A Sprawling Phoenix Is Reviving Its Downtown

Phoenix is known for being spread out over 518 square miles, but the nation’s sixth-largest city is experiencing its strongest urban revitalization since the 1950s.

CityLab tells how Phoenix’s downtown has been improved over the last decade. A light rail system and a growing urban Arizona State campus has led to new office buildings, restaurants and bars, and an arts district.

The city, though, remains car-dependent, and lacks corporate headquarters that could serve as job creators.

Looking ahead, city leaders must double-down on attracting employers to downtown. ... They need to continue listening to downtown advocates on such issues as shade, walkability and making it easier to rehabilitate historic buildings. Merging all the center-city promotional and economic-development organizations into one Downtown Phoenix Inc., which happened in 2016, will boost advocacy efforts.

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