Tucson Development Thread

[kaneui]

If there's anyone who can get Rio Nuevo sorted out and keep those TIF dollars flowing to Tucson, it's probably Fletcher McCusker:


Fletcher McCusker is the new chairman of the Rio Nuevo Board
Inside Tucson Business
June 29, 2012

By a unanimous vote and with the recently dissatisfied board member Alberto Moore making the motion, recent appointee Fletcher McCusker, chairman and CEO of the Tucson-based Providence Service Corporation, has been elected the chair of the Rio Nuevo Board. McCusker replaces attorney Jodi Bain, who was removed by Arizona Senate president Steve Pierce to make room for McCusker and fellow appointee, Chris Sheafe, earlier this month.


http://www.insidetucsonbusiness.com/...9bb2963f4.html

[ppdd]

I think this is a good move - I'm a big fan of Fletcher. We don't have a lot of executives in Tucson with his experience and ability, so it's great to have him so invested in downtown.

[technical]

Originally Posted by kaneui

If there's anyone who can get Rio Nuevo sorted out and keep those TIF dollars flowing to Tucson, it's probably Fletcher McCusker:


Fletcher McCusker is the new chairman of the Rio Nuevo Board
Inside Tucson Business
June 29, 2012

By a unanimous vote and with the recently dissatisfied board member Alberto Moore making the motion, recent appointee Fletcher McCusker, chairman and CEO of the Tucson-based Providence Service Corporation, has been elected the chair of the Rio Nuevo Board. McCusker replaces attorney Jodi Bain, who was removed by Arizona Senate president Steve Pierce to make room for McCusker and fellow appointee, Chris Sheafe, earlier this month.


http://www.insidetucsonbusiness.com/...9bb2963f4.html

Kaneui, looking at your skyscraper development page for the downtown links map, there's mention of a 'Below-Grade Roadway' (runs east-west, stone ave to church ave, parallel to 6th st)...do you know if that's an underpass?

btw, after reading some of the comments in this forum, I came to the conclusion that at this point, Tucson should go ahead and build those expensive projects such as an arena, convention center, rainbow bridge, museums, Santa Cruz river projects etc. The current successful projects downtown wouldn't be built if it weren't for the street car project. Building more of those big ticket projects should continue the development momentum. Arena and convention center seem to be the most likely candidate in the near future. Tucson needs that gravitational pull to attract outside investors, developers and business to set up shop in central Tucson regardless if an arena or convention center etc be profitable or not (and since Tucson doesn't have a major river with water in it, large lake nor sits besides an ocean).

Unless there's an Andrew Carnegie or John D. Rockefeller in Tucson, that Rio Nuevo should continue to exist. It needs all the available dollars.

Edit Add: btw, that convention center/hotel doesn't have to be gigantic as originally planned. An electic looking building perhaps. Or maybe, combine the arena with the convention center and hotel , thereafter, allow room for expansion. Add that decent sized outdoor aquarium filled with piranhas and electric eels.

[kaneui]

Originally Posted by technical

Kaneui, looking at your skyscraper development page for the downtown links map, there's mention of a 'Below-Grade Roadway' (runs east-west, stone ave to church ave, parallel to 6th st)...do you know if that's an underpass?

btw, after reading some of the comments in this forum, I came to the conclusion that at this point, Tucson should go ahead and build those expensive projects such as an arena, convention center, rainbow bridge, museums, Santa Cruz river projects etc. The current successful projects downtown wouldn't be built if it weren't for the street car project. Building more of those big ticket projects should continue the development momentum. Arena and convention center seem to be the most likely candidate in the near future. Tucson needs that gravitational pull to attract outside investors, developers and business to set up shop in central Tucson regardless if an arena or convention center etc be profitable or not (and since Tucson doesn't have a major river with water in it, large lake nor sits besides an ocean).

Unless there's an Andrew Carnegie or John D. Rockefeller in Tucson, that Rio Nuevo should continue to exist. It needs all the available dollars.

Edit Add: btw, that convention center/hotel doesn't have to be gigantic as originally planned. An electic looking building perhaps. Or maybe, combine the arena with the convention center and hotel , thereafter, allow room for expansion. Add that decent sized outdoor aquarium filled with piranhas and electric eels.

The latest Downtown Links map does show a section of the road from Church Ave. to Broadway as below-grade, but the design is only 30% complete, so will undoubtedly go through more revisions. (The RTA just approved additional funding to complete the design of Phases III and IV starting later this year.)

The city of Tucson and Rio Nuevo don't have the funds to build any big ticket items right now, and voters are in no mood to incur more debt through bond issues to pay for them. Since 2003, Rio Nuevo burned through over $230M of TIF money on lots of expensive designs, proposals and some infrastructure before the economy headed south, but no significant out-of-the-ground projects to show for it. (Read all about it in prior posts on this thread.)

However, if Rio Nuevo and the city can figure a way to finance an upgrade and expansion of the convention center (which is hemorrhaging millions every year in its current condition), I think we'll see private developers step up to build some decent hotels downtown, more retail, perhaps a smaller office building, and one or more of the cultural attractions in Tucson Origins Park. And the completion of the modern streetcar will continue to encourage additional TOD, as we are seeing with the numerous student housing projects.

[Anqrew]

i was hoping 4th Ave would be getting new sidewalks with the streetcar but it looks like its not from the photos. The sidewalks are so dingy and dirty on 4th, wish something could be done to spruce them up.