Downtown Phoenix
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The downtown of the city of Phoenix in the U.S. state of Arizona covers about two or three square miles, with axes running along Central Avenue and Washington/Jefferson Streets. About twenty-five mid-rise and high-rise buildings ranging up to 40 stories tall pierce the skyline. Three of the five tallest skyscrapers in Arizona are in Downtown Phoenix. Chase Tower, at 40 stories and a height of 483 feet, is the tallest. US Bank Center’s 31 floors and 407 feet tall is number two. 44 Monroe, at 34 floors and a height of 380 feet is Phoenix’s 4th tallest.
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[edit] Attractions
Downtown's cultural attractions attractions include the Arizona Science Center, Phoenix Museum of History, the Phoenix Art Museum, the Rosson House the Heard Museum and the Burton Barr Central Library. Downtown Phoenix is also has a large sports presence with Chase Field and the US Airways Center. Downtown is also the Performing Arts hub of Phoenix with many venues including Symphony Hall, Herberger Theater, the Orpheum Theater and the Dodge Theater.
[edit] Architecture
The architecture of Downtown offers many examples of 20th century architectural styles including the Beaux Arts designed Security Building and Hotel San Carlos. Art Deco design can be seen in Luhrs Tower, Hotel Monroe (formerly the Professional Building) and the Orpheum Lofts. International Style was popular in the 1960s thru 1980s and prime examples include Chase Tower and US Bank Center. The short-lived brutalist style has only one example in Phoenix in the Wells Fargo Plaza. Post Modern, with its return to architectural ornamentation, can be seen in the Bank of America Tower, both towers at the Arizona Center and, most notably, in the crown of the Phoenix City Hall Building. The recent trend of urban living has led to the conversion of the Phoenix Title and Trust building to condominiums called Orpheum Lofts. As well as the newly built residential towers 44 Monroe and The Summit at Copper Square with many more in the planning stages. Two large residential projects are currently under construction. Taylor Place, two 13-story towers which will be the new residential community of the Downtown campus of Arizona State University. Alta Phoenix Lofts, a multi-level, 332-unit apartment project is rising north of the Arizona Center.
[edit] Copper Square
Copper Square, the 90-block core of downtown Phoenix, is the business, cultural and governmental heart of the city. Built around the original Phoenix historic town site, Copper Square is quickly becoming one of the southwest's most distinctive urban centers. Copper Square's boundaries extend from Fillmore to south of Jackson Street, 7th Street to 3rd Avenue. Recent and planned revitalizations in Copper Square, including more than $4 billion in public and private sector development, increased arts, cultural and entertainment activity, and the presence of two state universities are resulting in significant physical and economic growth for the greater Phoenix area.
[edit] Roosevelt Row
Roosevelt Street is an east-west corridor that runs thru the northern edge of Downtown. Roosevelt Row, roughly bounded by 3rd Avenue to 7th Street, has reinvented itself from a blighted, drug infested area to the epicenter of the Central Phoenix art scene. This emerging neighborhood has become home to artist live/work spaces, gallery spaces and studio spaces. Since 1994 the monthly First Fridays artwalk has grown to become the largest monthly artwalk in the United States. Increasing interest in this area has prompted Rooselvelt Row to becoming more pedestrian-friendly and is supportive of small local independent businesses that give downtown Phoenix character.
[edit] Historic Neighborhoods
Downtown and Central Phoenix are home to several historic neighborhoods ranging from turn of the century Victorian to mid-century modern architecture. Some of them are more established and in-demand like the Willo and Encanto-Palmcroft districts, while others are still redeveloping. Some of the more well-known districts include Coronado, Encanto-Palmcroft, FQ Story, Willo and Woodlea.
[edit] Downtown Phoenix in Film and Television
Mel's Diner, on the outskirts of downtown has been an old Phoenix landmark for decades. It's famous for being the setting for the TV sitcom Alice (TV Series).
Many movies have been filmed in Phoenix using downtown locations.
- The 1960 film, Psycho features the Downtown Phoenix skyline in the opening shot. Originally Alfred Hitchcock wanted a helicopter shot to fly thru downtown into the window of a hotel, but the shot was changed to a series of pan and fade shots.
- In the 1998 remake of Psycho Gus Van Sant filmed the opening shot using a helicopter and zooming into the 8th floor of the Westward Ho.
- In the film Waiting to Exhale Lela Rochon is shown in front of the Phoenix City Hall building in her character’s introduction scene.
- In the film The Gauntlet the open shots feature the Phoenix skyline. Downtown is also used in the final climatic shoot-out between Clint Eastwood's character and the Phoenix Police, ending in from of the Phoenix Symphony Hall.
- In the film Ninja III: The Domination, a car chase uses the streets of downtown.
- Blue Collar Comedy Tour: The Movie was filmed at The Dodge Theater in 2003.
- In the 1978 made for TV movie A Fire in the Sky, a comet crashes into Earth west of the city which destroys downtown Phoenix. Many landmarks are shown during the destruction. Wells Fargo Plaza and the Hyatt Regency Phoenix are shown collapsing while the glass skin of the Chase Tower, is blown from its steel skeleton. The antenna of the Westward Ho falls to the ground as a result of the impact blast. This film should not be confused for the 1993 alien abduction movie of the same name.
- In The Banger Sisters the skyline is featured.
- In the film The Getaway Phoenix stands in for Albuquerque with Kim Basinger navigating thru downtown’s streets and alleys.
- The Arizona Center is used in the opening scenes of Phoenix
[edit] References
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Phoenix Museum of History
- Copper Square - Downtown Phoenix Partnership
- Phoenix Convention Center
- {http://www.artlinkphx.com
- Copper Square news regarding Phoenix Convention Center
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocarina_of_Time
- http://www.rooseveltrow.org
Live in Roosevelt Row:
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