1) I drove by the new trees yesterday.....They will be awesome in a couple of years!

2) Also, old Circles looks really cool with the three levels up so far attached to it!

3) Block 23 hole is getting deeper!!!!! Can't wait till it starts upward!

4) The Link - all fenced off and ground is graded. Looks like real work to start soon!!!

5) I love the "4 Corners"- as I like to call it, where 3rd St and Roosevelt has the 4 apartment buildings. It seems like it is such an area of synergy! It gives itself such a vibe of energy. I could see this being a known area for the city where all 4 complexes get together for events or creates their own.

Went to the Suns game last night...and the "4 corners" area was full of homeless by the shading 'trees.' Garbage everywhere! Nice welcome into downtown, expensive triangular park compete with homeless and trash all over the place to give it that authentic urban feel.....

I have seen the police running them off a few times in the past week, they have been moving over to the pedestrian bridge on 7th Avenue.

Great update! To add...

6) Progress continues on the Flowers building with Taco Chelo, Bbq Trapp House, and a barber shop, True North.

7) Small project across the street (5th/Roosevelt) is working on the 3rd floor

8) Genuwine bar expects to open in a few weeks, liquor license up (I guess for the Cocktail lounge) in the other retail space

9) Work being done in the Club Downtown space next to the Grand. Maybe renovations?

9) Grand Avenue Brewery hopes to open before year's end....but we'll see. They touted opening in spring 2017, but there's been recent activity on their FB page. Right next door is the Phoenix Trolley Museum. Will be excellent when both are open!

Most of all, I'm REALLY looking forward to the Monroe Abbey becoming what it's flagged to be: Event space/interior garden, coffee shop, basement speakeasy, restaurant, and retail. All surrounded by an Italian Gothic facade. :cheers:

That triangular plot always has an encampment, I'm actually surprised when there isn't. And the biggest offender of garbage is the empty lot next to Revolver Records. Part of the reason could be because it turns into food truck haven on First Fridays.

No...im talking about garage in the triangle as a result of the homeless. I have been there several times earlier this year where there was no homeless and it was clean....

Okay, which one of you is a writer for the Phoenix Business Journal? It seems like we talk about stuff on here and pretty quickly after its on PBJ.

Some construction updates for our viewing pleasure brought to you by PBJ

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...-progress.html

Are you talking about the Shadow Play art installation at 3rd Street & Roosevelt? I've noticed the northern portion of that has become a camp in recent weeks.

There is definitely a surge in the Downtown homeless population. I went on a 2 mile walk during my lunch break (Midtown) and then a 4 mile walk Downtown after work on Friday. I have been doing these walks for a couple years around Downtown now. I am passing a lot more homeless than I ever have. During my walk, there were police at Central Station talking to some homeless that were fighting. I was asked quite a few times for change when normally I never get asked or maybe once if I am at somewhere like Circle K. There were also couple homeless individuals catcalling a woman that was walking about 100' in front of me. I can tell it made her uncomfortable and she picked up her pace.

I wonder if this is simply due to just more incoming residents and activity Downtown as compared to past years? Maybe the homeless are seeing more opportunities to panhandle as compared to before which is why they are migrating in? Whatever the case, I sure hope the city addresses this. It's making me even want to avoid walking around Downtown.

Has there been any information about the abbey? I know they had some event at last month's first friday, but has there been a timeline/pictures of any progress?

Seems weird to me because usually more people=more complaints and police response and the homeless shy away.

A few notable exceptions being places like Mill Ave where they come for the shade and the handouts. But downtown doesn't have any concentrated strip of activity for them to post along (otherwise youd see street performers too) So I have no idea why there is a huge swell, if it is because the library is closed that's a whole other issue.

How many damn homeless were in that thing?

The city does not have the manpower with the police department to do much about it but the new contract with CBI allows them to pick up anyone who is reported and observed having drug or chronic craziness issues.

It's quite interesting because this was a sop to the populous of Royal Palm, after the light rail was constructed PPD saw a huge increase in calls about vagrants wandering around. They didn't have the man power to do anything so now all those people do is pick up the phone, call the police, and instead of a squad car arriving CBI pulls up and takes the person in for evaluation.

We have long broken news before the major outlets did. Been doing that for about 10 years now.

Small update, but Sunwest Credit Union at the northeast corner of 3rd St. and McDowell has been going through renovations and today I see that they are cutting down the palm trees lining the streets. I can't imagine they are not going to be replaced with something. As the downtown core moves closer to McDowell with all the new apartment projects, let's hope for something with more shade!

Right, I saw that when it came out, I was just hoping there was more information available regarding a timeline and specifically what they showed off at that RSVP event during First Friday in October.

I attended the event on that First Friday and heard February is the planned start date for moving forward with this project.

In other news, the container mixed use project I guess has started construction at 901 N 1st st. Details in the link.

https://azbigmedia.com/phoenix-first...-construction/

Who knows. Noticed the situation at four corners as well.

On the upside, this homeless population surge will help the citys ‘blighted area’ arguement with the GPLET/Derby!! :cheers:

Ha!

Nice! I figured this project was dead when I saw "The Churchill" coming soon sign taken down.

https://azbigmedia.com/wp-content/up...1207241687.jpg

https://azbigmedia.com/wp-content/up...or-768x389.jpg

Great Addition for Roosevelt, that dead-space between Downtown and Roosevelt continues to shrink