[Source: Jahna Berry, Arizona Republic] -- Phoenix is pitching a seductive idea to lure more people to downtown: shady, cooler sidewalks lined with canopies, mini parks, fountains and public art. And, city officials say, several crucial projects will bring those scenes from the drawing boards to the streets. Crews are working on a 2.7-acre, $30 million park that will bring trees and shade near Arizona State University's downtown campus. The loved-and-loathed red bricks of Patriots Square will be bulldozed in the fall to make way for CityScape, a development that promises green space for large events. And this fall, city leaders are expected to weigh a slew of proposals for shady building overhangs, open space and strategic landscaping. The stakes are high because foot traffic brings another kind of green to downtown. Future downtown projects, tourism and the success of the ASU campus could hinge on making Phoenix's sometimes sweltering downtown more inviting, business and university leaders say. While residents say they would embrace more greenery, some worry the new push will eventually wilt like past plans. Residents have a right to be skeptical, said Phoenix Councilman Michael Johnson. But the recent flood of downtown projects brings added momentum that wasn't there before. "Before, we didn't have development. Before, we didn't have ASU. Before, we didn't have the (new) convention center," said Johnson, whose district includes downtown. "It's imperative that when we revitalize downtown, we have shade connectivity." [Note: To read the full article, click here.]
