Shops along Flagstaff’s Aspen Avenue. Photo from City of Flagstaff <./em>

Downtown – the geographical, cultural and historic centerpiece of Flagstaff. Along historic 1890s streets, buildings and hotels, you will find numerous clothing boutiques, outdoor outfitters, art galleries, and retailers selling authentic Native American arts and jewelry.

A crowd gathers in Flagstaff downtown for the Downtown Art Walk event. Photo from the City of Flagstaff

Live entertainment can be found almost every evening at Heritage Square or within the great restaurants and nightlife venues. The downtown district is one of the most walkable downtowns in Arizona featuring regular events like the Firt Friday Art Walk or the Flagstaff/Grand Canyon Ale Trail to enjoy many of the unique local breweries.

Downtown Flagstaff boasts historic 1890s streets, buildings and a hotel. Photo from the City of Flagstaff

Venture south of the railroad tracks to the evolving Southside District with amazing dining and cafes lining the streets.

Downtown Tucson is a hub for University of Arizona students, residents, businesspeople and visitors to enjoy the unique attractions and gorgeous weather. Photo from City of Tucson

Tucson has perhaps focused their downtown area on three major t’s: transportation, trade and tourism.

A southern Arizona paradise, Tucson draws visitors throughout the year to encounter its unique attractions and gorgeous weather. The city embraces its position as a tourism hot spot, as tourism continues to be a significant driver of the local economy. Visit Tucson is a high-performing organization that works diligently to bring tourists, conferences, trade shows, and sporting events to the Tucson area. Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and the City Council have found a way to provide additional funding to Visit Tucson by having them share equally with the city any lodging tax dollars over and above current levels.

The continued renewal of downtown will no doubt bring even more visitors to the Tucson area. A proposed 136-room, $36 million upscale boutique hotel is proposed that will forever change the landscape in downtown Tucson and will additionally generate an influx of tourism dollars. Another highly anticipated hotel project will bring another 180 rooms right to the Sunlink Streetcar Line.

The Tucson Sunlink Streetcar is a 3.9-mile streetcar that connects major activity centers in the city. The streetcar saw its millionth passenger in May 2015. Photo from the City of Tucson

The City of Tucson is also fast becoming known as a logistics center due to I-10, I-19, and proximity to Mexico, Union Pacific Rail Line, the Tucson International Airport, and the Port of Tucson. In the International trade arena, the city has partnered with Visit Tucson to utilize their office in Hemosillo, Sonora as an extension of the economic development office located in Tucson. The city’s international trade specialist travels to the office monthly to meet business owners interested in exploring how to expand into the Tucson market.

The Tucson Sunlink Streetcar. Photo from the City of Tucson

Additionally, the city collaborates with Pima County and supports plans to construct a new limited access road from I-19 to I-10 called the Sonoran Corridor. This large infrastructure project will open up large tracts of land for industrial uses in the future, and will further solidify the Tucson region as a prime logistics center.

The city’s purposeful partnerships with other local organizations continue to bring more business and more visitors to the downtown area.

Downtown Tucson continues to be one of the hottest development markets in the region. City infrastructure expenditures and the Sunlink Modern Streetcar are certainly primarily contributors to the private investment the city is now experiencing. Downtown Tucson has been transformed in the last few years thanks to well-placed public and private investment dollars. However the lure to downtown extends beyond on-trend restaurants and housing. The area has welcomed many new businesses from the well-established to creative newcomers. These newest professional tenants have generated new construction, converted warehouses and breathed new life into historic homes and buildings. They are the next wave of newcomers to downtown Tucson and their presence will attract talented entrepreneurs and high-quality jobs to the available office space downtown.

The Rialto Theater is a mainstay of the Downtown Tucson area. Photo from the City of Tucson

The City of Tucson has driven the revitalization of downtown. Policies and incentives put in place by the mayor and city council have been geared toward turning downtown into an economic development engine. The city currently has 21 incentive tools that have made new development projects a reality in downtown.

Students are also injecting life into downtown like never before, with students from the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management using co-working space downtown to house their student-run companies. Student-run businesses are part of a burgeoning innovation district and shared work environments are quickly becoming the new way to office for young professionals and startups.

The City of Tucson has also established the Small Business Assistance Line, which attracts callers on a daily basis. The help provided ranges from how to obtain a city business license to how to establish a new business in Tucson. The Economic Initiatives Office also staffs the Small, Minority and Women Owned Business Commission, which meets monthly to facilitate the success of small businesses.

Tucson City Hall. Photo from the City of Tucson.

The Tucson City Council have led the economic development effort for the city by proposing incentives and assistance programs, bringing new businesses to the city and supporting those that are already operating there.

Downtown Tucson is once again becoming a vibrant urban core and both seasoned and young professionals want to be part of its future.

Downtown Gilbert’s Heritage District lights up at night. Photo from the Town of Gilbert

Once known as the “Hay Shipping Capital of the World,” Gilbert, Arizona spans more than 72 square miles and is home to more than 235,000 residents. Its humble beginning started in its downtown, now known as the Heritage District. Gilbert’s Heritage District is the symbolic center of the community, where echoes of the Old West meet the world of modern cuisine. It has been named one of the five Best Food Neighborhoods in Metro Phoenix by the Phoenix New Times and is commonly referred to as “Delicious Downtown Gilbert.” This area’s growing popularity is years in the making, with past and present community leaders envisioning the Heritage District as a destination for people to shop, dine, work and attend school.

A parade runs through the main street of Downtown Gilbert in the 1940s. Photo from the Gilbert Historical Society

Today that vision is coming to life. If you visit the Heritage District you will see families lined on the picnic tables outside Joe’s Real BBQ and a line down the sidewalk to have breakfast or lunch at the Farmhouse.  Don’t forget Liberty Market, a Gilbert staple, that’s always busy at any time of the day.  Postino’s and Joy Ride, two of Upward Projects’ latest investments in Gilbert, have full and lively patios every day of the week.  Oregano’s, one of the first restaurants to kick-start the revitalization of Gilbert’s downtown, is always packed. And downtown’s newest additions Zinburger, Lolo’s Chicken and Waffles and Barrio Queen Café are bustling day and night.

Joe’s Real BBQ is a mainstay of the Heritage District. Photo from the Gilbert Historical Society

And it’s about to get even busier.

Later this year, Snooze AM Eatery, a trendy breakfast and lunch establishment, will also open its doors. Pomo Pizzeria and Petersen’s Ice Cream Company will also join the various restaurants in the Heritage Marketplace development, which at total build out will encompass over 70,000 square-feet of retail space.

What was once a quiet center of a small town is now a thriving hub of one of the fastest growing and safest communities in the country.  Under the iconic water tower, you will see families enjoying the splash pad, an outdoor concert or the Saturday Farmer’s Market while others are watching local theater at the Hale Centre Theatre.  But, before and after, you won’t want to miss a meal at one of the downtown’s many restaurant offerings.

To add to the growth and excitement Gilbert’s first University, Saint Xavier, will open its doors this fall, just steps behind the new Heritage Marketplace off of Gilbert Road.  This will bring a new energy of young, enthusiastic students; adding to the already eclectic vibe at the center of the community.

If you haven’t been to Gilbert’s Heritage District, get out and discover Gilbert.

Postino and Joy Ride, two of Upward Projects’ latest investments in Gilbert, have full and lively patios every day of the week. Photo from Town of Gilbert

A view from above in Downtown Bisbee. Photo from City of Bisbee

Historically known as the “Queen of the Copper Mines,” Bisbee, Arizona, is now a charming destination for travelers to experience history and culture.

After large-scale mining operations became obsolete, the city evolved into an artist’s colony, a tourist attraction and a relaxing place to relocate. Visitors will delight in strolling the sidewalks of this community, experiencing art galleries, small specialty shops, bookstores, cafes and local restaurants.

The City of Bisbee has evolved into an artist’s downtown, full of galleries, shops, bookstores and local restaurants. Photo from City of Bisbee

Bisbee is also home to the Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum, an ideal location for history buffs to learn about copper, architecture and Bisbee’s past. Many will also come to Bisbee to take the Copper Queen Mine Tour, a look into the days when copper was dominant in Bisbee’s culture.

Many visit Bisbee for the Copper Queen Mine Tour. Photo from City of Bisbee

The Paseo de Luces revitalization project opened in 2014. Photo from the City of Tolleson

The 2014 revitalization project of Downtown Tolleson into Paseo de Luces has spawned into an entertainment destination that people want to experience. Paseo de Luces (Path of Lights) is more than a downtown; with its family-style seating, it has become a gathering place for all people.

Visiting Paseo De Luces offers the opportunity to enjoy an amazing art collection designed and fabricated by West Valley Fine Arts Council’s Gallery 37. This collection consists of seven sculptures that comprise the Paseo de Arte (Path of Art), which embodies the city’s past, present and future.

The West Valley Arts Council recognized the City of Tolleson as its Champion of the Arts. Photo from City of Tolleson

Paseo De Luces offers family-style seating, making it a gathering place for all people. Photo from City of Tolleson

In 2015, the West Valley Arts Council recognized the City of Tolleson as its Champion of the Arts for including this art collection as a staple in the new downtown design, as a symbol of the community’s commitment to the arts. In addition to this remarkable artwork, Paseo de Luces has a Central Plaza with a water feature, free Wi-Fi and a sound system that plays music all year long.

Crowds gather to celebrate the holidays in the new Paseo de Luces. Photo from City of Tolleson

As monsoon season continues to hit the Valley and other parts of our state, many cities and towns are offering programs and services to residents to help them prepare, stay safe, and clean up any damage caused by the storms.

The storm that hit Monday evening, August 31, hit the City of Tempe and caused downed power lines, transformer fires and damage from fallen trees and flooding.

Tempe Center for the Arts

To help residents continuing to clean up from storm damage, the city is offering a special green organics collection beginning Tuesday, Sept. 8 to remove storm debris and fallen trees in the hardest hit areas.

If you are a resident of one of these hard-hit areas and would like to find out how to schedule your pickup, please click here. 

For more information on staying safe in monsoons or preparing for the next big storm, visit www.tempe.gov/monsoons or your local city or town’s website.

Tempe Town Lake Pedestrian Bridge suffered damage during Monday evening’s storm. The bridge will be closed for several days for repair.