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Originally Posted by azsunsurfer
http://azbex.com/ryan-smithgroupjjr-...ntown-project/
Im kind of confused...Chandler originally wanted a 5 story residential development on this site and then Ryan/ Smithgroup came out of no where. I know that they have a residential development in the works for that other site by the railroad tracks. I guess the city wants anything that will stick. Ryan has a great track record for office development in this economy....maybe this is why they are taking their proposal seriously. I still think this should have been a more intense use for the first phase of this site.
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Agreed. This is a pretty lame first phase considering what the city had talked about wanting. Downtown Chandler won't ever have - or need - anything much higher than 5 or so stories, as it isn't the employment base and won't ever be. But, it has a great ambiance and if they focused on adding to local attractions and nightlife like the SanTan Brewery, residential would still have a place and be attractive to quite a range of people: city employees, boomers for a second home due to the convenient location, millenials who grew up in the area who want urban living but maybe not to the extent Phoenix offers, etc. This is especially true if they ever develop a streetcar system that connects downtown with Price and light rail on Gilbert (it is Gilbert, right, where the Mesa extension will end?).
That said, using city land through an RFP to create that housing stock that developers might be iffy on creating otherwise would've been much better than a 2-story office building.
ROCKSTEADY:
I think the general consensus agrees with you that closed-air malls are dying. The lucky ones that have enough room and time will convert themselves to 'lifestyle centers' which is the new fad: faux urban centers a la Kierland, The District at TMP, etc. anchored by the same big boxes. Some even incorporated housing and offices above or in adjacent buildings, which make them a bit more sustainable and actually urban than traditional malls; otherwise, the same sea of parking and suburban locations apply.
It's too bad Scottsdale Fashion Square was built when it was/is so successful now. Walking the bridge over the canal from SouthBridge and hitting the shops at Waterfront before a street-oriented district with Nordstrom, Macy's, Neiman's, H&M, Barney's, and all the dining options - surrounded by mid/high rise development to the east and west - would be pretty incredible. Transit and 40K millionaires or not, a downtown with that kind of modern shopping to complement its already modern nightlife district and historic arts and museum attractions would easily be the best destination in the state.
Hopefully, decent retail goes in at whatever becomes of The Blue's land (west of Safari Drive) because at least Barney's and the Triyar building open up to Scottsdale Rd. There's also future development opportunity on the parking lot on Camelback across from the Waterfront, and to the north of the mall; but, most of the big anchors are already established inside.