A midcentury bank building near 24th and Washington streets that sat gutted, vacant, and eventually surrounded by a homeless encampment for years is being converted into a training center meant to connect workers, entrepreneurs, and companies across the Phoenix area. Project leaders say the site, now called the Arizona Legacy Center, is scheduled to officially open October 1.
The 5,460-square-foot building was constructed in 1966 for First National Bank of Arizona, designed by architect Kenneth Oberg & Associates with distinctive precast concrete hexagonal parasols that the City of Phoenix required developers to preserve under historic adaptive reuse guidelines, according to KJZZ. A fire on December 16, 2018 severely damaged the vacant building's interior and roof and resulted in a loss of life, prompting the city to pause redevelopment plans, recover insurance funds, and eventually sell the property as-is. As reported by ABC15 Arizona, the area surrounding the building later became home to a large homeless encampment while the structure sat vacant for years.
The City Council authorized the $240,000 sale of the 1.55-acre parcel in December 2021 to One South 24th Street Development Group LLC, an entity formed by RA Global Holdings, JMS Capital, Thinkzilla Consulting, and AP & Associates, per city records. The city had originally acquired the property in 2000 for Aviation Department use before declaring it surplus. Project partners have also referred to the redevelopment under the name Arizona HEAT Center, short for Hub for Economic Advancement and Talent, with plans for space for 50 to 60 non-profit organizations and small business entities sharing front-desk services and meeting rooms, according to reporting picked up on KTAR News. The property sits in a federally designated Opportunity Zone near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and near a Valley Metro light rail stop.
A Hub Built Around People, Not Just a Building
ABC15 Arizona's report frames the Arizona Legacy Center as an urban training facility designed to connect businesses seeking workers, entrepreneurs seeking opportunities, and people seeking career training. The center is expected to provide training, business resources, networking, capital, contracting opportunities, and connections with companies and decision-makers, and organizers say it was restored through private investment coordinated with the City of Phoenix and the Phoenix Police Department. The facility is not yet fully operational as preparations continue ahead of the fall opening.
Ryan Garlington, the longest-tenured board member at the Black Chamber of Arizona, told ABC15 Arizona that the building is more about the people than the structure. Sharon Smith described the Arizona Legacy Center as a place where innovation will happen and people will come together, per the same outlet's report. Tara O'Neil said training can educate workers and help them get jobs, reflecting the center's broader goal of bringing companies and workers together.
Chamber Leadership and a Track Record of Impact
Dr. Velma Trayham, who leads the effort as president and CEO of the Black Chamber of Arizona, told ABC15 Arizona that the center is about creating a place where ideas can grow into business. She said she wants to help create 100,000 jobs in Arizona by 2035. Trayham assumed leadership of the chamber in April 2024 following the passing of longtime leader Robin Reed that February, according to reporting from the Daily Independent — Reed had previously partnered with Trayham to launch the chamber's Impact AZ initiative, a collaboration Hoodline detailed in its coverage of Reed's death. Trayham previously built national consulting initiatives through Thinkzilla Consulting Group and the Millionaire Mastermind Academy.
The Impact AZ program, launched in 2022 as Arizona's largest Black business accelerator, maintains a 95% success rate and has generated more than $5 million in alumni contract revenue across more than 40 training courses, according to the Black Chamber of Arizona. Corporate sponsors supporting the program include Bank of America and Wells Fargo. In October 2025, the chamber released its first-ever economic impact report in its 27-year history, revealing that members secured $5 million in capital, created more than 500 jobs, and launched or scaled 1,200 businesses, with findings compiled from surveys of more than 1,000 paid members and 8,000 subscribers, as reported by Arizona PBS.
Capital Pipelines and Youth Programming
The chamber has also built direct capital pipelines for small businesses. In April 2025, Wells Fargo partnered with the organization to launch the $100,000 SEDI Business Supportive Grant program, delivering individual micro-grants of $5,000 to $10,000 aimed at operational costs, equipment purchases, and supply chain readiness for underserved Arizona business owners. A year earlier, in April 2024, the chamber expanded its youth outreach by partnering with Arizona State University to launch the free Elevate: Youth Career and Entrepreneurship Summit at ASU's West Valley campus, giving high school juniors and seniors exposure to careers, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and executives from various industries.
The push for a physical hub arrives against a backdrop of stark economic contrasts across the region. Black purchasing power in Arizona surged 124% between 2010 and 2021 to nearly $15 billion, yet Black Arizonans remained underrepresented in professional roles at roughly 3.4% despite a 67% increase in college-educated Black residents since 2014, Hoodline reported in its look at Black Arizona's economic boom. That gap underscores why leaders describe the Arizona Legacy Center as more than a building — it's meant to be the physical infrastructure that turns rising purchasing power into lasting professional wealth and business growth once the doors open this fall.
