25-02-2025
Arizona Center in downtown Phoenix is getting a revamp. Here's what to expect
A Phoenix-based developer bought the Arizona Center, an iconic development in downtown Phoenix, in mid-2023, with the intention of injecting art, local businesses and events back into the site, which had languished in recent years.
The center, located at Van Buren and Third streets, had dealt with long vacancies, and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic during the previous owners' attempt to revamp it.
Now, after a year and a half of work, some of the change has taken shape, as other pieces work to come together. Some new businesses have opened, and several more are under construction with plans to open later this year, including several new restaurants, bars and things to do for families.
Presson Corporation, led by Phoenix developer Daryl Burton bought most of the Arizona Center in 2023 for $27 million. The purchase included the retail space and the office space above it, the central park and one office tower.
Other owners still own the hotel, movie theater, parking garage and the second office tower, Faith Burton, director of special projects for the Presson Corporation, said.
Dough Boy Pizza Co., a pizza and wings restaurant, opened in early 2025. The shop, opened by franchise owner Rhea Williams, is the first Arizona location for the restaurant. Suits at Keystone, a menswear shop, opened in the development in October, and Zoni Girls, a pop-up roller rink, opened in the center in August.
Other businesses in the center include dessert shop Chocolate Bash, Omoide Sushi and Noodle Bar, Cold Stone Creamery, Moriah II Nails and Spa, Jersey Mike's, the Rose Theatre and BoSa Donuts. A Jiu Jitsu gym also opened a temporary location at the center.
One of the center's most prominent restaurant spaces, which Hooters formerly occupied, was leased by Phoenix-based Pretty Decent Concepts, which also operates Chico Malo and Wren & Wolf downtown.
The restaurant space will be divided into three different concepts. The largest, called Cleaverman, will be a steakhouse that occupies most of the space. The second concept, called Uppercut, will be a fine dining concept with a tasting menu format. The third piece, called Filthy, will be a martini lounge and cocktail bar.
Another restaurant space under construction is called Origen, planned to be an upscale Mexican concept from Merida in the Yucatan Peninsula.
A spin cycling gym is planning to open a temporary concept in March at the center.
Arizona State University leased 94,000 square feet on the second and third levels of the retail buildings, to use as both classroom and office space.
The space will be used by Barrett, The Honors College; the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, as well as other parts of the university. The spaces are under construction and the university is expecting to move in during the summer, Burton said.
Burton said the company is still considering what the future of the office tower will be, but tenants have been slowly moving out of the tower. The future of the retail space will determine what makes sense for the office tower, she said.
It will be important to get the right coffee shop concept at the center, Burton said, and she would like to add more health and wellness concepts, like some of the pop-ups that have opened.
She would like to give some pop-ups a chance to launch their business in a temporary space before moving to a permanent one. The center also will be growing its community events offerings, like play days for young children and a family-friendly First Friday.
Reach the reporter at cvanek@ Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @CorinaVanek.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Downtown Phoenix's Arizona Center is getting a revamp. What to expect
