Tempe, a city on the move and continually pushing towards its own reimagined skyline, has tossed its hat into the ring for another significant development. This time, the former home of the Tempe Performing Arts Center, located at 124 E. Sixth Street, is under the spotlight. With a request for qualifications (RFQ) fresh off the press, the city is seeking a developer to reconstruct this prime piece of real estate into a mixed-use high-rise that combines residential, office, and commercial space.

The parcel, nestled in the bustling Mill Avenue district, boasts attributes that make it irresistible to developers with any sense of urban vision. It's a stone's throw from Arizona State University's throbbing heart, a leisurely five-minute saunter to Tempe Town Lake, and snugly adjacent to both the City Hall Parking Garage and Ragsdale-MLK Park. "Downtown Tempe consistently ranks as one of the most desired places for economic development," Tempe Mayor Corey Woods enthused, according to AZ Big Media.

Mike DiDomenico, the city's Economic Development Director, emphasized the project's gravitas: "This is an opportunity for a developer to create something very special," he stated, as reported by ABC 15 News. The aspiration is for a building designed to meet the needs of today and anticipate the needs of tomorrow. The development is projected to significantly amplify the use of this existing site and create attainable housing for the area's diverse workforce, with at least 20% of the units being affordable.

With the property currently zoned City Center and perched within the Transportation Overlay District, the developmental parameters are clear. The General Plan 2050 eyes this site as a Mixed-Use Urban Core with a residential density north of 65 dwelling units per acre. Firms answering Tempe's call are expected to champion the International Green Building Code for Construction and to deliver a development that promotes walkability, as laid out in the RFQ. Interested developers are tasked with presenting their proposals through the city's procurement portal by 3 p.m. MST, September 16th.

Editor's Note: A previous version of this article included an image of a different building.