Downtown Chandler, 2018

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Revitalization in Downtown Chandler

The area known today as Downtown Chandler has always been at the heart of the Chandler community. When Chandler was founded in 1912, the downtown area consisted of a central park, surrounded by commercial buildings anchored by the San Marcos Hotel.

For decades the social life of the community revolved around the center of town. Children played in the park. Teenagers cruised Arizona Avenue. Parents shopped, and families ate in restaurants or attended movies at the Rowena and Parkway Theaters.

As Chandler grew, commercial centers popped up around the city, further and further from the city’s center. By the 1980s, Chandler’s downtown district seemed almost an afterthought.

Downtown’s rejuvenation began with investment from the City. Chandler built a new Community and Senior Center, as well as the Downtown Library. Developers constructed the office towers which now stand on the east side of the park. In the 2000s, restaurants and bars opened making Downtown a weekend destination.

Today, Downtown Chandler is a vibrant area with things to do for people of all ages.