David Krietor has served as CEO of the newly-formed Downtown Phoenix, Inc. (“DPI”) since April 8, 2013. In that time, he has begun work with community stakeholders to develop the downtown we want. “Your Downtown” shares his thoughts and DPI’s progress with the downtown community and beyond. Read the other chats here.
The winter holidays are behind us. You may have attended one of the numerous rollicking New Year’s Eve parties downtown, possibly even the inaugural Flannel Ball on Roosevelt Row. Now a new year is upon us, and it should be an amazing one for downtown Phoenix.
Get Organized
First of all, Downtown Phoenix Inc. has worked very hard over the last 18 months to be a collaborative junction between business, city government, and the community. As of January 1, the Downtown Phoenix Partnership, Downtown Phoenix Community Development Corporation, and Phoenix Community Alliance officially became affiliates of DPI with all of our employees working under one administrative umbrella. This will involve some staff reassignments to maximize effectiveness, foster synergy, and expand our reach, services, and connectivity. You’ll be hearing more about these changes over the next several weeks.
I want to thank DPI’s financial supporters whose ongoing commitment to downtown and our organization allows us to do our work: Alliance Bank, Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Public Service, City of Phoenix, Freeport-McMoRan, Greater Phoenix Convention and Visitors Bureau, Lewis Roca Rothgerber, Local Initiatives Support Corp., Phoenix Suns, RED Development, and UnitedHealthcare.
Huddle Up
You may have heard something called the NFL Pro Bowl and Super Bowl are coming to the Valley very, very soon. These events will bring one million visitors to Downtown Phoenix for Super Bowl Central and make our city the epicenter of public events and media outreach.
- Organizers plan broad experience for Super Bowl in Arizona
- Valley Metro offers pass, extended hours for Super Bowl
- Going to Phoenix for the Super Bowl? Here are some great travel ideas
Eat Well
- Fez restaurant moves to downtown
- Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel to award local entrepreneur a free restaurant
- Devoured Culinary Classic returns to Phoenix Art Museum, March 7-8
Prepare for the Future
- Officials contemplate extension for transportation tax
- Parking is just one piece of the larger downtown planning puzzle
- Once-bleak downtown poised to add even more apartments
- “Containers on Grand” to bring new residential option to downtown
Go Local
- Tuft and Needle, online mattress retailer, opens downtown showroom
- How downtown’s Seeds for Autism epitomizes the rise of purpose-driven business
- McDowell Mountain Music Festival announces 2015 lineup
- Use bike-sharing app for quick, inexpensive ride around Phoenix
Appreciate Our Art & History
- Phoenix rediscovers historic face worth saving
- Retail makeover planned for historic downtown grocery
- Plans scrapped for Roosevelt Row historic renovation and housing project
- Petition seeks adaptive reuse of vintage Roosevelt Row building and mural preservation
- Artists and arts related businesses urged to become Artlink Articipants
Help the Less Fortunate
- County may close Phoenix homeless shelters
- Cold weather causes crowded homeless shelters in downtown Phoenix
Stay Safe
- Phoenix police aim to deter, track bike theft
- Phoenix resuscitates four-year-old initiative to foster police-resident dialogue
- Fire rips through noted downtown restaurant, La Tolteca
More and more people are realizing downtown Phoenix is full of hidden gems. It was great to read about the recent experience of Christopher Muther, Boston Globe reporter, of first trying to catch his bearings in our spread-out city and then finding enjoyable, enlivening hidden gems in and around downtown, particularly the Roosevelt Row Arts District.
Thank you, as always, for your ongoing interest and support of downtown Phoenix. Let’s hit one of the top 10 most Instagramed restaurants in Phoenix (five of which are in downtown).
