Tempe Town Lake
The Town Lake Area is the realization of Tempe’s desire to use public and private partnerships to create a destination that promotes economic growth and the regional quality of life by developing new employment, tourism, commercial, residential and recreational opportunities.

The Town Lake Project is designed to link office spaces, retail shops, residences, hotels, and restaurants with downtown development and a variety of recreational opportunities. Along the lake edge, an extensive park and trail system attracts visitors to enjoy the lake and landscape views while providing the opportunity for exercise and respite. The lake itself provides aquatic activities, while events and cultural amenities contribute to the urban fabric of the area.

Papago Park Center
Incorporated into the University-Hayden Butte Redevelopment Area are 350 acres in the northwest corner of Tempe, which have been master-planned for mixed-use development. Planned uses for the area include: Class A office, retail, resort hotel, research and development, and high-density multifamily residential. The area is ideally located for an employment park, having direct access to the Red Mountain Freeway, Sky Harbor International Airport, Arizona State University and Downtown Tempe. Papago Park Center is located adjacent to regional destinations and amenities such as Papago Park, Town Lake, two golf courses, the Phoenix Zoo and Desert Botanical Gardens. These attractions are influential to potential tenant decision-making and are emphasized in economic development recruitment efforts.

The developer of this growth area has invested more than $25 million in regional infrastructure to serve the needs of users of the development. These improvements include state-of-the art support facilities such as fiber-optic communication networks, redundant power support, point of presence communication capabilities and natural gas and nitrogen lines. Additional improvements were made to realign railroad main lines, a canal and arterial streets. Tempe is planning light rail improvements along Washington Street, with a stop serving the development.

McClintock/Rio Salado Redevelopment Area
The area east of McClintock, west of the Loop 101, and south of Rio Salado Parkway has been a county island since Tempe’s incorporation. The development of this area was predominantly with businesses that would face significant restrictions if they built and operated within a municipality.

In 2000, property owners in the county island signed a petition to be annexed into the City of Tempe. As part of the agreement, they would retain their existing land uses, under current operations, until they decided to sell, expand or change their property or business. Tempe in turn would provide basic services, including improvements to Rio Salado Parkway, for better fire, police and freeway access. The area has the advantage of freeway access at both the east and west ends, with high visibility and proximity to Rio Salado. The area has the disadvantage of significant environmental contamination, requiring substantial investment in remediation. The area is considered a brownfield, and in 2002 was formally designated as a redevelopment area. By virtue of this new status, it becomes a focus for new growth in Tempe. The goal of the McClintock/Rio Salado Parkway Brownfield Redevelopment Area is to mitigate environmental contamination, remove blighted conditions and reclaim the area for reuse and redevelopment.

Downtown Tempe
Downtown Tempe has experienced traditional cycles of success and decline, starting in the late 1800’s as the civic and commercial hub for the community. Growth continued until a series of events diverted development elsewhere. Mill Avenue, a former state highway, was bypassed for a new state route (US60) and suburban growth took residents further away from the City center. The development of retail areas closer to residential areas drew revenues out of the downtown, and the uses changed for survival. By the 1960s, lack of investment led to decay of the City’s central core.

Beginning in 1968 with the decision to locate the new City Hall in the downtown, the City Council committed to redeveloping the downtown. This was reaffirmed in 1973 with the adoption and Federal financial assistance of the University-Hayden Butte Redevelopment Area. Today, downtown Tempe is a mecca for shopping, dining and entertainment. Large employment centers and high technology industries have further activated the area. Now in its third decade of redevelopment, focus has shifted to residential and Mixed-Use developments that will sustain the live, work, play concept throughout the year, and throughout shifts in specific markets.

Apache Boulevard Redevelopment Area
Apache Boulevard was formerly designated as U.S. Highway 60 or State Route 89, serving as an important part of the interstate and regional transportation system. The Boulevard developed automotive and tourist oriented uses serving the highway: hotels, service stations, restaurants, and recreational vehicle parks.

Today, there are a significant number of historic buildings in the area, which are at least fifty years old. In the early 1990s, Tempe started work with Apache Boulevard area residents and businesses to enhance the streetscape of the Boulevard, and develop a redevelopment plan to address other community issues. The City of Tempe promotes a comprehensive and cooperative approach to the Apache Boulevard Redevelopment Area. This includes a partnership between the public, private and non-profit participants with an interest in the Apache Boulevard Area.

The City works closely with property owners, financial institutions, developers, realtors, homebuilders, businesspersons and investors to promote opportunities for beneficial redevelopment. The Apache Boulevard area now boasts a rebirth of unique restaurants and shops, historically recognized and preserved buildings, renovated homes and buildings, the Escalante Community Center, a new grocery store and fire station, and many other needed services and facilities. Transportation continues to be a development theme for the Boulevard, as the area anticipates the addition of light rail to serve the community. The goal of the Apache Boulevard Redevelopment Area is to encourage reinvestment to build a more desirable neighborhood in which people will enjoy living, working and visiting.