Park Central Mall opened in 1957, and quickly became the center of activity along Central Avenue, thanks to its proximity to some of Phoenix’s best neighborhoods and easy access from Central Avenue, Thomas Road and Indian School Road. As Phoenix quickly grew, the area around Park Central Mall saw an increasing number of mid-rise and high-rise office buildings built along Central Avenue, and the area eventually became known as the Central Business District. ASU students and faculty gathered oral histories with people who lived in the neighborhoods surrounding Park Central Mall, store owners and individuals who frequented the mall to shop or attend the events at the mall.