PHOENIX (By Erica Sagon, Arizona Republic)
October 12, 2005 —Redevelopment
along Roosevelt Street's burgeoning arts district in downtown Phoenix is
pushing west.
Developers break ground today on a townhome project dubbed PRD 845, on
the southeastern corner of Roosevelt and Eighth Avenue.
The community will have 12 units, ranging from 950 to 2,200 square feet.
Four homes will be built as live-work units, with space for a small
office, studio or other business.
The largest home will rise four stories and have three bedrooms.
Phoenix-based developer Urbistruct is developing PRD 845 and other small
infill projects in the area.
Project manager Jenny Kramer said Urbistruct is working to make the
neighborhood around Roosevelt Street and Eighth Avenue a vibrant place
to live and work.
Much of the redevelopment effort in Roosevelt arts district has been
bracketed by Seventh Street and Seventh Avenue.
Kramer said projects like PRD 845 could break those boundaries.
The $2.5 million project goes against the grain of the many high-rise
condo towers planned for downtown Phoenix.
"We'd like to create more of a community rather than just plopping down
a development," Kramer said.
Near PRD 845, Urbistruct is redeveloping a bungalow house into a duplex
with live-work space. Other small infill projects are in the works, she
said.
"We're really interested in going after these smaller pieces. We want to
put these little jewels within the city," Kramer said.
Phoenix-based architecture firm Studio Ma gave PRD 845 its funky, modern
feel to coincide with the arts district along Roosevelt Street.
"Right from the start we were very interested in having front walkways
and urban stoops," said Christopher Alt, one of Studio Ma's three
principals.
Each of the two-, three- and four-story homes has ground-floor
entrances, patios and garages.
"We wanted to provide the conveniences that you might find more in
suburban living even though you're downtown," Alt said.
"By that I mean two-car garages, outdoor space. A smaller community
where you can know all your neighbors."
