Ground breaking on Landmark Towhomes
Urban townhouses slated for downtown Phoenix
Another empty lot in downtown Phoenix is slated for a new residential development.
Landmark Homes USA broke ground last week on the 30-unit Center 8 Townhomes The planned three-story townhomes are near Seventh Avenue and Roosevelt Street just west of the Roosevelt Row Art District.
Ken Johnson, vice president of strategic marketing for Landmark Homes said that after surveying different areas, they really liked the area.
“It felt home-y and comfortable,” said Johnson.
Center 8 Townhomes are priced in the low $300s.
There are some existing contemporary townhouses next to the Landmark project. A unit there is listed for sale at just under $350,000.
Phoenix Councilman Michael Nowakowski, who represents the downtown area, welcomed the development.
“We created this whole triangle of arts and culture that stretches from Roosevelt Row to Grand Avenue,” said Nowakowski, “including many new businesses and restaurants.” He noted that forty-five restaurants were built within the last eight years.
Richard Heath Jr., account executive at the Pride Guide a city a business guide who caters to the LGBTQ community, also likes the new housing. “It’s going to bring a lot more people down here,” said Heath.
”I think it’s the burgeoning lifestyle that Phoenix offers today versus where it was five years ago,” said Johnson. “You have the light rail and the student presence.”
There are a number of housing, apartment and redevelopment projects online, under construction or in the works along and around Roosevelt Street.
Ashley Harder’s Harder Development is putting the finishing touches on an adaptive reuse of two long vacant properties at Roosevelt and 11th Avenue. A health care technology startup is leasing that space.
Metrowest Development also has two projects under construction and another planned in the increasingly hip area.
“I think it puts Phoenix on the map as a forward-living center for housing,” said Johnson.
Nowakowski credits the growth of Arizona State University’s downtown campus as spurring the other developments.
“ASU is really the pioneers and they started this whole thing, then U of A came down with the medical school,” said Nowakowski.
Nowakowski believes the campuses have really changed the dynamic of the people walking the streets.
“The liveliness and the vibrancy, it’s the students who brought this down here,” said Nowakowski.
Apart from the student population Nowakowski realizes that the older generation wants to get their fill too.
“They want to hop on the light rail and try these great restaurants,” said Nowakowski.
Senior writer Mike Sunnucks contributed to this story