Arizona Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids One Arizona Center |
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|---|---|
Tower One
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| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Location | 400 E Van Buren St Phoenix, Arizona |
| Completed | 1989 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 240 ft (73 m) |
| Top floor | 19 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 19 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | HKS, Inc |
| Developer | The Rouse Company |
| Two Arizona Center | |
|---|---|
Tower Two
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|
| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Location | 455 N 3rd St Phoenix, Arizona |
| Completed | 1990 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 260 ft (79 m) |
| Top floor | 20 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 20 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | HNTB Architecture |
| Developer | The Rouse Company |
Arizona Center is a large shopping and office complex in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. It's a popular spot where people can shop, eat, and watch movies. It also has tall office buildings where many businesses are located.
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What's Inside Arizona Center?
Arizona Center has two main office buildings, lots of shops and restaurants, and a big movie theater.
One Arizona Center Tower
This building is 240 feet (73 meters) tall. It has 19 floors and was finished in 1989. Many law firms have offices here. The Harlem Globetrotters basketball team also has its main offices in this tower.
Two Arizona Center Tower
This tower is a bit taller at 260 feet (79 meters). It has 20 floors and was completed in 1990. It is the main office for Arizona Public Service, which is a local electric company.
Shops and Restaurants
The center has many places to eat and shop. You can find different restaurants like Canyon Cafe, Mi Amigo's Mexican Grill, and Subway. There are also unique boutiques and shops for tourists.
The Central Plaza
In the middle of Arizona Center is a beautiful outdoor area. It has lovely gardens, courtyards, and fountains. This area was designed by a group called SWA Group. They even won an award for their amazing work on the plaza!
Nearby Buildings
Close to Arizona Center, there's a very tall 30-story Sheraton Phoenix Downtown hotel. It opened in 2008. There are also new condominium buildings being built or planned nearby. These are places where people can live in downtown Phoenix.
History of Arizona Center
Arizona Center was designed by The Rouse Company. This company was known for creating popular "festival marketplaces" in other cities. It opened in the fall of 1990. People had high hopes for it. They thought it would help bring new life to downtown Phoenix.
The company that built Arizona Center also created famous places like Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston and Harborplace in Baltimore. So, many people expected Arizona Center to be a big hit for shopping, dining, and fun. They hoped it would encourage more development in downtown Phoenix.
However, some people thought Phoenix wasn't ready for such a big downtown project. They also pointed out that not many people lived in fancy apartments or condominiums right near the center. Most of the neighborhoods nearby had people with lower or middle incomes. This meant there weren't enough customers who wanted to buy the more expensive items the center offered.
Because of this, many of the first shops struggled to get enough customers. By 2003, a large food court on the second floor was closed. It was later changed into an office for an architectural firm called SmithGroup.
The Rouse Company was bought by another company in 2004. Then, in 2011, Arizona Center was sold to CommonWealth REIT.
Arizona Center started a big update in 2017. This renovation was finished in 2018, making the center even better.
