The Simpson Stump - April 2021

Greetings neighbors!

It’s been awhile since we’ve been able to look at planning future events with any degree of certainty, and while we are not quite there yet, we’re getting closer! There have been a few changes in and around Simpson over the past year, so we’ll summarize those super quickly here:

• RE Simpson School has become Choice Learning Academy, and offers a very different program now. This was happening just as all the meetings and events were cancelled last March, so some of this has been covered previously. The school is still a part of the Alhambra Elementary School District, but now serves 6th to 8th grade students. The amps specializes in optional Arts, Business, and Technology programs that students can elect to participate in. We still look to have the new principal of the school come speak to us as a future neighborhood meeting.

• The previous Wake-up Program that was hosted by Simpson School is staying in the neighborhood, and will be organized at the Empower College Prep on Missouri Avenue. Empower recently expanded their campus to include additional classrooms, administration, and gym spaces completing the relocation from their previous location at North Phoenix Baptist Church. This renovation means that their entire program (from K-12) is now held at the campus in Simpson.

• Improvements for Solano park should begin construction over the summer. The most major of these changes will be a low perimeter fence around the park, gates to secure the parking area at night, and a new skate park at the corner of Montebello and 17th Avenue that is being sponsored by Cowtown Skateboards (at Central and Camelback). The skatepark will be fairly simple to start, but will have additional features added in the future through ongoing fundraising by Cowtown.

• A grant through District 4 allowed for a detailed evaluation of opportunities on the stretch of Camelback that extends from 7th Avenue to the I-17. The surrounding neighborhoods and non-profits in the area participated in this effort and took part in a three-day workshop with professionals across the country about lessons learned, as well as sharing what has (and has now) worked here in the valley, and across the country. A summary document as well as videos of those sessions are being developed, and will be shared on our social media and website as soon as they are available!

• Most recently, there have been online meetings held to discuss the future of Christown Spectrum Mall. The loss of JC Penny’s and Costco, and decreasing demand for big box stores and traditional malls, have led the owner and manager of Christown to consider changes to how the mall looks and works. This is a very short summary, but they are looking to tear down most of the ‘mall’ portion of the building over the next 20 years, and replace it with apartments, an improved theater, offices, retail, restaurants, and potentially a hotel or two. This is similar to efforts happening with Metrocenter and Paradise Valley Malls, with the difference that Christown already has a developer on board. There will be many more meetings about this before any construction begins to keep the neighbors up to date, and allow for comments and concerns to be voiced. We will have a neighborhood meeting on this topic, likely sometime in the fall.

• Several new businesses have moved into properties around Simpson on Bethany Home, Camelback, and 19th Ave. These include several restaurants, a bakery, education assistance program, and more! Also, Foundation for Senior Living looks to be wrapping up their new apartments on 21st Ave south of Missouri any day now as well, and we look forward to welcoming them to the neighborhood soon!

So, a lot has been happening, and we’re starting to plan upcoming events as well!

• Since so much has been happening, and Councilwoman Pastor’s office wants to meet with us and address some specific concerns that have been raised by Simpson residents, we are looking to have a Neighborhood Meeting on April 20th. This meeting will be held outdoors in the grass lawn beside First Indian Baptist Church. We will have a few shade canopies and chairs set up to provide some distance.

• We are still looking to hold a Simpson Neighborhood Garage Sale sometime in 2021, and are looking at combining the event with our annual GAIN picnic in October. This would hopefully allow more people out and about looking for deals to stop by the picnic events, and we’ll make sure the potluck occurs at the end of the day so those holding garage sales won’t miss out! Still in the early planning on this one.

• Alley Clean-ups will be resuming sometime in 2021, starting with an alley / old irrigation canal between Colter and Medlock, between 21st and 22nd Avenues. This is a spot the city has asked for our help getting cleaned up, and the landscaping trimmed so there are fewer blind spots in the area. Date on this one still to be determined!

• If you would like to help with any of these activities, or have an idea for something to add to our neighborhood, please let us know! We’re always looking for volunteers and new suggestions!

We look forward to seeing everyone at a meeting, picnic, or clean-up in the coming months!