Until further notice, visit the SoDo Phoenix Happenings Blog Page on the Downtown Phoenix Journal website for SoDo news and info.

http://www.downtownphoenixjournal.com/sodo-phoenix-news

A historically designated building at 441 W Madison in South Downtown Phoenix is being transformed into an Event Center.  Malcolm and Pearle Marrs who own the building and operated a business at the property for nearly forty years are turning the 12,000 sq ft, single story, brick building into an Event Center.

In addition to the Event Center, Malcolm & Pearle intend to lease creative office spaces in another building on the square block that they own from Jackson to Madison, 4th to 5th Aves.

To find out more send an e-mail to madisoneventcenter@gmail.com or call 602 258 1189.

article at azcentral.com about the Event Center

Photo on left is courtesy of Mark Henle/The Arizona Republic

While attending the combined SoDo Phoenix/Ignite Phoenix networking meeting last month, I had the pleasure of meeting Scott Farence, the owner of F2pix, a Commercial Photography Firm whose offices are at 15 E Jackson St # 111.  Scott was at the Brickhouse, maybe getting ready to do some photography for a Concert later that night.  Anyway, Scott graciously agreed to shoot a few photos for us of our meeting.  So FYI, here is another creative business operating under the radar in SoDo. 

Visit Scott’s website for more info about his biz

2 different Downtown networking groups collided on July 29th, I’m sorry I meant combined their monthly meetings and hung out for a couple of hours at the Brickhouse – 1 E Jackson St in SoDo.  The purpose of the meeting was to acquaint attendees of the Ignite Phoenix networking group, whose new name is Radiate Phoenix with some of the cool, maybe not universally known business establishments in SoDo.  We did all have a really great time and several people got to see and experience the Brickhouse for the first time. 

Thanks to Roger Belfiore for hosting the meeting and thanks to Scott Farence with F2pix for shooting some photos for us.

“Ignite Phoenix”, a non-traditional networking group, that meets monthly in “cool” downtown Phoenix establishments, will be bringing their July meeting to SoDo to find out more about what’s happening in our SoDo Phoenix establishments & neighborhoods.
 
“Ignite Phoenix’s” Mission is “To activate spirited and stimulating dialogue around Downtown Phoenix’s emerging creative culture.  To meet others who are making things happen… to connect the dots”. 
 
Hope you can join us at the Brickhouse Theater, 1 E. Jackson St on Tuesday, July 29th from 5:30 to 7:30 PM.
 
Roger Belfiore, the owner of the Brickhouse will be serving up his famous “Burger, Fries & Drink for $5″.
 
Please RSVP to lyle@urbanconnectionrealty.com

I currently have 3 different houses in Central Park available for Lease, all at very affordable prices.  Central Park is a great little neighborhood, just south of the Downtown Phoenix Warehouse District.  The neighborhood is home to the Bentley Projects Art Gallery & The City Bakery as well as a great little neighborhood Park.  You can walk to several Jackson St restaurants, US Airways Center, Chase Field and the future light rail.  The homes I currently have, range in price from $695 to $750.

For more info, contact Lyle Plocher with Urban Connection Realty at 602 373 3725 or lyle@urbanconnectionrealty.com

The Brickhouse Theater on Jackson St, was recently host to the famous 2008 Cuervo Black Air Guitar Regional Championships.  I wish I would have known in advance as that would have been pretty hilarious to watch.  For those of you who might not be familiar with the “Air Guitar”, I will give you the Wikipedia definition:

“Playing air guitar is a form of dance and movement in which the performer pretends to play rock or heavy metal-style electric guitar solos. Playing an air guitar usually consists of exaggerated strumming and picking motions and is often coupled with loud singing or lip-synching. Air guitar is generally used in the imaginary simulation of loud electric guitar music.”

Anyway, for those of us who were not there, AZcentral.com was kind enough to put together a slide show of some of the performers.  check it out

Brickhouse website

Stopped by to visit Greg Riggins yesterday, the owner of the Ruby Room.  Greg hosts a lot of “live music” in the evenings at the Ruby Room, but he would love to have people from the neighborhood and workers from the Warehouse District and other downtown spots stop by after work for a drink before heading home.  It’s a very cool, neighborhood bar and Greg is ready to mix you up a tasty drink.

The Ruby Room is another one of SoDo’s hidden gems, located at 717 S. Central Ave, just a couple of blocks south of the Warehouse District. (Just one property south of Wells Fargo at corner of Central & Grant)

Ruby Room MySpace page

Ruby Room reviews at yelp.com

Our SoDo Phoenix, Meet & Mingle gathering for June was held last Thursday at the George Washington Carver Museum & Cultural Center.  There were a couple of items on the Agenda and we wanted to discuss those with our City Councilman, Michael Johnson. 

The Councilman was very receptive to our ideas about wanting to see mixed-use zoning for Central Park as the new Urban Form Project zoning takes hold.  Mixed-use zoning would allow small businesses like Art Studios, small Cafes, maybe Hair Salons, etc. to operate in the neighborhood, helping us to create a more lively, creative, neighborhood. 

The other issue on the Agenda was the recent addition of Parking Meters on some of the streets in the Warehouse District between the railroad tracks and Lincoln.  That discussion between residents and businesses on Buchanan Street will be continued with City Officials in the Streets Department.

Also, in attendance at the meeting was Tiffany Huisman, Assistant to the Mayor.

We got an update from Princess Crump, Executive Director at the GWCMCC about current construction projects happening at the Center, future vision, etc.  Look for some more info about that on the SoDo Blog real soon.  GWCMCC website

The City of Phoenix Planning Department has embarked on their follow up meetings with each different Character Area within the Downtown Planning area.  On Tuesday, June 17th at 6 PM, it was Central Park’s turn to further discuss what changes stakeholders might want to see in their neighborhoods with the implementation of the upcoming Urban Form Zoning Code, later this year. 

The few dominant themes that came out of the meeting were 1. That stakeholders wanted to see buildings in the neighborhood that have become dillapidated, restored if possible to help maintain some of the distinct character of single story bungalows that currently exist throughout the Central Park neighborhood. 2. The stakeholders that were present were either in favor of or not opposed to the idea of having mixed-use zoning throughout Central Park so that uses like art studios or small cafes could be allowed. 

The Planning Department will be coming back in the coming weeks to explore these and other refinements in more detail.

To be informed about future meetings, send an email to dean.brennan@phoenix.gov