August 11, 2025

Phoenix Seeking Developers for Regency Garage Redevelopment

News Summary

Phoenix is looking for developers to transform the Regency Garage into a vibrant mixed-use project, including a hotel. The city has issued a request for proposals for a site near the Convention Center, aiming for at least 400 hotel rooms. Developers with previous experience in seven-story or taller buildings are encouraged to apply. A pre-proposal meeting is scheduled, with submissions due by late October. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to enhance downtown activity and better compete with other cities in the hotel market.

Phoenix is seeking developers to create a mixed-use project that will transform the Regency Garage in downtown Phoenix into a vibrant addition to the area, including a new hotel. This initiative is part of the city’s strategy to enhance activity around the Phoenix Convention Center and nearby neighborhoods. A request for proposals (RFP) has been issued for a site located on nearly one acre between 2nd and Adams Streets.

The city envisions that the new hotel will feature a minimum of 400 rooms. However, the RFP does not stipulate a exact number of hotel rooms required. Developers interested in the project must have completed at least one development comprising seven stories or more within the last five years. A pre-proposal meeting along with a site tour has been arranged for August 20, with a deadline for proposal submissions set for October 28.

This project builds upon previous attempts to develop the Regency Garage. A previous RFP was canceled in March 2019 due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The garage, which was constructed in 1972, currently offers 506 parking spaces and includes ground-floor commercial space. Within the garage, a nonprofit organization known as the Advocates for Latino Arts and Culture Consortium leases 8,000 square feet on a month-to-month basis, and their role will be considered during the redevelopment discussions.

Currently, Phoenix boasts 4,489 hotel rooms within a half-mile radius of the Phoenix Convention Center, with an additional 465 rooms in the development pipeline. Comparative city data indicates that San Diego has 7,442 existing hotel rooms, and Atlanta has 11,727 rooms, highlighting the competitive landscape during a similar timeframe. A recent study has further recommended increasing the hotel inventory in the area by between 800 and 1,200 rooms over the next five years to remain competitive in the convention market.

Once submitted, the proposals will undergo a review and ranking process by an evaluation panel. The findings will subsequently be presented to the City Council for recommendations in fall 2026, paving the way for further discussions and decisions regarding the redevelopment of the site.

By moving forward with this redevelopment, the city of Phoenix aims to rejuvenate the downtown area, address the growing need for hotel accommodation, and enhance the overall appeal of the region surrounding the Phoenix Convention Center.