Downtown Phoenix has finally happened. Condo towers, restaurants, entertainment venues and retail establishments now occupy once-empty lots.
And there’s nowhere to park — the sure sign of a thriving metropolis. The obvious question: Can Phoenix ever be walkable?
Lauren Gilger, co-host of KJZZ’s newsmagazine program The Show, along with community advocate David Crummey, artist Jen Urso and transit planner and sustainability specialist Arden Holloway, gathered for a panel discussion about what it might take to make way for pedestrians in metro Phoenix.
The free event was co-presented by KJZZ and Changing Hands Bookstore and was the first in a series of community discussions led by The Show.
About the panelists
Lauren Gilger is a host on The Show, KJZZ's original newsmagazine program that airs weekdays 9-10 a.m.
David Crummey has collaborated with governments, artists, businesses, neighbors, and nonprofits to advocate for and build more human-centered communities. Projects include the Mesa Urban Garden, Mesa Artspace Lofts, Tempe Micro Estates, Mesa Prototyping Festival, events, art shows, zines and speakers-series. Crummey lives in Mesa and serves on several nonprofit boards.
Arden Holloway (they/them) is a Capital Planner for Valley Metro, the regional public transportation agency in Phoenix. They work mainly on light rail extension planning and also lead sustainability efforts, including the agency’s greenhouse gas emissions accounting and heat resilience initiatives along the light rail corridor. Holloway has been living car-free in Arizona for five years and is passionate about improving public transportation and walkability in the Valley.
Jen Urso is a multidisciplinary artist who utilizes public interventions, performance, drawing, mapping and artistic research. Originally from Pennsylvania, Urso has been immersed in the Phoenix desert since 1996.
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