The Nash announced plans for an expanded center for jazz in downtown Phoenix, headquartered on Roosevelt Row.

The $2.5 million combined projects will include a new 3,200-square foot education center, as well as extensive renovations for The Nash Jazz Club, located at 110 N. Roosevelt, according to a press release. The new education center will be located off the Nash parking lot at 1014 N. 2nd St., and will create a comprehensive complex for jazz concerts and musician training in the heart of downtown Phoenix.

The John Dawson Foundation and Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust have committed significant support for the project, with the Foundation committing $1 million to establish The John Dawson Center for Jazz Education at The Nash.

“We are thrilled to be making this transformational gift to The Nash, allowing them to expand their thriving jazz education program,” Dave Lunt, John Dawson Foundation president, shared in a press release. “Mr. Dawson was a life-long supporter of jazz music, featuring it prominently for more than four decades at his Scottsdale Plaza Resort and Remington’s, as well as directly supporting Jazz in AZ.”

Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, a longtime supporter of the nonprofit, Jazz in Arizona, and its signature venue, The Nash, awarded the project a $100,000 grant toward the education facility and an additional $100,000 challenge grant, matching all donations toward the remodel of the performance facility, up to $100,000.

In addition to the education center, the project includes extensive renovations for The Nash, including plans for a new stage and green room, more relaxed seating including banquettes, booths and bar seating, a full bar and enhanced food offerings, and restroom facilities for patrons.

“The Nash opened in 2012 as a venue to bring the community together to enjoy and learn about the amazing music that uniquely reflects the American experience," Joel Goldenthal, The Nash executive director, stated. “The renovation of The Nash performance space, in tandem with the opening of The John Dawson Center for Jazz Education, will make our nonprofit venue more inviting to our multi-generational audiences and become a beacon for asserting jazz in the cultural landscape of our city.”

Visit thenash.org.