and to propose tactical inventions to realize the vision for the Entertainment District. For each topic in this section, the key strategies will advance the guiding themes underlying the plan’s vision and the ability of key partners, both public and private, to facilitate a public realm that serves as a stronger foundation and connector for the many entertainment anchors and institutions that call downtown home.

The specific topic areas are as follows:

Topic A. Open Space

Open space refers to outdoor gathering areas, both public and private, which serve as an amenity to all of downtown’s users. Whether public, private, or somewhere in between, this space can come in a range of sizes, from pocket parks to plazas to signature destination parks. Open space can incorporate green space into the urban environment and, perhaps most importantly, serves as a publicly accessible gathering space capable of hosting an assortment of events that bring vibrancy to a city.

Topic B. Streetscape

The streetscape includes the public right of way, serving the comprehensive transportation needs of pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, and drivers, including the ways in which each user experiences nature, lighting, and sidewalk activity along their journey.

Topic C. Shade

The reality of Phoenix’s climate necessitates critical resources for the shade throughout the urban realm. Shade can be provided as a natural element with trees or as a manufactured asset in the form of shade structures and creative architecture. Tall building forms also provide shading on the ground and, when clustered together as in downtown, create an environment of shaded corridors.

Topic D. Signage

Signage refers to the physical elements that can announce the identity of a place, direct people throughout downtown, or provide additional vibrancy to public spaces as a design element. Signage includes a wide range of scales, from the monumental, to a directional marker in the pavement, and can exist on both public right of way and private property.

Topic E. Real Estate

Real estate includes the entire built environment outside of the public right of way and public parks. Specifically, real estate is housing, offices, retail, hotels, entertainment venues, and public institutions.

Topic Introduction

Topic F. Retail Activation

A key, publicly oriented component of real estate is retail space. Retail activation refers to the density and variety of retail businesses and the value of this activity in creating a vibrant downtown. This retail is pedestrian-oriented for easy access from the street that is not dependent solely on automobile patronage.

Topic G. Marketing & Branding

Marketing and branding refers to the ways in which downtown stakeholders leverage the story of a place to attract existing and new users to the many entertainment options in downtown. This includes existing ways that entertainment anchors tell downtown’s story as the go-to place for special events, and more subtle ways of talking to resident groups and convention visitors about downtown as a collection of neighborhoods with opportunities for more spontaneous experiences.

Topic H. Governance & Funding

Governance is the set of policy or partnership mechanisms used to implement actions recommended in this Plan whereas funding is the set of tools that can be used to pay for each action.

Topic A: Open Space

IMPACT STATEMENT

Downtown’s open space will be cemented as one of the critical elements of a vibrant and widely accessible public realm experience. A range of open space, including a new signature park and stronger connections between the existing network of City parks and quasi-public plazas, will enable locals and tourists alike to experience downtown in ways unique to them within collectively shared public spaces.

OBSERVATIONS

Downtown’s open spaces have evolved in recent decades. The longstanding civic gathering space at Block 23 and park space at Patriots Park transitioned to accommodate new development and significant City investments opened Civic Space Park (2009) and a revitalized Margaret T. Hance Park (2023). Key investments increased options for increased programming as well as daily use of open space, but the parks remain concentrated in the northern half of downtown, further from key entertainment anchors and cultural institutions. While many downtowns have centrally located, signature open spaces, this area of downtown Phoenix lacks that central gathering space. Instead, the public gathers in smaller plazas, streets, and interstitial spaces, all which can be leveraged as a network. Across these public spaces there is a lack of public amenities such as restrooms, pet waste stations, and trash receptacles are limited, and stakeholders consistently call for more public art and performance spaces.

It is important to understand that the impact of open space on the public realm is not directly attributable to a larger size. The former Block 23 site served as a large event gathering space previously and downtown’s current comparable space are the streets themselves. Several sites identified in this study may propose large-scale civic spaces that present opportunities for the extension of districtwide events and downtown activation. However, the smaller transitional spaces between public and private developments are just as impactful, providing intimate connections to local businesses and creating spaces for street performers, art installations, and other unexpected moments essential to the characteristics of an enriched public space.

OPPORTUNITIES

Open space interventions focused on the history of downtown Phoenix and the region’s Sonoran Desert will reflect the identity of the city’s community, culture, and environment in the identified zones for improvement. downtown businesses and developers can partner with local artists to activate their underutilized spaces, while redevelopment and adaptive reuse projects can focus on protecting the historic elements that tell the story behind downtown Phoenix’s past. Street closures for events and the transformation of parking lots into farmers markets are examples of temporary activation of shared open spaces that are important to Phoenix’s downtown community and must continue to be associated with the Entertainment District.

Topic A: Open Space

A unique opportunity exists to align the critical redevelopment of the Phoenix Convention Center’s South Building with an investment in a new signature downtown open space. The signature space can support a greater balance of parks and open space across downtown. The space’s ability to host large scale civic gatherings while serving as a daily amenity for nearby residents, workers, tourists, and conventioneers will establish an unparalleled asset for downtown befitting of Phoenix’s status as a world class city.

Opportunities to transform vacant lots into parks or plazas with native landscaping will provide visitors with an immersive experience into the desert environment, without leaving the urban core of the city. While current trends prioritize—and should continue to favor— broader-leaf, desert-adapted street trees, due to their ease of maintenance and bounty of shade, intentional efforts in areas that are suitable can incorporate our native desert flora, offering an opportunity to celebrate our unique ecosystem and express the exotic nature of our region to visitors. To be successful in this harsh urban environment, desert trees and plants need to be properly sized, appropriately selected to suit their specific location, and installed and maintained effectively.

Maintenance is the cost of a climate responsive city much like snow removal in mountain cities, hurricane debris in coastal cities. It is a demonstration of care and pride in the city.

As downtown embraces a hybrid ecology where desert vegetation enhances the people-made structures and non-native vegetation, there is also the opportunity to provide visitors with access to other aspects of the region’s unique desert ecology with access to open space outside of downtown. The are opportunities to better connect visitors and promote Phoenix specific open spaces, such as Rio Salado, South Mountain, and Papago Park in addition to downtown’s signature open space assets.

Topic A: Open Space

ACTIONS

A1. Increase the number of events at outdoor parks or plazas by designating new and revitalizing existing civic gathering spaces. The promotion of new and existing gathering spaces should align with downtown’s portfolio of events.

Due to the current lack of an iconic, centralized, downtown open space with regular programming, the City and its partners must designate gathering spaces to enable a mix of events in terms of type, scale, and location. In highlighting and, as necessary, revitalizing designated civic gathering spaces the City will further emphasize nodes of activity and enable expanded programming. Specifying locations and cultivating different themes of activity will provide a clearer roadmap for local community organizations to contribute more to the activation of downtown.

DPI event types include: family friendly, activating public spaces, inclusive, promoting downtown businesses, budget-friendly, multi-cultural, and arts-centric.

Locations for civic gathering include: Chase Field plazas, Herberger Theater East Lawn, Mortgage Matchup Center East Parking Lot, CityScape, St. Mary’s Basilica, Heritage Square, and Civic Space Park.

A2. Establish a streamlined permitting process for downtown events that reduces time and offers a clear, accessible, and affordable path for community organizations to secure permits. Specifically, a coordinated working group comprised of relevant City departments involved in the permitting process (e.g., zoning, fire, police, and streets) should meet monthly to provide the community with a single forum for permitting and improve interdepartmental coordination. Additionally, the process should expand the approval duration associated with permits to allow a series of events to be approved under a single process.

Incorporating informative signage to advertise the accessible temporary use permitting process of parking lots, vacant sites, and other locations frequent of temporary uses will raise awareness and help facilitate an increase in community led programming and events.

The following zoning ordinance adjustments would support a more effective and efficient temporary permitting process, and thus enable more downtown events:

• City will review Section 307.B to explore if the permit application can be streamlined.

• Section 708.C.3 should include the following amendments:

-allow a reduction in parking beyond zoning requirements when events are held outside of operational hours

-increase the maximum of five events per calendar year and two events per month on commercial properties, particularly allowing reoccurring events to be covered under a single permit remove the requirement for events to not emit direct light greater than one foot candle at the property line or broadcast sound beyond the boundaries of the property

Reference Section 708.C, Section 708.D, and Section 708.M of the Phoenix Zoning Ordinance for Administrative Temporary Use Permits, Temporary Use Permits, and Interim Vacant Land Uses

Topic A: Open Space

ACTIONS

A3. Establish a pilot or temporary navigator position within the City of Phoenix to serve as a designated point person capable of guiding members of the community through the event permitting and planning process.

A designated contact at the City, in close collaboration with DPI, will pair with a streamlined permitting process to enable more grassroots events and programming across downtown. Currently, the City’s permitting process for a basic event without a stage or tents includes 8 steps costing $2.5K+. In addition to the likely prohibitive cost, a specific point of contact, the process will remain inaccessible for any smaller scale community organizations or groups looking to plan an event for the first time. This position could look similar to that in the City of Tempe, which hosts a dedicated Special Events Office to efficiently facilitate programming and events across the City.

Sections of the Zoning Ordinance and Phoenix City Code related to temporary use permits and temporary use of the right of way should include amendments to reference the event permit navigator position as a resource for organizations planning events.

A4. Incorporate a new, iconic downtown open space, into the Phoenix Convention Center South redevelopment plan, capable of hosting large gatherings and accessible to both conventioneers and the general public.

An additional iconic downtown gathering space will provide the platform to host increased events and programming adjacent to the PCC, Mortgage Matchup Center, and Chase Field. The iconic space can also serve as an additional day to day public amenity/open space outside of events and programming and serve as a central civic gathering space for residents, regional visitors to downtown, and conventioneers and tourists.

KEY PARTNERS

• Community and Economic Development

• Office of Arts and Culture

• Planning and Development Department

• Parks and Recreation Depar tment

• Phoenix Convention Center

• Office of Heat Response and Mitigation

• Downtown Phoenix Inc.

• Phoenix Art Museum

• Heard Museum

• Phoenix Suns

• Arizona Diamondbacks

• Herberger Theater Center

• St. Mary’s Basilica

Topic B: Streetscape

IMPACT STATEMENT

Strengthening downtown’s streetscape, the interface between buildings and the street, while promoting diverse mobility options, will help aggregate a critical mass of people downtown, creating a more concentrated, yet diverse urban fabric. Enhancing multimodal connections through streetscape and mobility interventions will improve the experience between existing and new entertainment venues. A pedestrian-first approach is necessary to consider the transit modalities that pedestrians take to and from the district emphasizing sidewalks, lighting, shade, and street activation making moving between sites more comfortable, safe, and inviting.

OBSERVATIONS

Sidewalks are essential to mobility and defining the pedestrian experience, with the ability to activate the public realm and create a connected downtown. Wide sidewalks with shade, ample lighting, landscaping, seating, and dining opportunities create important third spaces and enhance pedestrian comfort and engagement.

While generally clean and well-maintained, many sidewalks remain utilitarian, lacking the comfort and character more suited to a vibrant entertainment district. Lighting is inconsistent, impacting safety and ambiance, especially during peak nighttime activity. Moreover, narrow sidewalks in critical locations make it difficult for people to walk together or pass and are less desirable for circulation. Additionally, the network is fragmented with circulation around the PCC unclear and connections to adjacent neighborhoods like Roosevelt Row and the Warehouse District spotty or underdeveloped, often with poor signage. Public amenities such as restrooms, pet waste stations, and trash receptacles are limited, and stakeholders consistently call for more public art and performance spaces.

Topic B: Streetscape

Since the redevelopment of the Block 23 site that had served as downtown’s large public gathering space for events like NCAA Final Four and NFL Super Bowl Fan Fest, downtown no longer has a flexible gathering space for civic events. Public places are increasingly being utilized to accommodate these needs, but the lack of dedicated gathering spaces in the public realm hinders opportunities for the unexpected moments that make a place special to occur. Relatedly, event-related clutter, such as traffic signs and barracades, often remain in public spaces long after the event has concluded, which detracts from the streetscape and impedes non-vehicular mobility.

Much of downtown’s streetscape improvements to date have been conducted in a piecemeal fashion out of necessity. downtown’s entertainment district has over the past two decades been the nucleus of many largescale development projects, evolving as needed as one project begins construction while another completes its redevelopment. These projects, private and public, often

responded to singular site conditions with an inward focus rather than interacting with and enhancing the surrounding environment. The entertainment district is at a point where more holistic design and implementation planning for streetscape improvements are needed. The City of Phoenix must employ high level design thinking in interactions between City departments and with private landowners to ensure that the resulting public realm (whether built by the City directly or by private developers) reflects a long-term and cohesive visual identity instead of one that is disconnected.

OPPORTUNITIES

Downtown’s streetscape, the interface between buildings and public streets, can play a crucial role as the venue for entertainment at the individual or group levels. To encourage greater connectivity between entertainment anchors and provide opportunities for more spontaneous experiences, new streetscape interventions should be employed at a range of scales, from tactical and site-specific, to comprehensive district wide.

Topic B: Streetscape

These interventions must result in streets that more effectively serve those traveling to and within downtown on foot, by bike, and via other micromobility options. This includes creating more visual interest via more flexible use of materials by public and private landowners and investing in amenities that promote comfort and encourage interaction in the public realm. For example, paving materials, shade amenities, chilled water stations, street and venue lighting, signage, and well-maintained, diverse landscape zones can be creatively utilized as visual identifiers that establish interest along the ground plane. This promotes clearer walking paths, evoking the idea of a yellow brick road or trail of breadcrumbs between destinations. In addition, these strategies can be applied to the interior corridors and spaces that have direct connections to the streetscape and various opportunity sites. The connection from Adams to 5th Street through the Phoenix Convention Center is one opportunity to integrate these design strategies and create a new, thermally protected corridor that can provide adjacent art space or food vendors to conventioneers, locals, and visitors.

Opportunities to experience art installations and performances in the public realm should be incorporated into streetscape improvements. Underutilized space and blank walls around downtown are ideal opportunity sites and corridors for art and performance spaces to strengthen connections between existing areas of activity and become destinations of their own. Whether through murals, sculptures, or interactive installations (temporary or permanent), artists can respond to existing conditions by utilizing these spaces as a canvas for their expression and encourage further evolution of downtown’s cultural identity.

In addition to the need for more art, the support for having day-to-day street performers and vendors was a high priority voiced by community stakeholders. Residents and visitors expressed the desire to have a changing experience with each visit to downtown Phoenix.

Topic B: Streetscape

Encouraging pop-up musical performances in open space from local artists, food trucks along streets, and other activation strategies in the public realm will build the audience for and further strengthen the identity of the Entertainment District.

Beyond streetscape interventions that create safer conditions, enhance visual interest, and strengthen connectivity for the day-to-day user, downtown stakeholders are exploring ways to enable flexible use of the existing streetscape to accommodate civic gatherings and special events of all sizes. Currently, the goal of this exercise is to identify an appropriate location that can host civic gatherings and

major events in the public right-of-way. This need was made more apparent following the development of the former Block 23 site that previously hosted large gatherings for concerts and major sports events. The use of Block 23 occurred in response to the loss of the original Patriot’s Square open space that was replaced by the CityScape development. If changes are made to existing streets to serve as the home for large, temporary events, those improvements must incorporate street design elements that make use safe and attractive outside of event closures. The resulting street improvements should create better conditions for the everyday user, not just event attendees.

Topic B: Streetscape

Equally important to streetscape improvements are the policy tools that support long-term investment in mobility and access. The City’s Parking Master Plan outlines strategies to reinvest parking revenues into infrastructure that supports walking, biking, and last-mile connections— critical components of a thriving entertainment district. By dedicating a portion of on-street meter revenue to a special fund, in collaboration with the Street Transportation Department and with City Council approval, the City can ensure a sustainable source of funding for these improvements.

Additionally, updating the Sunburst Event Management Plan to reflect the district’s growing residential population and multimodal transit options will help balance the needs of visitors and locals, making downtown more livable and accessible for all.

ACTIONS

B1. Conduct a streetscape master planning exercise and associated implementation plan that builds upon the priorities and recommendations in this report. This plan will guide DPI’s and the City’s shade and streetscape investments in downtown’s public rights-of-way. Capital investments for priority corridors designated in the plan should be included in the City’s Capital Improvement Plan and in the next GO Bond effort, with maintenance agreements executed between the City and DPI in coordination with the Street Transit Department and Office of the City Engineer.

DPI is a trusted partner who works closely with various City departments and private property owners to plant and maintain trees, landscaping, and some street furniture on behalf of the wider district. This work often unfolds on an ad-hoc basis, aligned with funding availability and coordination with partners. A master plan could go beyond replacement of trees in existing tree wells to include a kit of parts that improve streetscape environment at differing levels of intensity and investment. This could include expanded corners with seating and benches, rain gardens/stormwater collection sites, and structural shade elements where right-of-way conflicts are not amenable tree planting.

B2. Leverage the proposed Street Outdoor Event Space project to prioritize day-to-day pedestrian safety and comfort, traffic calming measures, and enhanced streetscape and beautification.

Streets Department and Downtown Phoenix Inc. are working together to plan improvements to a corridor in downtown that will enable greater flexibility for hosting major events in the public right-of-way. These improvements must include greater investment in street design elements that make this a safe and attractive corridor outside of event closures. Downtown Phoenix Inc.’s commitment to replacing the palm trees and other landscaping being removed in the median with shade trees on the sidewalks are a good start, but other design elements should be incorporated including mid-block crossings with special paving, bulb-outs, flexible landscape planters, and street furniture as coordinated by the Street Transportation Department.

Topic B: Streetscape DRAFT

ACTIONS

B3. Invest in on-street storage solutions paired with public art to house traffic signs and barriers used in facilitating event traffic.

Currently, the traffic maintenance signs to facilitate the Sunburst Plan are left out on the street in between uses, creating a less visually appealing atmosphere and presenting the risk of theft or vandalism. Storage units, containers, or mobile trailers could remove the signs and barriers from the public eye and provide a canvas for increased public art.

B4. Create a pedestrian-oriented east-west connection from 3rd Street to Heritage Square, from the PCC and across 5th Street to increase visual interest, access, and clarity of connections along the corridor. The pairing of Washington Street as a complimentary pedestrian-oriented east-west corridor will support circulation when the PCC is hosting events. Streetscape improvements and integration of art along Washington Street will help improve the pedestrian experience and create more connections throughout the Entertainment District.

The creation of a new, thermally protected corridor can provide pedestrians with spaces for art, food vendors, and other unexpected moments in a unique way. The use of paving as a visual identifier, through different materials and patterns as approved by the Streets Department, will help encourage exploration along a specific route or define a space to invite activation along this interior corridor. Incorporating shade structures and utilizing existing building shade can create extensions of the corridor, strengthening pedestrian connections to adjacent entertainment venues/sites.

B5. Invest in amenities identified in the streetscape master planning exercise, as described in Action B1. These amenities should include water stations, furniture, pet stations, and trash receptables and have clear locations identified for their placement.

The location for these amenities should be considered under the master planning exercise listed under Action B1.

B6. Continue to invest in 3rd Street as an intensified pedestrian-oriented north-south corridor, connecting the anchor entertainment destinations of Mortgage Matchup Center and Chase Field with the PCC, Canyon on Third, Herberger Theater, Roosevelt Row, and the Warehouse District to Rio Salado 3rd Street Pedestrian Bridge. This can be accomplished through improved conditions from shade, lighting, art murals/installations, and other streetscape interventions to enhance the pedestrian experience and encourage circulation along 3rd Street. Working with adjacent stakeholders to transition form a car centric street, Transitioning from a car-centric street to a multimodal street that promotes the use of micromobility programs and shared circulators, where compatible with Canyon on Third’s use as rentable space for PCC events, will improve accessibility and connections to all the adjacent entertainment destinations. Increased activation of the public realm in this primary corridor will help populate the spaces that stitch public and private developments together, while the transformation of existing entertainment venues will create opportunities for unexpected moments that attract exploration and wonder. Reference details of opportunity sites for PCC South, Canyon on Third, and The Lawn in Section 4 of Implementation Plan for site specific streetscape interventions.

ACTIONS

B7. Establish Jefferson and Washington Streets as primary pedestrian-oriented east-west corridors for the Entertainment District. Along Jefferson Street, this will connect the Collier Center to the PCC, Mortgage Matchup Center, and Chase Field with activations of sidewalks through improved landscaping, shade structures, lighting, and extensions of entertainment venues, retail, and food and beverage space as approved by appropriate City departments. Streetscape improvements and integration of art along Washington Street will help improve the pedestrian experience and create more connections throughout the Entertainment District.

Activation of sidewalks through improved landscaping, shade structures, and outdoor extensions of entertainment venues, retail, and food and beverage space will change the character of Jefferson Street and continue the momentum developing along Washington Street. Transformation of parking lots, garages, and underutilized sites into parks, cultural hubs, and new developments will create opportunities to further build upon the success of the major venues along the Jefferson Street Corridor. New, innovative strategies for signage will assist with circulation through the corridor during the day, while interactive lighting methods activate open spaces and animate the corridor at night. Reference details of opportunity sites for Market Station, Sonora Field, Plaza del Sol, and Lot on 3rd in Section 4 of Implementation Plan for site specific interventions.

B8. Coordinate with Street Transportation Department and Active Transportation to reevaluate. The City should assess the existing micromobility options to ensure full coverage of downtown, including strategic placement of adjacent to existing transit infrastructure, entertainment attractions, residential communities, hotels, and dining locations.

Reintroduce micromobility options, like the E-Bike, to pair with the electric scooters to diversify options to accommodate downtown Phoenix’s intergenerational community. A series of micromobility “stations” should be located strategically along key corridors and venues to promote continued exploration to/from other entertainment locations.

B9. Launch a pilot for a private downtown circulator in partnership with a corporate sponsor, connecting major destinations and enhancing accessibility in a way that is additive to the City’s existing public transit investments.

Topic B: Streetscape DRAFT

• Community and Economic Development Department

• Planning and Development Department

• Office of Heat Response and Mitigation

• Arts and Culture

• Phoenix Convention Center

KEY PARTNERS

• Arizona Diamondbacks

• Phoenix Suns

• Downtown Phoenix Inc.

• Street Transpor tation Department

• Parks and Recreation Depar tment

• Police Department

Topic C: Shade

IMPACT STATEMENT

All great cities prioritize interesting, walkable corridors between destinations, despite their own unique climate or weather conditions. By investing in and incentivizing new shade infrastructure while maintaining existing shade assets, downtown Phoenix will reach its fullest potential for connectivity, ensuring that entertainment and other destinations are walkable, regardless of the unique challenges posed by its Sonoran Desert climate.

OBSERVATIONS

Downtowns in cities of all climates and geographies largely rely on plentiful “free” shade that results from existing buildings and structures. Shade trees, awnings, balconies, and other shade structures add to create a comfortable environment for those walking or biking the city’s streets. And while Phoenix is not unique in this regard, its climate elevates the importance of shade infrastructure for making walking safe and comfortable. Like other elements of downtown’s streetscape, the amount and quality of shade varies by location and is largely dependent on site ownership, deployment of scarce resources, and coordination among parties in control.

Topic C: Shade

Essential corridors connecting downtown’s entertainment anchors, for example, are especially devoid of shade infrastructure. Intersections along much of Jefferson Street lack natural or built shade and the street light timing is such that pedestrians may be waiting on four corners of what feels like an extended period on a sunny day. Neglected trees can be found throughout downtown reducing the potential for shade and negatively impacting the visual quality and character of the district. Empty planting zones are also scattered throughout the district, drawing attention to areas where trees once lived. One corridor that provides consistent built shade to pedestrians from existing high-rise buildings is Washington Street. However, pockets of retail and business dispersed along this corridor that are paired with a lack of activation at the ground plane, currently challenge the creation of a strong East-West connection for the Entertainment District.

In a rapidly changing environment like downtown Phoenix, growing and mature street trees are often victims of progress. Development projects consistently remove mature trees along tree lined streets, often sanctioned by City of Phoenix, going against the city’s stated goals and regulations. While these trees are typically replaced, this restarts the long and slow process of a young tree’s struggle to adapt to the harsh heat island of downtown. This also has the effect of reducing the visual quality of a street with a consistent tree canopy derived from trees planted together at the same time. Trees not only provide shade for people, but also provide habitats for small birds, and visually soften the walking experience. Building robust shade requires diligence and close collaboration among all downtown players to maintain mature trees and work around them to ensure widespread shade coverage and curb appeal. Downtown Phoenix Inc.’s advocacy for greater street tree coverage and investment in tree plantings throughout its district are notable bright spots that need far wider deployment.

Topic C: Shade

Downtown’s urban typology is often seen as antithetical to the surrounding desert landscape—these are in many ways different ecosystems that support different types of life. Native trees, for example, often struggle to provide effective shade in planting areas that are ill-suited for their survival. In many cases, native desert trees have been replaced with tree species that have broader leaf structure with a goal to provide more shade and reduce maintenance. downtown stakeholders have long adopted a “right tree, right place” framework for planting trees that are well-equipped to surviving in downtown’s harsh environment. These often include non-native, desert-adapted species that grow faster and in a form more amenable to tight planting environments. While this is not unique to Phoenix, many visitors and stakeholders lament the absence of native Sonoran Desert flora in downtown. For visitors, seeing the indigenous trees in downtown is a way of experiencing what a desert city is like. Many visitors marvel over the unique character of desert trees, saguaro cactus and seek them out for photo opportunities.

OPPORTUNITIES

One of the main challenges that comes along with providing new shade is how to identify which areas need to be prioritized and which sites can maximize existing shade conditions. Understanding which type of shade is appropriate for each location and factoring in which season and times require the most shade due to extreme heat through studies that overlay existing shade conditions can help identify the areas with efficient coverage from buildings and which areas will need the most support. These studies and other similar strategies used to address locating shade should be considered for where public realm improvements and the comfort of those exploring downtown’s entertainment district.

Consistent and coordinated maintenance is necessary for the maturation and longevity of shade from trees. Downtown Phoenix Inc.’s tree planting and maintenance work through its Clean and Green Team should be expanded and

appropriately resourced so that they can effectively serve as managers of downtown’s urban forest. Enhancing downtown’s shade amenities through more intentional planting areas created to demonstrate the beauty of Phoenix’s natural landscape could complement the more suitable non-native trees used in sidewalks and would provide a missing ecological and cultural connection to the Sonoran Desert within downtown.

Additionally, the protection of existing healthy trees needs to be a priority for the City as new developments are commenced. These trees are essential to maintain existing shade across downtown Phoenix’s urban desert environment and take years to mature and produce shade. Development projects should work around sidewalk trees to avoid the replacement of mature trees previously invested in and the City should more actively enforce landscape plan compliance and expand tree removal penalties.

The use of manufactured shade through built structures and art installations provides another option for addressing extreme heat where trees are not feasible due to physical and spatial limitations. Super structures and large-scale shade pavilions can transform the highly exposed open space areas by providing thermal comfort, infrastructure for other uses like art installations and event spaces resulting in opportunities for new activities. Innovative designs for these new structures downtown can serve as a precedent to Phoenix’s commitment of becoming the most sustainable desert city, especially when integrating newer technologies for energy generation and climate control. City could revise its including permitting, inspection insurance, and regulations of overhangs in the public right of way when providing necessary shade coverage.

Topic C: Shade DRAFT

ACTIONS

C1. Empower and resource DPI to more fully play the lead role for planting, installation, and maintenance of trees and plantings in the downtown public right of way through more maintenance agreements with City departments and via fee-based agreements with private property owners. downtown Phoenix Inc.’s Clean & Green Team has built strong partnerships with City departments who govern landscape areas in the public ROW as well as private property owners who have contracted with them to manage their trees and other landscape assets. The Clean & Green Team’s regular presence downtown and their demonstrated body of work speak to DPI’s ability to serve as the go-to landscape manager for downtown’s tree canopy. The City should expand the landscape zones for which DPI is responsible and should divert resources from City departments to DPI via their annual contract. Precedents for this work include the Streetscape Improvement District, which DPI is contracted to manage on the City’s behalf.

C2. Ensure compliance with approved landscape and planting and landscape maintenance plans on private development in support of Shade Phoenix Action #16 on enforcing tree code and Action #25 on updating the City plan species guidance. Consider the role of desert trees and vegetation in the identity of the city for use in appropriate areas. Landscape can create wayfinding strategies with consistent use along corridors.

The City of Phoenix and DPI have made great strides in increasing shade canopy and increasing landscaped areas of respite in downtown at considerable investment. This work can be impeded when private property owners (and the City, in some cases) remove or fail to appropriately maintain landscape improvements that are part of their approved site plans. The City may leverage an amendment to Section 703.E of Phoenix Zoning Ordinance on the general landscape standards and requirements for all trees, plants, and cacti to recommend native or approved species for all trees, plants, and cacti within the Entertainment District area.

C3. Revise internal development approval processes to incentivize projects to maintain existing tree canopy (or replace or contribute to a replacement fund that accounts for the full value of canopy loss) on or adjacent to their sites.

Recognizing the benefits that mature shade trees provide in pedestrian areas, both in capital/planting investment, and ongoing cost of maintenance, developers and private property owners must be incentivized to maintain existing tree canopy or account for the loss of an asset that will take years to recover to its previous maturity and public value it provides. In particular, the City should require new developments to work within existing tree conditions, especially when developments occur along pedestrian corridors with consistent mature tree canopies. Any financial penalties for the removal of mature trees should be redirected into investments in new plantings.

C4. Review/audit projects built within last 10 years to ensure compliance with approved landscape plans, with additional reviews every 2 years moving forward, to support implementation of Shade Phoenix Action #16 to strengthen the enforcement of tree code.

Coinciding with increased attention to the necessity of shade for building a walkable, healthy pedestrian environment, the City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department and Neighborhood Services Department in partnership with Downtown Phoenix Inc. should conduct a review of all projects built since January 2015 to audit for compliance with City-approved landscape plans and use of revocable permits for shade elements in the public right-of-way.

Topic C: Shade

ACTIONS

C5. Explore potential modifications to City development permitting policies for downtown developments to encourage the creation of manufactured shade by way of building overhang in right of way.

• Community and Economic Development Department

• Planning and Development Department

• Downtown Phoenix Inc.

KEY PARTNERS

• Street Transpor tation Department

• Office of Heat Response and Mitigation

• Neighborhood Services

Topic D: Signage

IMPACT STATEMENT

The exploration of signage interventions will improve and elevate the overall experience of downtown for visitors, helping stitch the connections and shape the identity of downtown’s diverse areas and community.

OBSERVATIONS

Similar to the prioritization of shade interventions, signage needs to focus on the pedestrian and vehicular routes that will draw the most traffic and maximize engagement. Understanding that current signage for popular destinations within the entertainment district fits the character of its venue and likely will remain the same, attention can be focused on updating outdated media, wayfinding, and temporary signage conditions.

There is currently a wide range of different wayfinding and identification signage designs across the district, which can be confusing to visitors and does not effectively communicate cohesion. In addition, proper upkeep and collection of traffic signage and equipment that is used for downtown events can help limit confusion for those traveling through the city, while also improving the pedestrian experience along the sidewalks and streets of the entertainment district.

Stakeholders also spoke of the need to promote a visual sense of arrival to downtown for visitors and residents from other areas through wayfinding signage or entrance monuments.

OPPORTUNITIES

With the selection of Jefferson Street as one of the key corridors for the Entertainment District, upgrading static billboards and signage will help promote a more modern identity for downtown Phoenix. Creation of a digital signage district, interactive wayfinding kiosks, and other innovative signage strategies can transform Jefferson corridor and influence the implementation of similar techniques throughout the subdistricts of downtown Phoenix. New gateway signage into the Entertainment District, with the tactical placement of secondary signage and wayfinding, has the potential to establish a visual identifier for the district and define a character that best represents downtown Phoenix and its community.

The desire to establish Washington Street as another key corridor for the Entertainment District presents an opportunity to create a monumental entry that could double as a shade element. Introducing an innovative shade structure that spans over the bridge connecting the East Garage and Arizona Science Center could present an iconic, artistic piece to serve as a wayfinding element to those arriving downtown, whether that be by light rail, car, or pedestrian-oriented mobility.

Outdated directional signs should be updated with consistent themes supporting vehicular traffic to the parking garages and activity centers such as Arizona Center. The parking study indicated one way to address this without significant static wayfinding investments is through a digital app platform that can be promoted in lieu of an abundance of directorial signs that can further clutter the visual experience. More cohesive signage across the area can help signal the sense of a district and communicate the thematic connection of currently disparate destinations.

Topic D: Signage

Topic D: Signage

ACTIONS

D1. Explore the modification of current signage district regulations to allow for dynamic digital signage along Jefferson Street to emphasize the corridor as a dynamic entertainment environmentbranding the area as one of the unique nodes within the downtown experience.

The modernization of the digital signage district along a dynamic corridor like Jefferson Street calls for the utilization of dynamic signage techniques like animation and video advertisements. Specifically, the City should amend Section 705.C.1 of Phoenix Zoning Ordinance on animation of on-premises signs to permit animation within the Entertainment District area. Amendments to Section 705.C.13 on electronic message displays would also be beneficial to flexibility of messages. Additionally, the City should amend Section 705.C.6 of Phoenix Zoning Ordinance on illumination of signs. Currently, direct illumination is prohibited on signs from 11:00 pm until sunrise on any face exceeding 150 watts, which would present challenges for visibility in a 24/7 walkable district.

D2. Design and install gateway signage that serve as entry markers for downtown Phoenix at primary entry points giving a visual sense of arrival downtown for visitors.

Stakeholders spoke of the need to promote a visual sense of arrival to downtown for visitors and residents from other areas. Design funding could come from multiple sources, including the funds identified for the Wayfinding Signage Study or a partnership with Phoenix Office of Arts & Culture.

Implementation could be funded by future Percent for Arts funds from adjacent capital projects, Phoenix Office of Arts & Culture commission funds, future GO Bond funds, philanthropic support or public-private partnerships.

D3. Design and install secondary signage that represent subdistricts of downtown, e.g., “Roosevelt Row”, “Evans-Churchill District”, “Grand Avenue Arts District”, “Grant Park”, etc.

Signage is a way to celebrate and emphasize downtown as a collection of unique identities and distinct experiences. It will be important to embrace a certain level of flexibility of design to enabling representation of each subdistrict’s unique character within the context of the broader design aesthetic for downtown. This is reflected in the Wayfinding Signage Study recommended in the Parking Master Plan as “sign families” for distinct areas of downtown and design could be sourced through that RFP.

Implementation could be funded by future Percent for Arts funds from adjacent capital projects, Phoenix Office of Arts & Culture commission funds, future G.O. Bond funds, philanthropic support or public-private partnerships.

D4. Modernize signage assets and revisit the usage of “Legends Entertainment District” as the name for joint signage venture operations to reduce confusion with downtown as an entertainment destination more broadly.

Legends Entertainment District remains a valuable partner in supporting signage along Jefferson Street, however, usage of the term “district” creates additional ambiguity regarding the identity of the surrounding area, especially as the City works to establish the entertainment district around the Phoenix Convention Center.

KEY PARTNERS

• Community and Economic Development Department

• Planning and Development Department

• Phoenix Convention Center

• Arizona Diamondbacks

• Phoenix Suns

• Downtown Phoenix Inc.

• Legends Entertainment District

• Street Transpor tation Department

• Arizona Center

Topic E: Real Estate

IMPACT STATEMENT

Short term, targeted interventions will reactivate underutilized sites as strategic public funding and evolving market dynamics facilitate catalytic development projects, all in support of a reconnected urban fabric and activity from new uses in downtown.

OBSERVATIONS

The recent evolution of downtown is marked by a significant rise in real estate development activity. The rapid growth in downtown users, including residents, college students, and employees at companies who call downtown home shaped the demand for new development. Previously a neighborhood comprised of high-rise office towers interspersed with retail and surface parking lots, over the last decade downtown experienced a shift toward high density residential development and an increasing supply of both ground floor and standalone retail. Specifically, downtown added over 7,000 new residential units over the last decade. The shift in the density and form of development contributes to a better-connected urban fabric and a more active, vibrant downtown moving beyond the label as a central business district towards a collection of mixed-use, urban neighborhoods.

Despite shifting economic conditions, downtown will remain a target for increased real estate development, particularly multifamily housing, in the years to come. Additionally, downtown’s status as a destination for tourists and conventioneers will drive the development of new hotel rooms. While the continued influx of development will advance the cohesiveness of downtown as a mixed-use neighborhood, a significant share of parcels could remain as underutilized gaps in the built environment if not properly targeted for activation and eventually development.

Topic E: Real Estate

OPPORTUNITIES

Downtown already hosts a strong set of anchors, attracting users for conventions, theater, music, and sports. However, many of downtown’s greatest anchors draw internalized activity, events where users travel to their destination – oftentimes indoors – and then vacate downtown immediately after. Broadly speaking, new development can and has restored urban fabric by adding reasons for additional stops on a trip downtown, driving greater vibrancy and activity, which in turn helps catalyze further investment. Large scale projects will require coordinated, strategic planning and significant investment but offer the potential to deliver hundreds of new hotel rooms serving tourists and conventioneers, residential units to expand the downtown population, and additional retail as an amenity for all of downtown’s users.

Initial key developments will fulfill premium redevelopment opportunities or address sites at some of the most critical locations adjacent to downtown’s entertainment anchors along Jefferson Street. Each redevelopment will also present the opportunity to deliver an improved pedestrian-oriented streetscape experience by providing lighting, landscaping, and ground floor activation that advances the authentic identity of downtown.

The Real Estate Map – Activation and Redevelop Sites on page 62 establishes a comprehensive list of opportunities for both near-term reactivation and long-term development within the Entertainment District. The map and accompanying matrix of opportunities establish priorities for intervention. Given the timeintensive and capital-intensive nature of real estate development, prioritizing lower cost options to facilitate increased activation will be critical to increasing district activity in the near term. Targeted reinvestments in existing and potentially underutilized public or private spaces capable of hosting events and programming can provide a near term solution to stitching together gaps in the urban fabric.

Topic E: Real Estate

ACTIONS

E1. Advance the redevelopment of the Regency Garage by releasing an RFP to identify a development partner capable of delivering a mixed-use, full-service hotel to serve the PCC and downtown visitors. In addition to delivering new hotel rooms, the development should also implement recommendations outlined in the Adams Street Activation Study, specifically including lighting and landscaping to establish an authentic identity for the street as a front door of the PCC and the exploration of tenant signage perpendicular to the flow of traffic. Simultaneously, the project should capitalize on its prominent downtown location and proximity to the PCC by incorporating F&B and community/cultural tenants to provide ground floor activation as an amenity to conventioneers, hotel guests, and visitors to nearby cultural institutions (e.g., Herberger Theater, Symphony Hall, etc.).

E2. Establish an internal development and outreach strategy for the priority sites for future real estate development or increased activation. See the above Real Estate Map – Activation and Redevelop Sites for a map of opportunity sites and the table on the following page indicating the type of opportunity, priority, potential timeline, and ownership characteristics. A development and outreach strategy should consider viable actions based on current site control, particularly whether the property is publicly or privately owned.

E3. Ensure future redevelopment of the Phoenix Convention Center South Building facilitates the Entertainment District Study. To advance the redevelopment opportunity, the City and PCC should revisit the SmithGroup development concept to assess:

1) the financial viability of the proposed program, specifically the feasibility of a residential tower, luxury hotel, new convention and the new convention hall;

2) the viability of integrating a central open space within the plan to emphasize places for public gathering, as well as the potential for an iconic rooftop civic gathering and event space, and other amenities to attract visitation, such as a food hall; and

3) funding structures, including the potential to integrate elements of the project into an upcoming G.O. bond issuance.

Finally, the City and PCC should begin market sounding conversations with local and national developers to increase awareness and excitement surrounding the potential project while gaining a developer perspective on the preferred program.

The redevelopment will help to advance 4 goals:

1) provide a venue for near-term interim activation that aligns with the adjacent entertainment anchors

2) increase long-term activation along the Jefferson Street corridor, complementing both convention and sports/entertainment visitation

3) deliver new amenities such as a range of food and beverage options (food hall and fine dining) to attract new visitation to the site

4) deliver a new iconic civic gathering space that can serve as a core open space for downtown

The redevelopment program should draw on the concepts developed by SmithGroup to include new convention space connected to the North Building, a multifamily residential tower, and a luxury hotel tower. In addition to the existing concept, the program should include an iconic ground-level open space, rooftop gathering / event space, and retail capable of hosting a range of F&B options (fine dining and food hall/restaurant incubator).

Topic E: Real Estate

ACTIONS

E4. Revitalize the Jefferson Street Garage into an entertainment hub for gamedays and yearround activation by repositioning a portion of the ground floor closer to Jefferson Street. The repositioning could offer additional F&B space, increase heat mitigation infrastructure to enable year-round gathering, and pedestrianize the surrounding streetscape to increase street level activity.

Improved integration with the adjacent Chase Field, Mortgage Matchup Center, and PCC South building and increased ground floor activity will better position the garage as a connection point across key downtown entertainment anchors while improving both game day and non-gameday experiences around the stadiums. In the long term, the full redevelopment of the parking garage should be considered. A high-rise mixed-use property that expands the set of downtown’s everyday users with multifamily, hotel, or office could further enhance downtown. Any approach to full redevelopment must include considerations for replacing the existing parking capacity that serves the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks on gamedays.

KEY PARTNERS

• Community and Economic Development

• Phoenix Convention Center

• downtown Phoenix Inc.

• Phoenix Suns

• Arizona Diamondbacks

• Arizona Center

• Herberger Theater Center

• St. Mary’s Basilica

Topic E: Real Estate

SITE

(PRIORITY - 1 IS HIGHEST)

Redevelopment Opportunities

Phoenix Convention Center (PCC)

South Building (1)

TIMING

IMMEDIATE: <1 YEAR

SHORT: 1-2 YEARS

MEDIUM: 3-5 YEARS

LONG: 6+ YEARS

Jefferson Street Garage (1)

Regency Garage (1)

Garretson Parcels (2)

Collier Center (2)

Madison Parking Lot (3)

SITE OWNERSHIP

SITE CONTROL

City of Phoenix

City of Phoenix and Phoenix Convention Center

Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks Joint Venture

City of Phoenix

City of Phoenix and Phoenix Convention Center

Jefferson Place Partners LLC

John E. Garretson Living Trust

Corporation

Topic E: Real Estate DRAFT

GOALS FOR REDEVELOPMENT OR REINVESTMENT & ACTIVATION

The redevelopment program should draw on the concepts developed by SmithGroup to include new convention space connected to the North Building, a multifamily residential tower, and a luxury hotel tower. Ultimately, redevelopment should advance four goals:

1. Provide a venue for near term interim activation that aligns with the adjacent entertainment anchors

2. Increase long term activity along the Jef ferson Street corridor

3. Deliver new amenities such as a range of food and beverage options (food hall and fine dining)

4. Deliver a new iconic civic gathering space

See Action E3 for more details on the redevelopment strategy and goals for PCC South.

In the long term, given the garage’s key central location among three major downtown anchors in Chase Field, Mortgage Matchup Center, and the PCC, the site should be leveraged as a point of connection that enlivens the district. Potential uses could include open space or mixed use development with entertainment programming on the ground floor. Any future changes to the site would require a revised parking strategy, likely involving the use of adjacent parking structures to match the current supply at Jefferson Street Garage.

See Action E4 for an overview of a redevelopment strategy and goals for the Jefferson Street Garage.

Transform the site into a high-rise hotel with an activated ground floor hosting food and beverage opportunities for community organizations . The new hotel and active ground floor bolstered by a lively F&B scene will serve downtown’s need for more hotel rooms to support the PCC, provide amenities for conventioneers, residents, and patrons of the nearby arts and culture venues, and serve as a model for future PCC South hotel development.

Eventual development should fill a vacant gap along Jefferson Street, contributing to activity and providing shade along the key corridor. Additionally, the development should extend the existing activity and vibrancy of Central Avenue and 1st Street further south into the Warehouse District. The development typology should follow adjacent new buildings, employing an active, pedestrian oriented ground floor, mixed use podium. and high rise housing with housing, hotel, or office that continues to diversify the downtown user base. In addition to following the development style of adjacent buildings, development plans should incorporate the preservation of the existing Public Works Building into the broader site plan.

The current property owners are working to reposition the existing retail space on the site. Given the central location of the site along a key corridor for downtown (Jefferson Street), a renewed retail program, particularly one supported by a food and beverage program, will contribute to additional activity and vibrancy along the corridor.

Private development should target mid to high rise multifamily development to pull existing activity along Jefferson Street further south to facilitate better connectivity between Jefferson and the Warehouse District and a further energized Jackson Street.

Topic E: Real Estate

SITE

(PRIORITY - 1 IS HIGHEST)

TIMING

IMMEDIATE: <1 YEAR

SHORT: 1-2 YEARS

MEDIUM: 3-5 YEARS

LONG: 6+ YEARS

Parking Lots South of Mortgage Matchup Center (3) Long

SITE OWNERSHIP

SITE CONTROL

301 Jackson LLC

JTD Properties

Arena Park Place

Activation Opportunities

Chase Field (Ballpark, West Plaza, and Northeast Parking Lot) (1)

Short

Herberger Theater East Lawn (1) Immediate

Mortgage Matchup Center East Parking Lot and Suns Mercantile Building (1)

Chase Tower and Adjacent Parking Garage (2)

Short

Medium

Arizona Science Center (2) Short

East Garage (3) Long

Heritage Square (3) Immediate

Maricopa County

Arizona Diamondbacks

City of Phoenix

Herberger Theater

City of Phoenix Phoenix Suns

Viola Lordsmeer LP

City of Phoenix included in the Heritage Square parcel

City of Phoenix

City of Phoenix

Arizona Center (3) Immediate Arizona Center

Topic E: Real Estate

GOALS FOR REDEVELOPMENT OR REINVESTMENT & ACTIVATION

Private development should target mid to high rise development that could include housing, midscale or upscale hotel, and office supported by activity generating retail (F&B and entertainment) on the ground floor. The development program should act as a draw that is capable of pulling greater activity to the Warehouse District and Jackson Street. Any future development plans will need to account for replacing the existing parking capacity.

See Section 4: Diamondbacks Plaza and Sonora Field for an overview of an activation strategy for the Chase Field West Plaza and Northeast Parking Lot.

See Section 4: The Pavillion for an overview of an activation strategy for the Herberger Theater East Lawn.

See Section 4: The Lot on 3rd for an overview of an activation strategy for the Mortgage Matchup Center East Parking lot.

As the private developer reinvests in the Tower to attract new tenants, additional investments should better activate the quasi-public plaza surrounding the building. Small scale F&B stalls could serve new users of the tower and attract other downtown residents or workers while increased shade infrastructure could establish the plaza as a secondary civic gathering space.

Leverage the planned investment in the Arizona Science Center to connect the existing building to the proposed pedestrian oriented East-West connection through the PCC from 3rd Street to Heritage Square and to support the future redevelopment of PCC South.

In the near term, the City should explore opportunities to reconfigure the existing retail spaces to better attract tenants. Additionally, any reconfiguration of retail should consider the retail program at the future redevelopment of PCC South to ensure complimentary rather than competitive offerings.

Supported by increased connectivity to the PCC and downtown as a whole, Heritage Square should be publicized as a go to City controlled site available to community organizations to host programming.

The current property owners are advancing reactivation of the property with increased retail tenanting (4 new F&B concepts, three clothing stores, and art galleries), improvements to public art, signage, hosting the downtown Farmer’s Market and the 3rd Street facades. Additionally, they hey are fully occupied with educational space with ASU and private office space for SmithGroup on the 2nd and 3rd floor.

Topic F: Retail Activation

IMPACT STATEMENT

Diverse and well-curated retail, adding a fine-grained texture of activity between larger anchor institutions, can facilitate users’ seamless transition across downtown, driving foot traffic and enlivening the public realm, while also serving the distinct wants and needs of residents, workers, students, and tourists.

OBSERVATIONS

downtown Phoenix hosts an increasingly exciting retail community with over 300+ businesses, at least one third of which offer a food and beverage program and many of which are locally-owned. Recent development in downtown has established a wider customer base for retail offerings. The increased customer base, paired with a well-organized grassroots community development corporation, established a densely energetic retail cluster along Roosevelt Row. That node boasts a unique capacity to serve as a living room type space for some of downtown’s biggest gatherings (e.g., First Fridays), while remaining consistently activated as an equal parts arts and food destination on a day-to-day basis. In addition to the relatively recent success of the Roosevelt Row retail corridor, a long-standing food and beverage-oriented retail cluster serving downtown’s office workers is further bolstered by the developments of Cityscape and the former Block 23.

While population growth and the continued ascension of Phoenix’s profile on the national and international stage drive new demand for retail experiences, downtown cannot yet claim the diversity of offerings that similar destinations across the Valley or the United States are able to provide. The addition of Fry’s addressed a long-standing need for a grocery store, but the broad set of downtown users are still unable to find options for destination retail or a range of fine dining, meaning at times they seek those retail experiences elsewhere. Additionally, the level of retail-type activation of the streetscape, whether coordinated events or bespoke vendors, is not commensurate with the scale of downtown and Phoenix’s status as a leading city.

Retail offerings are also not evenly dispersed across downtown, with some notable gaps near major anchor institutions such as around the PCC and Chase Field. These gaps in retail activity can create disconnected pockets lacking liveliness across downtown and serve as a perceived obstacle that blocks users from finding their way to the next great experience.

Topic F: Retail Activation

OPPORTUNITIES

Phoenix can build on the recent gains in the downtown retail experience and advance a more cohesive network of activated retail spaces. In the immediate future, there is an opportunity to better connect existing retail nodes with temporary street level activation in vacant spaces through the Entertainment District. A curated approach to activation that could include a selection of local businesses and artists could establish a consistent presence along key corridors in downtown, offering a compliment to existing retail that would enhance the vibrancy of the pedestrian experience, encouraging visitors to explore offerings beyond their initial destination.

Even with a retail experience bolstered by temporary activation, clear physical gaps between downtown’s existing retail destinations may remain. Between long standing buildings and new mixed-use developments, downtown hosts many vacant or underutilized

retail spaces that could support activation. Targeted investments and support programs can support small businesses in accessing their first storefront retail space. As referenced in the Real Estate topic of this section, new development efforts must consider opportunities to provide new retail space to portions of downtown where there is a shortage of offerings.

Downtown is slated for significant future development, particularly marquee sites that the City currently controls, presenting the opportunity to shape the design and distribution of new retail spaces. Whether prioritizing active ground floor retail in the Regency Garage redevelopment that can host F&B and community gatherings to serve as an amenity to the PCC or prioritizing an expansive F&B program ranging from a food hall to fine dining for the redevelopment of PCC South, the City can play an active role in cultivating an increasingly diverse retail scene in more areas of downtown.

Topic F: Retail Activation

ACTIONS

F1. Promote temporary activations in vacant spaces in the Entertainment District along key corridors, focusing on primary corridors like Jefferson and 3rd Street (from Jefferson Street up to Roosevelt Row) and the secondary corridors that connect to key entertainment venues/sites (Adams Street, Monroe Street, Taylor Street, etc.)

Temporary activation must meet the regulations for type of use and services provided, ensuring activations are not just for the promotion/benefit of the individual business, but also the collective success of the downtown community that is shaping the identity/culture of the Entertainment District. Regulations could include requiring an official business license; use/service must be associated with local retailers, F+B, artists, performers, etc. that support the character of the Entertainment District.

F2. Leverage City owned real estate and philanthropic partnerships to establish a third-party property management organization that can offer subsidized retail space or artist studio space in support of the creation/growth of local small businesses. The City owns a significant amount of downtown real estate. Whether that real estate already includes retail space (East Garage) or may be redeveloped to include retail space (Regency Garage, PCC South, etc.), the City can leverage its ownership by leasing space at market rents to a third party operator supported by philanthropic funding sources or other capital, which can in turn offer subsidized retail space in support of the creation and growth of local small businesses, particularly those in the F&B and clothing industries. As the City explores this partnership structure, close coordination with legal staff should ensure the approach remains aligned with the requirements of the regulations of Arizona’s “Gift Clause”.

Filling vacant retail spaces can increase activity and foot traffic, diversify retail offerings, and serve as an amenity to distressed properties experiencing high vacancy in downtown. Typically, programs offering subsidized retail space are operated by non-profit, economic development-oriented entities (similar to downtown Phoenix Inc. or Local First Arizona) through partnerships with local landlords. Examples of similar programs can be found in Seattle Restored, downtown Austin Alliance’s Space Activation, or Fort Lauderdale’s Zero Empty Spaces programs. In the same way that those programs partner with downtown landlords at key locations to identify pathways to subsidized rents (philanthropic funding to offset rents or even accepting temporary activation at a lower rent to make use of otherwise vacant space), as a large downtown landlord, the City of Phoenix could partner with philanthropy and the non-profit community for City-owned retail space.

KEY PARTNERS

• Community and Economic Development

• Neighborhood Services Department

• Planning and Development Department

• Downtown Phoenix Inc.

• Local First Arizona

Topic G: Marketing & Branding

IMPACT STATEMENT

Downtown has evolved past its daytime employment and sporting event destination reputation and is becoming a place for visitors, employees, and residents of all types. More intentional marketing collaborations between institutions and a stronger focus on human-focused storytelling can amplify a brand that emphasizes the collection of experiences in downtown Phoenix that can’t be replicated anywhere else.

OBSERVATIONS

Downtown’s current success and growth trajectory owes largely to the efforts of many players who have consistently told its story through their specific voices. These stories have often centered on elevating downtown as a sports or major event destination, or reinforcing its image as an arts, entertainment, and employment hub to those most inclined to visit. This work has served to create a collection of captive audiences that views downtown as the place to be for their type of experience.

Downtown has since reached a new stage of maturity—one where it is becoming more widely perceived as a collection of unique neighborhoods or districts that hold a place for residents, students, employees, and visitors of all types during different times, not just for special occasions. These users are not just visiting (or living) downtown to have a singular experience; rather, they view downtown’s neighborhoods as a collection of places to gather, dine, experience cultural amenities, and share unexpected moments.

OPPORTUNITIES

Efforts to rebrand downtown Phoenix under alternative names have historically been met with skepticism by those who live, work, and spend leisure time in the area. This plan reaffirms— based on strong and consistent stakeholder input—that the most effective and authentic way to represent the city’s urban core is simply as “downtown Phoenix.” This straightforward identity resonates with users and reflects the area’s evolving character. As downtown continues to grow and diversify, so too should the ways in which it is marketed. Entertainment anchors and local businesses have a unique opportunity to collaborate with one another to reach more marketing channels to amplify this brand beyond traditional platforms. Events like ball games and concerts, while major draws on their own, can be promoted as part of a broader downtown experience—encouraging visitors to explore dining, nightlife, and cultural offerings before and after the main event. This approach not only enhances the visitor experience but also increases the duration, frequency, and economic impact of visits to downtown Phoenix. Downtown’s

Topic G: Marketing & Branding

growing audience for event and destination attendees, combined with its fast-growing residential population present multiple avenues to tell more human-centered stories. These stories can go beyond just how people experience downtown, but what those experiences mean to people from all walks of life. This can also include storytelling about our history—of downtown, of the City, the Valley, and the State. Downtown is but

one destination in a crowded field of regional draws, but also one that has the potential to be unlike any other due to its history and role that it has played and will continue to play. Targeted promotional efforts, especially in competing markets, can bring greater awareness of the many activities, entertainment destinations, or food and beverage options that are available to potential downtown visitors.

ACTIONS

G1. Hire a creative marketing agency to create an awareness campaign for the “downtown Phoenix” brand which will amplify downtown’s identity as a must-visit destination for regional residents in addition to tourists.

downtown is a major destination, but an increased focus on downtown’s history, local resident stories, and human connection can emphasize the many unique neighborhoods of downtown. An approach that tells the story of downtown as the array of neighborhoods will establish downtown as a place where people gather, dine, experience cultural amenities, and share unexpected moments. The creative marketing agency can explore ways to highlight and amplify Jefferson Street corridor and the area adjacent to the PCC. Additionally, the awareness campaign should emphasize the use of public transit as a means of accessing downtown.

G2. Facilitate a cohesive marketing strategy for cultural corridors, building on existing planning efforts for corridors that represent the different cultures or identities across Phoenix. Signage along the heritage/ cultural walking trails should align with the messaging and design aesthetic established by the marketing agency engaged under Action G1.

Cultural Corridors are being developed throughout Phoenix (Central City South, Rio Salado, Central Avenue/ Central Idea, Heritage Square, Miracle Mile (McDowell). All are relevant for connections between downtown and its surrounding neighborhoods. Similar examples include Tempe Historic Sites and Papago Park, and Gilbert Heritage Walk. Coordinate the collection of art pieces/landmarks across downtown and along the light rail to connect all cultural areas.Utilize partner’s existing event calendar assets to promote a wide-range of cultural, artistic, and general events in each corridor and throughout downtown.

KEY PARTNERS

• Community and Economic Development

• Phoenix Convention Center

• Communications Office

• Office of Arts and Culture

• Downtown Phoenix Inc.

• Visit Phoenix

• Arizona Diamondbacks

• Phoenix Suns/Phoenix Mercur y

• Arizona Science Center

• Herberger Theater Center

• Roosevelt Row CDC

• Phoenix Symphony Hall

Topic H: Governance and Funding

IMPACT STATEMENT

As the City pursues the tactics to create an active and connected collection of entertainment destinations in downtown, it will need to utilize already-existing tools, explore new ways of using existing tools, and, where necessary, create new mechanisms to fund and implement these tactics.

OBSERVATIONS

Phoenix’s growth has been exceptional in terms of new residents, companies, jobs, and overall vitality. Much of this owes to policies and investments that the City has made to diversify its economy, build new housing options, revitalize underinvested neighborhoods, invest in new transportation modes, and plan for a more urban and sustainable future. From this standpoint, downtown can be observed as a distillation of these policies and investments in one compact geography.

The policies the City has relied on for growing into the country’s fifth largest are similar to those utilized to encourage downtown’s transformation over last 20+ years. This includes direct investment of public funds into projects like the light rail starter line, the PCC’s West and North Building’s expansions, development of the Sheraton Phoenix downtown, or improvements like the Hance Park Master Plan or development of Civic Space Park. Other successes can be attributed to innovative partnerships the City has led with collaborators like in the case of Arizona State University’s significant downtown Campus expansion, the redevelopment of the former Block 23 site into the CityScape project, and renovation of the home arena for the Phoenix Suns and Mercury, and numerous other residential, hospitality and other projects developed via City policy and financing incentives.

The City continues to utilize tools like Government Property Lease Excise Tax (GPLET) incentives, General Obligation (G.O.) Bond program funds, and partnerships with public and private entities, especially in the case of its close relationship with Downtown Phoenix Inc. and their resultant management of the Enhanced Municipal Services District, to continue investments in downtown.

Topic H: Governance and Funding

OPPORTUNITIES

For downtown to realize its fullest potential as an 18hour live, work, and play district, the City will need to: continue utilizing all policy and funding tools at its disposal, strengthen its relationships with critical implementation partners, and create additional mechanisms to fund and implement an array of public and private projects that remain critical to this vision.

The 2023 G.O. Bond identifies projects and funding for several downtown projects managed by various departments and efforts should be made to align these investments with this Plan, where possible, to increase their combined effects. Traditionally, these have included funding for uses such as:

• Heat Resiliency Funds for Tree Planting, Green Infrastructure, and Cool Corridors projects that can connect anchors with surrounding neighborhoods.

• Equity Based Transpor tation Mobility projects to improve pedestrian and bicycle connections with trees, shade, and protected bike lanes between the core of downtown to neighborhoods immediately to the south.

• Arts and Culture bond-funded projects that are themselves downtown entertainment destinations and should be more intentionally connected with other anchors including Children’s Museum of Phoenix Expansion, Phoenix Center for the Arts Theater Improvements, and the Latino Cultural Center development, especially along corridors that connect to entertainment anchors - 1st Street, 3rd Street, Central.

The City’s use of GPLET was defined with more specific goals and procedures in its 2022 policy update (Policy #C106). This update explicitly names the creation of an “Entertainment District”

Topic H: Governance and Funding

as a goal but also more generally espouses goals that are well-aligned with the recommendations in this report including promoting better and more walkable connections between downtown neighborhoods and centers of activity, providing more opportunities for retail and other small and groundfloor businesses, and creating more open space, public art and overall improved public realm.

Streetscape improvements, shade, and public art are investments that will require more significant funding and innovative governance structures. A useful precedent to advance these projects is the Streetscape Improvement District that was created by Council in the 1990s and which is overseen by Downtown Phoenix Inc. Expansion of the current district or creation of new districts should prioritize connecting areas of downtown that are already heavily trafficked on foot, have new residential or commercial development that is amenable to increased pedestrian traffic, and/or connects critical entertainment anchors more intentionally. The following corridors should be considered at minimum:

• Jefferson Street from 1st Avenue to 7th Street

• Washington Street from 1st Avenue to 7th Street

• 3rd Street from Monroe to Lincoln Streets

• 5th Street from Fillmore to Lincoln Streets

• 2nd Street from Polk to Mortgage Matchup Center and south of Mortgage Matchup Center to Lincoln Street

• 1st Street from Hance Park to Grant Street

Additional revenue for streetscape, shade, and public art improvements could be generated through a Percent for Art Program applicable to private developments downtown, and from increased diversion of parking meter revenue in the Parking Special Revenue Fund in coordination with the Street Transportation Department.

More generally, implementation of the recommendations in this plan will need to draw on other sources that require policy or tax changes or creating new ways of co-governance with strategic partners, including, but not limited to:

• Incorporating the more capital-intensive recommendations in the City’s next G.O. Bond program will be a crucial need for which planning should commence.

• The Downtown Phoenix Enhanced Municipal Services District, especially as managed by Downtown Phoenix Inc., has been a crucial champion and shepherd of downtown’s growth since the district’s inception in 1990. To ensure the district’s funding and programmatic offerings are best positioned to support downtown’s next era of growth and maturation, the district should conduct a benchmarking study to understand its comparative position relative to other major metro BIDs in the country, with special focus on revenue, budget, and infrastructure investment and management.

• Supplementing the City’s capital investments via the Capital Improvement Plan, and next round of G.O. Bond funds, the City and DPI should partner on seeking implementation funds via philanthropic support.

In the pursuit of funding and planning for the interventions of this Plan, the City should continue to maintain and strengthen its relationships with major private and non-profit stakeholders who will be critical to the Plan’s implementation. The City should also see this Plan as an opportunity to form stronger partnerships with other stakeholders, notably with organizations and institutions from Phoenix’s vibrant arts scene to both create unexpected experiences and authentically embed the full spectrum of Phoenician culture, including Latino and Indigenous cultures, across downtown. Potential partners could include the Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center, Roosevelt Row CDC, Phoenix Children’s Museum, Phoenix Art Museum, Heard Museum, and Artlink Inc.

Topic H: Governance and Funding

ACTIONS

H1. Utilize increased interdepartmental coordination to execute projects identified in the 2023 General Obligation Bond that will create greater mobility, streetscape, and shade connecting downtown’s entertainment anchors and adjacent neighborhoods.

Various departments have projects that were approved as part of the 2023 General Obligation bond that can realize elements stakeholders have identified as critical to the creation of a more lively urban built environment downtown. The 2023 GO Bond identifies projects and funding for several downtown projects managed by various departments and efforts should be made to align these, where possible, to increase their combined effects. These include:

• Heat Resiliency Funds for Tree Planting, Green Infrastructure, and Cool Corridors projects that can connect anchors with surrounding neighborhoods.

• Equity Based Transpor tation Mobility projects to improve pedestrian and bicycle connections with trees, shade, and protected bike lanes between the core of downtown to neighborhoods immediately to the south.

• Arts & Culture bond-funded projects that are themselves downtown entertainment destinations and should be more intentionally connected with other anchors including Children’s Museum of Phoenix Expansion, Phoenix Center for the Arts Theater Improvements, and the Latino Cultural Center development, especially along corridors that connect to entertainment anchors - 1st Street, 3rd Street, Central.

H2. Utilize the Streetscape Master Planning and Shade Phoenix Plan as the basis for soliciting philanthropic support from private donors, crowdfunding campaigns, adopt-a-street efforts, and other grant funding.

Supplementing the City’s capital investments via the Capital Improvement Plan, and next round of GO Bond funds, the City and DPI should partner on seeking implementation funds via philanthropic support.

H3. Leverage strategic partnerships with organizations and institutions from Phoenix’s vibrant arts scene to both create unexpected experiences and authentically embed Latino and Indigenous cultures across downtown. Potential partners could include the Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center, Heard Museum, Phoenix Art Museum, Roosevelt Row CDC, Phoenix Children’s Museum, and Artlink, Inc. In addition to facilitating partnerships, engagement with organizations should assess and rectify the physical barriers that often preclude members of the Latino or Black community from accessing downtown despite driving its vibrant arts scene.

Increased instances of interactive public art will provide additional activation and authentically embed Latino or Indigenous cultures across downtown. There are two pathways to expand on the existing arts programming: Extending existing events onto the streetscape or into the public space will attract additional visitation and provide greater vibrancy as new users stumble upon the programming. For example, the Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center and Artlink, Inc. already host events in their respective gallery spaces within downtown and the Heard Museum and Arizona Center have a robust calendar of events that could be extended to additional locations in downtown like Civic Space Park or Heritage Square.

Topic H: Governance and Funding

ACTIONS

H4. Study the expansion of a new streetscape improvement district(s) within the Enhanced Municipal Services District for the purpose of funding capital improvements and maintenance of enhanced streetscape corridors that connect downtown’s entertainment anchors.

The current Streetscape Improvement District was approved by Council in the 1990s and maintained by Downtown Phoenix Inc. Expansion of the current district or creation of new districts should prioritize connecting areas of downtown that are already heavily trafficked on foot, have increased residential or commercial development that is amenable to increased pedestrian traffic, and/or connects critical entertainment anchors more intentionally. The following corridors should be considered at minimum:

• Jefferson Street from 1st Avenue to 7th Street

• 3rd Street from Monroe to Lincoln Streets

• 5th Street from Fillmore to Lincoln Streets

• 2nd Street from Polk to Mortgage Matchup Center and south of Mortgage Matchup Center to Lincoln Street

• 1st Street from Hance Park to Grant Street

• Phoenix City Council

• Office of the City Manager

• Community and Economic Development Department

• Phoenix Convention Center

• Street Transpor tation Department

KEY PARTNERS

• Finance Department

• Office of Arts and Culture

• Office of Heat Response and Mitigation

• Downtown Phoenix Inc.

• Arizona Diamondbacks

• Phoenix Suns/Phoenix Mercur y

• Arizona Science Center

• Herberger Theater Center

• Roosevelt Row CDC

• Phoenix Symphony Hall

04 SECTION FOUR Intervention Areas

Intervention Areas

The exploration of potential strategies and improvements throughout downtown Phoenix, paired with comments and feedback from community engagement, led the consultant team to the identification of several opportunity sites for the Entertainment District. The opportunity sites present a variety of conditions that encourage unique design interventions and the overlaying of multiple strategies from this plan to help achieve its goals.

The opportunity sites for the Entertainment District include enhancing the connections among existing sports and performance venues that are spread out across downtown, creating urban islands of entertainment and activity in the city’s core. Of critical importance is the need to strengthen connections between these venues and their surrounding communities. A focus on tactical interventions will help maximize the return on investment, as well as break down physical and social barriers currently limiting growth. Activation of the spaces between these critical sites will build upon the culture and history of downtown, utilizing existing and new infrastructure to provide a unique, intergenerational experience for the Entertainment District.

While this study has identified many opportunity sites throughout downtown, ten catalyst locations are essential to establishing a lively and connected Entertainment District experience. These catalyst locations are:

1. Phoenix Convention Center (PCC) South Building (3rd-5th Street & Jefferson)

2. Jefferson Street Garage (3rd-4th Street & Jefferson)

3. Chase Field Plaza (4th Street & Jefferson)

4. North Parking Lot of Chase Field (7th Street & Jefferson)

5. Mortgage Matchup Center Plaza (1st Street & Jefferson)

6. Northeast Parking Lot of Mor tgage Matchup Center (3rd Street & Jefferson)

7. Canyon on 3rd at PCC North and West Buildings (3rd Street)

8. East Lawn of Herberger Theater (3rd Street & Monroe)

9. Northwest Parking Lot of St. Mary ’s Basilica (3rd Street & Van Buren)

10. Interior Corridor of PCC North and West Building (2nd-5th Street)

Each design intervention proposes new programs and activation opportunities, along with proposed sequencing for the site’s evolution (i.e., pilot projects, events, and future redevelopment). The proposed sequencing for each site contemplates an approach that stimulates interest and funding for future capital improvements, offers vibrancy in the meantime, and establishes related place-specific behavior.

PCC South Expansion

Phoenix Convention Center South Building –3rd-5th Street & Jefferson Street

The redevelopment of the PCC on the site of the current South Building is central to the Entertainment District, serving as one of the major venues and sitting at the corner of two major corridors. Activation of the ground plane along Jefferson, Washington, and 3rd Streets will provide new opportunities for food and beverage and retail spaces, with connections to a new public plaza protected by the shade of the new towers and trees. Two new towers, with hotel and market driven supportive development, will introduce a new central hub for residents and visitors, providing close proximity to many of the Entertainment District’s venues and attractions.

DETAILS: SEQUENCE:

• An iconic new central public space, including opportunit y for indoor-outdoor connections for public programming, creating a new center for public gatherings downtown.

• Food, beverage, and retail spaces provided on the ground level of hotel and residential towers, enhancing Jefferson, Washington, and 3rd Streets, offering the opportunity to support new uses not yet present in downtown (e.g., food hall).

• Convention expansion to include new meeting/conference space, galleries, and integrate with new food and beverage, retail, and public spaces.

• Road providing valet ser vice and covered spots for exclusive cars; also could serve as an extension of food, beverage, and retail spaces.

• Signage for local venues and events on the facades of tower bases.

• Exterior corridor connection between Collier Center and retail in Level 1 of East Garage. Oppor tunity to create unexpected moments in the space; art corridor with murals and installations, rotating interactive gallery, etc.

Event - Continue/Expand PCC events. Maintain programming along 3rd Street and increase long term activity along the Jefferson Street corridor.

New - New South Convention Building with towers for with hotel and market driven supportive development. Tower Base features opportunities for new amenities such as a range of food and beverage options and a new iconic civic gathering space.

Market Station

Jefferson Street Garage - 3rd-4th Street & Jefferson

Opening the double height space of the north end of the Jefferson Street Garage and the adjacent historic building creates a double-sided pavilion to enhance the gameday experience for Chase Field and the Mortgage Matchup Center. The renovation adds formal and informal mercantile uses and expands the light rail stop giving it greater significance as a major transportation hub for big game and convention activities, as well as local patrons. The new public space provides a shaded corridor that centrally connects the sports venues and offers opportunities for vending like food stalls, farmers markets, and sales of sports memorabilia.

DETAILS:

• Remove facades at north, east, and west ends of the garage.

• Open historic building to garage side with local food and culture.

• Revise sidewalk/curb/surfaces to better connect from east to west.

• Expand the “misted zone” from the Chase Field Plaza to the Mortgage Matchup Center to ensure comfort, especially in the hotter seasons.

• Remove pedestrian bridge between garage and Mor tgage Matchup Center; rework vertical circulation of garage.

• Modernize “Legends” signage with more immersive and/or dynamic content.

• Incorporate new tree plantings for both softening and shade.

• Enliven with environmental and artistic lighting threaded through the garage to establish continuity across the hardscape that connects venues for both sports teams.

SEQUENCE:

Pilot - Free vendor spots, selected by lottery, with an emphasis on local businessesMonday, Wednesday, Friday and game days.

Event - Pre- and post-games, Art Detour exhibition space, Viva Phoenix performance space.

New - Remove garage for higher use that expands public space and connectivity; new food, beverage, and retail options. Intertwine infrastructure needs with greater number of uses.

Diamondbacks Plaza

Chase Field Plaza - 4th Street & Jefferson

The redesign of Diamondbacks Plaza into an entertainment hub is centered around the connection of the ballpark plaza, private on-site buildings, and Chase Field. Weaving the programs of these three spaces creates a new destination and provides complementary uses to Jefferson Street Garage and PCC South. The new plaza presents a stage for pop-up vendors and organized events that can function independently or as an amenity to events at Chase Field. Shade, from both trees and solar canopies, provides a space for visitors to escape the heat and socialize. No longer serving as a one-stop destination, the Diamondbacks Plaza provides locals and visitors with several activity options for an entire evening of entertainment.

DETAILS:

SEQUENCE:

• Redesign the hardscaped area at the corner of Jefferson and 4th Streets with shade structures, trees, and landscaped zones to create pockets for activities.

• Activate the space between Chase Field and Guy Fieri’s/Spor tsbook Building. Take advantage of the existing shade from the solar canopies by hosting vendors for game day, farmer’s markets on the weekend, art installations, etc.

• As part of the overall improvements to the ballpark, redesign the Guy Fieri’s/Sportsbook Building to open out and present the program to 4th Street, creating a visual connection between the activity at Chase Field and Jefferson Street Garage improvements.

• Open up solid portions of the northwest facade of ballpark and activate the space with food and beverage on gamedays with operable glass doors.

• Create a landscape buffer with a mix of native and desert-adapted trees and plants along the light rail guardrail, providing visual comfort to pedestrians.

Pilot - Vendor spots outside of Chase Field on game days. Promote happy hour/discount deals at Guy Fieri’s/Sportsbook Building after games to encourage continued engagement.

Event - Pre-and post games, event-free weekends.

New - Redesign ballpark plaza, private buildings, and Chase Field into a cohesive hub of activities.

Sonora Field

North Parking Area of Chase Field7th Street & Jefferson

This corner welcomes visitors to a desert city. Mounded desert and grass landscapes marry the opportunity to experience the unique desert landscape of the region with playful natural grass mounds—opportunities to experience, play, or sit. A network of paths promotes the flow of people from nearby parking venues to venue waiting areas. New venues on the north support pregame and post-game food and beverage options. Curating a mix of local businesses in the retail spaces in the East Garage connects visitors to PCC South, Heritage & Science Park, Chase Field, and Mortgage Matchup Center.

DETAILS:

SEQUENCE:

• Create a public park with a mix of desert native and desert-adapted landscaping, grass mounds, benches, lighting, and infrastructure to extend the mist zone for event days at Chase Field. This would be an ideal location for visitors to encounter a saguaro—a key request as voiced by stakeholders.

• Replace the “Legends” marquee with other forms of shade and experiential art.

• Update the advertising installations on the East Garage to create dynamic video signage.

• Modernize “Legends” signage with improved visual displays and revised visual content of advertisements

• Incorporate new tree plantings for both softening and shade.

• Enliven with environmental and artistic lighting threaded through the garage to establish continuity across the hardscape that connects venues for both sports teams. Open up solid portions of the northwest facade of ballpark and activate the space with food and beverage on gamedays with operable glass doors.

Pilot - Vendor spots outside of Chase Field on game days. Provide temporary shade structures to create space to gather pre- and post-game.

Event - Pre- and post-game, event-free weekends.

New - Remove parking lot and replace it with a park space for visitors that represents desert identity. Incorporate accessible parking within redesigned corner and in local garages with accessible routes to the entry.

Plaza del Sol

Mortgage Matchup Center Plaza - 1st Street & Jefferson

The openness of a new outdoor plaza establishes a theater-in-the-round-style space to complement the surrounding urban fabric. The plaza embraces its openness, capable of operating as a public gallery boasting nationally significant public art installations that attracts visitors, whether temporary or permanent. The plaza embraces the collection of activities that form along 1st Street, Jefferson Street, and the nearby light rail station.

DETAILS:

SEQUENCE:

• Orient new developments at adjacent properties so their facades to face the plaza with a mostly continuous digital display

• Commission place-specific nationally significant public art at a civic scale that considers social and environmental climate in its expression.

• Expand the civic programming of the space for everyday activities such as music, public performance, games, and outdoor dining.

• Create a landscape buffer with a mix of native and desert-adapted trees and plants along the light rail guardrail, providing visual comfort to pedestrians.

Pilot - Promote daily, weekly, and monthly cadences of interactive performance or pop-up art exhibitions for community gatherings; set example for ‘unexpected moments’ and build an audience.

Event - Arts in the Plaza (similar to Tempe’s ‘Arts in the Park’) on event-free weekends.

New - Redesign plaza with sculptural shade structures and lighting, design for flexible-use/ activity.

The Lot on 3rd

Mortgage Matchup Center Parking Lot - 3rd Street & Jefferson

The Lot on 3rd presents an opportunity for a new venue for a wide range of programs and activities near the Mortgage Matchup Center and other destinations in the downtown core. The outdoor venue can become a home for large-scale gatherings - sports fans can come together to watch the Triple Crown, music fans to catch the latest local act, or pre- and post-event activities at the arena. A new shade structure spans the entire space, offering opportunities for both large-scale events and multiple smaller scale programs through the division of the space. Private events hosted by the Mortgage Matchup Center can transform the space into a unique performance amenity, while local groups can activate the space at all other times of the year for temporary uses such as creative performances or markets. As a featured destination along 3rd Street and Jefferson, the Lot on 3rd presents year-round entertainment opportunities to locals and visitors of Phoenix.

DETAILS:

SEQUENCE:

• Convert the parking lot at 3rd Street and Jefferson Street into a year-round flexible use space. The space should be open to the public and could be used for events related to Mortgage Matchup Center programming or as a venue for community organized events when the Arena is inactive.

• Adapt the historic Sun Mercantile Building to include new enter tainment and cultural uses, such an art gallery, restaurant, events venue, or a brewery. The new uses should tie into the flexible space outside and be an amenity of the Mortgage Matchup Center and Entertainment District. A venue that has a changing program over time can add more repeat visits to downtown.

• Create a landscape buffer with a mix of native and desert-adapted trees and plants along the light rail guardrail, providing visual comfort to pedestrians.

Pilot - Promote daily, weekly, and monthly cadences of interactive performance or pop-up art exhibitions for community gatherings; set example for ‘unexpected moments’ and build an audience.

Event - Pre- and post amenities that support games/events.

New - Redesign parking lot with new shade structure, new plaza with flexible programming layout, adaptive reuse of Sun’s Mercantile Building.

Canyon on 3rd

Phoenix Convention Center - 3rd Street

Improvements to the Canyon on 3rd should focus on enhancing its current identity. The transformation of existing convention-only food and retail venues into day-to-day services provides locals and visitors with convenient amenities. Adding shared spaces along 3rd Street creates opportunities for activation: whether space for food trucks, pop-up vendors in the drop-off zones, or open space for street performers and musicians. Private courts are transformed into public spaces for sculpture gardens and shade pavilions. While the buildings and existing trees already provide a great deal of shade around the PCC, continuing the placement of trees along the sidewalk will create a more comfortable environment to entice pedestrians to travel further along the corridor.

DETAILS:

SEQUENCE:

• Incentivize convention attendees and employees to visit nearby storefronts outside the convention center for food and beverage choices. Leverage the underutilized, private courtyards adjacent to convention rooms as a rotating exhibition space or a publicly accessible court with connection to 3rd Street.

• Install new paving and materials to create visually separate drop-of f areas along 3rd Street and establish flexible space for public activation when there are no planned convention events. Allow for non-convention event gathering in an area that already successfully accommodates event on weekdays

• Provide greater wayfinding/directory to other areas of the city for amenities

• Active and improve visibility of PCC’s first floor retail spaces along 3rd Street.

• Incorporate opportunities for murals, ar t installations and improve interactive signage throughout the Canyon on 3rd.

Pilot - Continue to activate outdoor space and direct visitors to local venues.

Event - Continue Canyon on 3rd events.

New - Improvements to Canyon on 3rd with updates to streetscape, food/concession venues, and private courtyards. Improve entries to the existing convention center to promote greater visibility and transparency.

The Pavilion

Herberger Theater - 3rd Street & Monroe Street

The Pavilion serves as an extension of one of Arizona’s foremost arts institutions, Herberger Theater, introducing a unique venue for the community to engage with the performing arts. The Pavilion features a state-of-the-art stage for a variety of concerts and performances. A new solar pavilion serves as an innovative and sculptural structure, providing shade to patrons during the day and opportunities for interactive lighting at night. A new building on the south end of the Pavilion doubles as a coffee shop for day-to-day public use and a full-service bar to serve public and private performances. The Pavilion with its lawn presents an exciting new program to Herberger Theater, helping expand its audience and creating new connections to the Entertainment District.

DETAILS:

• The addition of a permanent stage for ar t performances, concerts, and shows.

• A permanent shade structure over the Pavilion for event seating, markets, galleries, or daily local/visitor uses.

• A new building on the south end of the Pavilion to serve as a multi-functional food and beverage space, with both day-to-day and event- focused functions.

• The corners of the Pavilion are adaptable for food trucks and vendors that will support events at Herberger Theater and the Pavilion.

• An indoor-outdoor service window will convert the interior bar of Herberger Theater to a full-service bar for both performances and outdoor events.

SEQUENCE:

Pilot - Continue to promote pop-up concerts and performances that are open to the public and free of charge; build up the audience for Herberger Theater and local performing arts groups.

Event - Nights on the Lawn, bi-monthly event that can complement Roosevelt Row’s First Fridays and serve as an amenity for Canyon on 3rd

New - Redesign plaza with new shade pavilion, stage, and building, design for flexibleuse/activity.

Reflection Space

St. Mary’s Basilica North Parking Lot - 3rd Street & Van Buren Street

The conversion of the parking lot into a Reflection Space will introduce a new place for the community to gather and reflect. Open to the public, the space lends a contemplative respite to find shade and quiet in an energetic downtown. As a work of art, the shade structure that spans multiple small-scale gathering places that can support flexible uses and share the history of the Catholic Diocese importance placed on conversation and reflection and actions in supporting community over time. Welcoming to all people, the central plaza and courtyard have the ability to serve as everyday reflection for the public and onsite residents, while also having the necessary infrastructure to support events.

DETAILS:

SEQUENCE:

• A new pavilion, with a shade structure and small-scale building and gathering spaces would be operated by St. Mary’s and the Diocese of Phoenix, but open to the community for shared use with a flexible program.

• Art that includes story telling expands this point of pride to further convey the history of the St. Mary’s Basilica and the Diocese in building assets for the entire community.

• A landscape buffer with desert trees and plants along 3rd Street and Van Buren to provide shade, welcoming those on their way to Roosevelt Row, the Arizona Center, or the PCC.

Pilot - Continue to invite all people to the landscaped space, relocate parking at this corner and invite pop-up events along with First Friday’s on the corner.

Event - Silent Auction, supports local artists and sculptures and presents opportunities to raise donations for charity groups to support funding for the Reflection Space.

New - Redesign parking lot with new pavilion, central plaza and courtyard, and new trees/ landscaping.

5th Street Canopy

5th-7th Street & Adams Street

Given the potential of 5th Street as a key corridor within the Entertainment District, there is an opportunity to create a new open space connection between the PCC North Building and Arizona Science Center. The expansion of the Arizona Science Center Creative Building’s west lawn creates a new park space for the community by removing existing site walls and the drop-off lane. The addition of a shade structure that spans 5th Street can connect the PCC North’s interior corridor to this new park, while the surrounding open space provides opportunities for locals and visitors to gather and watch street performances. Improved signage and wayfinding guide circulation through this corridor, enlivening an area that is currently treated as a “backdoor” for the PCC.

DETAILS:

SEQUENCE:

• Transform the 5th Street drop-off parking by removing the existing wall and extending the open space to street’s edge to maximize usable public space.

• In addition to shade trees in the new open space, a new structure with overlapping shade canopies extends and spans the street to provide shade up to the interior corridor of the PCC North Building.

• Events and markets can use Adams and 6th Street as a vendor corridor, while day-to-day use remains as a primary drop-off for groups visiting Heritage Square and the Arizona Science Center.

Pilot - Organize local neighborhood gatherings, groups, and clubs to meet at new park space.

Event - Joint monthly event with Heritage & Science Park to activate their four-square blocks.

New - Redesign Science Center Creative Building’s west lawn and build new sculptural shade structure that spans 5th Street.

05 SECTION FIVE Implementation Matrix DRAFT

Implementation Matrix

The following series of tables comprise the Actions Matrix (Matrix). Each action, grouped into nine categories in Section 3, serves as a recommendation to facilitate the implementation of the Entertainment District strategic plan. Since each action was previously referenced in the corresponding topic area in Section 3, this matrix serves to provide more context, including information on timing, cost, and ownership, allowing for easier execution of the plan’s ideas and tracking of progress.

In addition to the actions, the Matrix includes the following columns:

• Timing to Initiate Action – Implementation of the plan will be a long-term commitment. This column identifies when the City, or other lead entity, can and should initiate work on the action—not when it should necessarily be completed. The goal of providing timing is to ensure that quicker, more tactical interventions can occur sooner while larger, more capital-intensive investments navigate funding, coordination, and regulatory steps. The Matrix defines timing as:

- Immediate: <1 year

- Short: 1-2 years

- Medium: 3-5 years

- Long: 6+ years

• Cost to the City – Actions will range in cost from nominal, requiring mostly staff time, to highly capital intensive, requiring a thoughtful funding strategy to implement. The Matrix defines cost as:

-$: budgeted administrative time

-$$: <$1 million

-$$$: $1 - 5 million

-$$$$: >$5 million

• Action Lead – Successful implementation plans clearly identify lead organizations or departments. In most cases only one lead is named, though there are a few cases that likely require joint leadership across multiple actors.

• Key Partners – Implementing actions should not occur in a vacuum. The Phoenix Entertainment District study process has deepened engagement with different downtown stakeholders which should continue through implementation.

Implementation Matrix by Timeframe

TOPIC ACTION

A: Open Space

A: Open Space

B: Streetscape

B: Streetscape

C: Shade

C: Shade

A1. Increase the number of events at outdoor parks or plazas by designating new and revitalizing

A2. Establish a streamlined permitting process for downtown events

B1. Conduct a streetscape master planning exercise and associated implementation plan

B2. Leverage the proposed Street Outdoor Event Space project

C1. Empower and resource DPI to more fully play the lead role for planting, installation, and

C2. Ensure compliance with approved landscape and planting and landscape maintenance

C: Shade C3. Revise internal development approval processes to incentivize projects to maintain existing

C: Shade

C4. Review/audit projects built within last 10 years to ensure compliance with approved landscape

C: Shade C5. Explore potential modifications to City development permitting policies for downtown of way.

D: Signage

E: Real Estate

E: Real Estate

F: Retail Activation

G: Marketing and Branding

D1. Explore the modification of current signage district regulations to allow for dynamic digital

E1. Advance the redevelopment of the Regency Garage

E2. Establish an internal development and outreach strategy for the priority sites for future

F1. Promote temporary activations in vacant spaces in the Entertainment District along key

G1. Hire a creative marketing agency to create an awareness campaign for the “Downtown

H: Governance and Funding H1. Utilize increased interdepartmental coordination to execute projects identified in the 2023

H: Governance and Funding

H: Governance and Funding

A: Open Space

B: Streetscape

B: Streetscape

H2. Utilize the Streetscape Master Planning and Shade Phoenix Plan as the basis for soliciting

H3. Leverage strategic partnerships with organizations and institutions from Phoenix’s vibrant Indigenous cultures across downtown.

A3. Establish a pilot or temporary navigator position within the City of Phoenix

B3. Invest in on-street storage solutions paired with public art to house traffic maintenance

B4. Create a pedestrian-oriented east-west connection from 3rd Street to Heritage Square

revitalizing existing civic gathering spaces.

and maintenance of trees and plantings in the downtown public right of way

maintenance plans on private development

existing tree canopy

landscape plans

developments to encourage the creation of manufactured shade by way of building overhang in right

digital signage along Jefferson Street

future real estate development or increased activation.

soliciting philanthropic support

vibrant arts scene to both create unexpected experiences and authentically embed Latino and

maintenance signs and barriers used in facilitating the Sunburst Plan.

Implementation Matrix by Timeframe

B: Streetscape

D: Signage

D: Signage

D: Signage

F: Retail Activation

G: Marketing and Branding

H: Governance and Funding

B: Streetscape

B: Streetscape

B: Streetscape

B: Streetscape

B8. Re-evaluate the City’s approach to micromobility programs downtown.

D2. Design and install gateway signage that serve as entry markers for downtown Phoenix

D3. Design and install secondary signage that represent subdistricts of downtown

D4. Modernize signage assets and revisit the usage of “Legends Entertainment District”

F2. Leverage City owned real estate and philanthropic partnerships to establish a third-party support of the creation/growth of local small businesses.

G2. Facilitate a cohesive marketing strategy for cultural corridors

H4. Study the expansion of a new streetscape improvement district(s) within the Enhanced

B6. Invest in amenities identified in the streetscape master planning exercise

B7. Continue to invest in 3rd Street as an intensified pedestrian-oriented north-south corridor

B8. Establish Jefferson Street as the primary pedestrian-oriented east-west corridor for the

B10. Launch a pilot autonomous downtown circulator

E4. Revitalize the Jefferson Street Garage

A4. Incorporate a new, iconic downtown open space into the Phoenix

E3. Ensure future the redevelopment of the Phoenix Convention

Implementation Matrix by Topic Area

Topic A: Open Space

ACTION

A1. Increase the number of events at outdoor parks or plazas by designating new and revitalizing existing civic gathering spaces. The promotion of new and existing gathering spaces should align with downtown’s portfolio of events.

A2. Establish a streamlined permitting process for downtown events that reduces time and offers a clear, accessible, and affordable path for community organizations to secure permits. Specifically, a coordinated working group comprised of relevant City departments involved in the permitting process (e.g., zoning, fire, police, and streets) should meet monthly to provide the community with a single forum for permitting and improve interdepartmental coordination. Additionally, the process should expand the approval duration associated with permits to allow a series of events to be approved under a single process.

A3. Establish a pilot or temporary navigator position within the City of Phoenix to serve as a designated point person capable of guiding members of the community through the event permitting and planning process.

A4. Incorporate a new, iconic downtown open space into the Phoenix Convention Center South redevelopment plan, capable of hosting large gatherings and accessible to both conventioneers and the general public. The new open space should be designed to accommodate significant gatherings.

1. Immediate $$$ City of Phoenix - Parks and Recreation Department City of Phoenix - Planning and Development, Arizona Diamondbacks, Herberger Theater Center, Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Convention Center, City of Phoenix

1. Immediate $ City of Phoenix - Planning and Development Department

Phoenix Inc.

2. Short-term $ City of Phoenix - Planning and Development Department

Phoenix Inc.

4. Long-term $$$$ Phoenix Convention CenterCity of PhoenixCommunity and Economic Development, Planning and Development Department, Office of Heat Response and Mitigation, Parks and Recreation Department

Implementation Matrix by Topic Area

Topic B: Streetscape

ACTION

B1. Conduct a streetscape master planning exercise and associated implementation plan that builds upon the priorities and recommendations in this report. This plan will guide DPI's and the City's shade and streetscape investments in downtown's public rights-of-way. Capital investments for priority corridors designated in the plan should be included in the City's Capital Improvement Plan and in the next GO Bond effort, with maintenance agreements executed between the City and DPI.

B2. Leverage the proposed Street Outdoor Event Space project to prioritize day-to-day pedestrian safety and comfort, traffic calming measures, and enhanced streetscape and beautification.

B3. Invest in on-street storage solutions paired with public art to house traffic maintenance signs and barriers used in facilitating the Sunburst Plan.

B4. Create a pedestrian-oriented east-west connection from 3rd Street to Heritage Square, running from the PCC and across 5th Street to increase visual interest, access, and clarity of connections along the corridor. The pairing of Washington Street as a complimentary pedestrian-oriented east-west corridor will support circulation when the PCC is hosting events. Streetscape improvements and integration of art along Washington Street will help improve the pedestrian experience and create more connections throughout the Entertainment District.

B5. Invest in amenities identified in the streetscape master planning exercise under Action B1. These amenities should include public restrooms, water stations, furniture, and trash receptables and have clear locations identified for their placement.

B6. Continue to invest in 3rd Street as an intensified pedestrian-oriented north-south corridor, connecting the anchor entertainment destinations of Mortgage Matchup Center and Chase Field with the PCC, Canyon on Third, Herberger Theater, Roosevelt Row, and the Warehouse District to Rio Salado 3rd Street Pedestrian Bridge. This can be accomplished through improved conditions from shade, lighting, art murals/installations, and other streetscape interventions to enhance the pedestrian experience and encourage circulation along 3rd Street.

Transitioning from a car-centric street to a multimodal street that promotes the use of micromobility programs and shared circulators, where compatible with Canyon on Third’s use as rentable space for PCC events, will improve accessibility and connections to all the adjacent entertainment destinations. Increased activation of the public realm in this primary corridor will help populate the spaces that stitch public and private developments together, while the transformation of existing entertainment venues will create opportunities for unexpected moments that attract exploration and wonder. Reference details of opportunity sites for PCC South, Canyon on Third, and The Lawn in Section 4 of Implementation Plan for site specific streetscape interventions.

B7. Establish Jefferson Street as the primary pedestrian-oriented east-west corridor for the Entertainment District, connecting the Collier Center to the PCC, Mortgage Matchup Center, and Chase Field with activations of sidewalks through improved landscaping, shade structures, lighting, and extensions of entertainment venues, retail, and F+B space.

B8. Re-evaluate the City's approach to micromobility programs downtown. The City should assess the existing micromobility options to ensure full coverage of downtown, including strategic placement of adjacent to existing transit infrastructure, entertainment attractions, residential communities, hotels, and dining locations.

B9. Launch a pilot autonomous downtown circulator in partnership with a corporate sponsor, connecting major destinations and enhancing accessibility in a way that is additive to the City’s existing public transit investments.

Implementation Matrix by Topic Area

Topic C: Shade

C1. Empower and resource DPI to more fully play the lead role for planting, installation, and maintenance of trees and plantings in the downtown public right of way through more maintenance agreements with City departments and via fee-based agreements with private property owners.

C2. Ensure compliance with approved landscape and planting and landscape maintenance plans on private development in support of Shade Phoenix Action #16 on enforcing tree code and Shade Phoenix Action #25 on updating the City plan species guidance. Consider the role of desert trees and vegetation in the identity of the city for use in appropriate areas. Landscape can create wayfinding strategies with consistent use along corridors.

C3. Revise internal development approval processes to incentivize projects to maintain existing tree canopy (or replace or contribute to a replacement fund that accounts for the full value of canopy loss) on or adjacent to their sites.

C4. Review/audit projects built within last 10 years to ensure compliance with approved landscape plans, with additional reviews every 2 years moving forward, to support implementation of Shade Phoenix Action #16 to strengthen the enforcement of tree code.

C5. Explore potential modifications to City development permitting policies for downtown developments to encourage the creation of manufactured shade by way of building overhang in right of way.

1. Immediate $ Downtown Phoenix Inc.City of Phoenix - Street Transportation Department, Office of Heat Response and Mitigation

1. Immediate $ City of PhoenixNeighborhood Services, Office of Heat Response and Mitigation Downtown Phoenix Inc.

1. Immediate $ City of Phoenix - Planning and Development Department, Office of Heat Response and Mitigation

1. Immediate $

1. Immediate $

City of Phoenix - Planning and Development Department, Office of Heat Response and Mitigation

City of Phoenix - Planning and Development, Street Transportation Department

Phoenix Inc.

Phoenix Inc.

City of PhoenixCommunity and Economic Development

Implementation Matrix by Topic Area

Topic D: Signage

D1. Explore the modification of current signage district regulations to allow for dynamic digital signage along Jefferson Street to emphasize the corridor as a dynamic entertainment environment - branding the area as one of the unique nodes within the downtown experience.

D2. Design and install gateway signage that serve as entry markers for downtown Phoenix at primary entry points giving a visual sense of arrival downtown for visitors.

D3. Design and install secondary signage that represent subdistricts of downtown, e.g., “Roosevelt Row”, “Evans-Churchill District”, “Grand Avenue Arts District”, “Grant Park”, etc.

D4. Modernize signage assets and revisit the usage of “Legends Entertainment District” as the name for joint signage venture operations to reduce confusion with downtown as an entertainment destination more broadly.

1. Immediate $

City of Phoenix - Planning and Development Department

2. Short-term $$

2. Short-term $$

2. Short-term $

City of PhoenixCommunity and Economic Development

City of PhoenixCommunity and Economic Development

City of Phoenix - Planning and Development Department

City of PhoenixCommunity and Economic Development, Legends Entertainment District, Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Suns

City of Phoenix - Planning and Development Department and Downtown Phoenix Inc.

City of Phoenix - Planning and Development Department and Downtown Phoenix Inc.

City of PhoenixCommunity and Economic Development, Legends Entertainment District, Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Suns

Topic E: Real Estate Implementation Matrix by Topic Area

E1. Advance the redevelopment of the Regency Garage by releasing an RFP to identify a development partner capable of delivering a mixed-use, full-service hotel to serve the PCC and downtown visitors.

E2. Establish an internal development and outreach strategy for the priority sites for future real estate development or increased activation. See the Real Estate topic section for a table indicating the priority, potential timeline, and ownership characteristics of each priority site A development and outreach strategy should consider viable actions based on current site control, particularly whether the property is publicly or privately owned.

E3. Ensure future the redevelopment of the Phoenix Convention Center South Building facilitates the Entertainment District Study. To advance the redevelopment opportunity, the City and PCC should revisit the SmithGroup development concept to assess:

1) the financial viability of the proposed program, specifically the feasibility of a residential tower, luxury hotel, new convention and the new convention hall;

2) the viability of integrating a central open space within the plan to emphasize places for public gathering, as well as the potential for an iconic rooftop civic gathering and event space, and other amenities to attract visitation, such as a food hall; and

3) funding structures, including the potential to integrate elements of the project into an upcoming G.O. bond issuance.

Finally, the City and PCC should begin market sounding conversations with local and national developers to increase awareness and excitement surrounding the potential project while gaining a developer perspective on the preferred program.

E4. Revitalize the Jefferson Street Garage into an entertainment hub for gamedays and year-round activation by repositioning a portion of the ground floor closer to Jefferson Street. The repositioning will offer additional F&B space, increase heat mitigation infrastructure to enable year-round gathering, and pedestrianize the surrounding streetscape to increase street level activity.

1. Immediate $ City of PhoenixCommunity and Economic Development Phoenix Convention Center

1. Immediate $

4. Long term $$$$

City of PhoenixCommunity and Economic Development (for publicly owned parcels)

Phoenix Convention Center, City of PhoenixCommunity and Economic Development

City of Phoenix, Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Convention Center, Herberger Theater Center, St. Mary's Basilica

Downtown Phoenix Inc, Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks

Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks

City of PhoenixCommunity and Economic Development

Implementation Matrix by Topic Area

Topic F: Retail Activation

ACTION

F1. Promote temporary activations in vacant spaces in the Entertainment District along key corridors, focusing on primary corridors like Jefferson and 3rd Street (from Jefferson Street up to Roosevelt Row) and the secondary corridors that connect to key entertainment venues/sites (Adams Street, Monroe Street, Taylor Street, etc.)

F2. Leverage City owned real estate and philanthropic partnerships to establish a third-party property management organization that can offer subsidized retail space or artist studio space in support of the creation/growth of local small businesses. The City owns a significant amount of downtown real estate. Whether that real estate already includes retail space (East Garage) or may be redeveloped to include retail space (Regency Garage, PCC South, etc.), the City can leverage its ownership by leasing space to a third party operator supported by philanthropic funding sources which can in turn offer subsidized retail space in support of the creation and growth of local small businesses, particularly those in the F&B and clothing industries. As the City explores this partnership structure, close coordination with legal staff should ensure the approach remains aligned with the requirements of the regulations of Arizona’s “Gift Clause”.

Topic G: Marketing and Branding

ACTION

G1. Hire a creative marketing agency to create an awareness campaign for the “downtown Phoenix” brand which will amplify downtown's identity as a must-visit destination for regional residents in addition to tourists.

G2. Facilitate a cohesive marketing strategy for cultural corridors, building on existing planning efforts for corridors that represent the different cultures or identities across Phoenix. Signage along the heritage/cultural walking trails should align with the messaging and design aesthetic established by the marketing agency engaged under the Action G1.

Implementation Matrix by Topic Area

Topic H: Governance and Funding

H1. Utilize increased interdepartmental coordination to execute projects identified in the 2023 GO Bond that will create greater mobility, streetscape, and shade connecting downtown's entertainment anchors and adjacent neighborhoods.

H2. Utilize the Streetscape Master Planning and Shade Phoenix Plan as the basis for soliciting philanthropic support from private donors, crowdfunding campaigns, adopt-a-street efforts, and other grant funding.

H3. Leverage strategic partnerships with organizations and institutions from Phoenix's vibrant arts scene to both create unexpected experiences and authentically embed Latino and Indigenous cultures across downtown. Potential partners could include the Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center, Heard Museum, Phoenix Art Museum, Roosevelt Row CDC, Phoenix Children's Museum, and Artlink, Inc. In addition to facilitating partnerships, engagement with organizations should assess and rectify the physical barriers that often preclude members of the Latino or Black community from accessing downtown despite driving its vibrant arts scene.

H4. Study the expansion of a new streetscape improvement district(s) within the Enhanced Municipal Services District for the purpose of funding capital improvements and maintenance of enhanced streetscape corridors that connect downtown’s entertainment anchors.

1. Immediate $$$

1. Immediate $

1. Immediate $-$$

City of PhoenixCommunity and Economic Development

City of Phoenix - Office of the City Manager, Street Transportation Department, Office of Heat Response and Mitigation, and Office of Arts and Culture

City of PhoenixCommunity and Economic Development Downtown Phoenix Inc.

City of Phoenix - Office of Arts and Culture

2. Short-term $-$$

City of Phoenix - Street Transportation Department

Phoenix Art Museum, Heard Museum, Latino Cultural Center

City of PhoenixCommunity and Economic Development,

Downtown Phoenix Inc., and Private Property Owners

Market Feasibility Analysis

Market Feasibility Analysis

Market Feasibility Analysis

Market Feasibility Analysis

Market Feasibility Analysis

Market Feasibility Analysis

Market Feasibility Analysis

Market Feasibility Analysis

Market Feasibility Analysis

Market Feasibility Analysis

Market Feasibility Analysis

Market Feasibility Analysis

Market Feasibility Analysis

DOWNTOWN PHOENIX ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

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