I think it's very doable and a great fit for the area. Those who want to live downtown but can't afford a regular 1BR would love this micro tower. Perfect for Roosevelt.

As for number 4 on your list, if that is the Paz corner you are referring to with the old rendering with outdated Google earth satellite images, you can scratch that one off as old. The project going there is 4-5 stories.

I'm not sure if I would exactly call 350-500 square foot "micro-housing" - certainly not a 500 sq. ft. apartment.

However, for Phoenix standards, that is really small. If built, it should bring young professionals with a lower price-point into that neighborhood, and should add a lot of density given how small the apartments are.

I agree. My sister just moved into a place this size. She wanted to be downtown, but couldn't afford a whole lot in rent. She compromised on space for location and price. I think this will do extremely well in Roosevelt and am very excited for this project. Hopefully it creates a trend as solves a challenge that many on this forum have called out over the years = solving for demand at an affordable price in a desirable location/lifestyle.

Coyotes Tidbit
 

Not really much here, but this article is about a proposed arena in Seattle for a possible NHL/NBA arena, but what caught my eye was a little snipit about the Coyotes...

The article was published 4 days ago which puts this quote at or around the 12th. Here's hoping that Phoenix is indeed putting something together with LeBlanc and company (and hopefully the Suns).

With development skyrocketing Downtown, this would be mega-huge IMHO.

The rest of the article has nothing to do with Phoenix, but here's the link for reference: http://www.king5.com/story/news/loca...-llc/75681772/

Maybe if I put it in bold red text, people will finally process the renderings of the Alliance project on the CANVAS site that I have posted 2x already. I even embedded the renderings in my last post, but too lazy to do that now.

LINK: http://orbarch.com/index.php/mies_po...on-the-boards/

What I'm not too lazy to do is to say...

It is an amazingly shitty project. 5 stories with "arts plazas" all around the building, and an even larger one on the corner of 3rd/Roosevelt. In other words, there will be concrete setbacks to add even more dead space to the 20' wide Roosevelt sidewalks, and the most important corner of this project will literally be nothing except maybe some shitty sculpture.

And, typical of Alliance, the Roosevelt frontage is garbage. One retail space on the corner of 5th, followed by an "arts plaza," followed by the 2nd, and last, retail space. The other 70% has been set aside for leasing and lobby, which will mirror exactly what Baron is proposing for their two corners of this gateway intersection.
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Circles/Micro-Units Tower: Honestly, I can't believe what's happening with the Circle building. It adds fuel to the narrative forming around Roosevelt Row and bad developers gentrifying an area that apparently only belongs to those who bought blighted buildings decades ago. Unlike many historic buildings left that are merely 'old,' this one is distinct and its size gave it potential for affordable business space.

On the plus side, towers moving south will look great, and hopefully residents directly on top of Central will lead to a variety of retail in that dead spot in downtown, though the depressing Ho at its terminus sucks. Also on the plus side is the micro-unit tower. That lot is the type that need to be filled in! If built, its ground level retail will be adjacent Ale House, immediately across from Cobra Arcade and Antique Sugar, and catty-corner to Moira (which is catty-corner to MilkBar), etc... that's how retail succeeds. And, if these end up being truly affordable, it will open up downtown to a much larger audience to live in what I think would be the best part.

Biomedical Garage - Yes, there is ground level retail in the garage. It's minimal (2,000 square feet) and the filled in area where 5th used to veer east will be turned into a plaza, whatever the hell that is since it's apparently the buzz word for making a project sound urban.

Glad that the garage isn't totally single-use, but the developers added the retail because they were forced (they told me 2 years ago to write to my representative about how this requirement would increase the cost of parking for potential users of the garage; um, NO.), and I feel like its design is almost spiteful. There is barely enough room for one restaurant, which would need to survive on its own at the edge of the PBC and next to AZ Center parking, Skyline leasing center, and an empty lot.

The fact that there is a standalone on city-owned land (meaning the City should have been able to easily follows its own urban form guidelines) structure is very indicative of the built environment the City has created in this part of downtown. Picturing those buildings on 4th/Garfield-McKinley, and 4th/McKinley-Polk is so frustrating considering how hot that area is. It could've expanded Roosevelt Row and brought more residents close to the cool businesses in that area between Roosevelt and Fillmore.

Random Retail Comments:

1. I agree with exit2 re: the saturation of coffee shops. Hopefully, with luxury housing being added, more shops and sit-down restaurants open (no, not chains), and even some attractions... a comedy theatre if downtown could support two, for example. It would be cool if Valley Youth Theatre abandoned their two shitty buildings for a ~3-story infill next to MonOrchid or along 1st Street nearer the park.

Also, the live/work spaces at 2 of the best projects - Proxxy and enHance - will add to the retail mix. I just hope future occupants stay away from anything involving coffee or yoga.

Either way, glad that these 2 spaces on Roosevelt will be filled with this coffee shop and Public Image which looks like it is more than a salon (art, clothing, etc.).

2. The Renaissance is going through some approvals with the City for 1st Street modifications. I am assuming the plan is to move the drop-off there as the Adams Activation study suggested. I'm hoping that also means a renovation of the Adams Street frontage. Filling in or removing the arcade would be such a huge improvement.

Whatever happened to the winner of Marriott's incubator contest? She was supposed to open a wine/cheese shop (because the one on Monroe/1st Ave isn't enough) in the former Starbucks.

3. Whatever happened to the brewpub that was supposed to go into Skyline Lofts?

4. Has the 111 Monroe building added any signage or street entrances for their new retail? It will be a shame if the only way to access them is through the lobby. The selection is a huge step up for downtown - a music store, wine bar, antiques (?), etc. - and I can't see them surviving on office traffic alone? Also, extending the cluster of retail on Monroe would be great and there is potential for businesses at 44M, the VB/1st Ave garage, and US Bank.

#2 For reasons unspecified, the project was not completed. The winners are now operating a store in Arcadia:

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/resta...ervice-7784691

#3 I've seen no work being done in that building, so I assume the project is on hold or dead.

#4 Nothing other than sandwich boards on the sidewalk, although the coffee shop already has its own street entrance. I've made purchases at both Hidden Track Bottle Shop and Mornin' Moonshine. They're both good businesses and I wish them the best, but attracting customers will be a challenge given their limited visibility.

Everything that Rich Barber guy does is absolute garbage, I'm actually offended that's who is designing something at that location.

It's been said by some of the people at Taliesin in a symposium that 3rd and Roosevelt is the next slum. They cited a combination of the "get it done now" generic nature of the designs, the lack of any retail or leasable space on the ground floor, and the size of the buildings.

I don't disagree.

Lots of negativity on this site. Slums? Don't see that happening. Its not like they are two story stucco boxes.

The more empty lots that are filled in are going to drive more high rise development and eventually these "slums" will be replaced.

Maybe the Taliesin can bring back FLW vision of his future city: it looked alot like sun city.

Yep. It's ridiculous. I can't believe people are already ripping the circles project before they see a single rendering! Plus, they have already said they intend to keep a portion of the building. I think this is going to be a VERY nice project.

A year ago people were upset at the generic 4-5 story apartments popping up everything. Now we finally reach a point at which density warrants taller projects and we are getting negative reactions before plans are even unveiled.

I for one am excited about most of these projects as the trend is now towards more population, demand for retail, and taller/denser projects downtown.

I'm sorry, but if you want top notch projects, you have to build up to those from a demand and demographic prospective. You're not going to get a gorgeous high-end tower until you get some affordable towers in place.

Hey guys, relax, the word "slum" was not my assertion, it was at the Taliesin school as I stated.

I still don't disagree that this could be a mess in 5-8 years.

Thank you! I hope now we can put an end to the speculation of a 20 story building that used a Google Maps image from atleast 8 years ago.

wait... what is this? http://orbarch.com/index.php/mies_po...on-the-boards/

That's a link to his works in progress containing several different projects.

He is Broadstone's architect, so you're seeing mostly their projects.

Exclusive: San Francisco group to turn former Art Linkletter resort into new micro-ho
 

This micro-housing trend appears to be catching on. Now in Melrose neighborhood

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/n...ormer-art.html

For what it's worth, 7th Ave/Osborn is a half mile south of the Melrose,

What I mean is in the link there is a site plan for apartments in the Papago Grande Development.

This.

What is the point of "micro-housing" in this instance, other than the use of the word? The article says that the place is mostly studios. Seems like the only news here is that condos will be converted to apartments.

:haha: I was thinking the same thing.

"Micro-housing" is the trendy new buzzword.

And I'll repeat what I said yesterday in response to the other "micro-housing" project- a 400 square foot studio is not micro-housing.