A more than 70-year-old building that for decades has been the home of the American Legion Post 1 in downtown Phoenix may soon be integrated into a larger mixed-use development with 132 apartment units.
Members of the Phoenix City Council have given their approval to a plan that will keep the one-story American Legion at 723 W. Polk Street largely intact, while allowing for the construction of the new complex.
The project developer is Cardinal Capital Management, which is based in Madison, Wisconsin, and has developed multi-unit residential projects in the Midwest, South, and West.
The 1.7-acre site is owned by the City of Phoenix, which has long wanted to redevelop what is officially called the Luke-Greenway American Legion Post 1.
In releasing a request for proposals nearly 2 years ago, the City specifically required that any redevelopment at the site must include affordable units with a preference for veterans.
The City is additionally requiring that some 30,000 square feet of veterans community support service must be a part of the project.
The property, with a 100 year-lease for the American Legion, was turned over to the city at the end of World War I, becoming one of the first such American Legion posts nationally.
The post has long been a social destination for veterans and their families and is perhaps most known for its retro-décor lounge.
Plans call for preserving the original building’s meeting hall, kitchen, and canteen space. The redevelopment will also see the creation of a 6,500 square foot park and socialization area.
By Garry Boulard