Downtown Phoenix

The area is a major center of employment for the region, with many financial, legal, and other national and international corporations housed in a variety of skyscrapers.

[3] Throughout the 1880s the newly incorporated city made many strides toward modernization with the construction of one of the first electric plants in the West as well as the opening of the horse-drawn streetcar line.

[5] Post-World War II building focused heavily on suburb creation, and this, combined with the rise of the automobile and evaporative cooling, resulted in large population relocation outside of Downtown.

[6][circular reference] As Phoenix began to recover from the Great Recession, interest in re-energizing the urban core skyrocketed.

Areas such as Lower Grand, Roosevelt, and the Warehouse District have seen a massive investment in art, adaptive reuse, and local restaurants.

[7] In February 2015, the Super Bowl was held in Arizona and, unlike the 2008 Super Bowl, many of the major NFL events were held on the streets of Downtown Phoenix, showcasing to audiences how the city had transformed its downtown into a lively, thriving community full of creative energy and opportunity.

Downtown was the site of the 2015 Super Bowl XLIX Central and NFL Experience, which drew over one million people to the city center.

[8] In March 2017, Phoenix hosted the 2017 NCAA Final Four Championship,[9] drawing over 400,000 people to Margaret T. Hance Park and other associated downtown entertainment venues.

The Orpheum Theater originally built as a grand movie house in 1927, had undergone a 12-year, $14 million extensive renovation ending in 2002.

Major celebrities have stayed in the hotel, including Betty Grable, Mae West, Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe.

Art Deco design can be seen in Luhrs Tower, Hilton Garden Inn (formerly the Professional Building and the Hotel Monroe) and the Orpheum Lofts.

The recent trend of urban living has led to the conversion of the 1930s-era Phoenix Title and Trust building to condominiums called Orpheum Lofts; as well as the newly built residential towers 44 Monroe.

Taylor Place, two 13-story towers which serve as the new residential community of the Downtown campus of Arizona State University, opened in August 2008.

A 19-story, 320 room Courtyard and Residence Inn by Marriott opened May 2017[13] and a new Block 23 Fry's urban grocery and mixed-use high-rise will be completed in 2019.

The Lath House Pavilion, although completed in 1980, its design is heavily influenced by combining 19th Century concepts of a botanical conservatory, a gazebo, a beer garden and a pedestrian shopping arcade, all of which were common features of early Phoenix architecture.

Rooted firmly in the City Beautiful movement of planning, the Palmcroft and Encanto Districts were developed starting in the late 1920s.

The district contains many larger, period revival manors, marking a time when it was a getaway from the hustle and bustle of early city life.

From its architectural milestones still visible today, its importance in Phoenix's original booming tourist trade, and its role as one of the first "streetcar suburbs," Roosevelt has remained a vital community to the city's past, present, and future.

Centrally located near both State Road 51 and Interstate 10, single-family homes feature architectural styles ranging from California Bungalow and Spanish Colonial Revival to ranches and the occasional modern re-do.

Bike-friendly and walk-able to light rail, businesses and cultural attractions, Willo was once considered suburban, and predominantly home to those interested in agricultural pursuits.

The core offers easy access to restaurants, retail and cultural attractions as the true urban center in the Valley.

Boundaries: Fillmore Street south to Pacific Railroad; Seventh Street west to Third Avenue Grand Avenue's diagonal course breaks up Phoenix's grid and is dominated by local businesses, art studios, converted warehouses, bars, restaurants and restored storefronts.

The main focal point is the park itself, which is the oldest in the city and originally boasted a centrally located lake and pathway.

Latino heritage and culture is strong in Grant Park, and is home to Friendly House Inc., which has served new immigrants since 1915; American Legion Post 41, the first Legion to allow Hispanics as members after World War II; El Portal Restaurant; St. Mary's Catholic Church, which is on the Hispanic historical registry; Grant Park Community Garden; La Canasta Mexican Restaurant and the Grant Park Community Center, famous for its "Midnight Basketball Classic" and other youth programs.

Increasing interest in this area has prompted Roosevelt Row to becoming more pedestrian-friendly and it is supportive of small local independent businesses that give downtown Phoenix character.

With a mix of single-family homes and infill mid-rise developments, this neighborhood serves as a vibrant and arts-focused transitional area between the dense core and surrounding historic districts.

Story neighborhood consists of over 600 households, most built between 1920 through the 1940s, with architectural styles ranging from Spanish Colonial Revival and Tudor to craftsman bungalows and ranch-style homes.

This historic Downtown Phoenix neighborhood is named for Francis Quarles Story, who sold wool in Boston and citrus in Los Angeles before expanding to the Salt River Valley of Arizona.

The area's remaining period buildings have been top targets for adaptive reuse and are home to several technological and creative-type businesses.

United States Postal Service operates the Downtown Phoenix Post Office at 522 North Central Avenue.