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Old Posted Jun 28, 2020, 6:32 AM
xymox xymox is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Posts: 1,103
Quote:
Originally Posted by KenPhoenix222 View Post
For a City and Metropolitan Area the size of Phoenix, we seriously lack the quintessential, signature skyscraper exceeding 60 floors. Most large cities have many buildings over this size. I keep waiting for a major corporate relocation announcement or news of a major investment for such a tower, but it never comes.

- SNIP -
Phoenix will get taller buildings downtown once there's proper demand. And not before. Not because we 'should' for a city our size.

We need either businesses clamoring to be downtown en-mass - or people clamoring to live downtown. My bet is on the latter before the former - that's what's driving all the existing development going on downtown at the moment.

There's been plenty of corporate relocation announcements - but in this day and age, expecting a company of the size that would require a 60 story building to themselves is exceedingly rare. When there are expansions - Tempe is a much larger draw due to the lake and proximity to ASU. State Farm easily could have built a 600ft building downtown and put everyone there - but instead chose lakeside development where it is now. Nationwide chose to build up in north Scottsdale instead. The expansions/relocations ARE happening - but there are currently other areas that are more highly desirable across the valley for any number of reasons.

What we need is to cultivate the growing corporate HQs we have here (i.e. Carvana, Nikola, etc) and hope they grow to the point of needing such a building - vs choosing to lease multiple buildings across the metro instead. Covid will certainly play a role in how that turns out.

We've made a TON of progress over the 30+ years I've lived here. I'm no longer embarrassed to take co-workers from out of town downtown for drinks/meals. Many have even commented how alive and dense downtown is compared to what they thought it was. Ultimatel, if Astra and the Ragestar developments actually happen - and are successful - that will show the banks that its 'safe' to fund such developments here. A new 'bar' will be set and we'll see more of these pop up on the increasingly limited lots to build.
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mmmm skyscraper, I love you....
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