The Westward Ho Collaborative

The Westward Ho building opened in 1928 as a luxury hotel, and ever since it has been an iconic part of Phoenix’s downtown. But this icon of Phoenix has seen better days. In 1980, the hotel closed, and the following year it was re-opened as subsidized housing for the elderly, which it remains today.

The former tallest building in the state was once a luxury hotel, hosting presidents, actors, and legends alike, from John F. Kennedy to Marilyn Monroe. The massive antenna on the top of the building used to broadcast channel 5, Phoenix’s first television station. The building may be best known outside of Phoenix for its place in the opening of the 1960 thriller Psycho.

In 2017, Arizona State University launched a teaching program to help the residents of this iconic building. The Westward Ho Collaborative is a project of the university’s school of social work, but it offers much more than that. The collaborative offers services including food donations, healthcare, and even music therapy. The goal of the collaborative is two-fold: first to help the residents of the building, and second, to offer students hands-on experience with community service.

While the Westward Ho has seen better days, the collaborative will make its residents days better for years to come.