CityScape, the $900 million complex of retailers in downtown Phoenix, will celebrate its grand opening this weekend with a large-scale block party including Mayor Phil Gordon’s State of Downtown address, a Friday morning coffee give-away and free performances by Macy Gray and Third Eye Blind, according to the president of the Downtown Phoenix Partnership.
The weekend events are estimated to bring in crowds in the tens of thousands, said DPP President and CEO David Roderique.
Mayor Phil Gordon’s address will start the celebration from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, followed by a 7 a.m. coffee giveaway and 10 a.m. Patriot Square dedication ceremony Friday. There will be events all day Friday, including live music from local artists like Chris Alvarez and Paige Bryan, food and beverages, and a 9:30 p.m. performance by singer Macy Gray, according to the CityScape website.
Saturday’s CityScape Downtown Festival will celebrate with free yoga classes, local live music throughout the day, a visit from the Arizona Cardinals Mascot and a performance by Third Eye Blind at 9:30 p.m. There will be a community cookout on Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The project has been in construction for three years and in planning for about six, Roderique said.
“This is a real exciting time for us in downtown,” he said. “It can’t be just offices and workers. We have to have retail, entertainment, arts and cultural, tourism … a little bit of everything and that’s really what CityScape’s helping to provide here.”
Six locations, including Lucky Strikes Lanes, West of SoHo, Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Designer District, Par Exsalonce Day Spa and Salon and Gold’s Gym have already opened, with Urban Outfitters opening today, said Red Development Manager Jeff Moloznik. Three more of the more than 30 expected retailers will open next week.
“We’ll have openings going on each weekend and each week throughout the fall and into the winter,” Moloznik said. “I think it’s something that every time you come down you’re going to experience something new at CityScape.”
CityScape will occupy a space of approximately five acres and over 900,000 square feet in downtown Phoenix.
“If there’s any long-term ambition we’ve got for the project, it’s obviously to be successful but also to inspire or spur investment and development throughout all of downtown,” Moloznik said.
The construction, though a critical project for downtown, was a kind of experiment, Roderique said.
“The developers are taking somewhat of a risk because this is a market that is relatively untested for urban products so they need to do something that accommodates both the urban market as well their tenants,” he said.
Colleen Hartwell, a biomedical engineering junior, said she agreed the project was risky, especially because it was built during a recession.
“The idea of it happening during a recession, kind of mind blowing,” Hartwell said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of people were really skeptical because it certainly doesn’t go with the downtown arts scene.”
Some downtown students planning on attending the opening are excited about what CityScape will offer.
“I’m excited to have some shopping downtown,” said Tracey Corenman, a journalism and tourism junior who toured CityScape in the past. “It just seems like a fun atmosphere to go hang out.”
Corenman said she feels CityScape could have done a better job of targeting ASU students in their advertising of the grand opening, however.
“I feel like they haven’t reached out to us to let us know these events are happening,” she said.
Those involved with the project said they feel the new facilities will provide opportunities for events and unplanned experiences that can’t be found elsewhere in Phoenix. It is too early to evaluate CityScape, although the benefits will be positive, Moloznik said.
“I kind of think (CityScape) means a little bit of an identity for downtown Phoenix,” Moloznik said.
“Redevelopment and urban development is a process of evolution, and there’s a long way to go for all of downtown Phoenix, and it’s gone a long way in the past 20 years,” Moloznik said. “It’s a little early to judge a lot of what CityScape is because there’s so much left to be done.”
Contact the reporter at vpelham@asu.edu
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