Placemaking

Cultivating vibrant, unique spaces, ranging from a city block to entire economic centers, that attract and benefit residents, businesses, and visitors
The process of Placemaking is about re-imagining our spaces so they have meaning for people who use them, and using spaces better for the people who live, work, learn, and visit there. Placemaking includes both spatial (public spaces used by the public: buildings, parks, bike/pedestrian paths, etc.) and experiential (our social and cultural experiences using them).  

Arts and Culture Spaces

From Fiscal Year 2006-07 through Fiscal Year 2017-18, total public participation in all programs offered by Mesa's three premier institutions (Mesa Arts Center, Arizona Museum of Natural History, and the i.d.e.a. Museum) totaled nearly 6.3 million - an average of 569,000 each year – which provides a substantial and positive impact on the number of visitors to downtown Mesa and local businesses.  These visitors energize Main Street and downtown, and their ancillary spending (gas, food, lodging, parking, shopping, etc.) helps strengthen our local economy.

Mesa Arts Center’s “Performing Live” series of live theater, music, comedy and performance events averaged 55,169 attendees during its first eight seasons of activity.  In the last four seasons, it has averaged 78,298 attendees, an increase of 42%.

i.d.e.a. Museum
The i.d.e.a. Museum conducted a major rebranding effort and developed a new mission focus in Fiscal Year 2014-15.  Prior to this effort by the Museum board and staff, from FY 06-07 through FY 13-14, average annual attendance was 65,288.  Since the rebranding was completed and through FY 17-18, attendance has averaged 102,579, an increase of 57%.
Arizona Museum of Natural History
Mesa Grande Cultural Park, affiliated with Arizona Museum of Natural History, opened to the general public in FY 14-15 and hosted a total 3,376 visitors in its first year.  In FY 16-17, the number of visitors was 5,439, an increase of 16%.  

Library Services

Mesa Public Library children’s program attendance saw an increase of 19% over the last year. The Library’s focus on early literacy efforts and increased children’s program offerings have contributed positively to this trend. 
Dobson Ranch Library has especially seen a resurgence in attendance in children's programs for ages 0-5 by 65%, indicating more engagement and revitalization of library use in this community.

Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities

The Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities Department operates with 202 parks, 9 aquatic centers, 6 recreation centers, 2 professional baseball stadiums, a championship golf course, tennis center, convention center, a 5,000-seat amphitheater, a cemetery, and oversight of maintenance operations at all City owned properties. This uniquely organized Department serves employees and citizens throughout ALL stages of life.
Recreation and Aquatics
Golf
Citywide network of on-street and off-street bike lanes

This data set provides information on the city network of bike lanes and multi-use paths.  More about the City's Bike and Pedestrian Program. 

Economic Centers

Downtown Mesa
With outstanding connectivity via light rail, downtown Mesa is the preeminent east valley location for urban renewal and economic investment. As the East Valley’s most authentic and historic commercial district downtown Mesa is home to 490 businesses and 7,000 jobs; an outstanding arts, culture, and entertainment district; unique retail; foody dining, craft breweries, and numerous family-friendly events.
Downtown also is home to Mesa’s burgeoning Innovation District, a place where makerspaces, technology accelerators, nationally recognized universities and cutting-edge businesses create a diversity of economic, place and networking assets in one destination. It is home to Benedictine University, Mesa Community College, Northern Arizona University, and the future home of ASU @ Mesa City Center - a 115,000 square foot facility that will host next-generation programs in digital and sensory technology, experience design, film and media arts - adjacent to a new urban public open space, The Plaza @ Mesa City Center and a publicly accessible creator and collaboration space, The Studios @ Mesa City Center.
Falcon District
The Falcon District is uniquely positioned, home to a large cluster of world-class aerospace and defense companies on and surrounding Falcon Field Airport, as well as leading-edge, international players in the advanced manufacturing and business services sectors. Top employers include The Boeing Company, MD Helicopter, DAICEL/Special Devices Inc., and Nammo Talley, these and other companies employ more than 18,000 people in the area. More companies are moving in every day, with 250,000 square feet of industrial space constructed last year and an additional 220,000 square feet to be added in the upcoming year, there are plenty of opportunities for new business attraction. The Falcon Tech Center, a 63-acre proposed technology park, is also poised and ready for development.
Fiesta District
Once a destination for retail shopping and dining, the Fiesta District is a business district featuring cutting-edge industry clusters, skilled workforce, higher education, easy market access and extensive infrastructure. Santander Consumer USA took over former vacant retail space on Southern Avenue bringing 970 new jobs in 110,000 square feet of Class A office space. Additionally, National General Lender services has created 470 new jobs in 70,000 square feet of Class A office space. The Hilton hotel in the heart of the district recently completed a $14 million renovation. Southern Avenue Villas, a $45 million urban-style 354-unit multifamily development opened in 2016 bringing new residences to the area.
Mesa Gateway District
Already anchored by Apple’s Global Command Center, the Elliot Road Technology Corridor has seen over 370 acres sold in just the last 18 months to five renowned manufacturing and mission critical companies; Niagara Bottling, Digital Realty, EdgeConneX, EdgeCore, and CyrusOne.  The full build-out of these campuses will result in billions of dollars in capital investment and hundreds of new high-tech jobs for the area.
Ray Road currently has projects in various stages of development and the entitlement process that will lead to the construction of at least ten (10) new industrial buildings totaling over 450,000 sq. ft. within the next year. 
The Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority (“PMGAA”) Board of Directors recently approved two land leases that will result in the first new privately-funded hangar developments in nearly a decade. Aviation Performance Solutions, LLC (“APS”) and Wetta Ventures, LLC each have plans to develop aircraft hangar facilities on PMGAA-owned property.
 ASU-Poly continues to plan for their future ASU-Poly Innovation District located on 330+ acres.
City staff is working with Union Pacific (UP), land owners and SE Mesa industries to pursue the Pecos Industrial Rail Access and Train Extension project – a five-mile industrial rail extension to serve CMC, FujiFILM, and others while also serving 2,000+ acres of undeveloped industrial land. 
Mesa Riverview Area
Mesa Riverview is known across the country as the Spring Training Home for Chicago Cub’s Major League Baseball at Sloan Park. However, it also features 1.3 million square-feet of retail, restaurant and hospitality offerings, the award-winning Riverview Public Park & Lake, and has become one of Mesa’s newest economic activity centers.
With over 425,000 SF of Class A Office space, the 4-building Waypoint complex at Riverview houses companies like Mitel, NextCare, EPS Group, American Traffic Solutions, and Cognizant, who celebrated the grand opening of their newest U.S. Technology & Service Delivery Center in August 2018, bringing 500 new jobs to the community.
Riverview is also the future location of Union @ Riverview, a proposed 1.35 million square-foot Class A Office campus development aimed to attract Fortune 500 companies and thousands of quality jobs to the area in what will become the largest office project ever constructed in Mesa.
Other Placemaking Links