CC_ATTACH DHC PLAN PRESENTATION_11526.PDF

Downtown Tempe 
Historic Core Plan
City Council Work Study Session – Jan. 15, 2026

Agenda
• Background
• Schedule
• Participation
• Plan Goals
• Historic Preservation
• Development
• Plan Area
• Next Steps
2

Background
3

Background
4
Downtown Historic Core Plan – Purpose
• Implements General Plan policy HP7
• Establishes a planning framework and 
study area
• Provides context for historic preservation 
and downtown growth
• Recognizes cultural and historic 
connections
• Informs future policy and implementation 
options

Background
Request for Proposals (RFP) released for Downtown Tempe 
Historic Core Plan
Proposals for Downtown Tempe Historic Core Plan received by 
City of Tempe
Interviews conducted
Contract awarded to MIG, Inc. for Downtown Tempe Historic Core 
Plan
Contract approved by Tempe City Council
Downtown Tempe Historic Core Plan begins with an initial kickoff 
meeting between consultant team and City of Tempe staff
March 27, 2025
March 3, 2025
May 2, 2025
June 27, 2025
July 1, 2025
July 21, 2025
5

Schedule
6

7

JULY 
2026
8

Participation
9

Engagement and Public Participation
•
Arizona Historic Preservation Foundation
•
Arizona State University (ASU)
•
Downtown Tempe Authority
•
Gila River Indian Community (GRIC)
•
Historic Core Businesses and Property Owners
•
Tempe Chamber of Commerce
•
Tempe Economic Development Staff
•
Tempe History Museum
•
Tempe Historic Preservation Foundation
•
Tempe Sister Cities
•
Tempe Tourism Office
•
State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)
•
Salt River-Pima Maricopa Indian Community 
(SRP-MIC)
Small Group Focus Meetings
Community Meetings
September
October
November
December
DRC and HPC
Development Review 
Commission (DRC) 
and Historic 
Preservation 
Commission (HPC)
Community Survey
January 2026
10

Commission Meetings Input (September and December 2025)
a.
Development Review Commission
❖
Appreciate historic buildings and want to emphasize indoor-
outdoor connections and public realm
❖
Importance of gathering spaces and public open space, utilize 
existing spaces and improve upon them to advance these goals
b.
Historic Preservation Commission
❖
Protect historic sites and consider visual and archaeological 
impacts (especially to Tempe Butte [Oidbad Do’ag]) and include 
the Butte in the core area
❖
Limit high-rise and parking structures in core area (including 
massing standards), and create an urban park
❖
Maintain the integrity of historic areas that have a 
consistent character
11
What are we hearing from the City Commissions?

Small Group Meetings Input
What are we hearing from the focused small group meetings?
❖Preserve the connection to the Butte (Oidbad Do’ag), including the 
viewshed to the Butte from Downtown. The Butte is culturally important.
❖Use the public realm to tell the whole story of Downtown and Tempe 
(through buildings, signs, walking tours, etc…). Shade is critically important. 
❖The character/authenticity of Tempe’s historic core is part of its 
uniqueness. 
❖The connection between old and new needs to be carefully studied. 
❖A gathering space is missing. Tempe needs “stickiness,” a reason to stay. 
❖What is missing from downtown core? Everyday uses: dry cleaners, 
hardware, market
12

December 4 - Community Meetings
What did we hear from the community meetings?
❖Context matters most: Place a strong emphasis on tailoring land use, density, and 
building form to surrounding uses/neighborhoods. 
❖Flexibility over rigidity: Adaptable zoning and development standards to 
accommodate future change. 
❖Balanced growth: Pair protections for local character and existing residents with the 
support for growth. 
❖Mobility: Encourage mixed-use where it strengthens activity and walkability and 
prioritize multimodal access. 
❖Open Space & Identity: The public realm and open space should be seen as 
essential elements, not just amenities, and the plan should embrace the desert identity. 
❖Development: Provide clarity and certainty in the plan so that housing supply and 
development in the downtown is not impeded.
13

Interactive Survey
• Survey was open from November 17 to December 19, 2025
• Focused on the historic and land use planning elements of the 
Downtown Historic Core Plan
• Full detailed summary will be posted on the city’s project website 
once it is reviewed by City staff
14
What are we hearing from the community at-large?

Interactive Survey
15
Local history and culture
Architectural character
Community identity
Shopping/dining/entertainment/services
Connection to ASU
Tourism
Other
What aspects of Downtown Tempe Historic Core do you value most? 
(Check all that apply)

Interactive Survey
16
Arts and culture
Community spaces
Restaurants
Retail
Housing
Offices
Other
What types of new uses in historic buildings would you like to see? 
(Check all that apply)

Interactive Survey
17
Parking
Limited options
Convenience
Lack of local businesses
Cost
Better events
Other
Longer business hours
What factors cause you to dine, shop, procure services, etc., outside of 
Downtown? (Check all that apply)

Interactive Survey
18
Cafe
Retail shops
Grocery
Entertainment
Restaurants
Housing
Professional services
Other
Nightlife
What type of businesses do you think are missing or underrepresented in 
Downtown Tempe? (Check all that apply)

Place a pin where you believe the center of the 
Historic Core is located
19

Key Takeaways
• Preserve Cultural Identity
• Protect Tempe Butte (including viewsheds) historic character, and Downtown authenticity
• Balance Growth and Context
• Tailor design guidelines to fit the character of the historic core
• Fill Everyday Gaps
• Find ways to incentivize daily-serving uses 
• Plan for Flexibility and Certainty
• Provide adaptable standards with clear guidance to support housing and mixed-use growth
• Public Realm Matters
• Prioritize shade and walkability, and seek opportunities for improved public gathering spaces
20

Plan Goals
21

5 Plan Goals
1.
Celebrate History
• Expand Historic Resource Protections
• Inventory and protect key historic buildings
• Explore historic district opportunities
2.
Promote Context-Sensitive Development
• Establish Design Guidelines
• Create guidelines for new development that respects the presence of the City’s historic properties
3.
Support Vibrant Mixed-Use Growth
• Encourage Adaptive Reuse
• Incentivize reuse of historic structures while maintaining historic integrity
• Ensure a Balanced Approach to Development
• Explore creative ways to create financial incentives so that development does not come at the 
expense of historic resources
• Explore feasibility of overall community and family serving land uses that are underrepresented in 
the Downtown Core such as grocery stores, independent retailers, and services
22

5 Plan Goals
4. Enhance Economic Vitality
• Promote Infill on Underutilized Parcels
• Identify underutilized or redevelopable parcels
• Promote historic tourism and local businesses
• Balance density and ensure there are ample economic benefits to pursuing Historic 
Preservation on a parcel-by-parcel basis
5.
Strengthen Downtown Tempe’s Identity
• Improve Public Spaces and the Public Right of Way
• Public Art and Historic Artifacts
• Enhance Connectivity Throughout and Beyond the Downtown
• Wayfinding
• Connections to key adjacent landmarks: ASU, Tempe Center for the Arts, Tempe Butte, etc. 
23

Historic 
Preservation
24

25

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Historic Preservation in Downtown Tempe
• Important to recognize the historic context and preservation 
outside of the designated historic properties
• Include and recognize the Butte and its importance to Tempe 
(including the visual importance and viewsheds to the Butte)
• What kinds of incentives can be developed to encourage 
preservation of the remaining historic fabric?
• Consider archeological resources as well and how that fits in with 
the context of Downtown Tempe
• Like the idea of a core area and a buffer area around it 
What are we hearing?
27

Development
28

29

Development in Downtown Tempe
• Having a distinct identity has economic value
• Historic preservation along with good urban planning can be an 
economic benefit
• Progress that respects the past but does not kill the future
• Don’t slow down development for the sake of historic fabric
• Identify design and scale elements that should be reinforced such 
as the pedestrian experience
• Respect the historic character and respect the new
• Development agreements – every site is different
What are we hearing?
30

Plan Area
31

Draft Boundary
Walkable, mixed-use environment that traditionally served as the 
primary center of commerce, public life, and cultural activity for 
Tempe with a concentration of historic, civic, and higher density 
development.
What does the “Downtown Historic Core” mean?
DOWNTOWN
HISTORIC
CORE
32

Draft Boundary
Consistent historic fabric reflected in the continuity of building 
scale, architectural style, materials, street patterns, and parcel size 
that convey a cohesive historic character. Unified historic context 
rather than isolated and/or relocated resources.
What does the “Downtown Historic Core” mean?
DOWNTOWN
HISTORIC
CORE
33

Draft Boundary
The symbolic and functional heart of downtown. Concentrating 
efforts and focusing within this area can: 
• Help protect integrity
• Reinforce the downtown identity
• Provide clarity for property owners, developers, and the public
• Balance preservation with compatible change
• Retain a legible and vibrant historic fabric
What does the “Downtown Historic Core” mean?
DOWNTOWN
HISTORIC
CORE
34

35

Study Area
36

37

38

Downtown Historic Core
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Regulatory/Guidelines Examples
General Plans and Policies (guiding)
❖Outlines long-range policies for community growth and development – not directly 
enforceable
Zoning Regulations & Development Code (mandatory)
❖Legally enforceable quantitative ordinances, must be complied with for project 
approvals
Design Guidelines (advisory)
❖Recommended qualitative design approaches for urban form, design, and aesthetics
Area Plans (advisory)
❖Intermediate level plans between general plans and development approvals with both 
policy and regulatory details to advise approval bodies
40

Regulatory/Guidelines Examples
Denver Lower Downtown (LoDo) Neighborhood Plan
41

Regulatory/Guidelines Examples
Downtown Greensboro Strategic and Streetscape Plans
42

Regulatory/Guidelines Examples
Portland Pearl District & Central City Plans
43

Regulatory/Guidelines Examples
Tucson 4th Avenue District
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Next Steps
45

JULY 
2026
46

Downtown Tempe Historic Core 
Plan
City Council Work Study Session – Jan. 15, 2026