A Message from Strong Neighborhoods Initiative

Dear Friends of Strong Neighborhoods,

Welcome to the renewed Strong Neighborhoods website. The neighborhoods have been busy this last year building parks, reconstructing streets, rehabilitating housing, conducting cleanups and many, many other projects. However, you would not have known that looking at the website. The site was outdated, with broken links, old information, and a homepage with no useful information. Allow me to introduce to you the new Strong Neighborhoods website, which we hope you will find useful, interesting and current. As with everything on the web these days this is meant to be a work in progress. We welcome your suggestions and feedback.

In community spirit,

Kip Harkness
Strong Neighborhoods Manager

Highlighted Projects

Selma Olinder Park – Five Wounds/ Brookwood Terrace Strong Neighborhood

Selma Olinder Park was identified as the fifth highest priority by the Five Wounds/Brookwood Terrace Community.  The project was a community driven desire to improve and expand the park’s existing facilities. The approximately 13 acre park includes a restroom, tennis courts, softball diamond, picnic areas, and completes a portion of the Coyote Creek Trail alignment through this neighborhood. The Coyote Creek Trail is part of the top ten priorities for neighborhoods that border the creek from Story Road to Highway 101. The funds necessary to complete all park improvements were met through a variety of funding sources from over eight different agencies and foundations. The $3.55 million in improvements highlight the partnerships that led to the park completion and achieved with a cost savings of over $1 Million. A community organized ribbon cutting ceremony and celebration was held at the park on October 22, 2005.

Plaza de San Jose – Story and King Shopping Center Revitalization – East Valley/680 Communities Strong Neighborhood

The East Valley/680 Communities Strong Neighborhood Advisory Committee (NAC) ranked the Story and King Shopping Center Revitalization as its #1 priority.  The Plaza de San Jose shopping center is part of the Story and King Intersection Revitalization Strategy to promote and broaden the retail mix on the southeast corner of Story and King Roads.  The revitalization project consists of approximately 191,500 square feet of new construction including landscaped plazas, outdoor seating, and public art displays.  The project has upgraded the physical and social environments at the intersection through new construction, incorporating existing tenants such as Walgreens and Ritmo Latino as well as recruiting new retail tenants such as Target, FAMSA, Starbucks and Wells Fargo providing a greater diversity of good and services.  Construction began November 2004 and was completed November 2005.  The total investment was $73.5 million, with $39 million from the Redevelopment Agency’s Neighborhood and Business District Improvement Program.

Meetings / Events

Project Advisory Committee (PAC) Meeting Dates
Facilities Re-Use Strategy (FRUS) Meeting Dates