An Arizona State University residential building at the downtown Phoenix campus formerly known as Taylor Place has been newly renamed to “Gordon Commons.”
The name change honors former Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, who served from 2004 to 2012, for his part in creating ASU’s downtown Phoenix campus.
Gordon, 71, began working with Arizona State University President Michael Crow in 2003 to establish ASU’s downtown campus, which is now home to the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, and Thunderbird School of Global Management, among other colleges.
Gordon recounted the beginning of the campus project during Friday morning’s renaming ceremony.
“What you see today really did start on the back of a napkin over breakfast,” he said.
ASU News reported that voters approved a 2006 bond proposal allocating $878.5 million to transportation, housing and other infrastructure for the downtown area. Within the budget, $223 million funded the university campus.
Gordon stressed the importance of these revitalizations and their role in keeping Phoenix’s downtown area vibrant.
“Downtown is the heart of the city, and like the human body the city is only as healthy as its heart,” he said. “As it leads, so does the city.”
Gordon said that adding the ASU campus turned the dream of a healthy downtown into a reality.
“ASU changed downtown from a desolate, empty place after work and on the weekends to what it is today: the most vibrant part of the city,” he said.
Crow championed the revitalization project in his address at the ceremony, saying that the schools located in downtown made Phoenix a better place for everyone.
“These are not happenstance accidents in the design,” Crow said. “What was designed here with Mayor Gordon was ‘How do we build a great public service university in the heart of a great democracy in an emerging city?”
Crow also said that Gordon’s work was in the spirit of a much larger cause.
He called the renaming a “small token of recognition of [Gordon’s] commitment, not just to the advancement of the city of Phoenix, but the advancement of American democracy.”
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego discussed the impacts of Gordon and Crow’s collaboration.
She said that the “catalytic” investment “has led to so many people and businesses wanting to be part of our downtown.”
The change may take a while for residents to get used to, but some have reacted positively.
Mia Osmonbekov, a first-year journalism and mass communication student, said the new name is fitting.
“I think the name change is a good thing,” Osmonbekov said. “It’s recognizing the contributions of someone in local politics that helped make the ASU downtown campus a reality rather than just having it being named after the street where the residence hall is.”
Gordon himself is also pleased knowing there’s a building with his name on it.
“I’m incredibly honored to have Taylor Place renamed in my honor,” Gordon said. “Gordon Commons has a nice ring to it.”
Contact the reporter at ndubovis@asu.edu
