By Roland Murphy for Arizona Builder’s Exchange
After five years of fits and starts, the death of a developer, the scrapping of one winning proposal and a sea change in the culture, demographics and economics of Downtown Phoenix, the city is aggressively moving forward once again in hopes of creating a redevelopment plan for one of the area’s most attractive and underused parcels.
The Central Station Intermodal Transit Center is once again out for a development bid, and the city is serious about drawing creative ideas.
Four years ago, Smithfield Properties won the opportunity to develop on the space at Central Ave and Van Buren with an idea to build a $72M, 475-unit apartment high rise. Then developer Bill Smith died while taking several other properties under consideration and the company decided to pass, until ultimately cutting the project.
