The revitalized Park Central project in Phoenix will be not only a bustling mixed-use development, but a hub for arts and culture as well, with the first cultural events coming to the property this upcoming weekend.
Artlink Inc. will be hosting its 19th Annual Juried Exhibition at a temporary gallery space in Park Central’s Straus Building. The opening reception for the exhibition, which will include 30 exceptional works by Arizona artists, will take place on Thursday, February 7 from 6 to 9 p.m.
And, Arizona Citizens for the Arts will be hosting an invitation-only event on Friday, February 8 where they will announce the finalists for the Governor’s Arts Awards. The reception will take place in the new open-air covered amphitheater space adjacent to what’s now known as the Burgbacher building, the northernmost of the original Park Central buildings.
In addition to the events, Park Central will feature art throughout the property, the first of which is a mural being created by local artist Jane Goat, who was selected after a call to artists was conducted in partnership with Artlink. Additional murals will be added in the coming months.
Park Central will soon feature arts and culture programming curated by Artlink in partnership with local arts and culture organizations, featuring works by local artists.
“The vision behind Park Central is to serve as a place that brings together the private sector, the public sector, the community and the arts,” said Sharon Harper, President & CEO of Plaza Companies, which is co-developing the project with Holualoa Companies. “We wanted to make the arts a strong and integrated part of Park Central, and these events are just the beginning.”
Plaza Companies and Tucson’s Holualoa Companies are teaming up to redevelop Park Central Mall, which once was the city’s first official large-scale shopping mall. The companies are transitioning the expansive space from a retail center to an almost 500,000-square-foot bustling community hub ideal for playing, working, congregating and celebrating the arts.
With offices in Peoria, Scottsdale and Tucson, Plaza Companies is a full-service real estate firm specializing in the management, leasing and development of medical office and commercial office properties, technology and bioscience facilities, mixed-use properties and senior housing communities. Since 1982, Plaza Companies has established a proud track record as a competitive, connected and conscientious real estate firm with partnerships throughout the industries it serves. For more information, visit www.theplazaco.com.
Holualoa Companies is a real estate investment firm focused on the successful acquisition, repositioning, redevelopment and disposition of real estate assets. Headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, with offices in Phoenix, Santa Monica, Hawaii and Paris, its investments span the United States and Europe and include office, retail, industrial, multi-family, hotel and mixed-use investment properties. Holualoa is an experienced investor for its own account and on behalf of a select group of private investors.
Artlink Inc. was formed in 1989 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and keeps the arts integral to the development of our city by connecting artists, business and community. Artlink supports a variety of community-based art events and initiatives, including Phoenix’s First Friday and Third Friday Art Walks, Phoenix Urban Guide, ArtistsAZ.com, and the annual Art Detour, Art d’Core Gala and Juried Exhibition. Visit artlinkphx.org.
