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Quote:

Originally Posted by SethAZ (Post 4839735)

Yes, the demo has started on the Sahara WAY early. I was at a meeting with the Mayor on Friday to ask that the city not raze it yet and to give us time to offer better uses of the building. We had a developer who had solid plans to make the old building something very cool. (Similar to the Valley Ho.) But the mayor is a jerk and wrapped around Michael Crow's little finger.

Downtown Voice Coalition released this statement:
http://bit.ly/atrOSX

I wrote this story about it on downtownphoenix.com about a month or two ago. It made the Downtown Partnership pretty angry. (and i'm still surprised they ran the story.)
http://bit.ly/da4xEP

I haven't seen the Downtown Voices Coalition this angry since Madison Square Garden was torn down... It's too bad that the boutique hotel proposal never had a chance. I envisioned the Ramada becoming something along the lines of the Modern Hotel & Bar near Downtown Boise. The Modern Hotel was a 1960's travel lodge but was rehabbed into something cool. It's proximity to Boise's downtown made it a nice (and cheaper) alternative to the big chain hotels.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/...35a96b74_o.jpg

:previous: Yeah, DVC is pretty angry. (The loss of the Madison Square Garden was tragic. There was so much history and potential, like most things in Phoenix. To be fair to the mayor, he did vote against that demolition.)

I like the picture you posted. That's exactly what the Sahara could have been. Right now the building is kinda ugly (all that damn stucco) but I've seen the original blueprints of the building and I know what was in it, like the exposed red bricks, tile, mosaics, floor to ceiling windows. Del Webb was a genius, and now it's gone.

Rachel Luptak wrote this blog post about the history of the building and what it could have been.
http://bit.ly/a3ruPE

^ Yay, I guess I've had my photos stolen too now. The first shot of the ramada is mine.

The building ostensibly had asbestos problems: I see that was a bold faced lie because unless crews have been there mitigating it nonstop for a while now, there's no way they'd have it done by now.

yeah, it takes a long time to bring down a building with asbestos issues.

Those old post cards of the Sahara were amazing. If they did a complete make over I'd rather stay there than the Sheraton. Another piece of Phoenix history being wiped off the map.

Sahara vs. Valley Ho

How would one compare the bones of the Sahara with that which hase now become the Valley Ho?

Since the city owns the Sheraton I don't see why they couldn't have owned the Sahara too and marketed it as an alternative to the convention oriented beast next door. I think the restaurant, bar and retail would have fit in perfectly with not only the collegiant atmosphere and the urban art vibe emerging north of Van Buren.

This all ties in with the GOP convention discussion. The Sahara, Monroe, Palomar confirmed and the outcome is a different one.

The people from the city said they had been removing the asbestos for a while and that is was gone. We asked why they used it as dorms for 2 years if there was such a nasty asbestos problem. (We got no answer.) Then we said that to redevelop the property the asbestos has to be removed anyways and that since it had been removed, why not give us some time to present the city with other options. We were told that wasn't an option either because the city "had to get this building down."
It was at that point in the meeting that I stopped taking notes because I knew we were fighting a losing battle.

Sean, which picture are you talking about?

Quote:

Originally Posted by SethAZ (Post 4842388)

We were told that wasn't an option either because the city "had to get this building down."
It was at that point in the meeting that I stopped taking notes because I knew we were fighting a losing battle.

This is the key thing to learn from city meetings sadly. They take public comment, but only in a token manner. They already have their minds made up and nothing is really going to change that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by phxbyrd (Post 4841825)

One thing I'd like to know is why ASU is so unconcerned with providing what a college student would consider a good quality of life for the 18-24 year olds they force to be there. A Valley Ho type establishment with street facing retail would have been a big boost to the area, to the AZ center, for the success of Alta and other businesses. And it would even cost ASU any money to allow private money to come in and develope the property.:banana:

Some minor Central Phx development news:

Quote:

Postino Central partners to open the Windsor and Churn

1 comment by Sadie Jo Smokey - May. 18, 2010 11:09 AM
The Arizona Republic

The brains behind the Postinos, Chelsea's Kitchen, Radio Café and La Grande Orange concepts are finalizing plans to bring two new concepts near Postino Central, their eatery just north of Camelback Road.

This week, a zoning-hearing officer is expected to approve landscaping variances and use permits so restaurateurs Lauren and Wyatt Bailey and Chris and Kris DeMarco, who are partners at Postino Central, can move ahead with the Windsor and Churn.

The Windsor and Churn will be in a renovated 3,000-square-foot building at 5221 N. Central Ave. that at one time was home to a liquor store, a wig boutique, a butcher, and a market. Dee's International Hairport occupies another part of the building.

The Windsor is envisioned as a casual neighborhood restaurant opening at 6 a.m. daily and serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, said Lauren Bailey. Churn will feature homemade ice cream, pastries and coffee.

"We were instantly attracted to its historical significance as well as the neighborhoods that surround it," Bailey said. "It has a ton of history and we are really excited to bring it back to its original, linear, red-brick appearance."

Plans call for outdoor dining within the enclosed rear patio that opens to the restaurant.

Representatives from Windsor Square Neighborhood who support the proposed adaptive reuse of the building requested the restaurant limit traffic turning into the neighborhood and provide decorative elements to the trash-dumpster screen wall.

Bailey said the eatery will be a good neighbor. The partners expect to open the Windsor and Churn in the fall.

"We really love central Phoenix and are thrilled to be a part of preserving and exposing its historical past as well as being a staple for the great neighbors that live here," Bailey said.

The zoning adjustment hearing is at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Phoenix City Hall, 200 W. Washington St.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/community/p...#ixzz0oJKHBJTV

Nothing going on today so they dug up a story from 5 months ago?

Maybe i should burn something down so they have news.

More old news! Thanks John.

I did notice that they were painting giant PBR murals on that building with the cheap rent along Central. 4236 N Central. Not sure if that means it will actually be something...kinda looks like the artist who did the coffee murals on that green building that never became a coffee shop.

Haha oh man i didnt even see that date.

Here you go John...they are having another Grand Opening since the other one was so lame.
http://www.theduce.net/images/suns_b...r-web_cowp.jpg
www.theduce.net

No thanks... Too much risk they may not have high def. Probably a tv from the 40's.

Its actually a projector screen. I posted in the Deuce thread about it opening a few weeks back when I went. The quality is shit and the place is um...warm (to say the least) but I can see some appeal to sitting on the bleachers, drinking drinks, and watching with a bunch of people. Not that I'll be there.

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