[Source: Jahna Berry, Arizona Republic] — Mayor Phil Gordon and a coalition of community groups want to do a better job promoting downtown Phoenix’s hidden jewels — restaurants, shops, art events, and other offerings. On Thursday, the mayor announced a new marketing push that would create a central Web site for downtown events, tree plantings, and other shade efforts as well as coffee meetings with residents. The first coffee meeting will be at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, at Palatte restaurant, 606 N. Fourth Ave. “It’s an exciting time to be in downtown,” Gordon said. “We want to make sure that all Valley residents are aware of all of the opportunities downtown (offers).”
The project is to be financed by private donations raised by the mayor’s annual State of Downtown speech. The October State of Downtown event raised $250,000, which has been used to help pay for small projects, such as last year’s downtown loft tour and the Phoenix Annual Parade of the Arts, said Patty Johnson, a consultant connected to the project. Johnson could not say how much of that $250,000 would be used to pay for the marketing effort. The groups include the Downtown Phoenix Partnership, Phoenix Community Alliance, Art Link Inc., Roosevelt Row Community Development Corp., and Arizona State University.
On of the events that could benefit from the push is Phoenix First Fridays, a monthly street party that draws thousands to downtown galleries and shops. “There are important and fascinating cultural things happening in downtown,” said Sloane Burwell, the acting director of Art Link, the group that organizes the event. We “wish that everyone would come and realize that they are invited,” she added.
Downtown Voices Coalition 