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16 | CANYON CORRIDOR CONNECTION
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Another one-of-a-kind venture is
the university’s five-year, $1 million
partnershipwith the Phoenix Police
Department.
Now in its third year, the
Neighborhood Safety Initiative
supports Phoenix police crime-
suppression efforts in the area
from Indian School Road to
Bethany Home Road between
Interstate 17 and 43rd Avenue.
The program funds overtime
pay that allows for additional patrol
officers in the area to target crime
and increase police presence.
“I’ve been in the police
department 34 years, and I’ve seen
very fewpartnerships that have been
as successful aswhat we’re doing
with GCU and the neighborhood
organizations,” said Cmdr. Kevin
Robinson of the Phoenix Police
Cactus Park Precinct. “This is going
to have long-lasting, positive effects
on everyone in the community.”
Claudio Coria, principal at nearby
Alhambra High School, has felt the
increased police presence.
“GCU’s investment in the NSI has
greatly improved the safety at our
school andwithin our community.
I have seen this transformation
just in the 21/2 years that I have been
here,” Coria said. “The Phoenix Police
Department is nowmore responsive
to our needs than ever before—
meetingwithme, our parents and
neighborhood association groups.
Also, I have observed a real effort
on their part towork proactively in
identifying problemareas near our
school and takingmeasures towork
with business owners and residents
to problem-solve. They have been
especially visible before school and
after school —key transition times
for our 2,800 students.”
Increased safety is also important
to the revitalization of the community
froma business standpoint.
“Our campus is very safe for our
students,” Mueller said. “Wewant to
make the surrounding area safer as
well. That will benefit homeowners
and hopefully be a catalyst that
bringsmore businesses to this area.”
2. Making neighborhoods safer
3. Creating jobs
To further revitalize the
neighborhood and attract
businesses, GCUhas two job-related
initiatives in place.
First, the university plans to
relocate nearly 2,000 employees
from its Tempe and Peoria sites to a
four-story office complex it will build
on GCU land north of Camelback
Road between 27th Avenue and
Interstate 17.
Those employees can shop, dine
and buy gas in the immediate area,
providing a boost to local businesses,
and alsowill have better access to
neighborhood outreach programs.
The $30million project at 27th
Avenue alsowill include a hotel
the university recently acquired, a
restaurant and a conference center.
The second initiative involves
workingwith area pastors and
leaders to identify people in the
surrounding community who can
fill many job openings at GCU, at
the hotel and restaurant, and at a
university-run golf course.
“This neighborhood used to be a
thriving part of Phoenixwith lots of
businesses and residential areas,”
Mueller said. “That has changed over
time, but wewant to be the catalyst
that brings it back. And the only way
to change things permanently in an
area is to put people toworkwith
good-paying jobs. ”
GCU student Jesmine Pradhan (above right) works with a
high school student as part of the free tutoring services
offered through the university’s Learning Lounge.
To find out more about GCU’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity and how you can get involved, visit