Barrister Place building continues 'request for proposal' process to finalize terms
A historic building in downtown Phoenix, which was used for location shots of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 movie “Psycho,” is being renovated into an apartment complex.
The Barrister Place building on Central Avenue will be renovated into 114 rental apartments, ground-floor commercial space and the adaptive reuse of the historic building, said Eric Johnson, economic development program manager for the Community and Economic Development Department with the city of Phoenix.
In August, the city announced that P.B. Bell and Davis Enterprises were selected as the recommended proposer through the Request for Proposal (RFP) process, Johnson said.
“We are currently in the negotiation phase of the RFP process to agree on business terms,” Johnson said. “Once those terms have been reached, the project will be presented to City Council for their consideration and authorization to enter into agreements.”
RELATED: Two companies to renovate Barrister building
In order to obtain that longevity, organizations such as Downtown Voices Coalition and Downtown Phoenix Inc. play a role in preserving the buildings.
“We routinely advocate for smart and sustainable development, which often should include preservation,” said Tim Eigo, chair of the Downtown Voices Coalition. “Our members were also heavily involved in recent efforts to reduce obstacles to adaptive reuse. We believe that effort will end up preserving some great structures.”
Other organizations — like Preserve Phoenix, a non-profit advocacy group; the Phoenix Historic Neighborhoods Coalition; and Modern Phoenix, a neighborhood organization — work together to preserve historic buildings.
The Phoenix Historic Preservation Office and Commission, Arizona Vintage Sign Coalition and the Arizona Preservation Foundation have also worked with business and city officials to strive to protect the city’s remaining cultural legacy, Eigo said.
“Buildings are not (necessarily) museums, and their interior uses can rarely remain the same over generations,” Eigo said. “Whatever their interior use, our historic buildings, when properly preserved, offer residents and passers-by a massive benefit.”
Bringing more people to downtown to increase the number of people present adds to the vibrancy of the city and economic activity, said Dan Klocke, vice president of development for the Downtown Phoenix Partnership (DPP).
“DPI works with business, community and government leaders to help downtown progress in a way that is beneficial to everyone living, working and visiting,” Klocke said.
In terms of economic development, DPP and DPI work with businesses, property owners, developers and the brokerage community to attract investment in new and growing businesses or development of new or existing buildings Klocke said.
“The Barrister building is a great historic structure which has been underutilized for many years,” Klocke said.
Sales-tax revenues and rent taxes on the apartments will provide more income to the city as well.
“By reinvesting in the building as apartments, it will bring more people to downtown who will spend money at the retail and restaurants in the area,” Klocke said.
The entire city is strengthened by working together to leverage more investment and attract business and development, Klocke said.
“Reinvention and innovation are the hallmarks of every successful city throughout history,” Eigo said. “The opposite qualities are what make cities unimpressive and forgettable. We aim for better than that.”
Contact the reporter at Alyssa.Tufts@asu.edu
http://downtowndevil.com/2014/11/19/...041a-355686605