Downtown through the years

Follow this visual history of downtown Phoenix through the decades. I use the historic boundaries of downtown: Fillmore Street to the north; the railroad tracks to the south; Seventh Avenue and Seventh Street to west and east respectively. Click on a photo to see a larger image.

The early 1900s:

Looking east on Washington Street from the Ford Hotel. Redewill's music store was owned by the family that built the 1914 bungalow where we lived in Willo in the 2000s. We placed an Interior Department National Register of Historic Places plaque on it, the A.C. Redewill House.

The twenties:

Central Avenue heading south from Monroe Street, with the Hotel Adams the multi-story building on the left, and Central Methodist Church (ME, South), Heard Building, and Luhrs Building on the right.

Second Avenue and Washington in 1929. The awnings are on the red-brick Fleming Building. From left to right in the distance are the new Hotel Westward Ho, the Professional Building, and the Hotel Adams annex (McCulloch Bros. Collection/ASU Archives).

Read more about this decade here.

The thirties:

Looking west on Washington from First Street. The tall building in the center is the Phoenix Title and Trust, now Orpheum Lofts, and to the right the Heard Building, also still standing.

Farley Drugs and the French Italian Cafe at the Ford Hotel, Second Avenue and Washington (Brad Hall collection).

Central and Adams, with the Professional Building under construction. Note the ornate street lamps and the ticket office for the Santa Fe Railway (McCulloch Bros. Collection/ASU Archives).

Central and Washington looking north as a streetcar whizzes past (McCulloch Bros. Collection/ASU Archives).

Read more about this decade here.

The forties:

Second Street and Van Buren in 1940. The top of the Security Building is out of the lens (McCulloch Bros. Collection/ASU Archives).

We're looking southeast into the retail district. At right is the edge of the Professional Building (McCulloch Bros. Collection/ASU Archives).

Central looking north past Adams, decked out for Christmas.

The New Deal's WPA completed the Central Avenue underpass in 1940, the southern end of downtown. Another underpass at 17th Avenue was also built. The boxcar is near the Southern Pacific freight station, out of sight to the right (McCulloch Bros. Collection/ASU Archives).

An overhead shot shows First Avenue and Monroe in 1946. Far left is the Phoenix Title and Trust. At right is the Government Block, including the headquarters of the Salt Rover Project (McCulloch Bros.Collection/ASU Archives.

Read more about this decade here.

The fifties:

Downtown's neon show looking north from Washington Street.

Washington and Second streets, with Penney's and the Fox Theater on the left.

This overhead shot features the City/County Building, low center, with the back of the Luhrs Tower and Luhrs Building. The new First National Building is south of the Westward Ho; today it's part of the ASU downtown campus.

The new JC Penney Building is under construction at Second Street and Jefferson in 1953. To the right is the Fox Theater.

Commerce is dense and convenient in this 1955 view of Central Avenue south of Adams Street (Brad Hall collection).

Read more about this decade here.

The sixties:

Central looking south from Fillmore in 1960. Although Midtown is already chipping away at downtown's primacy, the urban fabric remains in place. Near right is the Post Office. The revolving neon Valley Bank sign is atop the professional building. The sky is astonishingly clear.

In 1963, this Washington and Second Street view shows the new Municipal Building and the skeleton of the County Administration, courts, and jail complex.

In 1967, Johnny's Records, The Stop Restaurant, and other shops on First Street try to survive city hall's neglect of downtown retail and demolition of buildings.

Driving west on Washington toward First Street. The Fox Theater's days are numbered.

The boxing and wrestling arena Madison Square Garden was still in business on Seventh Avenue north of Washington. (This is a photo taken from circa 1990s).

Read more about this decade here.

The seventies:

The city bus terminal replaced the Fox Theater. Behind it are the new white tower for the Arizona Bank and the new Hotel Adams.

This aerial looking south from Van Buren and Seventh Street shows how the city clear-cut blocks of commercial buildings. This shocking act of civic vandalism continued for decades and included incalculable losses, including of territorial buildings between Seventh Avenue and the capitol.

Demolition of the Fleming Building in 1970 to make way for the soulless First National Bank tower.

The new skyline, including Valley Center, the tallest building in the state. The Hyatt Regency offers a revolving restaurant. Peeking between the Luhrs Tower and Building is Patriot's Square, a failed public space (Patricia Matus Collection).

Brutalist architecture marks the new Phoenix Civic Plaza, including Symphony Hall and the convention center.

It's 1975 and the Arizona Bank tower, left, and Hyatt Regency, right, are under construction. In the foreground, historic business buildings are being demolished to make way for Patriots' Square (Brad Hall collection).

Read about this decade here.

Fast forward to revival:

Controversial though they were for some, Jerry Colangelo's insistence on relocating the Suns downtown and then the Diamondbacks' stadium were critical to kickstarting a downtown that saw millions of visitors a year.

The Phoenix Biomedical Campus began with the successful recruitment of T-Gen, followed by the UA College of Medicine. It moved too slow and never reached Jeff Trent's vision of becoming another Texas Medical Center, the campus succeeded in a "meds and eds" strategy downtown (GPEC photo).

Demolition and replacement of most of Civic Plaza and replacing it with a spacious and eye-pleasing Convention Center, along with more hotel space, allowed Phoenix to get into the big leagues of this important sector of tourism.

CityScape, completed in 2012, filled in the empty blocks of Patriots Square and east, the first major private investment downtown in the new century. It's less inward-facing than 1989's Arizona Center, and less car dependent. Also, timing is everything because it knitted together other big people-centric projects.

ASU's downtown campus opened in 2006 and proved to be transformative over the next 15 years. Now spread over several blocks, the campus is home to multiple colleges and schools, including journalism and law. It was a heavy lift, with Phoenix passing a bond issue to help with public money. The investment has more than paid off.

The latest addition to the campus is Fusion on First, on the southwest corner of First Avenue and Fillmore Street. Thirteen floors of apartment-style student housing are above a three-story high-tech innovation hub (City of Phoenix).

Light rail (WBIYB) linked all this together, especially the downtown and Tempe campuses (Valley Metro photo). The result isn't a traditional downtown or one Phoenix could have had with some foresight and leadership in the 1960s. But it's a remarkable rebirth and keeps booming.

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My book, A Brief History of Phoenix, is available to buy or order at your local independent bookstore, or from Amazon.

Read more Phoenix history in Rogue's Phoenix 101 archive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Cal Lash]

Light rail continues east in Mesa.
And south in Phoenix.
Six new extensions by 2031.
If you build it they will flock.
And now news about SW dwindling water.

[DoggieCombover]

If you want a slap-your-forehead moment, take a drive down Apache Blvd. and see what light rail hath wrought. It is lined with new development on both sides and everything not yet redeveloped is currently underway or fenced off for future demolition.

[Cal Lash]

Its just 2 blocks from my RV store,
Camping World.
I keep looking at RV parks along the rail. Just in case you know for that day. But then I'd lose my great view of THE MOUNTAIN.

[El Kabong]

Good post, Jon. Thanks.

[Cal Lash]

Once upon a time
There was
"A pen warmed up in Hell"
????

[Ramjet]

More comment action in those days

[Mariam Cheshire]

Mark Twain's pen, not Jon's.
I live on Fillmore where buildings are going up like crazy. No reason to dust my apartment, the dust will return quickly. For a couple of years,it's been impossible to enjoy my balcony due to constant construction noise.
But, even more important than my minor gripes, where is the water, the parking space, the air coming from??
I enjoy the pictures and the stories with them with the exception of the last one of the Light Rail area. The bricks have been swept which is a nice touch. But the waiting man is so obviously posed. Maybe a suit - business men with a tie are on the train and particularly if from out of town. But with a hat? I can't recall ever seeing a real hat in Phoenix. A baseball cap would more represent my downtown. Mariam Cheshire, author of "Stories About the Hotel Westward Ho"

[Rogue Columnist]

Mariam,

You get to flog your book on this site at my forbearance.

Density and infill downtown, served by light rail, is the most efficient use of all resources. We need to drastically reduce car dependence. All I would add is to plant lots of shade trees.

I often wear suits when the weather permits. And hats. I own fedoras, Panamas, a Homberg, and porkpie. If the photo is posed, so what? Light rail’s success is undeniable.

[Mariam Cheshire]

Jon - I voted for light rail I think it was twice before it happened. I've taken several rides both ways just for the fun of seeing places. And it works so well for my walker to wheel off and on.
There are a couple of trees, rather large now, that I planted in two yards where I paid the mortgage. I wish there were more.
A remarkable hat collection - I don't even know what a Homberg looks like. But I still wish the picture showed someone with a Suns tee shirt and cap.
And thanks for allowing me to mention a 94 year old hotel written about by a 94 year old author (remember when I gave you the tour?) all in good fun, we both love Phoenix, Mariam

[Mariam Cheshire]

The latest addition of the Light Rail downtown (IMHO) is perfect -- shows active, sports loving crowds. And it also shows how much more we have going on than we did 15-20 years ago.
You always find the special picture. Thank you, Mariam

[Cal Lash]

And the Baobab tree said to the Sajuaros, “You cannot destroy the forest without spilling blood.” (Veronique Tadjo).

I didn’t vote for Lite rail in the Valley of the Sun as I saw it a continuation of the 1400 AD European invasion and further destruction of the planet earth.

T.R. commissioned the dam and the developers came. And destroyed.

Why the desert will win: From the Washington Post on Jon;s Rogue Front pages.

"Then came an issue of who could use the water. Consider a farmer named Joseph. He and his family would settle on their land and pull from the river during the warm season. It had been a good winter so they expected high river flows that spring. Instead, the flows were really low. Where was his water?"

Lakes Powell and Mead were doomed from the beginning
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/09/10/lake-powell-mead-drought-history/
and
https://www.bing.com/news/search?q=Arizona+Towns+Buying+Water+From+Farmers+And+Colorado+River&qpvt=Arizona+towns+buying+water+from+farmers+and+colorado+river&FORM=EWRE

Now town developers are buying water from anyplace willing to sell. https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2019/11/20/debate-erupts-over-plan-move-colorado-river-water-arizona-suburb/4241885002/

Once upon a time and too come again.
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/digital/api/singleitem/image/pdf/aho/1033/default.png&imgrefurl=https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/digital/collection/aho/id/1033/&tbnid=fQ4obAnXnsHDdM&vet=1&docid=cAdBdTqK0Rnb4M&w=1913&h=2489&itg=1&source=sh/x/im">https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/digital/api/singleitem/image/pdf/aho/1033/default.png&imgrefurl=https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/digital/collection/aho/id/1033/&tbnid=fQ4obAnXnsHDdM&vet=1&docid=cAdBdTqK0Rnb4M&w=1913&h=2489&itg=1&source=sh/x/im">https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/digital/api/singleitem/image/pdf/aho/1033/default.png&imgrefurl=https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/digital/collection/aho/id/1033/&tbnid=fQ4obAnXnsHDdM&vet=1&docid=cAdBdTqK0Rnb4M&w=1913&h=2489&itg=1&source=sh/x/im

The future of rail:
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://www.shutterbug.com/images/styles/960-wide/public/photo_post/%255Buid%255D/Luderitz_Q6A0992SBM.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.shutterbug.com/content/train-might-be-late-today&tbnid=jusPZPVtPVNIsM&vet=1&docid=SxNi5hh6jdy9UM&w=480&h=720&itg=1&source=sh/x/im">https://www.shutterbug.com/images/styles/960-wide/public/photo_post/%255Buid%255D/Luderitz_Q6A0992SBM.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.shutterbug.com/content/train-might-be-late-today&tbnid=jusPZPVtPVNIsM&vet=1&docid=SxNi5hh6jdy9UM&w=480&h=720&itg=1&source=sh/x/im">https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://www.shutterbug.com/images/styles/960-wide/public/photo_post/%255Buid%255D/Luderitz_Q6A0992SBM.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.shutterbug.com/content/train-might-be-late-today&tbnid=jusPZPVtPVNIsM&vet=1&docid=SxNi5hh6jdy9UM&w=480&h=720&itg=1&source=sh/x/im

Cal’s, last stop for a Martini and water. No Ice
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-vintage-weathered-trailer-in-desert-88321673.html

[Cal Lash]

From above.

Once upon a time and too come again.
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/digital/api/singleitem/image/pdf/aho/1033/default.png&imgrefurl=https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/digital/collection/aho/id/1033/&tbnid=fQ4obAnXnsHDdM&vet=1&docid=cAdBdTqK0Rnb4M&w=1913&h=2489&itg=1&source=sh/x/im">https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/digital/api/singleitem/image/pdf/aho/1033/default.png&imgrefurl=https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/digital/collection/aho/id/1033/&tbnid=fQ4obAnXnsHDdM&vet=1&docid=cAdBdTqK0Rnb4M&w=1913&h=2489&itg=1&source=sh/x/im">https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/digital/api/singleitem/image/pdf/aho/1033/default.png&imgrefurl=https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/digital/collection/aho/id/1033/&tbnid=fQ4obAnXnsHDdM&vet=1&docid=cAdBdTqK0Rnb4M&w=1913&h=2489&itg=1&source=sh/x/im

The future of rail
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://www.shutterbug.com/images/styles/960-wide/public/photo_post/%255Buid%255D/Luderitz_Q6A0992SBM.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.shutterbug.com/content/train-might-be-late-today&tbnid=jusPZPVtPVNIsM&vet=1&docid=SxNi5hh6jdy9UM&w=480&h=720&itg=1&source=sh/x/im">https://www.shutterbug.com/images/styles/960-wide/public/photo_post/%255Buid%255D/Luderitz_Q6A0992SBM.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.shutterbug.com/content/train-might-be-late-today&tbnid=jusPZPVtPVNIsM&vet=1&docid=SxNi5hh6jdy9UM&w=480&h=720&itg=1&source=sh/x/im">https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://www.shutterbug.com/images/styles/960-wide/public/photo_post/%255Buid%255D/Luderitz_Q6A0992SBM.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.shutterbug.com/content/train-might-be-late-today&tbnid=jusPZPVtPVNIsM&vet=1&docid=SxNi5hh6jdy9UM&w=480&h=720&itg=1&source=sh/x/im

[Cal Lash]

And a major source of water for Phoenix is being depleted up stream.
https://www.azcentral.com/in-depth/news/local/arizona-environment/2021/09/06/groundwater-pumping-verde-river-risk-arizona/7695748002/

[Mariam Cheshire]

I'm a few days past due in reading Cal's posts. The google would not open. Washington Post tells me I've had all the free ones I'm allowed and won't open unless I sign up to pay.
However, the rest were worth the time. Bing gives the idea. The azcentral.com should be required reading for everyone in Arizona who drinks water rather than gin. It lays out the case that water should be regulated before we don't have any.
When I opened the alamy.com several fixer-uppers appeared. I went through them and picked out several where I could retire and enjoy the simple life. All I would need is a nearby river.
Thanks, Cal, for posting this. Thanks, Jon, for giving us a place to visualize the past and the future., Mariam