"A lot of things out there just outlived their lifespan," Mickey Ohland, the city's community services planning manager, told the Chandler Arizonan when the Dr. A.J. Chandler Park redesign went before the Parks & Recreation Commission. The same story described the plan to start construction after the Tumbleweed Tree came down in January. Crews started in early 2026. Now the tree is coming back, and on Saturday, Dec. 5, it returns to a park that is roughly halfway through its biggest change in decades.
The renovation was planned to spread downtown's busiest public space across both sides of Arizona Avenue. This December, the side that already draws the crowds is the side due to be finished. The other side, the one the city most wants to bring to life, will still be a work zone.
A Park That Has Leaned West Since 1941
Until 1941, Dr. A.J. Chandler Park was one large square. Then Arizona Avenue, which is State Route 87, was built through the middle of it. According to the Arizonan, most park activity has happened on the west half since then, where most of the bars and restaurants are. The east half faces mostly office space and gets less use.
The city's December 2025 announcement addresses that imbalance directly. The park was last renovated in 1986 and now hosts more than 100 events a year. Phase one includes "activating the park's east side." It also removes the old water features and adds:
- two large shade canopies
- two pavilions
- two restroom buildings
- event lawns
- seasonal plazas
- a new crosswalk signal at the existing Arizona Avenue pedestrian crossing
Willmeng Construction holds the construction contract. Dibble Construction Management and Dig Studio are supporting the project. ABC15 reported the cost at $20 million.
Where the Work Stood Heading Into November
The city's Downtown Improvements page sets a target of finishing the west side of Arizona Avenue "prior to the 2026 holiday season," with the east side following in early spring 2027. The city hasn't announced a reopening date or ribbon cutting. Here's the west-side schedule from the city's late-October update:
- West canopy: roof coating, then lighting and paint into late October or early November.
- South canopy: interior finishes and tongue-and-groove wood into early November, with exterior metal louvers scheduled for late October.
- West restroom: tongue-and-groove installation, with painting starting in late October and running into early November.
- Plaza: pavers at the new HAWK crossing the week of Oct. 19, then the south area.
- Landscaping: structural soils, planting soil and irrigation from late October into early to mid-November.
On the east side, crews were still installing the remaining steel trusses for the east canopy into early November. They were also laying electrical lines, and the northbound curb lane on Arizona Avenue next to the park was restricted on weekdays during the day for about two weeks.
So if the timeline holds, the west half will have new shade, lighting and restrooms on Dec. 5. The east half will have its new canopy frame up but not much else. The city's event listing doesn't say where the tree will stand this year, so it's worth checking the event page again the week of the lighting.
How Dec. 5 Unfolds
The Tumbleweed Tree Lighting is free and runs from 4:30 to 9 p.m. at 3 S. Arizona Ave. The Parade of Lights runs the same evening from 6:45 to 8 p.m. Here's how the streets close and the evening fills in, based on the city's event page:
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 2 p.m. | Arizona Avenue closes between Chandler Boulevard and Frye Road until 10 p.m., and between Frye and Pecos roads until 8:30 p.m. |
| 4:30 p.m. | The event opens, and Chandler Fire's "Stuff the Truck" toy drive starts collecting new, unwrapped toys on the east side of Arizona Avenue north of Boston Street |
| 6 p.m. | Arizona Avenue closes between Galveston Street and Chandler Boulevard until 9:30 p.m. Chandler Boulevard is restricted from Delaware to California streets, and Frye Road from Washington to California streets |
| 6:30 p.m. | Santa's House closes until 8 p.m. while Santa rides in the parade |
| 6:45 p.m. | The Parade of Lights starts |
The stage schedule is still listed as TBD. Vendor applications closed early this year because the event hit capacity, so expect a full lineup of booths. Kids can also write letters to Santa and drop them in Santa's mailbox.
Parking With P2 Closed
Parking is where the construction will affect you most. On the city's event parking list, P2 street parking is marked closed due to construction. Separately, the renovation page says parking along Arizona Avenue is limited during the project, and a few angled spaces along San Marcos and Arizona Place are unavailable.
The garages are open, and the city lists each entrance:
- P1 Overstreet Parking Garage: from Chandler Boulevard and California Street to Buffalo Street
- P3 Oregon Street Parking Garage: from California, Oregon or Chicago Street
- P4 City Hall Parking Garage: from Frye Road and Washington Street
- P9 Alexander Parking Structure: from Chandler Boulevard to Delaware and Boston streets
- P11 Jonathon Parking Structure: from Chandler Boulevard and Washington or Colorado Street
If those fill up, Folley Park is listed as supplemental parking, entered from McQueen and Frye roads or from Pecos Road and Hamilton Street. The city also recommends carpooling and arriving early. With Arizona Avenue closed from 2 p.m., getting into a garage off Chandler Boulevard or Frye Road early in the afternoon will be much easier than trying after dark.
The Restaurants Around the Park Changed First
The new park is meant to serve the restaurants around it, and several of those changed before the park did. Tipsy Egg, The Uncommon and Recreo Cantina, three sister restaurants under the same ownership, closed for good at the end of business on Saturday, Aug. 29. The Chandler Independent noted that The Uncommon held the southeast corner of Arizona Avenue and Boston Street, with Tipsy Egg next door to the south. A manager told Mouth by Southwest that new concepts would go into the spaces, with more projects planned for late 2026 and early 2027. No names have been announced.
Downtown has also added places this year, and they spread the crowd beyond the Boston Street corner:
- Lomas Cocina de Mexico opened by late August in the front of the former LOOK Cinemas building at the southwest corner of Arizona Avenue and Chandler Boulevard. It shares the building with Padeland's paddle and pickleball club. The Chandler Independent reported Saturday hours of 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., which would cover the whole Tree Lighting day, and a full bar with mezcal and tequila cocktails.
- Best Pizza & Brew at 290 S. Arizona Ave. was listed in Mouth by Southwest's March recap of new openings.
- Aristocrat Coffee Roasters at 201 S. Washington St. was open by January, per the Chandler Independent, and sits a short walk from the City Hall garage.
One more is coming. Greenwood Brewing is putting a taproom at 55 N. Arizona Place in The AJ, as KTAR reported in March. As of mid-October, the brewery's website still listed Downtown Chandler as "opening soon."
The Season Runs Past Dec. 5
The Tree Lighting is one night, but the rest of the holiday season will also use the renovated west side. The Downtown Chandler Community Partnership's Holiday Magic Featuring Sugarland runs Nov. 28 through Jan. 3, with oversized interactive photo displays and decorations around downtown. It opens with Prancer's Pajama Party, a free family event on Saturday, Nov. 28, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Santa's House, sponsored by the Chandler Lions Club, offers free photos at Dr. A.J. Chandler Park on Dec. 5, 12, 15 and 19. The Tuesday, Dec. 15, date is the only weeknight visit, which may make it the easiest one to fit into a school week. Downtown Chandler's farmers market page still lists the market at the park's West and East Ramadas, so Saturday market visits are another chance to see the new canopies and plazas through December.
The east side is scheduled to finish by early spring 2027. That means this December is the only holiday season with the park split between finished and unfinished halves. The city's project hotline is 480-898-4060 if you want an update before you head downtown.
If you have friends or family moving to the East Valley and want them to see downtown Chandler at its busiest, I'm happy to plan their visit around Dec. 5, with a parking plan and a list of places to eat. Reach out to Kerri DeWaters and I'll put together a day that shows them the downtown you know. Start Your Move: Request a Free Consultation.
