The City of Phoenix was named an All-America City by the National Civic League on June 19, touting a portfolio of achievements that included establishment of the downtown Phoenix Biomedical Campus and Arizona State University’s Downtown Phoenix Campus. Phoenix won the award, given to 10 cities nationwide from among 29 finalists, for the fifth time since 1950.
“Our collaborative, progressive projects have improved education and the economy downtown, saved thousands of acres of open space, renovated and built neighborhood parks, and provided unique spaces just for teens at all of our libraries,” said Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon. “Working with the community means that everyone in Phoenix has a chance to help shape the future of our All-America City,” he added.
In the application the city presented to National Civic League officials in Tampa, Fla., Phoenix highlighted a trio of projects:
- a push to strengthen the city’s core with higher-education initiatives, including construction of ASU’s Downtown Phoenix Campus and establishment of the Biomedical Campus;
- the use of a voter-approved sales-tax increase to build and maintain parks and open desert space; and
- the dedication of space specifically for teenagers in the Phoenix Public Libraries system.
Alpen Patel, a second-year medical student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, in partnership with ASU, joined the delegation that presented Phoenix’s application in Tampa.
“It was great to tell how the city strengthened downtown with the development of our campus,” said Patel. “The expansion of the UA medical school has helped create excellent educational and research hubs in downtown Phoenix.”
Phoenix City Manager Frank Fairbanks noted the award’s emphasis on collaborative endeavors, a hallmark of the bioscience initiatives the city has helped to facilitate downtown, where only a short walk separates the College of Medicine, the Translational Genomics Research Institute, the International Genomics Consortium, ASU’s College of Nursing and Health Innovation, UA’s College of Pharmacy, Northern Arizona University’s allied-health program, and Phoenix Union Bioscience High School.
“I think the value of winning this is it celebrates cooperation between the city, neighborhoods and citizens,” Fairbanks said in the Arizona Republic. “If you get an All-American City Award, it empowers citizens to feel they have an even bigger stake in government and this is extremely important for big cities.”
For more information:
“Highlighting UA Medical School, Phoenix Gets Honor,” University of Arizona media release, 06/24/2009
“Phoenix wins All-America City honor,” Arizona Republic, 06/20/2009
“Phoenix is named All-America City,” City of Phoenix media release, 06/19/2009