A partnership between a downtown advocacy group, the city and ASU has permitted local businesses to use university property for their customers until construction near campus ends.
The agreement allows businesses affected by construction by the Downtown campus to utilize the west side of the McKinley parking lot. Customers of Phoenix Public Market and Royal Coffee Bar, Pizza Hut, Breadfruit, Turf Irish Pub, Sens and Matt’s Big Breakfast can have two hours of free parking in ASU’s lot.
“Our restaurant was empty, especially before students got there,” Turf Irish Pub owner Andrew Mirtich said. “Within 4-6 weeks, the agreement (was approved). It happened so fast that I was really impressed.”
The agreement came after the Downtown Voices Coalition, an advocacy group focused on local revitalization, sent a letter in July to the Office of Public Affairs at ASU and the Street Transportation Department at the City of Phoenix detailing the difficulties businesses were having in attracting customers during the construction.
The agreement, which began Aug. 9, is expect to last until after construction ends, which is currently expected to be sometime in mid-November. Construction on First Street began in mid-July and will last through mid-October while another phase of construction on Pierce Street will begin in mid-September and end sometime in November.
ASU’s action is considered a sign of commitment to the downtown community by local groups.
Susan Copeland, the chair of DVC, applauded the university for listening to businesses’ concerns.
“I think that at any point in time, if we can help local businesses, that needs to be done,” she said. “ASU’s parking lot is right next to (the businesses), making it a great opportunity to do something positive for community and work with local businesses.”
ASU wants to be “part of the solution, not the problem” of failing local businesses, said Angela Creedon, assistant Vice President in ASU’s Office of Public Affairs.
“ASU’s success is dependent on how successful our neighbors are,” Creedon said. “When we heard it was going to impact the restaurants around us, (we wanted to help).”
Though the changes have only been in place for a little over a week, the positive impacts have already manifested for the local businesses.
“We held an Irish Wake on Monday and filled up the area ASU gave to us,” Turf’s Mirtich said. “It makes it easier for customers to call and ask us where to park, and for us to tell them to go into the west side of the McKinley lot.”
Contact the reporter at anna.gunderson@asu.edu
