Downtown Phoenix

Downtown Overview

Down Town is a hot spot to find historic homes, new condominium high-rises, apartments and hip infill housing all dot the heart of Phoenix. The area is flush with jobs and students from Arizona State University’s downtown campus. Locally owned restaurants, coffee shops and bars are aplenty. Big and boutique hotels are here. Sports venues, museums and other entertainment hotspots draw many visitors. Light rail runs through the area surrounded by Valley freeways.

Transportation

The light rail runs conveniently through downtown. The central Phoenix area is bisected and surrounded by Valley freeways.

Explore the 4 areas of downtown

Willo/Roosevelt: 85003

Willo/Roosevelt is named after two of downtown Phoenix’s most popular historic districts. Look for Tudor and bungalow-style houses with big porches and newer urban condos intermixed beautifully together. Offices and restaurants are here, too.

Downtown: 85004

Downtown is having a housing boom with many new condo and apartment projects going up. ASU’s downtown campus and University of Arizona’s Phoenix medical school can be found here as well as student housing. The area draws big crowds for jobs, conventions, professional baseball and basketball games and cool cultural events, including First Fridays. But on weeknights when there isn’t a big sporting event, the business district can clear out after work.

Coronado: 85006

Coronado is named after the historic neighborhood on the east end of the Downtown Phoenix area. Coronado has eclectic Spanish-style and bungalow houses. Seventh Street runs along the west side of this neighborhood and is a popular local restaurant hub. Pockets of this area are still waiting to be revitalized.

Encanto/F.Q. Story: 85007

Encanto/F.Q. Story is home to some of Downtown Phoenix’s biggest and oldest historic houses. The Encanto/Palmcroft section has million-dollar mansions on its palm-lined streets. F.Q. Story has more affordable bungalows. Other smaller historic neighborhoods can also be found in this area.

Housing

Downtown Phoenix holds allure for residents desiring close proximity to the city center and college students attending institutions in the vicinity. Nestled within its confines are some of the Valley’s venerable historic neighborhoods, distinguished by architectural diversity, including Tudor, bungalow, and Spanish-style residences. The urban landscape is undergoing a metamorphosis through contemporary infill housing projects, which replace vacant lots and outdated developments. Noteworthy are the high-rise residential towers dotting the downtown business district and Central Avenue. However, the surging popularity of Downtown Phoenix comes at a cost, as both property values and rental rates exhibit an upward trend, mirroring the growing influx of individuals seeking the urban lifestyle it promises.

The Market

Downtown has a range of housing from historic homes to newer condos. Home prices are climbing in the area. But the diverse neighborhood still has some affordable pockets.
Home prices in Downtown run from $150,000 to more than $1 million.

The Willo/Roosevelt area has the highest median price at more than $350,000. But mansions in Encanto sell for $1 million and more.
Coronado is the area’s most affordable neighborhood with home prices closer to the Valley’s overall median of about $225,000.
Several condo, townhouse and apartment developments are currently underway in Downtown Phoenix. Rents have climbed almost 50 percent during the past five years in this neighborhood.
Downtown Phoenix is drawing students, Millennials, young families, empty nesters, Baby Boomers and second-home buyers. Investors are also buying in the area and turning houses and condos into rentals.

Living here

Expect a lively urban scene that’s pulling in tons of visitors and new folks. The houses here are a mix of historic gems, and each block has its own unique vibe. Every year, you can check out home tours to see the coolest spots in Downtown Phoenix. There’s a bunch of hip new restaurants and bars popping up, adding to the lively feel. On weekdays, the streets are buzzing with people heading to work in the area, thanks to the handy light rail. And when there’s a sports event, you can bet there’ll be a big crowd adding to the excitement. Just a heads up, though – with all the construction sites around, you might hit some traffic snarls.

Things to do in Willo/Roosevelt: 85003

Main attractions

Downtown Phoenix’s major event and sporting venues are all within reach. Those include Talking Stick Resort Arena, home to the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, and Chase Field, home to baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks. Major universities have a big presence downtown with an Arizona State University campus and the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Nearby Encanto Park is a central Phoenix jewel, with brilliant views of downtown skylines, golf courses, a lagoon for boating and fishing. Look for Enchanted Island Amusement Park there.

Out on the town

A concert, comedy show or theatrical performance is always brewing at Comerica Theatre or the historic Orpheum Theatre, a Phoenix gem. Crescent Ballroom is the hip spot to discover a new band or win a round of bar trivia. The area is equally packed with cafes and cozy coffee shops as with destination restaurants. For more laid-back fun, take a stroll through Margaret T. Hance Park or the lovely Japanese Friendship Garden, where you can participate in an authentic tea ceremony.

Outdoors

This area has benefitted from the city’s FitPHX program, with a weekly Monday night “Meet Me Downtown Phoenix” program that includes a supported 3-mile walk/run course and indoor fitness classes during the summer heat – all free. And the Grand Canal Trail slices just to the northeast of the neighborhoods, offering paved and dirt trails for running, walking or bicycling. And South Mountain Park, with cycling, mountain biking, hiking and more is just a short drive south on Central Avenue.

Things to do in Downtown: 85004

Main attractions

The downtown neighborhood is at the heart of Phoenix and is home to most of the action. Talking Stick Resort Arena hosts concerts and Phoenix Suns and Mercury pro basketball games. Chase Field is home of baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks. And the expanded Phoenix Convention Center draws groups and shows big and small. Get cultured at one of the neighborhood’s many museums, including the Phoenix Art Museum, Heard Museum, Arizona Science Center and Children’s Museum of Phoenix. Nearby is Phoenix Country Club, a picturesque private golf and tennis club.

Out on the town

Most nights you can find a concert or sporting event in Downtown. Phoenix Public Market hosts open-air markets, where local vendors gather to sell fresh produce, homemade goods and more. FilmBar screens indie and local films with a pint of beer. Cresent Ballroom is the hip spot to discover a new band or win a round of bar trivia. Dining options are plentiful. There’s Matt’s Big Breakfast, which lands every accolade for best breakfast joint in the Valley. And look for Pizzeria Bianco, one of the most lauded pizzerias in the country.

Outdoors

Coronado: 85006

Main attractions

Downtown Phoenix’s major event and sporting venues are all within reach. Those include Talking Stick Resort Arena, home to pro basketball’s Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury. And look for Chase Field, home to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Get cultured at two of the Valley’s premiere art museums, the Heard Museum and Phoenix Art Museum. Nearby is Phoenix Country Club, a picturesque private golf and tennis club.

Out on the town

This close to downtown, there’s always something shaking, from concerts to sporting events to comedy shows and more at Talking Stick Resort Arena, Chase Field, Comerica Theatre, the Orpheum and Crescent Ballroom. Coronado and nearby neighborhoods are big on personality, as are their restaurants, from greasy-spoon wonder Welcome Diner to high-class comfort food at Tuck Shop to vegan Nami.

Outdoors

Encanto/F.Q. Story: 85007

Main attractions

Nearby Encanto Park is a central Phoenix jewel, with brilliant views of downtown skylines, golf courses, and a lagoon for boating and fishing. And check out its Enchanted Island Amusement Park. Nearby Phoenix College offers more than 150 degree and certificate programs and a nearby Arizona State University satellite campus continues to expand. Best of all, bustling downtown Phoenix, with its concert venues, sporting arenas, convention centers and award-winning restaurants, is right down the street.

Out on the town

A concert, comedy show or theatrical performance is always brewing at Comerica Theatre or the historic Orpheum Theatre, a Phoenix gem. Cresent Ballroom is the hip spot to discover a new band or win a round of bar trivia. The area is also blessed with an abundance of taquerias and authentic hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurants. Each fall, the Arizona State Fairgrounds comes to life with carnival rides, rodeos and live entertainment. And the annual concert series brings national acts to Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Outdoors

Who lives here

Renters dominate Downtown Phoenix, home to the oldest housing stock and some of the lower incomes in the Valley. The area has twice as many high school dropouts as residents with a bachelor’s degree. Nearly two-thirds of the houses in the Coronado neighborhood (85006) were built before 1960, the highest share in the Valley. The area is among the most racially diverse, with Downtown (85004) the only neighborhood where most residents are White, non-Hispanic.

5 things to know about Phoenix

It’s big: Phoenix is the nation’s sixth biggest city and its population is still growing faster than many other U.S. cities. The city was named in the mid-1800s by settlers who compared their new home to the mythical bird that burned and rose from the ashes.

It’s a great place to hike: National Geographic ranked Phoenix as one of America’s 15 best hiking cities. The city has a vast network of desert preserves and hiking trails, including iconic summits like Camelback Mountain and Piestewa Peak. You’ll find trail maps and descriptions online.
It has a reputation for being a well-run city: Phoenix has received various awards for good governance and has the highest credit rating of the nation’s six largest cities. But the city has struggled to get its fiscal problems in order since the Great Recession. City Council members regularly have coffee meetings open to all residents.
It is focusing on urban growth and transportation: Phoenix’s general plan focuses heavily on infill development along the light-rail corridor. Light rail will continue to be one of Phoenix’s key development tools, with city leaders hoping to triple its miles of track by 2050.
It has a thriving cultural scene: The Phoenix Symphony, Arizona Opera and Ballet Arizona all perform in the city’s Symphony Hall located downtown. The Orpheum Theatre, Herberger Theater Center and Valley Youth Theater are all nearby. Also located in the central city are the Phoenix Art Museum, Arizona Capitol Museum, Children’s Museum, Arizona Science Center and Heard Museum. A popular monthly art walk to a growing number of downtown galleries is called First Fridays and held on the first of each month.