Given that I'm not in Phoenix anymore, I was cruising through on Google Earth and am wondering why there is a parking lot under construction on the entire block south of Taylor Place?

Anybody know about that lot? I honestly can't remember what was there before. Was it the Ramada?

I believe it was part of the Ramada, yes. The part that was retail-like use facing the street.

That was indeed the Ramada, and it is now a parking lot. Which is pretty terrible. Though i must say, they made the nicest parking lot i've ever seen. It's green to reflect the heat, and pretty well landscaped. I mean, it's not as good as a new building, but at least it seems like they tried to make it nice. They just took down the fence around it yesterday. Here's a crappy cell phone pick:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3308/...221d74e7d3.jpg

And that's the location of the future ASU Law School...hopefully it still happens.

1. Testament to how cheap an plentiful real estate in Phoenix is. They could have fit about double the spaces they have.

2. Is that fenced in area a timeout for bad cars?

It looks like tennis courts in that pic.

The Dean continues to say that the law school is going there. At least, the emails and crap they regularly send alumni seeking donations and whatnot still say they are moving the law school there as part of the new refocusing and making the law school private or whatever.

http://chronicle.com/blogs/buildings...ASU_West_1.jpg

The growth taking place at Arizona State University’s West campus will soon be supported by the addition of a new residence hall and dining facility. The university will celebrate the start of construction on these projects with a groundbreaking ceremony on June 15, with the public invited to attend.

http://asunews.asu.edu/20110607_westgroundbreaking

Part of the reason the City claimed the lot was necessary was for Channel 12's new location. That area looks like a secure place for their news vans. So having Channel 12 move to their new location was one step forward but another back, showing once again the leadership of this City just doesn't "get it" when it comes to urbanity.

Add another #fail to the list that parking lot's racking up:

They removed 300 feet of parallel on-street parking to its north in order to claim more land for the lot. Walkability fail.

My client was just in here. He bid and received a contract for McKinley Row (so he called it). He said McKinley and 4th Ave, but he may have meant street? He didn't physically visit the site so he wasn't sure. But it is some sort of condo or apartment project that must be gearing up soon.

No, i think he meant Ave. The City's been working on what they called a mixed-use project over there. I think they got the land for it through a swap w/ the county. Anyways, if it's what I'm thinking about it's a city project, so i'm not holding my breath until i hear some details.

Is it the land where the Pappas School used to be?

He said condos called McKinley Row. He was awarded the drywall and paint job. According to my websearch, McKinley Row was at one time a luxury condo project. Don't know how much the project changed.

Here's what I find on google. But they are awarding construction contracts so something is about to start or so somebody thinks.

http://www.metrowestdevelopment.com/mckinley.html

No the Pappas school was further South, just South of Fillmore.

Looking at the site plan on Metro West's website this parcel must be the NW Corner of McKinley and 4th Ave which is currently dirt.

Oh yeah, Filmore... I get those streets mixed up.
So this is by Embassy. Good. Fill up that dirt lot. The website looked like they were expensive condos. 489k for 1500 square ft? What is this, 2007? That seems way too damn high.

Didn't we hear not too long ago that McKinley Row was going forward bit as a senior living community vs condos that it was originally planned as? I seem to recall something along those lines.

i just perused that website. I like it. They found an architect that didn't make those idiotic multi-floor units that so many developers seemed to have made recently. Looks like good stuff :)

McKinley Row is in fact slated for the NW corner of 4th Ave and McKinley. I live basically right there and it should loom nicely over my backyard.

The senior housing is slated to replace the junk 1950s era/bad 80s rehab office complex on 809 N 5th Ave directly behind it. They would have to be two separate projects.

The triangle chunk of land on the 3rd/4th St split on Roosevelt is in fact owned by the city, and it drives me crazy. If I had more money and time, I'd have leased it long ago for something neet.

I actually though the cost of the Concord Eastridge project was high, but its per-bed cost is about a third of what Taylor Place ran. I think it's unfortunate that the project is going to be student housing rather than market-rate/affordable apartments for the general public.

Then again, it's hard to complain about three city blocks worth of stuff getting built at once probably.

Historic preservation hearing sign up at chillruns museum. Says request to install art fence in lieu of current chain link fence.