A More Walkable Downtown Phoenix

[MiEncanto]

This is my first thread so apologies if I'm breaking rules.

What are your *realistic* ideas to make downtown more walkable? I've heard of making Roosevelt from Central to 7th St ped only, but that seems like a stretch and most the buildings are pretty far set back so I don't see it becoming a lot more like a true walking district.

Here's my crazy idea.

City of Phx buys the surface parking lot across from CityScape on SW corner of 1st Ave and Jefferson. It has long been hated. Reportedly the owner will not sell for a reasonable amount. The City should sack up and pay what it costs. Now the city can own a real downtown city square.

Close 1st Ave between Jefferson and the Footprint Center garage (so you can approach the garage from the South only). By closing this street, it opens up a lot more real estate for a true downtown walking zone that bleeds into Footprint's front courtyard area.

Then put out an RFQ to build a multiuse building that incorporates or blends the old Public Works building that CoP owns on SE corner of Central and Jefferson. If it has to be torn down, whatever, the point is whatever we build should allow for a walking district that uses some cool old Phoenix architecture. I'm thinking a large fountain and areas for weekend markets, extended patios for restaurants, and a lot of space to be used for events. It could be L shaped or even a square, I dunno.

Because the light rail sorta cordons off the area to the north, it might even make sense to make it more like a 3 sided quad open to the East with south facing buildings along Jefferson, though south facing is not good for sun purposes.