For those who have been following the controversy over new apartment construction along Roosevelt Row, the 222 E Roosevelt building, most recently home to the Greenhaus, was demolished this morning.

Did they also demolish the old scientology building?

Not yet. I'll cheer when that one goes down.

exit2lef... RIP


Oh boy, wouldn't this be delightful?

"Phoenix office vacancies could stay above 20% for worst in US"
Mar 20, 2015 by Mike Sunnucks, Phoenix Business Journal
Unrelated to this piece but I think Mike Sunnucks does a great job and is often a "lone voice in the wilderness."

I am not ignoring the fact that developers haven't redeveloped vacant lots. I am arguing that it would be more authentic to let the market dictate how downtown developers versus preservationists forcing people's hands based off of their illusions. If there in no demand to develop vacant lots, so be it. Just don't tell others what they should be doing with their property.

Update: I went to lunch at Carly's and walked by the site on my way. Workers are spraying water, presumably for dust control, on the Scientology building right now. That's usually a precursor to imminent demolition.

On a sort of related note, I ate on the new patio at Carly's. It's a nice patio, and I hope other businesses also activate their portions of the enormous sidewalk. At the same time, having the patio there is a reminder of the flaws of the Roosevelt Streetscape. The sidewalks on the north side now have an inner portion, shielded from traffic and sun by a row of trees, and an outer portion that is right up against the curb. Along most portions of the street, I expect pedestrians will choose the inner portion, but when that area is being used for a patio, they'll have to use the outer portion without the buffer of a row of parked cars.

Freeway... I can't help but mostly agree with you.

http://wordspiritcommunications.net/...rt-in-hand.jpg

per wordspiritcommunications.net

"EXCLUSIVE: DHL, logistics companies ink leases at large speculative development near Sky Harbor"
Mar 20, 2015 by Mike Sunnucks, Phoenix Business Journal
"Google Fiber hiring for possible expansion in Phoenix"
Mar 20, 2015 by Hayley Ringle, Phoenix Business Journal
Any Green Shoots are always welcome news.

I was not aware that building was that old, had history, or was going to be replaced with surface parking. The fact that its being replaced for surface parking makes its demolition particularly reprehensible.

They would have never incorporated that public plaza space if people hadn't spoken up. The original plans were to just bulldoze it and treat it like any other block.

None of what you say is true. It was in use the last time I saw it a few years ago. As far as I can tell, the owner took the first mediocre offer that came by.

No, it wasn't. What did you "see" it being used as?

Regardless, it's being torn down and people need to get over it.

Weekend Analysis (repost from another thread)
 

Because of the self imposed austerity that was set in motion a few years ago in Arizona by carving out tax breaks for those that least need it and adding future tax cuts that are ready to kick in, I did some simple comparisons.

Using estimates for 2014 population per Wikipedia, Arizona has about 26% more population or put another way Colorado has 79% of the Arizona population. Arizona just passed their budget for next fiscal year at $9.1 billion. Colorado is looking at closer to $10.2 billion for their General Fund. A comparable budget for Colorado based on population would be closer to $7.2 billion. Or looked at another way, Colorado's budget (per capita) is 29% higher than Arizona's.

I believe the difference between the two states has flip flopped since before the recession (on a nominal basis). One other note of interest is that Arizona, the state collects 5.6% sales tax whereas Colorado, the state collects only 2.9%. Sales taxes paid are comparable but in Colorado the difference goes to the municipal jurisdictions.

Left unexplained (it's way over my head) is how resources are allocated. I did check incarceration costs a few years ago and Arizona, even though the per bed costs are less, spends about a half billion more per year on their prison system.

It would be more interesting to see an apples to apples comparison as budgets can be complex and allocations can vary.

P.S. Don't forget to enjoy the place while you're THERE.

A couple things.... I would venture to guess Colorado has a higher median household income than Arizona so if the state income tax rates are the same then Colorado could bring in more income as the same tax rates are being applied to larger sums of money. Also, perhaps the state income tax rate is higher in Colorado than Arizona. In addition, you have to factor in taxes on the sale of marijuana. Any and all or a combination of those thing could result in higher income for Colorado vs. Arizona, hence a bigger budget.

^ I can't speak to much detail but I know that as retail sales went up in Arizona sales tax collections actually went down; don't recall if I read about 2013 or 2014. It's all the tax exception giveaways to their best donors that have hurt. There was a whole smorgasbord of things that they cut. Special breaks for special friends. I understand Colorado's higher incomes and growth but still.... Weed tax collections were not as much as originally projected but it was a plus certainly.

Former Governor Brewer stalled tax cuts to corporations that were supposed to take effect the last several years of her regime. Current Governor Ducey is willing to let those tax cuts go into effect, essentially forcing the state budget to be balanced on the backs of public education, universities, counties and cities.

I never thought I'd say this, but I'm starting to miss Jan Brewer.

This might explain some of that: AZ Central: Arizona Private Prisons May Get Extra Million (3/31/2014)

Our state legislature bends over backwards for the private prison industry, and the legislature voted in either 2012 or 2013 to forbid doing a cost/benefit analysis of the cost of private versus public prisons. Were such a thing allowed, I have a feeling they'd find that state-run prisons are more cost effective in the long run.

As a probation officer*, these kinds of shenanigans keep me in constant fear of losing my job.

*I realize my view is biased, but I'm a firm believer that some people (primarily nonviolent drug offenders) simply don't belong in prison.

You realize this is a forum for people to discuss development, right? Your "its their property and they can do what they want" attitude is really fucking lame and makes you sound like a 2-year old who can't get its way. Get over the fact that people here are always going to discuss whether the almighty land owners are making the best/right development decisions for the sake of the current and future development of their respective city. And, when nearly everyone agrees that tearing down an existing structure has more long-term potential than another fucking parking lot, STFU and realize this isn't a Gilbert town hall meeting filled with people who despise anything that isn't asphalt or stucco.

LOL, so stupid. Seriously. This is what happens when you let business owners, with no expertise in urban or street planning, dictate the design of public rights of way. And, yet, these same business owners - who removed parking because they wanted this redesign to emphasize the pedestrian-friendliness of Roosevelt - are STILL whining about the "parking problem" downtown. Just ashphalt over the entire south side of the street so the people eating on these new patios can have a gorgeous view of cars speeding by AND sitting parked in lot after lot. The only 'saving grace' is that bike lanes have yet to be added, which will add *some* form of buffer between the sidewalk and street. But, instead of 20' sidewalks, they could have at least protected both the pedestrians AND bikes by adding a 2' lane of low-growing landscaping or even just slighty raised pavers between the travel lane and bike lane, if they were going to remove parallel parking. But, no, 20' sidewalks to accomodate Carly's new patio and the *1* night a month where pedestrian levels reach a point where this amount of room is necessary was completely worth screwing over everyday needs. Luckily, I think Short Leash and the Dressing Room plan on having patios, but I think the latter might just be rooftop and in the back? What a drab street-scene they've created.

And, the City never learns. In spite of the terrible feedback given following Phase 1 of 1st Street's redesign, and the efforts of the community to raise awareness of these flaws at the recent unveiling of Phase 2, the McKinley-Moreland portion doesn't address any of the issues and is merely a continuation of the disaster originally implemented. No bike lanes, no double row of landscaping, no pedestrian crosswalks except at Roosevelt... instead, ROW is being used for ANGLED PARKING, a 2' concrete buffer for people who park their cars to step onto between the landscape area and their car, 14' travel lanes (highway standard is 12' for Christ's sake) that widen up to 17' in places, dedicated left turn lanes where absolutely unnecessary.

The synagogue at 333 E Portland is set to be renovated within the next 5 months by Michael Levine. I've seen the Roosevelt Row folks say they want to see it adapted into some sort of community theater; one of the Facebook posts suggests a Holocaust museum. I like both ideas and hope whatever it turns into, it's some sort of public space. For an 'arts district,' Roosevelt Row really lacks in these... galleries and studios are great, but they don't invite interaction or give off a feeling of inclusiveness. Museums, theaters, etc. would be a welcome addition.

https://www.facebook.com/BethHebrew

Isn't that what we're discussing? Development? It's too bad that you're letting reality get to you so much. I'm not sounding like a two year old, as much as I am giving my opinion and really the reality of downtown. You seem to be the one throwing a toddler like tantrum. It simply sounds like you just have extreme disdain for people who don't cave and agree with your basic assertions that every historic building needs to be left standing for potential redevelopment opportunities, that all new real estate needs to "interact" with the street in a particular way, and that every new development needs ground level retail regardless of whether or not there is any demand. This is a forum, so I will not "STFU" because we disagree. I would recommend that you grow up and recognize that people have opinions that differ from your ridiculous delusions of urbanity.

I like it when people argue with no evidence to back up their claims. You say it's been vacant for decades.

https://app.box.com/SavePIONEERFRUIT.../27276616342/1

It was in operation until 2007, and the reason it's been vacant for as long as it has it that it got caught up in the Mortgages Limited debacle, whose resolution company ML Manager sold it very recently.

Interesting opinion piece in the Republic concerning efforts to remake the David and Gladys Wright House into a museum. I don't know all the details, but I'm a little skeptical of some of what's written here. The author lives primarily in San Francisco and comes to Phoenix only for special events. In addition, many of the claims about "commercialization" sound exaggerated in the same way as some of the statements made by the Save Roosevelt Row movement.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/...-cbt/25024433/

It is a little ironic that the son of John Sperling - the founder of The University of Phoenix and billionaire who died several months ago at age 93 - would find fault with this project. It appeared for a while that the house would be demolished unless some angel stepped forward to rescue it. It turned out the angel was from Las Vegas and not Arcadia.

John Sperling wasn't the only local billionaire living in Phoenix. There's also Bennett Dorrance and Bruce Halle. But what Phoenix lacks is a billionaire who also acts like a civic steward. Virginia Piper, at least, put her husbands' financial assets to good use in Phoenix. Why not Sperling?