Who wouldathunk that the largest apartment developer in the country has their HQ in Phoenix?

According to Jan Buchholz in the Austin Business Journal on April 9th:

Glad to see Detroit Coney Grill open up Downtown I go to the one in Tempe and the food is awesome. Since I work downtown somewhere else to go for lunch.

Side Topic Saturday

Couple of interesting articles in the Phoenix Business Journal HERE and HERE.

If you're unsure of the backdrop you might try doing a search using "Kansas Brownback budget" with taxes/tax cuts, mess, experiment as possible additions. Best to search "news" as opposed to the "web" if you'd prefer to avoid the more political sites.

I stand corrected. Although the food trucks are outside the gate, they are cordoned off so that they are inside of security and it does not look like they can be approached by people not at the game.

Arizona was, I believe, the first state to dive head first into supply-side lunacy during the Symington administration. Supply side is less economic theory than religious belief. It doesn't work but this religion doesn't have to produce results in order to get the public addicted to the candy of tax cuts. Just wait! Ayn Rand will rise from the dead and bless all the government-hating Rugged Individualists living on Social Security and Medicare.

Cities, contra Rand, are necessarily communitarian ventures. But if you live in a could-be-anywhere suburb like Gilbert, why care about community? You've got your granite countertops, SUV, great room, and 80-inch TV. Cities are for minorities and liberals. This is why Arizona is not competing. There's no urban magic in a state that says it's your money so spend it how you like. A state without a central nervous system might as well be a giant jellyfish. Mayors get the problem but their economic tools are limited. If you're interested in cities, you're also interested in politics. Arizona's politics are crazy for tangible reasons.

LOL, Yeah, I wouldn't disagree. But it's never simplistic.

Go east of the Mississippi and the more tax-business friendly sunbelt states have been kicking butt over the last 10/15 years. But west of the Mississippi places like Denver and Portland have liberal influences but on top of conservative roots. Even smaller places like Salt Lake City and Des Moines find a good balance.

What's interesting is that Arizona has always treated K-12 education like a step-child but when they brought in Michael Crow to run ASU he got what ever he wanted for a number of years. That would generally follow the Texas "model." Apparently now though continued belt tightening for the university system will be the new trend. Maybe they figured they were educating students who would move out-of-state to find jobs? I don't know.

Arizona/Phoenix will do quite well in time because of many reasons. They'll soon take their turn and play catchup. The tax cuts will be largely irrelevant. They are nice ways to reward their best donors however and I'm sure they'll be delighted to claim all the credit. /sigh

Arizona Center is going up for sale again. Maybe this new owner will finally be the one to put in the necessary work to make the project work in the new context of downtown.

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/n...-for-sale.html

I had mentioned a condo project at 2nd St/Portland happening; but, it looks like it was actually the other bid that won the City's RFP. That project is for a container apartment project from the same team creating the one over on Grand. I would have preferred traditional condos, but a dirt lot filled w/ affordable creative living space? Not too bad.

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/b...-could-be.html

A new basement music venue is coming to Central and Monroe, on the ground level of "The Hub" building. The owners are the same as Crescent Ballroom. Cool idea and establishment, but I actually don't like how it is going to be entered via alleyway and is so far off the street...

http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/upo...wn_phoenix.php

Which corner is it again? Is it the one with the defunct foundations already in place?

The basement bar/venue sounds cool - maybe they could somehow get the landlord to rehabilitate the facade of The Hub building back to it's original more historic facade..

I also wish something could be put back in where the basement lounge Monroe's used to be. That place was unique.

Yep, that's the corner (on 2nd/Portland with the remnants of 6 townhome foundations).

It would be cool if they were able to do something with the building... all of the buildings on/around Monroe-Adams/Central are pretty old and look terrible in their current condition. I wish someone would clean them up because that area is the most urban-feeling of downtown.

I actually thought this was opening in the old Monroe's at first, but unfortunately not. I think I remember hearing that due to code issues, that space won't ever be leased?

Lastly, the article mentioned Cornish Pasty coming soon... they've had a space on Monroe for years now, it'd be great if they actually did finally open.

A few pictures gymratmanaz took at DeSoto over the weekend...place looks freaking great! Can't wait to check it out in person...anyone else been yet?

http://nitnelav.com/DeSoto/1.jpeg

http://nitnelav.com/DeSoto/2.jpeg

http://nitnelav.com/DeSoto/3.jpeg

http://nitnelav.com/DeSoto/4.jpeg

http://nitnelav.com/DeSoto/5.jpeg

I stopped by on Saturday morning and the turn-out was great! Just like the photos show, the inside is beautiful and wonderfully restored. The use of space is pretty awesome and definitely had a "community" vibe to it. Looks like they are still waiting on florist, butcher, and Radish to fill out other spots. Should be a success. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures and the pictures above don't show the patio area which is pretty cool as well.

But I did manage to take pictures of TownHomes on 3rd (go figure)

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...661/S7M7ow.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...661/Z6rkJs.jpg

Not sure what the target market is for DeSoto ... Phxdowntowner and I were having an interesting facebook conversation on the demographics downtown for a $16 burger and fries with no table service. That's more expensive than I've had in San Francisco so far ...

Meanwhile, the owner of the Crescent Ballroom plans another Downtown Phoenix music venue in the underground spot that's been vacant for several years across from Seamus McCaffrey's.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/enter...room/25737295/

The demo for DeSoto is definitely upscale gay guys. Which, not coincidentally, is who Portland on the Park is targeting (they're, for instance, having a Pride happy hour party in about a week for potential buyers). DeSoto is freaking great. I don't know anything about running a retail operation, but it's a fantastic fit for the neighborhood, although deceptively enormous inside.

I was at the Desoto Market opening early Saturday afternoon. It was much more busy than the pictures above show, which made for a good vibe. They had some hiccups (I ordered a burger and it took forever, not to mention their computer wasn't working) which is expected. Overall I thought the building looked fantastic and it's much larger than it seems. The details were awesome (using the old terra cotta from the Luhr's security building for the coffee bar, they had a bunch of framed original work orders on the wall from the actual Desoto Building from the late 30s, the brick, floor, trusses, etc.) Once everything is open, it'll be even better.

I totally agree. The pricing in places downtown is getting a bit unreasonable. My burger was great (patty itself wasn't as juicy as it could have been), but the bun and lettuce (delicous "AZ [bib(?)] lettuce"?) and bacon and everything seemed very high in quality. But a $10 burger on a tray is very expensive... $6 or $7, however you need to make that pencil out with the ingredients you provide, is more reasonable. I guess their demographic is the person with a bit of disposable income coming in for a casual nice meal once a month. I wish it would be more of a daily, busy, turn and burn marketplace.

I talked to one of the owners, and due to some construction challenges, they did not get to do a soft open. They opened that day without any practice with customers. I have done may soft opens, and i could not imagine going live without one. Congrats to them!!!!! Awesome downtown addition that will only get better and busier in time.

Imagine when the new apartments and condos are done in the area!!!!

I really hope DeSoto can adjust its prices to become more of a neighborhood gathering spot vs. a novelty that you splurge one every so often. I just don't see how it can survive as a hub of upscale services. It's going to be especially rough in the year or two before the first wave of residential is completed in the area. It would be great for downtown to keep it going - it's a great concept and something that really makes downtown much more 'grown up.'

Interesting that Portland on the Park is targeting gays; it worked well for One Lexington: it completely sold out and is about 90% gay. There's a decent-sized gay community in Phoenix, but I don't know if there's a large enough segment with the purchasing power to buy a downtown condo, especially if they could get something similar in Scottsdale, etc. With FEZ and Bliss nearby, though, maybe the area will turn into more of a trendy/upscale scene? IDK.

Aren't most of Downtown's/ Central's (newer) rental communities been leased by predominantly gay crowds too?

Thought had dawned on me--what upscale things are there downtown? Maybe DeSoto actually fills a niche that I'm not realizing.

DeSoto looks really nice!


I really enjoy reading the work of Mike Sunnucks and Eric Jay Toll at the Phoenix Business Journal. Eric Jay Toll takes the latest poke today.
Arizona ranks near bottom for taxpayer bang-for-buck
soleri alluded to and he's right that recent year's policy decisions by the state hurt the City of Phoenix more than other parts of the metro area. :(

While not in the article, for anyone who's interested the WalletHub link is right HERE.

I assume that like most urban areas and city centers that downtown Phoenix is gay friendly but would I not also be correct in assuming that it's also friendly to all demographics?