Metro Parkway is an elevated light rail station on the Valley Metro Rail system in Phoenix.[1] It is the northwestern terminus of the Northwest Extension Phase II and the current northwestern terminus of the Valley Metro Rail system. The station is located on the east side of the former Metrocenter mall and includes a park and ride facility and relocated bus transit hub, which was renamed to the Thelda Williams Transit Center after the late interim mayor. It is the first elevated station in the system and opened on January 27, 2024.[2][3][4]
Metro Parkway | |||||||||||
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| Valley Metro Rail light rail station | |||||||||||
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| General information | |||||||||||
| Other names | Thelda Williams Transit Center | ||||||||||
| Location | 9827 N Metro Parkway East, Phoenix, Arizona United States | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 33°34′30″N 112°07′06″W / 33.575111°N 112.118417°W | ||||||||||
| Owned by | Valley Metro | ||||||||||
| Operated by | Valley Metro Rail | ||||||||||
| Line(s) | Northwest Extension Phase II | ||||||||||
| Platforms | 1 island platform | ||||||||||
| Tracks | 2 | ||||||||||
| Connections |  Valley Metro Bus: 27, 35, 90, 106, I-17 Rapid. | ||||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||||
| Structure type | Elevated | ||||||||||
| Bicycle facilities | Yes | ||||||||||
| Accessible |  | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
| Opened | January 27, 2024 | ||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||
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As of 2024[update], the Thelda Williams Transit Center is served by Valley Metro Bus Routes 27, 35, 90, 106, and the I-17 Rapid.
Transit-oriented development
editIn June 2016, a massive redevelopment of Metrocenter was approved by the Phoenix City Council. Metrocenter will undergo a massive revitalization that will bring more retail and restaurants as well as office buildings, apartments, senior housing, and health-care facilities to the mall. The City of Phoenix rezoned the mall to allow office, medical and residential space; it had been zoned for solely retail use.[5]
In a letter from general manager Kim Ramirez on June 19, 2020, Metrocenter Mall announced that they would be closing at the end of that month citing "the drop in our occupancy levels due to the COVID-19 pandemic."[6] After 47 years of service, Metro Center Mall was closed on June 30, 2020, due to low store occupancy levels following the COVID-19 pandemic, and failed rejuvenation projects to boost foot traffic.[7] Remains of the mall were auctioned off on December 3, 2020.[8] The mall is set to be demolished in 2022 as part of a $750 million redevelopment project that will replace the mall with other retail space, apartments, and services.[9]
A farewell celebration for Metrocenter—featuring a screening of Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure—was held on May 21, 2023, prior to demolition.[10]
The demolition of the former mall will take place in Fall 2024 and will open in 2026.[11]
Notable places nearby
editReferences
edit- ^ Caraveo, Chris (July 24, 2020). "Construction on light rail extension in north Phoenix begins in August". Daily Independent. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
- ^ Anderson, Jake (August 28, 2020). "Phoenix gets $50M in federal funds for northwest Valley light rail extension". KTAR News 92.3 FM. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
- ^ "Opening date set for Valley Metro light rail extension to Metrocenter area in Phoenix". KTAR. December 21, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
- ^ Reagan, Kevin (January 27, 2024). "Extended light rail route in Phoenix now open". 12 News. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ "Demolition planned for mall in Phoenix blight area". azfamily.com. October 15, 2016. Archived from the original on October 18, 2016. Retrieved October 15, 2016.
- ^ "Sources: Metrocenter Mall closing June 30 after 47 years of operation". KSAZ-TV. June 20, 2020. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
- ^ "Metrocenter Closed/Closed". Metrocenter Mall.
- ^ Stone, Kevin (December 3, 2020). "Remains of Phoenix's shuttered Metrocenter Mall to be auctioned off". ktar.com.
- ^ "Metrocenter Mall in Phoenix will be demolished. Here's what will go up in its place". December 8, 2021.
- ^ Goodykoontz, Bill (April 17, 2023). "How to see 'Bill & Ted' one last time at Metrocenter before the Phoenix mall is demolished". Arizona Republic. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
- ^ "More than 4 years after closing, Metrocenter Mall in Phoenix is set to be torn down". 12 News. September 7, 2024. Retrieved September 8, 2024.