Katie Roe says she used to joke that she started Upper West Side PHX because she just wanted a Postino she could walk to.
Who knew that’s all it would take — the popular restaurant and others are under construction right now in the P83 Entertainment District.
Well, that’s not all it would take. Roe had to work hard in advocating for the community to get the attention of some of the biggest restaurateurs in Arizona and other developers.
Roe said she created UWSPHX in 2018 to improve Peoria’s quality of life.
Since then, it has collected more than 30,000 supporters, including nearly 20,000 followers on Facebook. She says it is a response to the continually growing demand by residents for upscale shops and restaurants,
“The West Valley has a bit of an underdog mentality since historically it hasn’t been the ‘hot spot’ of the Valley, but we’re up and coming and so proud of the beautiful community we live in,” she said.
Her cheerleading for Peoria has given residents a voice in how their community is developed and what commercial entities locate there.
The 17-year resident of Peoria said the North Peoria community deserves all the variety of restaurant and retail options that other areas of the Valley enjoy, and in her journey with UWSPHX, she has learned a lot about economic development and just how impactful it can be for residents of a community.
“For me quality of life is the driving factor, as opposed to the financial incentive that is most often the central driving factor for developers, real estate brokers, municipalities, etc. that are generally the decision makers,” she said. “I want Peoria residents to have a seat at the table representing the community’s best interest.”
The Hometown Heroes Awards are a celebration of individuals who live or teach in the city, and Peoria businesses for their achievements and distinguished contributions to the community and beyond.
Roe will be honored at an awards luncheon next year. The fourth annual Hometown Heroes luncheon will honor those nominated in 2024.
Philip Haldiman can be reached at phaldiman@iniusa.org, or on Twitter @philiphaldiman. We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.
Meet Philip Haldiman is an award-winning journalist who most recently took first place for investigative reporting in 2023 from Arizona Newspapers Association. He joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2015, covering Sun City West his first year. Since 2016, he has covered the city of Peoria. Prior to coming to INI, he was a reporter with The Arizona Republic for seven years, covering numerous cities throughout the Valley. Before that, he was a freelance writer.
Community: Haldiman spearheads the Peoria Independent Hometown Heroes Awards program, honoring local individuals and businesses that give back to the community. He has hosted local candidate forums over the years and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. Haldiman also served as a member of the Journalism Program Community Advisory Board at Glendale Community College. Outside journalism, Haldiman served as a member of the city of Peoria Complete Count Committee for the Census, 2019-2020. Lastly, he has served as a member of his HOA governing board since 2021.
Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and a BA in Theater.
Random Fact: Haldiman is a fourth-generation Arizonan as well as wrote and produced an autobiographical comic book about his time spent in Hollywood and his life as a cult film star.
Hobbies: He enjoys hiking Arizona’s mountainous landscapes and is currently working on a play for the stage.
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