On Thursday the city of Tempe approved a measure that would encourage businesses to adapt and reuse older buildings. The initiative is called the Adaptive Use Program, and the goal is to make it easier for business owners to utilize obsolete spaces.
When Postino Winebar opened its newest restaurant in Tempe earlier this week, Mayor Mark Mitchell praised the company for its restoration of the historic building it now occupies. Postino opened before the new ordinance passed, which will relax strict city codes that have previously made it difficult to reuse buildings.
Now the mayor and city council hope other businesses will follow Postino’s lead.
"Changing the code will hopefully encourage him and a lot of other successful restaurateurs," said Councilman Corey Woods, who was one of the architects of the ordinance. "You’ve got Sam Fox doing another Yard concept in Tempe, which will be their biggest Yard project, so we’re hoping that even though they have gotten through the existing processes, that this change in code will encourage them to continue investing in Tempe."
Woods said that besides encouraging growth, there may be a benefit for homeowners, too.
"You look at a neighborhood like Windsor Square, I mean, they have really benefited from the Federal Pizza, and Postino’s and Churn ice cream and the Windsor restaurant," Woods said. "Property values have been hugely boosted by the presence of a lot of the local fare there. And I think this could be a really big boom for the city of Tempe."
Buildings must satisfy several criteria, such as being older than 20 years, to qualify for the Adaptive Use Program.
