By Parker Leavitt | The Arizona Republic
For those who have written off Mesa’s Fiesta District after years of decline, the idea that the once-thriving commercial center could again become a major regional destination may seem absurd.
They’ve watched as buildings rot behind chain-link fences and big-box stores succumb to the merciless advance of Internet commerce. Shuttered restaurants seem more plentiful than busy ones, and a mostly empty Fiesta Mall parking lot doesn’t exactly project a vibrant image.
At its low point, some began to associate the Fiesta District, which spans Southern Avenue near Dobson and Alma School roads, with blight and crime, Mesa Councilman Dennis Kavanaugh said. Although the area never had a huge spike in crime, many who lived and worked outside the district developed that perception, he said.
