Centerline project to inject new life into Glendale Corridor

By Lauren Cusimano
Special to West Times

A train wails in the distance as shoppers walk past antique shops, cafés and a surplus of small businesses. This is historic downtown Glendale.

Downtown Glendale is the home of Velma Teague Library, Murphy Park, Glendale Glitters, countless antique shops and cafés, and now, renovation.

The Glendale Centerline project is a plan to revitalize the Glendale Corridor from 43rd to 67th Avenues, between Ocotillo Rd. and Myrtle Ave. The idea is to promote small business investments as well as create job, shopping and recreational opportunities for residents and visitors.

“Right now we are in the very beginning stages of the Centerline project,” said Julie Frisoni, assistant deputy city manager and communications director. Frisoni oversees economic development and marketing for the city of Glendale.

“Now we are in the phase where we are really engaging citizens and business owners to come and give us what their vision of what that area will be,” Frisoni said.

The city of Glendale is offered the Community Vision Fair on Oct. 18, at Murphy Park. The fair was for anyone who wanted to know more about the Centerline project and to ask questions.

Officials are offering the roving Glendale Centerline booth, a mobile station that will visit libraries and malls to receive more input on the Centerline project.

Frisoni said residents have so far suggested having more residential areas and bringing more business to the corridor, but retaining the feel that is Glendale.

“Glendale has done a lot to preserve its historic integrity and there’s nothing that they would do that would change that,” Frisoni said. “The mayor and city council are pretty happy with the downtown city square – but any area can always be enhanced – but I don’t think you would see major changes in that area.”

Frisoni said the project could take several years to complete.

“We are working with ASU and their planning and designing students there and that is a process that’s going to take us through the end of this fiscal year,” she said. “At that point we’ll have somewhat of an idea and a plan and then we have to implement it which is really the best part.”

Arizona State University and the Phoenix Urban Research Laboratory and the School of Planning have joined to collaborate with the city on the future Glendale Corridor. ASU has 19 students working on the project for a class as well as experience.

“I live down here so this is where I go eat and where I go shop, and there really isn’t anything new coming in,” Kimber Molina, 50, of Glendale said. Molina is an employee at A Mad Hatter's Antiques & Collectibles, a three level antique store on Glendale Ave.

“It does need a good life down here, it really does,” she said but stated that she is against franchises coming in.

“I really think they need to emphasis the evening life down here, have a movie theater, have some more restaurants,” she said.

Molina said there should even be more family activities.

“Children come down here, and they don’t want to go antiquing,” she said. Molina said she hopes there will be a variety of activities along the corridor.

“But I don’t want it to change to where it takes the nostalgia out of it,” she said. “I love the area. I’ve lived here for 10 years.”

Jennifer Stein, spokeswoman for the city of Glendale, said the project will be good for the area. “Anytime you redevelop an area, it entices and attracts new businesses,” she said. “That has a positive impact on historic downtown Glendale because it will bring in and attract visitors and residents to enjoy all the immensity coupled with the new development on the Glendale Corridor.”

Stein said Glendale will not lose its charm.

“Because we have Caitlyn Corner and historic downtown Glendale and we have preserved that charm, these businesses have such an attraction to a lot of people,” Stein said. “These shops are built into these bungalow homes and the sidewalks have the red brick, and that will always be maintained – it’s part of the niche.”