By Tasha Anderson for AZBEX
The future of the Phoenix Convention Center’s South Building and site rests in the hands of a multidepartment community and stakeholder engagement plan approved by Phoenix City Council on Wednesday.
The approximately two-month long engagement plan will gather input into possible expansion, disposition and/or redevelopment of the 286KSF building located on 9.27 acres between Washington and Jefferson streets from 3rd to 5th streets in downtown Phoenix.
According to a Rose Law Group Reporter article dated May 9, Phoenix City Council member Michael Nowakowski “said the city could look at public-private partnership for the site that keep convention space there but could also potentially bring a new high-rise development.”
The outreach plan will consist of organization meetings, group meetings for the public and individual stakeholder meetings. “This comprehensive community engagement plan will seek to engage in a discussion with users of the facility, downtown stakeholders, destination marketing organizations and tourism groups, citywide community groups, adjacent property owners, and citizens looking to offer input.”
“During these outreach meetings, staff will present background information of the site, history and current uses, plans for future expansion and then seek public input regarding the future of the South Building site,” the report goes on to state. Once the two-month period is over, staff will return to the Phoenix Planning and Economic Development Subcommittee on September 3 with an overview of the information gathered.
The South Building currently features 143.4KSF of “rentable exhibition, meeting and ballroom space,” according to the council report. It has already undergone an $18.5M renovation in 2008 as part of a $600M expansion of the whole Convention Center.
The Phoenix Planning and Economic Development Subcommittee was presented information on the building at their May 7 meeting and instructed staff to offer an outreach plan. The plan was presented and approved at the June 4 subcommittee meeting.