2003 Summer Internship- Charette Workshop in Tempe, Arizona – LEAVE YOUR MARK
The Tempe office of Design Workshop hosted the Summer Internship charrette project in 2003: “Creating the Legacy in the Desert City- The Phoenix Rail Yard Revitalization Project”. The forum addressed the redevelopment opportunities within the existing Union Pacific railyard adjacent to downtown Phoenix. The students spent 10 days in an intensive workshop setting and presented their recommendations to stakeholders and officials from the City of Phoenix on June 6, 2003.

Student interns
Shaobo Du- Texas A&M University
Wen Huang- University of Illinois
Carol Sperat – CU- Denver
Fan Wang- University of Arizona
Cheryl Somerfeldt- Ohio State University
Jessica Canfield- Colorado State University
Daniel Milnes- Michigan State University
Michael Budge- Utah State University

Charrette Overview

Eight urban design students from across the nation and around the world have completed a 10-day design charrette to help determine how to transform the 130-acre Phoenix rail yards into a vibrant new urban district for the city.

The first five days of the design charrette focused on research of local history, economics, site analysis, demographics, environmental concerns, site views and existing land uses. The site occupies a key position in the downtown area of Phoenix by virtue of its proximity, size, accessibility, and visibility. The goal of the charrette was to maximize both its long-term contribution to the community and region and its return on investment for the property owner. Participants developed a design solution that would transform the area into an urban village with a mix of uses, where new spaces and events will draw people to the downtown Phoenix area.

The 130-acre Union Pacific rail yard site is the largest parcel of land under one ownership in proximity to downtown. Its unique opportunity lies in its adjacent land uses: Phoenix International Airport to the east; Bank One Ballpark to the northwest, and the future T-Gen medical research facilities. Additionally, light rail plans include a new inter-modal hub to the north of the site. Design plans for the site include parks and open space along the historical rail lines. The locomotives will be replaced by a trolley car to transport people throughout the mixed-use development. Retail, restaurants and bars will be located in the northwest corner of the site, adjacent to the Bank One Ballpark, with residences above, creating a safe neighborhood. The design proposes a T-Gen support campus on the southwest side of the site to meet and support the growing needs of the future T-Gen facilities. Taking advantage of the new light rail transit hub, 12th Street will run north and south through the site and feature office space. Given the history of rail lines, which were originally brought into the city core to transport produce, the southeast side of the site will be the home of a farmer’s market. For the southeast side, which is closest to the airport, the historic warehouses will be dedicated to light industrial uses.

Background
Ancient legend has it that the mythical phoenix rose from the fire and ashes of its predecessor. This myth is often interpreted as a rebirth or new beginning. The phoenix is often associated with worshiping of the sun and some legends tying its origin to the Egyptian City of Heliopolis the "City of the Sun". The city of Phoenix took its name from this legend because it was established upon the ruins of the ancient Hohokam civilization and the pioneers that settled the community hoped that the city would rise up from the ruins of the preceding civilization. Today, as the city expands older areas are in need of a new beginning and rebirth. One such area was the focus for the 2003 Design Workshop Summer Internship design Charrette.

The explosive growth of the sunbelt states, which started in the late 1970’s has created urban areas that now grow at the rate of an “acre an hour” in the metropolitan area of Phoenix, Arizona. This type of fast paced growth has created many challenges and opportunities for the planning and development of the city of Phoenix. One of these opportunities presents itself as the 2003 Design Workshop Internship Charrette hosted by the Tempe office, titled “Creating a Legacy in a Desert City, the Phoenix Urban Revitalization”.

Downtown Phoenix is on the cusp of major redevelopment and growth initiatives that will change the character of its urban fabric. Recently, major cultural and entertainment centers, sporting facilities and future light rail have been interjected into the core. This critical mass of activities has expanded the influence of downtown, and has created new opportunities for revitalization. One of the areas that pose as a redevelopment opportunity is the 200 acre existing Union Pacific rail yard adjacent to downtown.

The Union Pacific rail yard is in current operation as a major hub and distribution for the Phoenix area. Its location and history creates a unique set of urban design and landscape architectural challenges.

The 2003 Design Workshop Summer Internship charrette was an exploration of the challenges and opportunities of urban revitalization unique to the Phoenix area and its arid environment. This process was the seed for future urban revitalization and professional growth.

The resulting recommendations were documented and offered to the local community as a planning and design tool. Ultimately, the product generated by the internship effort can be used to advocate to both the public and private sectors that a comprehensive approach to the urban design and transportation-related issues is essential and that Design Workshop is prepared to lead the effort.

See attached document (PDF).

Click here to view the details from the Summer Internship 2004 Charette in Calgary, Canada

Click here to view the details from the Summer Internship 2002 Charette in Vail, Colorado