Here’s how bioscience is changing Downtown Phoenix landscape
Amazing things are happening in Downtown Phoenix. The city is experiencing tremendous growth. In addition to welcoming new residents from across the country, Phoenix also has been attracting businesses in the health care and bioscience sector.
It all started approximately 20 years ago with the purchase of 30 acres for possible expansion of the convention center and, later, consideration for a new stadium for the Arizona Cardinals. When both projects shifted course, Phoenix was left with a large plot of undeveloped land. At the same time, Dr. Jeffrey Trent had just decoded the human genome. Inspired by the Phoenician’s work, the city decided to partner with educational, science and medical visionaries to make a substantial investment in the life sciences.
In 2004, the Phoenix Biomedical Campus (PBC) was established on that vacant lot at the northwest corner of Seventh and Van Buren streets. Surrounding the campus, within 2 miles in any direction are more than two dozen education, research and medical facilities, including Bioscience High School, Banner University Medical Center, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Valleywise Medical Center and Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center. Farther north, at Central Avenue and Thomas Road, Nebraska-based Jesuit college Creighton University is putting the finishing touches on its Health Sciences Campus at Park Central.
“Companies want to be in close proximity to other companies, whether they’re competitor or collaborator, as well as talent. Those are the two main driving factors when it comes to development,” explains Rick Naimark, ASU’s associate vice president for program development planning. “Downtown Phoenix has all of the ingredients to become one of the top health care and biomedical markets in the U.S. This is driven on the southern end by the Phoenix Biomedical Campus and the new Wexford building. If you go north along Central Avenue up to Park Central, you’ll find Creighton University’s campus. And everything is connected by the light rail.”
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