Phoenix Urban Design week hosted the first Roosevelt Row Community BBQ and Potluck on Sunday. The event was held at the Ro2 Lot pop-up park on Second and Roosevelt streets to unite the community in light of the development plans underway along the arts district.
When Downtown Phoenix Inc. decided to help sponsor the event, David Krietor, president and CEO of the organziation, said they wanted to “highlight how downtown is changing and becoming a more urban place.”
Dorina Bustamante, director of community engagement for Downtown Phoenix Inc., said the addition of new residential communities in downtown Phoenix sparked a desire for more development around the area.
The site of the BBQ, the Ro2 Lot (also know as “The Lot: What Should Go Here?”), is an example of a more community-driven development project.
Development of the Ro2 Lot actually helped pave the way for a new policy passed by city council two years ago, which provided a more simplified permit process for private property owners who want to have pop-up parks or art on their properties, Bustamante said.
The pop-up park project began when the owner of Ro2 Lot, Mike Davis, approached Bustamante for help with a community development project at his business, Urban Initiatives. The project, “The Lot: What Should Go Here?” aimed to pinpoint what community members wanted to see develop on different vacant spaces.
To narrow down community member’s ideal images for undeveloped lots, Bustamante and Downtown Phoenix Inc. events manager Mira Wood conducted a series of interviews over six months. Residents frequently requested grass, trees and public art.
“They usually wanted a park,” Wood said.
Lindsay Kinkade, co-host of Phoenix Urban Design Week, said the barbecue helped “lower the barriers to entry into conversation about what we want downtown.”
Kinkade said that because the event was so accessible, it was a good place for members of the community to meet people they might not bump into which allowed for a more diverse gathering.
“I think the event is especially important for community involvement,” said Chris Pruitt, who attended the event and is a resident from central Phoenix. “Not just having it be specific to designers and people whose jobs are related to design, but have it be for the community.”
Wood echoed the importance of incorporating community members.
“It’s just a good addition to the week to bring community members together to talk about urban design and to talk about some of the ideas they’re gathering from other pieces of the program,” Wood said.
Contact the reporter at jmagtiba@asu.edu.
