Phoenix City Square
A mixed-use high-rise office, retail, hotel, and fitness complex on Central Avenue in Phoenix, Arizona.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Phoenix City Square is a mixed-use commercial complex on approximately 15 acres at 3800–4000 North Central Avenue in Phoenix, Arizona. Developed in stages by the Del Webb Corporation and North Central Development Co., the property was conceived as a substantial self-contained business and hospitality center organized around a landscaped open-air plaza. Its three principal office towers were completed between 1962 and 1971, creating a prominent mid-century commercial ensemble along Central Avenue. The complex originated as the Rosenzweig Center. The land had been held by the Rosenzweig family for decades and included the former Mirador Ballroom and property associated with Superlite Builders Supply. Del Webb announced the project in June 1961, presenting it as a major Phoenix development intended to give the area a landmark comparable in civic presence to established urban business centers elsewhere in the United States. The architectural design was prepared by Flatow, Moore, Bryan, and Fairburn. The first building, now known as 3800 Tower, was completed in 1962 as the Del Webb Building. It served as a headquarters and office building, with Del Webb occupying a substantial portion of the upper floors. The 4000 Tower followed in 1965 as a combined hotel and office skyscraper. It originally contained hundreds of hotel rooms, extensive convention facilities, restaurants, retail services, and a large parking structure. The final major phase, 3838 Tower and the adjoining City Square Plaza, was completed in 1971. 3838 Tower initially housed the headquarters of Greyhound Corporation. The property changed hands and names several times. It became Kent Plaza after its 1983 sale to Canadian entrepreneur Jack Kent Cooke, and it was renamed Phoenix City Square after Merrill Lynch Hubbard acquired it in 1985. A major 1987 renovation redesigned the exteriors of all three towers, the plaza, and the landscaping. The work replaced much of the original exterior treatment with marble and blue glass, introduced new entry features and a clock tower at 3800 Tower, and modernized the overall appearance of the complex. The former hotel component in 4000 Tower also underwent repeated changes. Hotel rooms and public facilities were renovated in the late 1970s, the property was managed by Ramada Inns during the early 1980s, and it later operated as the LaMancha Athletic Club and Hotel. The building was subsequently known as the City Square Hotel and Athletic Club, the Lexington Hotel and City Square Sport Club, and eventually the Hilton Garden Inn. The sports club became independently managed from the hotel. The complex also includes or has included office tenants, professional firms, cafes, childcare, personal services, banking, and fitness facilities. In 2000 the government of Singapore sold the property to the Praedium Group. Parallel Capital Partners, then associated with the Shidler Group, acquired Phoenix City Square from Praedium in 2005. A further office tower was considered but was not built. In the mid-2000s the Arizona Department of Economic Security became a major tenant in 4000 Tower, taking a large office lease and later expanding its occupied space. Valley Metro Rail service along Central Avenue began in December 2008, adding a transit connection between the complex and downtown Phoenix. Phoenix City Square remains a recognizable Central Avenue commercial property whose identity is tied to its towers, plaza, office tenancy, fitness facilities, and long history of adaptive reuse.
History
Phoenix City Square developed from a long-held Rosenzweig family property on Central Avenue. Before redevelopment, portions of the site were occupied by the Mirador Ballroom and a building-materials yard operated by Superlite Builders Supply. In 1961, the Del Webb Corporation announced plans for a large mixed-use center in partnership with North Central Development Co., associated with Phoenix jewelers Newton and Harry Rosenzweig. Construction began that year, and the project was initially named the Rosenzweig Center. The first phase was the Del Webb Building, now 3800 Tower. Groundbreaking occurred in June 1961, and the building was completed in June 1962. It provided modern column-free office floors arranged around a central service core, with Del Webb using the upper floors for its corporate operations. The building also included banking, jewelry, and other commercial services. Its original design featured precast stone, mosaic tile, gold-toned aluminum trim, a large fountain, and marble finishes. The second major phase was 4000 Tower, completed in 1965. This 23-story structure combined offices with a large hotel operation. The hotel included hundreds of rooms, a cabana wing, restaurants, lounges, retail services, convention facilities, and a seven-level parking garage with capacity for approximately 1,200 vehicles. A major renovation in 1978 refreshed the hotel and public spaces, changed the principal restaurant and lounge names, and added a tower south of the pool. The total room count was reported to have reached 383 after that work. The final principal phase was 3838 Tower and City Square Plaza, completed in April 1971. The 20-story tower was built as Greyhound Corporation’s headquarters, while the open-air plaza created a retail and pedestrian center connecting the 3838 and 3800 buildings. Rosenzweig Jewelers, which had first operated in the Del Webb Building, moved into the plaza when that phase opened. Greyhound left for a new facility in 1991, after which the tower adopted the 3838 Tower name. Ownership and branding changed repeatedly. Jack Kent Cooke acquired the property in 1983, producing the Kent Plaza name. Merrill Lynch Hubbard purchased it in 1985 and renamed it Phoenix City Square. In 1987, Merrill Lynch financed an extensive physical modernization. Cornoyer-Hendrick Architects and Planners redesigned the exteriors, plaza, and landscape, while Kitchell Contractors completed the construction. At 3800 Tower, the original fountain and exterior materials were replaced by a new entrance, retail frontage, clock tower, marble, blue glass, and a pyramid-like rooftop trellis. The 4000 Tower hotel component experienced further adaptive reuse. Ramada Inns managed the property from 1981 until 1983, after which LaMancha Racquet Club closed and renovated it. The 1984 reopening as the LaMancha Athletic Club and Hotel converted hotel and public areas into athletic facilities and office space, reducing the number of rooms. Later operators used the names City Square Hotel and Athletic Club, Lexington Hotel and City Square Sport Club, and Hilton Garden Inn. The Sports Club at City Square ultimately operated separately from the hotel. The complex also included two stand-alone institutional buildings: a Continental National Bank headquarters built in 1965 and a Pepsi-Cola Management Institute completed in 1968. Both were demolished in the late 1990s and replaced by parking. In 1996, the government of Singapore entered escrow for a possible purchase. It later sold the property to Praedium Group in 2000. Parallel Capital Partners acquired the complex from Praedium in 2005. Plans for another tower were considered but did not proceed. During the 2000s, the Arizona Department of Economic Security became a significant office tenant. Its 2006 lease covered approximately 100,000 square feet for nearly six years, and a 2007 extension reportedly expanded its occupancy to nearly 140,000 square feet in 4000 Tower. Valley Metro Rail service along Central Avenue began in 2008, improving the site’s connection to downtown Phoenix. The property’s continuing mix of offices, services, retail, fitness, childcare, and hospitality uses reflects its original role as an integrated urban commercial center.
- 2008
Central Avenue rail service opens
[1]Valley Metro Rail service along this section of Central Avenue began on December 27, improving transit access to the property.
- 2005
Parallel Capital Partners acquires the complex
[1]Parallel Capital Partners purchased Phoenix City Square from Praedium Group.
- 2000
Praedium Group becomes owner
[1]The government of Singapore sold Phoenix City Square to Praedium Group.
- 1991
Greyhound leaves 3838 Tower
[1]Greyhound Corporation moved to a new facility, and its former headquarters was renamed 3838 Tower.
- 1987
Comprehensive renovation completed
[1]The towers, plaza, landscaping, and exteriors were extensively redesigned and modernized.
- 1985
Phoenix City Square name adopted
[1]Merrill Lynch Hubbard acquired the complex and renamed it Phoenix City Square.
- 1983
Complex becomes Kent Plaza
[1]Jack Kent Cooke acquired the property, which was subsequently renamed Kent Plaza.
- 1971
3838 Tower and City Square Plaza completed
[1]The final major phase opened, including the Greyhound headquarters tower and the open-air retail plaza.
- 1965
4000 Tower completed
[1]The 23-story hotel and office tower opened with hotel rooms, convention facilities, restaurants, retail uses, and structured parking.
- 1962
First tower completed
[1]The Del Webb Building, now 3800 Tower, opened as the first structure in the complex.
Products and positioning
A centrally located mixed-use commercial campus combining office towers, retail amenities, hospitality uses, fitness services, and transit access in Phoenix.
Office tower · 1962
3800 Tower
Originally the Del Webb Building, 3800 Tower was the first structure completed at the complex. It contains roughly 194,000 square feet of office space and was designed with offices around a central service core so that perimeter areas could receive exterior windows. The building’s original stone, mosaic, and gold-toned exterior was replaced during the 1987 renovation with marble, blue glass, a redesigned entrance, retail frontage, and a rooftop trellis feature. It includes professional offices and an attached childcare facility.
Mixed hotel and office tower · 1965
4000 Tower
The tallest building in the complex, 4000 Tower is a 23-story structure completed in 1965. It was originally built around a large hotel operation with guest rooms, a cabana wing, restaurants, lounges, retail shops, convention facilities, and extensive parking. Later renovations converted substantial areas into offices and athletic facilities. The hotel component went through several operating names, ultimately including Hilton Garden Inn, while the separately managed sports club became a continuing feature of the complex.
Office tower · 1971
3838 Tower
Completed in 1971 as Greyhound Tower, the 20-story building was designed as the headquarters of Greyhound Corporation, which occupied much of the tower. After Greyhound moved to another facility in 1991, the building was renamed 3838 Tower. It forms one of the principal office components of Phoenix City Square and is linked to the open-air plaza and retail structure shared with the 3800 Tower area.
Open-air retail plaza · 1971
City Square Plaza
City Square Plaza is the pedestrian and retail centerpiece of the development. The open-air plaza connects the 3838 and 3800 towers and has accommodated a variety of shops and services, including the former Rosenzweig jewelry store. Its landscaping and architectural treatments were substantially renewed during the 1987 complex-wide renovation.
Fitness and athletic facility · 1984
Sports Club at City Square
The complex’s large fitness facility occupies approximately 35,000 square feet and evolved from the athletic club created during the 1984 conversion of portions of the former hotel and convention operation. Facilities associated with the athletic-club period included racquetball courts, a basketball court, conditioning areas, and an indoor swimming pool. The sports club has been managed independently from the hotel.
Brand decisions
2005
Acquisition by Parallel Capital PartnersM&ABackground
Praedium Group owned the complex after acquiring it from the government of Singapore in 2000.
Action taken
Parallel Capital Partners, then associated with the Shidler Group, purchased Phoenix City Square from Praedium Group.
Aftermath
Parallel Capital Partners became the identified present owner and continued operating the property as a mixed-use commercial complex.
1987
Modernization and repositioning of the complexStrategyBackground
After multiple ownership and naming changes, Merrill Lynch Hubbard undertook a major renovation intended to refresh Phoenix City Square’s image and improve the commercial appeal of its office, retail, and public areas.
Action taken
The exteriors of all three towers, the open-air plaza, and the landscaping were redesigned. The 3800 Tower received a new marble and blue-glass treatment, a new main entrance, additional retail frontage, a clock tower, and a rooftop trellis.
Aftermath
The work established the physical appearance associated with the modern Phoenix City Square complex and supported its repositioning as a contemporary mixed-use business center.
1984
Adaptive reuse of hotel and convention facilitiesStrategyBackground
The former hotel operation in 4000 Tower was closed for renovation after management changed from Ramada Inns to LaMancha Racquet Club.
Action taken
Hotel rooms and related facilities were removed or converted, while the ballroom and other areas were redeveloped as an athletic club with racquetball, basketball, conditioning, and swimming facilities.
Aftermath
The property reopened as the LaMancha Athletic Club and Hotel with fewer hotel rooms and a stronger office and fitness orientation.
Recent events
- 2008
Valley Metro Rail begins service along Central Avenue[1]
Other
The rail line serving Central Avenue opened on December 27, 2008, connecting the City Square area with downtown Phoenix and other parts of the metropolitan transit system.
- 2007
Arizona Department of Economic Security expands its City Square tenancy[1]
Other
The Arizona Department of Economic Security extended its lease and increased its occupied space in 4000 Tower to nearly 140,000 square feet, according to a contemporary release.
- 2005
Parallel Capital Partners acquires Phoenix City Square[1]
M&A
Parallel Capital Partners, then part of the Shidler Group, purchased the complex from Praedium Group.
- 2000
Singapore government sells Phoenix City Square to Praedium Group[1]
M&A
The property changed ownership when the government of Singapore sold the complex to the Praedium Group.
- 1987
Major renovation modernizes Phoenix City Square[1]
Other
The three towers, plaza, landscaping, and exterior treatments were substantially redesigned in a project carried out by Cornoyer-Hendrick Architects and Kitchell Contractors.
- 1985
Merrill Lynch Hubbard acquires and renames the complex Phoenix City Square[1]
M&A
Merrill Lynch’s real-estate subsidiary acquired Kent Plaza and restored a name reflecting the property’s Phoenix location.
- 1983
Phoenix City Square is sold to Jack Kent Cooke and renamed Kent Plaza[1]
Other
The commercial complex changed ownership and adopted the Kent Plaza name after its sale to Canadian entrepreneur Jack Kent Cooke.
Sources2 sources
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