Naming ceremony for downtown Phoenix transit station honors Stanton

• U.S. House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, assistant minority leader Joe Neguse, U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke and Tempe Mayor Corey Woods were among the officials who spoke at the A. E. England Building.

Zoom out: The bus and light rail station will anchor a million-square-foot development that will include two residential towers, retail, restaurant and office space.

• In his speech, Stanton called the project a "true game-changer" for Phoenix.

1 big building: Stanton noted that one of the towers will be the second-tallest building in Arizona, only surpassed by the 40-story Chase Tower.

Flashback: Stanton reminisced in his speech about his father's love of public transit that was imbued in him at a young age and continues today.

• The Stantons were a one-car family, so his father, who died this year, took the bus to his job at JCPenney at Park Central Mall, becoming friends with regulars on his route.
• As a child, Stanton would often wait with his father at the bus stop near their house at 39th Avenue and Dunlap Road.

• "It means such a great deal to me that this station will bear the Stanton name, my father's name," Stanton said.

What they're saying: "An Uber or a taxi is sacrilegious if you're traveling anywhere with Greg Stanton," joked his wife, Nicole.

• "Most will never achieve this honor," said Jeffries. "Some just hope to have a broom closet named after them. But Greg Stanton has earned this incredible designation for all that he has done."

What's next: Stanton has championed the return of passenger rail service to the Valley, and pledged: "We're going to bring Amtrak back to Phoenix!"