So true, Terry got the ball rolling, and the mayors after him have benefited from a lot of the stuff he got going. The momentum is now really swinging towards developing downtown the right way, but he is one of the driving forces behind it.

On more historic preservation news. It looks like the city is making a push to save all of the buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright:

The Phoenix City Council has approved a plan to preserve seven structures throughout the city that were designed by one of the nation’s most famous architects.

Acting Historic Preservation Officer Michelle Dodds said the plan will include outreach to owners of Frank Lloyd Wright-designed buildings and assistance in the long-term preservation of those properties.

But it all hinges on the voluntary participation of the owners, she said.

Source:http://www.azcentral.com/community/p...html#protected


I hope that the city can also begin to save some of the buildings from the great local modern architects, such as Al Beadle. We have such a rich Mid-Century stock.

Where is this going exactly? I don't see 6.8 acres behind the "Louden" Center (they must mean "Londen")... unless it will be tearing down some existing houses, apartments, and/or a small commercial strip.

They covered this at a Camelback East Village Planning Committee meeting I attended (I was going b/c David Wright house was on the docket). This new development is going to go like so:

http://i.imgur.com/bFBJiZU.png

Im 75% sure it includes knocking down those 4 single family homes in the cul-de-sac, but can't remember for certain.

It'll also include a semi private park that backs up to those houses on Calle Tuberia. It'll be accessible only by the neighbors who live between the canal, 44th St and Camelback, and the various office buildings in that same boundary. They'll either have a key, or gate code or some such thing.

Arizona opera’s new, $5.2m center opens on central avenue
 

http://azremagazine.com/wp-content/u...lding_sign.jpg

http://azremagazine.com/wp-content/u...h_panorama.jpg

http://azremagazine.com/new-market/a...central-avenue

I noticed some kind of utility work going on next to and in the roosevelt/1st Ave triangle yesterday. Is that future "mixed use" site still moving forward? Or does anyone know what is up with that site now?

I checked phx online permits and all they are working on relocating the water main along with some curb and paving. I heard from a friend that the project is a go and that the city is giving them that right turn lane through their lot.

That same friend, who owns a couple buildings along roosevelt, and is pretty connected downtown, says that the lot north of matts big breakfast's new location is moving ahead (4 or 5 story residential)(small project)

Great! Thanks. That's exactly what is needed in that location.

Is there any new news on Phase II of the Portland Place Condos? Do we know when ground will be broken?

Indeed, the small island triangle will become part of the existing lot and it will house a mix-use development. It actually sounds like it will be a great project.

/\Is there any kind of timeline on the project? It is just spec?

It is not spec, but not quite sure on the timeline. Construction is supposed to start as soon as the utilities realignment is done.

Well, it does look like they already have that portion of the triangle/1st Avenue. I can't tell if they've given them the right turn aux lane, given setbacks and ROW and such. But it's nice to hear that CLOQUET METROWEST seems to have assembled the land and is getting the utilities worked out. Not sure they would do all of that work without planning on more real construction. We'll just have to wait until we see some new permits.

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i2...readsfasdf.jpg

Great news all around!

Can you - or anyone - provide a little bit more detail on both?

Roosevelt and 1st: All we've heard is "mixed use project;" do we know anything regarding what the uses are, the heights/stories, etc.?

Lot N of Matt's Big Breakfast: This is actually the first I have heard of this one. It is 4-5 story residential... ground floor retail? Any idea on timeline or designs? I'm not sure of the lot size, but hopefully it is a decent size so that these apartments (that I assume are NOT for students or seniors) can actually make a dent.

At this stage, I'll believe it all when I see you folks posting pictures of construction.

I spoke with the developer of the mixed use property. He also developed Cathedral Townhomes directly across the alley fronting 2nd Ave. from what he told me last summer the mixed use will house 2-3 restaurants with 4-5 stories of apartments above it. He also said the small apartments just south of the lot are owned by him and they will be destroyed making more space for the future project. I mentioned the plans from a few years back when Postino was going to put a location on that corner and he got quiet, smiled, and said he's been talking to some great prospective tenants. This was all as of last July, and like John said, I'll believe it when I see it.

Thankfully those apartments to the south are nothing special... but it sucks that we can't seem to gain anything without losing anything.

The Lofts On Thomas have added some content to their website:

http://www.loftsonthomas.com/home.html

Heard that they are turning the Korean church on NWC 7th St. & Osborn into a restaurant......Z Tejas-esque is how it was described. That building could look really awesome if done correctly.

Gadzooks across the street is a big improvement over the vacant Miriam's thing that sat there for eons.

/\ That's pretty good news... do you know if the restaurant is going in the old church, or if it is going in whatever they are building next to the church (now under construction)? That intersection will be much better with whatever they do and Gadzooks diagonal across the street.

Check out this old aerial (below). That existing old Korean church was built in the late 30s or early 40s. But it was built next to what looks like could have been an even cooler older church that was built sometime before 1930. I wish I knew what it was or looked like, but what was there originally (before being demolished) looked like it could have been really cool.

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i2...dfasdfadsf.jpg