What's in store for Buckeye's changing downtown?

Residents in one of America's fastest-growing cities may be wondering what direction their city's downtown will go.

Once a quiet farmer's town, Buckeye's population jumped from 6,500 in 2000 to over 91,000 in 2020, complete with several master-planned communities such as Verrado and Tartesso. But some residents are questioning what will happen to Buckeye's downtown area, and how that will help develop the city's identity.

Olsson, a consulting firm, has been tasked with collecting information that will guide the city in developing its downtown area. Taylor Plummer, a senior planner for Olsson and the downtown Buckeye project manager, said the process for developing the plan is about halfway through and will be submitted to the Buckeye Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council over the summer.

Many people want to see more diverse dining opportunities, Plummer said, as well as specialty retail. Plummer said the goal is to create a sense of community pride in the downtown area and give people an opportunity to support local businesses.

More development coming:Buckeye to get 2 new hospitals virtually side-by-side

That's something that Sophia Martinez noticed when she moved to Buckeye five years ago from the San Francisco Bay Area. Martinez said she was hesitant when her in-laws told her and her husband that they were retiring to Buckeye. But they decided to take a risk and move with their children. Now, Martinez said she would never leave.

"I wish I would have lived here sooner," Martinez said.

Martinez is the owner of Screws and Sparkles, a shop in downtown Buckeye that allows vendors to set up booths to sell handmade or vintage goods. Many of the vendors are moms like Martinez.

Martinez always knew she wanted to open up a store for other moms. She decided to open her store in downtown Buckeye because there wasn't much going on and saw a need for more stores in the area.

"We need to create a downtown that is a destination, that is worth coming to take a drive, that is worth spending a Saturday afternoon," Martinez said.

Ken Galica, principal planner for Buckeye, said the downtown area has been a subject of conversation since the 1980s. Although there have been several different planning efforts, Galica said this time is different since the city now has the leadership and the City Council to commit the resources to the project.

History:How did Buckeye get its name?

From June through November, Galica said the city was collecting information from residents to figure out what they want to see in the downtown area.

Sean Banda, a senior planner at Buckeye, said the city has been careful to survey people in areas like Verrado and Tartesso.

And there isn't a right or a wrong way to go about making a successful downtown, Galica and Banda said.

"But there is one thing that is in common, and it's to hear people's voices. It's getting citizen participation," Banda said.

Galica said many people have voiced a desire for the downtown area to keep its historical feel, with some residents having been in the community when Buckeye had a tenth of the population it does now.

Joanna Brace, a Verrado resident, has been living in Buckeye for 13 years. She loves Buckeye's small-town feel and said she hopes the city will preserve some of its original character. And since Buckeye is built of many master-planned communities, having one downtown area will allow the city to create a sense of community.

Brace said that while maintaining the historical feel is important, she would also like the downtown area to be one where people can come to spend an evening at unique shops and restaurants.

"I'm excited that they're thinking about developing the identity of this core part of the community — the reason we all came here," Brace said.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What's in store for Buckeye, Arizona's changing downtown?