Litchfield Park plans walkable downtown with shops, restaurants, bars, condos, artisan village and more

A garden-like "oasis," lined with specialty stores, restaurants and wine bars. A pedestrian-friendly artisan village with open space for festivals and events. A "place to see and be seen."

These are a sampling of ideas developers believe will turn Litchfield Park's city center into "the most attractive tourist attraction in the West Valley." Currently, the area includes City Hall, a handful of restaurants and an abundance of vacant land.

After years of planning and a few false starts, Litchfield Park, home to about 5,500 residents, is the latest West Valley city to work toward downtown development to attract tourists, create an identity and boost sales-tax revenues.

The City Council took the first step Wednesday when it voted unanimously to allow city staff to work with a team of consultants to develop a formal contract for the development.

"We're basically just at the starting blocks," City Manager Darryl Crossman said. "We probably are just getting ready to leave the starting blocks."

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The proposal by Civic Partners, Inc. and Carl A. Worthington and Associates suggested building an artisan village with a Southwestern flare that will fill the city's missing "heart and soul." The space can support up to 241,300 square feet of retail space, according to the proposal.

The city and consultants will identify a formal city-center design and funding plans in the coming months, but early ideas include a farmer's market, antique stores, high-end boutiques, a cinema, condos and a brew pub, according to the proposal.

"We don't have a property tax so we kind of live and die on sales tax," Vice Mayor Paul Faith said. "To provide more services to the city … we need to get more businesses in the city paying sales tax. That is where we get the money to fund all these programs."

The current City Hall likely will serve as the centerpiece of the development, and could eventually be expanded to include a library and post office nearby, according to the proposal.

Feeding off the Wigwam

The plot slated for the city center is adjacent to the upscale Wigwam Resort, which has 331 rooms and 45,000 square feet of conference space.

City officials said they will work with the resort to make sure the development complements the Southwestern architecture of the resort and provides activities for guests.

According to the proposal, Litchfield Park lacks amenities needed for "Wigwam guests to expand their visit beyond the resort, either as a pedestrian or within a short drive."

"From a very solitary standpoint, we as the owners of the resort will benefit if this is developed correctly," said Tom O'Malley, chief operations officer for JDM Partners, which owns Wigwam Resort. "In the same sense, the city, the citizens will benefit if this is developed correctly. We are as excited as anybody."

The consultants suggested that the architectural feel of the city center should mirror that of the Wigwam Resort. The proposal calls for walkways and courtyards "shaded by flowering trees and trellises" and water fountains and pools. The space should feel "more like an oasis than a city center," it said.

"The community for us is farther than just the Wigwam, though the Wigwam is an important part of it," Mayor Thomas Schoaf said. "We have to make sure that when we do develop this land, it doesn't mess up the places that we already have."

Why develop the city center now?

Faith noted that residents waited for development for decades while the city bought the land and waited out economic troubles.

"We have heard from citizens over and over and over … they want that dirt downtown, something done with it," he said. "They want it developed. It has been in limbo for many, many years."

MORE: West Valley cities improving downtown and historic areas

Litchfield Park is not alone in trying to create an identity by developing an urban core. Several West Valley cities have also taken steps to bring in new energy and personality to its downtown in the last year.

Last year, Tolleson spent $10.2 million on downtown enhancements, including outside dining, landscaping and a public art installment.

Surprise recently settled a years-long lawsuit with a developer over the vacant land surrounding its City Hall. Increased development is expected in the next year.

Peoria adopted a revitalization plan in 2009 for Old Town Peoria and has since spent $80 million in landscape, street and infrastructure improvements, undertaken property improvements and built a performing arts center.

Litchfield Park didn't always own the 29 acres surrounding surrounding City Hall. Over the last decade, the land went through multiple owners, bankruptcy proceedings and foreclosures, Faith said. The council voted Wednesday to acquire the last 5.5 vacant acres of land east of Litchfield Road and north of Wigwam Boulevard. The city is expected to close on the land by early next year, Crossman said.

The city planned to jump-start development in the city center about 10 years ago by expanding its City Hall and adding two buildings for city offices and retail. Those plans fell through after the city couldn't secure funding because of the start of the national economic downturn, Schoaf said.

He said this time, things will be different because of the recovered economy and rekindled development interest.

PREVIOUSLY: Litchfield Park tackles main street-style development

"The desire from the community has always been there, but you have to bring desire together with opportunity I think to get something to happen," Schoaf said.

He said he hopes to see the first wave of development break ground in the next 12-18 months, but noted that the entire build-out of the city center will likely take as many as eight years.

"What we do not want to end up with is a really nice plan that sits on the shelf in the city hall," Schoaf said. "We want a plan that is actually executed on."