Tucson Development Thread

[Ted Lyons]

Speaking of the quiet area on Congress between 6th and Stone, Pima County is selling the building at 97 E. Congress. If the right developer buys that, it could be a big improvement to the Congress-Scott intersection.

http://azstarnet.com/news/local/govt...1deffa106.html

[cdsuofa]

Originally Posted by aznate27

I drive down Oracle Road every week on my way to work in Catalina and grade separated intersections at River, Ina, Magee, and Tangerine Road would move traffic (which is always heavy) along much more efficiently. I also think the same would work at Kolb/Irvington, Kolb/Golflinks, 22nd/Kolb, Speedway/Kolb, and Tanque Verde/Kolb giving the eastside a parkway that runs north/south.

I agree i think people need to give up on the idea of a typical freeway being built in the already developed part of Tucson and move more in this direction. Freeways to the south, west and far northwest could still be a possibility but its not going to happen in the Tucson area east of I-10.

[ProfessorMole]

Originally Posted by ProfessorMole

Quick question for all of you out there in development land. Does anyone know what's happening with the lot just south of the carwash at Oracle and River. It used to be an old car dealer and had a sign out front for a while that said "Asian Buffet Coming Soon" and then that was tagged and destroyed. I commute the loop and have watched the asphalt torn up, fence taken down, and earth leveled over the past few weeks, but no sign or hint as to what's going in. Anyone have the scoop?

I've come across an answer to my own post from a little while back. Per the building permit search through City Of Tucson, a new Subaru Dealership will be going up.

[Ted Lyons]

More news regarding Congress between 6th and Scott: I haven't seen the liquor license application but word is that a wine bar owned by the people who own Wine Depot on Grant and Alvernon is opening a few doors down from the Chicago Store.

If you don't know, Wine Depot imports and sells wines from relatively small German producers. All of the stuff they import is only available through their store. I don't know if that model will continue at the new bar downtown but it's a really unique concept that I hope continues.

[Ritarancher]

Originally Posted by ProfessorMole

I've come across an answer to my own post from a little while back. Per the building permit search through City Of Tucson, a new Subaru Dealership will be going up.

That's too bad. I would much rather have a Ford, Chevy or another Detroit company move in rather than a foreign one.

[aznate27]

Originally Posted by Ritarancher

That's too bad. I would much rather have a Ford, Chevy or another Detroit company move in rather than a foreign one.

What is this 1983??? . Without foreign automakers TENS OF THOUSANDS of Americans wouldn't have the jobs they have now in the industry. In 2012 the three big Japanese automakers employed 67,000 Americans alone. A Toyota is almost as likely to have the same percentage of American made parts as a Ford. Subaru will be employing Americans with the new dealership, they are now with construction jobs to build it. The term "made in America" can apply to a Toyota today just as it can to a Ford. To say your statement sounds several decades behind the times is putting it mildly.

[farmerk]

Since we're in the auto dealership conversation mode, I wouldn't mind Tesla Motors setting up an auto dealership in the Old Pueblo. Maybe, turn Tucson into a hotbed for electric vehicles with more charging stations than any city in the world. It would even be nice if Tesla would open a manufacturing plant here.

[cdsuofa]

Originally Posted by farmerk

Since we're in the auto dealership conversation mode, I wouldn't mind Tesla Motors setting up an auto dealership in the Old Pueblo. Maybe, turn Tucson into a hotbed for electric vehicles with more charging stations than any city in the world. It would even be nice if Tesla would open a manufacturing plant here.

Wouldnt that be a dream come true. Tucson should be a hotbed for solar panel use, production and testing but sadly it isn't.

[aznate27]

Originally Posted by farmerk

Since we're in the auto dealership conversation mode, I wouldn't mind Tesla Motors setting up an auto dealership in the Old Pueblo. Maybe, turn Tucson into a hotbed for electric vehicles with more charging stations than any city in the world. It would even be nice if Tesla would open a manufacturing plant here.

I want a Tesla SO bad!! You know they nearly got a perfect score from Consumer Reports?? They said the only flaw they could find was that it had to be plugged in and it was THE best car they have ever tested!

[Ritarancher]

Originally Posted by aznate27

I want a Tesla SO bad!! You know they nearly got a perfect score from Consumer Reports?? They said the only flaw they could find was that it had to be plugged in and it was THE best car they have ever tested!

Tesla for Tucson!! We should help work with tesla. It would be a big help for the city. Those cars are expensive but hell you wouldn't need a new car in 30 years! Tesla has a new way of selling cars, directly to the consumer with no middle man. Kind of like apple and apple stores. But some people don't like change... I think it was either Virginia or north Carolina who denied the right to sell the cars without a dealer. IMO that is illegal , I'm pretty sure your supposed to be able to sell things however you want. Anyway we're VERY off topic hahaha. Downtown and the UofA are looking great.

And aznate those jobs would still be here if the sales for American cars were larger,they would just be working at a Detroit factory. My problem is where the profit goes. I want the profit to go to Detroit not New Dehli or Tokyo

[farmerk]

Thanks for all that info about Tesla. The Dream is turning to reality.

Just remember while you're enjoying your ribs and beer over this long Memorial Day weekend ... It's not too late for Tucson to look something like this...

[aznate27]

All I know is...I WANT ANOTHER DAMN SKYSCRAPER TO BE BUILT DOWNTOWN, UGH!... Hate waiting

[Ritarancher]

http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/photo...337353607.html

Tucson made the worst list for small businesses, right up with LA and San Diego. But honestly, who's surprised. We have a city council that always talks about helping local companies but never do anything about it and we have snowbirds from Edmonton who think that they can run the place because they live here for 3 months a year.

EDIT: The article also says that labor is cheap here. That's not right. We as Tucsonans deserve the same pay as anybody else.

[farmerk]

Recent video from AZ Illustrated about downtown redevelopment . Lots of good info old and new!

[aznate27]

Originally Posted by farmerk

Recent video from AZ Illustrated about downtown redevelopment . Lots of good info old and new!

Thanks for posting, really great info! Pretty excited to hear that possibly three new hotels could start constuction this year. That would be major for downtown and Tucson in general. The Gem Show organizers said one of their major complaints were not enough hotel rooms downtown, if three were built by end of 2014 that would help calm down the frustrations of people who come to the gem show every year.

As far as a new arena, if Tucsonans are serious about having one built they are going to have to approve a bond measure to have it done. I really don't see another option. Tucson almost literally needs to tear down the current one and just rebuild it. The benifit to the city would be enormous IMO.

[farmerk]

Originally Posted by aznate27

Thanks for posting, really great info! Pretty excited to hear that possibly three new hotels could start constuction this year. That would be major for downtown and Tucson in general. The Gem Show organizers said one of their major complaints were not enough hotel rooms downtown, if three were built by end of 2014 that would help calm down the frustrations of people who come to the gem show every year.

As far as a new arena, if Tucsonans are serious about having one built they are going to have to approve a bond measure to have it done. I really don't see another option. Tucson almost literally needs to tear down the current one and just rebuild it. The benifit to the city would be enormous IMO.

Yep, I'm glad the mayor and Fletcher recognized that TCC is 'not aesthetically pleasing' . Fletcher even mentioned about building a plaza, more restaurants, retail, cafes etc.. around a plaza and even scraping the museum district at west side downtown into building more mixed used development. I like what I hear except for that dude at Hotel Congress who wants to move the transit center away from downtown . Tucson really needs a transportation hub. Good thing the mayor and Fletcher want to keep the transit center downtown....helps to bring people in downtown (work or play).

EDIT: And if Tucson decides not to rebuild the TCC (from bond measure), I'd just tear it down and build more private developments.

[Ritarancher]

Originally Posted by farmerk

Yep, I'm glad the mayor and Fletcher recognized that TCC is 'not aesthetically pleasing' . Fletcher even mentioned about building a plaza, more restaurants, retail, cafes etc.. around a plaza and even scraping the museum district at west side downtown into building more mixed used development. I like what I hear except for that dude at Hotel Congress who wants to move the transit center away from downtown . Tucson really needs a transportation hub. Good thing the mayor and Fletcher want to keep the transit center downtown....helps to bring people in downtown (work or play).

A plaza would be nice, with stores that you would see in malls, and some local stores would be very fun to go to. A fountain, some King Palms and high tech times square advertising signs above. man I'm daydreaming a lot. IMO west end is a bad area for a plaza. I'd prefer one closer to the core of downtown

[farmerk]

Originally Posted by Ritarancher

A plaza would be nice, with stores that you would see in malls, and some local stores would be very fun to go to. A fountain, some King Palms and high tech times square advertising signs above. man I'm daydreaming a lot. IMO west end is a bad area for a plaza. I'd prefer one closer to the core of downtown

I think the plaza is planned around TCC...probably the always empty parking lot. I'm as excited as you. There's always areas around Tucson to build museums at a later time. I just want to see tall buildings with restaurants, retail etc... in a densely packed area in central Tucson.

[Ritarancher]

I'll be gone from this page for the next two weeks. I wont see or post a thrown on this thread. The last time that I did that Tucson got park avenue, an airport parking lot with solar panels and the hub. Hopefully this time we'll get some tall highrises. Keepin my fingers crossed

[farmerk]

Originally Posted by Ritarancher

I'll be gone from this page for the next two weeks. I won't see or even post in this thread. The last time I did that Tucson got Park Avenue, an airport parking lot with solar panels and The Hub. Hopefully this time we'll get some tall high rises. Keepin' my fingers crossed

Have a safe trip. I'll be off, too. Probably much longer. Yes, let's keep our fingers crossed that not one but more than one tall building gets built in the Old Pueblo within 2 years.

Anyway, out of curiosity , I did a Google map of Tucson and came to the conclusion that Tucson might just be 40 square miles in size instead of the official 200 sq miles. Speedway Blvd is about 20 miles long. And most of the north-south roads are about 15-20 miles long. So , the Old Pueblo , is actually about 40 sq miles of habitable areas much like Paris, France. I personally prefer Paris, France as a template for Tucson instead of Portland or Austin.

Wished list while away : I hope the city would really focused on aesthetics when they approved construction on any building in Tucson. Tucson is small in size and the Old Pueblo can't afford more 'Cadence' or 'One East Broadway' Tucson might end up being on top of the list of ugly cities in the world. Stay classy Tucson!

Au revoir! (no, I'm not going to France )

Damn, I need to get away! Anyway, last note, here's a thought for a convention center for Tucson ... a convention center designed by Frank Gehry ... since the Old Pueblo is looking into spending $200+ million might as well hire a world class architect.