Phoenix Community Alliance Has Spent 40 Years Working To Create a Stronger Downtown for a Better Phoenix

The Seargeant Oldaker House is moving forward! \ud83c\udfda\ufe0f \u23e9 \n\nPCA Member LiveForward has ambitious plans to renew the historic building and the surrounding site at 3rd Avenue and McKinley into a vibrant community-focused development.\n\nIn time, the local development firm plans to add a new residential community onto the site to coexist with the historic Seargeant Oldaker House. When the sensitive restoration of the bungalow is complete, it will become a local gathering spot that highlights its architectural and cultural significance. \n\nHowever, to enact their master plan, they're planning to shift the structure within the site to allow the development to be built. \n\n\u201cThis is not just about saving a historic home\u2014it's about giving it new life,\u201d said Scott Kilkenny, manager at LiveForward. \u201cWe are committed to honoring Phoenix's past while building toward its future, and this project reflects that balance.\u201d\n\nPCA can't wait to discover more about their project, which has strong connections to our many PCA Advocacy Committees!

Save the Date! Our next Quarterly Member Meeting is right around the corner on Tuesday, June 10, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. \n\nStay in the know about new projects on this two-part tour that explores a quickly-evolving @PhoenixBioscienceCore (PBC). \ud83d\udc99 \u2695\ufe0f \n\nAdditional programming details to follow. Please RSVP in advance to reserve your spot on the tour. Follow the link in bio to sign-up.\n\nThank you to @PhillipsLawFoundation for supporting our Quarterly Member Meetings!

Celebrate Pride Month with an unforgettable blend of creativity, inclusivity, and connection. \ud83c\udf89\ud83c\udf08\n\nJoin us on Thursday, June 12, from 4 pm to 7 pm at @dialogphx for a Pride in the City celebration, featuring:\n\n\ud83c\udf99\ufe0f An artist talk with @josevillalobosart on identity and self-expression, in collaboration with @asuartmuseum\n\ud83d\udecd\ufe0f Shopping with local vendors\n\ud83c\udf79 Mocktails + tasty bites\n\ud83c\udfa8 Connect with local artists including @antoinettecauley, Joshua Garza, and Christian McDonald (@religionfastfood) \n\ud83c\udfb5 Beats by Zima Blue (@jst_tyrone)\n\u2728 Exclusive giveaways and raffle tickets to upcoming shows + concerts + games in DTPHX\n\ud83e\udde1 FREE to attend; everybody is welcome!\n\n\ud83c\udf8a Join us for the after-party at @pembertonphx starting at 7 pm.\n\n\ud83d\udd17 Visit the link in bio for more event details. We can't wait to see you there!

The leadership behind the Central City Planning & Development (CCPD) Committee just got stronger! \n\nPhoenix Community Alliance's oldest advocacy Committee recently recruited the expertise of long-standing Board of Directors Mark Stratz and Ashley Harder as its new Committee Vice Chairs. Both bring unique Downtown perspectives from different industries.\n\nMark Stratz is a seasoned real estate broker with more than 27 years of experience. The real estate veteran has a deep knowledge of the Downtown community, land development, and commercial real estate. Stratz was recently announced as the incoming President of the Scottsdale-based Land Advisors Organization and as a national executive leadership team member. He will further strengthen and expand the firm's profile, which is the nation's ninth-largest land brokerage firm. \n\nAshley Harder is a Principal with Harder Development, a commercial development business prioritizing real estate development with historic preservation and adaptive-reuse integrations. For 15 years, the Downtown resident has spearheaded many small-business projects. A sample of these includes an adaptive reuse of the historic Carline Center into a commercial property and efforts to integrate public art into the future APS Grant Street Substation. Harder currently serves as the History, Heritage & Historic Preservation Subcommittee Chair on the Arizona America250 Commission, which she was appointed to by Governor Katie Hobbs.\n\nThe Vice Chairs add to the Committee's already robust leadership of Matt Seaman and Brian Cassidy to showcase all the projects transforming the Central City.

Ever been inside ASU's Grant Street Studios? Most hadn't \u2014 until our May PHXWD meeting explored this hidden gem.\n\nThe @phx_wd May 2025 meeting took attendees to ASU's Grant Street Studios (@asuschoolofart) to tour and learn more about ASU's Fine Art program(s).\n\nAhead of the South Central Extension opening celebrations on Saturday, June 7, Valley Metro gave a glimpse of the activities, such as a low rider show, opening dignitary remarks, and an official ribbon-cutting ceremony. The new line also increases the overall frequency of trains arriving every 12 minutes. \n\nFun fact: Attendees at their opening celebration can receive a FREE commemorative copper card to explore the new 5.5-mile segment all day! \ud83d\udcc5 \n\nAfterward, Jeremy Ripley, the studio's Program Manager, led a tour through the distinct facility, which provides individual studio space for Master of Fine Arts (MFA) students. The facility is fully equipped with a wide range of equipment, including a kiln, printing press, and woodworking equipment, which allows these young artists to train to become professionally self-sufficient. \n\nThank you to Jeremy at Grant Street Studios for graciously opening its doors to stakeholders!

Educator PRO Connect: Where Classrooms Meet Careers \ud83d\ude4c \ud83c\udf4e \n\nEducator PRO Connect is a program by the Office of the Maricopa County Superintendent (@mcschoolsup) that supports Arizona teachers by connecting them with STEM and industry professionals to enhance real-world classroom applications and bring awareness to college and career pathways.\n\nPCA's Education Partnerships Committee encourages Members to utilize this simple but powerful platform that helps connect professionals like you with local classrooms by:\n\n\ud83d\udd35 Being a guest speaker in a classroom\n\ud83d\udd35 Offering a site tour or career experience\n\ud83d\udd35 Mentoring or supporting a real-world learning project\n\nFollow the link in bio to begin your mentorship opportunity.\n\n(Don't forget: In the Keyword Section, Indicate \u201cPCA\u201d!)