By Demetrius Burns | greenlivingAZ Magazine
Progress is often fought in the trenches of holding on and letting go, but the battle is won in renewal. Renewal is the process of taking something old and making it new, relevant and immediate. Phoenix is a city with a brief history; however, the standard of progress still applies. In order for Phoenix to continue emerging, concentrated efforts of renewal must occur.
City of Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton seems to understand this principle. In 2012, Mayor Stanton helped start PHX Renews, an initiative dedicated to decreasing the amount of empty lots throughout the city and using them for purposes that will serve the greater good of the community. As per the PHX Renews website, 43 percent of Phoenix’s land is made up of vacant lots. The mission of PHX Renews is simple: find uses for these spaces to beautify the city while also promoting sustainability and enhancing the community.
PHX Renew Urban Development
The project began with a 15-acre lot at Central and Indian School, the former site of Phoenix Indian School, which closed in the 1980s. It was purchased by Barron Collier Companies through a land swap with the federal government, leading to the building of the VA Hospital and Indian School Park. The 15-acre lot, however, remained vacant until 2012, when community gardens (150 garden beds, to be exact), a pet exercise area, and various art pieces were installed by local artists and members of the community.
PHX Renews is an umbrella project under Keep Phoenix Beautiful – a nonprofit that has served the community for more than 30 years, and aims to promote preservation and protection of the environment. President and CEO Tom Waldeck has seen a great deal of positive impact manifest from the program. “It has been proven that projects like this help decrease crime in neighborhoods and increase property values, so it is a win-win,” said Waldeck.
PHX Renews Recycled Monument
“Our core programs are litter abatement, recycling education and beautification practices, which PHX Renews falls under,” Waldeck continued. “We look at PHX Renews as kind of an incubator project – what works and what does not.” Since the renovation of the Central and Indian School lot, PHX Renews has also turned a small lot on Central and Vernon
