The expansion integrates the northern portion of the Phoenix Bioscience Core, enhancing support for research, education, and economic development in the heart of Arizona’s innovation hub.
PHOENIX (March 28, 2025) – Downtown Phoenix Inc. (DPI) and the City of Phoenix Community and Economic Development Departmentare excited to announce the expansion of the Enhanced Municipal Services District (EMSD), effective January 1, 2025, following approval by Phoenix City Council. The district now encompasses the northern portion of the Phoenix Bioscience Core, from Fillmore to Garfield Streets and 4th to 7th Streets . The EMSD’s original boundaries, established in 1990, included Fillmore Street to the north, Pacific Railroad to the south, 7th Street to the east and 3rd Avenue to the west.
The EMSD’s extension includes six city-owned parcels and will now cover approximately 1.6 million square feet of research and lab space facilitated by Wexford Science + Technology and all three of Arizona’s state universities. By incorporating this rapidly advancing technological hub, DPI is better positioned to support the growth and development of the Phoenix Bioscience Core and its primary stakeholders.
“The expansion of the EMSD is notable for Downtown Phoenix because it brings continuity of enhanced municipal services and support to the entire Phoenix Bioscience Core,” said Devney Majerle, President & CEO of DPI. “This expansion reflects our commitment to fostering a vibrant, dynamic, and walkable Downtown that is becoming a nexus for education, healthcare, and technology. It also provides more interconnectivity between the Downtown business core and the Roosevelt Row/ Evans Churchill neighborhood.”
DPI offers a wide range of services and resources, including safety and hospitality through its DTPHX Ambassadors, landscape beautification through its Clean + Green team, community engagement, placemaking, marketing, business development, and event production.
“This is an exciting moment for the Phoenix Bioscience Core and the entire Downtown Phoenix community,” said Scarlett Spring, Executive Director of the Phoenix Bioscience Core. “By working together with Downtown Phoenix Inc., we are creating a dynamic, walkable, and well-supported innovation hub that attracts top talent, advances research, and fuels the future of healthcare and technology in Arizona.”
This expansion of the EMSD represents a significant investment in the future of Downtown Phoenix, strengthening its role as a center for education and economic growth. As DPI continues to provide essential services and foster collaboration among key stakeholders, the Phoenix Bioscience Core is poised to reach new heights as a world-class epicenter for research and discovery.
ABOUT DOWNTOWN PHOENIX INC.Formed in 2013, Downtown Phoenix Inc. [DPI] is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that delivers enhanced municipal services to the Downtown business core and marketing and event production to Greater Downtown. Additionally, the organization oversees the work plans for Phoenix Community Alliance, a 501(c)(3) organization, and Downtown Phoenix Community Development Corporation, a 501(c)(4) organization. DPI and its affiliate organizations are