Catching Up with Central City Planning & Development, April 20, 2023

If you look at any Central City Planning and Development Committee’s public policy agenda over the years, it advocates for responsible development practices. This hits on several advocacy fronts, from economic stability for existing neighborhoods to sustainability and enhancements for greater walkability, contributing to a more diverse Greater Downtown Phoenix.

When the Committee meets every other month, this is reflected in the regularly scheduled programming.

Swipe through the carousel below for takeaways, like updates on the Historic Preservation front and new mixed use and residential developments!

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Like A PALMtower Coming Up

In only a handful of years in the Phoenix market, the Clayco name has adorned cranes and construction sites like, Skye on 6th, Kenect Phoenix, and X Phoenix. Clayco’s latest residential project, PALMTower at Arizona Center, will top out in June and is expected to be completed by March 2024. The 28-story development will have a mix of one to three-bedroom units for a total of 352 units.

Amending Downtown Zoning

An April 20 presentation by Joshua Bednarek , the City of Phoenix ’s Director of the Planning & Development Department, provided a status update regarding the Chapter 12 Text Amendment, which provides guidelines on Zoning of the Downtown Code.

The 175-page document reflects more zoning flexibility for residential projects because of the housing crisis. Other proposals include additional resources for relocating mobile home parks and recommendations for how public art, like murals, and private development can interact. Bednarek proposed a working group of PCA Members to meet to fine-tune the document after City officials formally review the document.

A Story of Two Historic Preservation Cases

Two recent residential adaptive reuse projects of historic buildings highlight the challenges and successes of providing a resilient diversity of structures. Community organizations recently saved integral design elements for the Center City Motel and Mercy Hill Church.

Center City Motel:

For Center City Motel, advocates successfully persuaded the developer to integrate the main building and its iconic Googie elements into their high-rise hotel design. Because the motel is on the City of Phoenix’s Historic Property Register, reimbursable grant funding is available to preserve the exterior and restore its architectural character.

Mercy Hill Church:

In the case of Mercy Hill Church, various expansions to the site prevented owners from qualifying for incentives in the historic preservation “toolbox,” like historic designation for preservation funds, according to Ashley Harder , Principal, Harder Development. Ultimately, 15% of the original church design will be integrated into the residential development's final design, like the bell tower, colonnades, and brick arches.

In the future, $500,000 in the newly replenished Warehouse and Threatened Building Fund will help future Historic Preservation projects. If approved during the special election in November, the City’s 2023 General Obligation Bond program will also expand grant funding.