General Phoenix Metro Discussion Thread

[DesertRay]

I'm hoping that all of the building happening around Burton Barr prompt more action on the street-level activity. The city/Hanse Park Conservancy/neighborhood could really activate the street and the area around the library.

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by DesertRay

I'm hoping that all of the building happening around Burton Barr prompt more action on the street-level activity. The city/Hanse Park Conservancy/neighborhood could really activate the street and the area around the library.

It could, but there are still limitations in the building itself. On the Central Avenue side, the building is sunken and set back from the street behind various barriers, including utility boxes that should be somewhere else. Pedestrians have to go down a walkway that has become a smoking zone to enter the building. Admittedly, some of that may be due to constraints imposed on Bruder, rather than decisions made by the architect himself. Nevertheless, when I see buildings like Burton Barr praised more by architects than by the actual people who use them, it heightens my skepticism of Betsky's conclusions.

[Classical in Phoenix]

I like Burton Barr. I realize that the functionality may not be the best, but I think to be considered a "world class city" you have to have iconic public buildings. Not that I am putting Phoenix in a world classification yet. But I do think of Central Avenue as an important gateway, and the more varied architecture the better.

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by Classical in Phoenix

I like Burton Barr. I realize that the functionality may not be the best, but I think to be considered a "world class city" you have to have iconic public buildings. Not that I am putting Phoenix in a world classification yet. But I do think of Central Avenue as an important gateway, and the more varied architecture the better.

I like it when I see it from a few blocks away. I like it less when I'm right there, especially if I arrive on foot from the Central Avenue side. In any case, my intent is not so much to bash Bruder or his building, but rather to suggest that the types of buildings Betsky seems to want aren't always the ones that best serve people.

[combusean]

Originally Posted by Classical in Phoenix

https://www.architectmagazine.com/de...aign=dailypost

I have to say I am torn on this issue. For so long, I feel Phoenix was dearth in this type of development. I love the density it is bringing to the urban core. But is it becoming too much? Should we have more variety like Monroe, Kenect and Palm Court? Thoughts...

This article is awful.

The author cannot make sense of construction economics if he thinks "stop building wood-frame and do high-rise instead" is a viable blanket strategy.
He laments the semi-wealthy in "pancakes" without the slightest comparison to the actually wealthy that would be able to rent in vastly more expensive high-rises.

Really, he shouldn't be writing about the issue. The naive, mistaken idealism he espouses is similar to the overzoning of highrises that made nothing happen in Downtown/Midtown Phoenix for decades.

[biggus diggus]

Hmmmm.......

What do you think of this 0.24 ac lot home I found on Zillow? https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2096543867_zpid/

Easy to speculate there's no intent to build this project.

[muertecaza]

Originally Posted by biggus diggus

Hmmmm.......

What do you think of this 0.24 ac lot home I found on Zillow? https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2096543867_zpid/

Easy to speculate there's no intent to build this project.

Disappointing, especially considering they already knocked down the Way Cool house.

[Obadno]

More good growth News:

Growing wealth in Maricopa county reflects higher paid jobs.

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...fdic-data.html

Maricopa County banks are holding more cash in fewer branches, according to new data from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

The latest summary of deposits data from the FDIC shows that Phoenix-area banks have $98.3 billion on deposit across 60 institutions. That represents a 6.1 percent increase from the previous year.

Higher Rents mean Apartment construction isnt going to end:

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...ng-to-new.html

Though Phoenix remains one of the cheaper places to live in the country, rents in the region continue to outpace national growth.

A new study from RentCafe stated rents rose 6.9 percent during the past 12 months, up from $933 to $997 on average per month for all apartment sizes. That's the third fastest-growing rent prices in the U.S.

The Valley's rent increases outpaced the national increase of 3 percent, but prices remain significantly lower than the national average apartment rent of $1,412, according to RentCafe's monthly Apartment Market Report.

[Obadno]

I just had to comment on this title:

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...l-ratings.html

Report: Phoenix has largest drop in NFL ratings. Trump to blame?

Uh? No Im going to say its because they are terrible, the absolute state of journalism.

[pbenjamin]

This raised the question of whether one can actually find voting results by media market or this guy was pulling numbers out of his backside.

Turns out that you can.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/201...rent-elections

[muertecaza]

Originally Posted by Obadno

I just had to comment on this title:

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...l-ratings.html



Uh? No Im going to say its because they are terrible, the absolute state of journalism.

I wouldn't be surprised if these outlets can track the increase in traffic if you put Trump's name in the headline.

[Classical in Phoenix]

Downtown Voices Coalition Meeting tomorrow, if anyone is interested.

https://mailchi.mp/ff26a5e63206/88ps096ves-2900753

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by Obadno

I just had to comment on this title:

Uh? No Im going to say its because they are terrible, the absolute state of journalism.

I saw that and lolol.

Originally Posted by pbenjamin

This raised the question of whether one can actually find voting results by media market or this guy was pulling numbers out of his backside.

Turns out that you can.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/201...rent-elections

Man, hadn't been to Daily Kos in forever.

[Classical in Phoenix]

Not advocating chains on Roosevelt Row, but after Churchill could this be next?

https://www.archdaily.com/903357/ken...ocial_facebook

[Obadno]

https://azbigmedia.com/221k-people-r...rom-2012-2017/

The data itself tells the story. The average monthly rent in Manhattan is around $4,100, which represents a crushing 59% of the area’s median household income ($83,500), and the median cost of a home in the borough is $1.1M, 13 times the median income. The price to income ratio is a commonly used indicator of how much house one can afford and the recommended ratio is 2.6. Another example is Los Angeles County, where the rent costs on average $2,100 per month or 38% of income, and the median price of a home is around $630,000, almost 10 times the median yearly income of $66,000 in this area.

One solution to this issue is to move, so we decided to take a look at population movements within the U.S., using the most recent U.S. Census county-level population data. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, around 55% of those who decide to move do so for a housing-related reason, such as to relocate to a new or better home, to find cheaper housing, or to own their home instead of rent.

Maricopa County tops the list of desirable places to relocate with a 221,000 net population increase via domestic migration between 2012 and 2017.

The median household income in the Phoenix area is around 63,000, only about $3,000 less than that in Los Angeles metro ($66,000). Meanwhile, the rent is $1,000 per month cheaper in Phoenix.

I did some digging and Pinal country grew by about 50k over the same period meaning our metro went up 271k in 5 years which is quite impressive. The state in general grows by nearly 100k a year with ~75% of that coming to the phoenix metro.

There was another forum where it was showing a table of the types of incomes leaving california, the the claim being only low income people were leaving california, and while that is true for the population moving to Texas, Arizona is actually receiving a majority Cali refugees with Incomes 50K and above and the largest proportion of wealthy californias.

While 50k is below the average household income it is still decidedly middle class for Arizona.

This is all good news.

[biggus diggus]

I can't imagine spending 59% of my income on housing. I'm at about 11% and I feel stressed even thinking about that.

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by biggus diggus

I can't imagine spending 59% of my income on housing. I'm at about 11% and I feel stressed even thinking about that.

MOst of the time I have seen it shouldt exceed 1/3 but for most young people id guess its closer to 50%+

[biggus diggus]

The 1/3 "rule" is becoming out-dated, I agree.

Something I've been noticing lately with this changing housing market is the effects at the lowest level. Fixed income seniors and disabled people used to be able to afford a nice townhouse in a cheaper area using their SSI but those people are being priced out and are having to downsize. This is the first time I've seen this happen. Your $750 housing budget that used to provide a nice 3br townhouse is now providing a two, or even one-bedroom, apartment.

[muertecaza]

Originally Posted by Obadno

I did some digging and Pinal country grew by about 50k over the same period meaning our metro went up 271k in 5 years which is quite impressive. The state in general grows by nearly 100k a year with ~75% of that coming to the phoenix metro.

And that's just net domestic migration--we've also had positive net international migration during that time, though at a much lower rate than the domestic migration.

[fawd]

Originally Posted by biggus diggus

The 1/3 "rule" is becoming out-dated, I agree.

Something I've been noticing lately with this changing housing market is the effects at the lowest level. Fixed income seniors and disabled people used to be able to afford a nice townhouse in a cheaper area using their SSI but those people are being priced out and are having to downsize. This is the first time I've seen this happen. Your $750 housing budget that used to provide a nice 3br townhouse is now providing a two, or even one-bedroom, apartment.

And that's in a market like Phoenix. On a whole 'nother level in California etc.