CHANDLER, AZ — This is not a small neighborhood. It has 550 businesses and 12,000 workers. It just hasn't had a sign to show for it until now.
"It's really the first place that entrepreneurs go when they leave their garage," Micah Miranda, economic development director for the City of Chandler, said.
State Forty Eight is one of those stories. It is Chandler-born and proud to stay that way.
"There are so many incredibly talented people and entrepreneurs and businesses in Chandler, so we just love being local," Justine Lugo, retail inventory manager at State Forty Eight, said.
But for years, this corridor wasn't getting the recognition it earned.
"There was a feeling that the area wasn't getting the attention it deserved; it was off the major freeways," Miranda said.
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So, in 2017, the city launched a branding initiative. They worked with local businesses to build an identity for Uptown and drive down vacancy rates while attracting new employers and residents. Now comes the next phase.
"There will be eight of the monument signs across the employment corridor, really at the entry and exit points, on the north, south, east, and west areas of the corridor," Miranda said.
"I definitely think there are different areas of Chandler, and every area deserves its highlight, because you know there is a lot going on in all the different parts," Lugo said.
And Uptown is far from alone. Airpark and West Chandler already have their own corridor signage. Uptown is simply the latest to get its identity.
