Roosevelt Growhouse is moving to a new location in Roosevelt Row, according to Kenny Barrett, who co-founded the urban farm with fellow artist Kelly Placke back in 2008. It’s one of two changes Barrett has planned, along with partner Joshua Hahn. Barrett and Hahn are also opening a second location of their Phoenix General boutique inside the monOrchid building.
The original Growhouse was located on the northwest corner of Sixth and Garfield streets just south of Roosevelt Street. It was anchored by the GROWop boutique situated inside a bungalow on the small lot.
Desert Viking bought the bungalow, along with several other properties in the area, for a project called The Blocks of Roosevelt Row. So far, Desert Viking has renovated the former Flowers building at Fifth and Roosevelt streets. But the bungalow, once home to a garden-themed mural by Carrie Marill, sits vacant and boarded up now.
Growhouse is moving to a new location on the southeast corner of Sixth and Garfield streets, near its original location. Barrett and Hahn will be leasing land from True North Studio, a developer with a significant footprint in the Evans Churchill neighborhood that’s home to Roosevelt Row. "We're feeling really good about the new location," Hahn says.
True North also owns the monOrchid building located just west of Third and Roosevelt streets, which it purchased from photographer Wayne Rainey last year. Recently, True North started renovations to the southern part of the building, where Phoenix General will open a second location in coming months.
“We’ve been working with them for a long time, and we’re really excited about both projects,” says Nate Sonoskey, a development manager with True North. After losing its original space, Growhouse moved to a property on Second Street north of Roosevelt Street, where the historic Knipe House is part of another True North development.
It's likely Growhouse will return to Second Street at some point, as True North expands its development in that area, Barrett says. But for now, Barrett and Hahn are excited about heading back to the area where it all began. "We're both ecstatic about activating the new garden," Barrett says.
True North has already installed irrigation at the new site, and there's a house on the property that will serve as Growhouse office and storage space. The new location will eventually include not only a garden but an event space as well, and be decorated with white lights strung around the perimeter. The Growhouse shipping container is being moved to the new location this week.
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Phoenix General, which opened its midtown location in 2016, is also coming to Roosevelt Row where its second location will occupy a street-facing part of the monOrchid building. The previous tenant, a plant shop and boutique called The Bosque, has since relocated to the Garfield neighborhood – and is getting a second space called The Conservatory ready to open later this year.
True North recently added windows to the future Phoenix General space, and there's a dedicated door so customers will have direct access to the boutique from the street. The new space will include a pop-up art space where different artists will be doing exhibits and selling their work. First up will be Tara Logsdon, Barrett says. The new location will have about 1,000 square feet, and it's scheduled to open in August.
Turns out, True North owns several additional properties in the area, including an office building at 1001 North Central, where principal Jonathon Vento plans to wrap the garage with Airstream-style trailers to create affordable housing, and the future site of Meow Wolf’s first hotel on Third Street south of Roosevelt Street.
For now, all eyes are on Barrett and Hahn, as they get ready to create a strong presence in Roosevelt Row. "We're very excited," Barrett says. “It’s a really full circle moment for us."
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