Office tenants are starting to move into the long-awaited CityScape mixed-use development in downtown Phoenix, and two new retail tenants have been announced.
Five Guys Burgers and Fries, a national casual food chain that already has four locations in the Valley, will take 2,500 square feet and is expected to open this summer. Par Exsalonce, a locally owned salon and day spa with one location in DC Ranch in Scottsdale, is taking 4,000 square feet and is set to open at the same time.
Several new tenants already have settled into the office tower at the southeast corner of Washington Street and Central Avenue. They include law firm 
Ballard Spahr LLP, which leased 35,000 square feet, and Fidelity National Title Insurance Co., which leased 5,000 square feet.
Ballard Spahr, which is based in Philadelphia, is expanding its footprint by 10,000 square feet.
“Ballard wants to expand significantly in the Western U.S., and it was decided that Phoenix would be the hub of growth,” said Karen McConnell, a partner at Ballard Spahr. “We love our new space.”
Other tenants include RED Development LLC, the developer of CityScape, which has moved into its 16,000-square-foot digs; law firm Jennings Strouss & Salmon PLC, which is moving in this week to 60,000 square feet; and law firm Squire Sanders & Dempsey LLP, which will occupy 72,000 square feet by June 10.
“We’re here. We’re real. We’re in sight every time they pan the cameras from US Airways arena,” said Keith Earnest, vice president of development for RED.
About 200,000 square feet remain to be leased, and Earnest expects more interest to be generated when the retail portion comes online, creating a gathering place with retail and multiple lunch options.
“This is going to make everyone in downtown a whole lot happier,” he said.
A designed segue from the office tower to the retail space is a pedestrian bridge over Central Avenue. The bridge will be completed by the end of May, linking the second floor of the office building with a substantially landscaped, 50,000-square-foot open space and retail spaces. It is expected to open the first week of July.
“It’s going to have monumental trees, grassy areas and interactive water features,” said Jeff Moloznik, development manager for RED.
Although the official grand opening for the retail portion is slated for October, several retailers and restaurants will be open before then. The 800-seat Stand Up Live comedy club also projects an October opening.
The first retail opening will be a CVS drugstore in mid-July, taking 13,000 square feet. The largest retail tenant, the Lucky Strike bowling alley, will take up 18,000 square feet. It will open in late July.
With only 14,400 of the total 180,000 retail square footage left to lease, Moloznik said he’s hoping to land a bookstore.
“We’re still trying to do that. We’re not giving up on it,” he said.
The lion’s share of retail tenants will open this fall, though Gold’s Gym has been operational since May 1.
“This is the first Gold’s Gym Elite club,” said Tom Slavin, the general manager.
The club includes state-of-the-art exercise equipment, a cardio theater, an upscale lounge, permanent lockers and laundry service.
Slavin would not say how many people have joined, but said the number is growing.
“We’ve got a good mix of workers and people who are driving from 3 miles out to come here,” he said. “They want to be part of something new.”
Gold’s picks up the tab for underground parking with membership packages starting at $40 a month.
Coming to CityScape
Space
Tenant (in sq. feet) Opening
CVS Pharmacy 13,000 Mid-July
Designer District 3,000 Mid-July
Republic of Couture 3,000 Mid-July
Lucky Strike 18,000 Late July
Urban Outfitters 11,000 October
Stand Up Live 17,000 October
Oakville Grocery 10,000 October
Press Coffee 900 October
Alliance Bank of Arizona 26,000 October
Taqueria 2,500 November
Noodle 900 November
LGO Public House 3,000 December
The Breakfast Club 3,200 December
Steak & Chophouse 7,200 December
Source: RED Development LLC
