Phoenix looks to bring improvements to commuter route, old red light district
 

Behind a paywall but the gist of the article is Phoenix will be voting tomorrow on a project to perform study on Van Buren from 7th Street to 24th St. Will look at shading, beautification, etc and explore possibility of reducing travel lanes to help spur development activity eastward.

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/n...-commuter.html

I would continue PBJ if they actually reported stories that were news and wasn't available elsware within a couple hours...or even before!!

I swear sometimes we tip off their stories on development. I have seen stuff posted here only to see the same info show up on PBJ like 2 days later.

I think we will see Garfield gentrify pretty quickly in the upcoming decade. I've already noticed a lot of remodels in that neighborhood.

Yes, I have been picking up Garfield properties for the last decade telling everyone it's the next place. Here's why:

1. it's the only single-family home area directly bordering what's considered the downtown core.
2. access to ASU, light rail, airport, and the hospital which is a huge employer, is very convenient.
3. there are enough empty lots to do some trendy type of infill and there has long been enough stock of dilapidated buildings which are cheap and easy to fix up and flip.
4. first Friday proximity and Roosevelt row proximity. Anyone who wants to live on Roosevelt row but has a dog will end up wanting to rent a house in Garfield.

All my peers who told me I was crazy for ten years are eating crow now. In their defense about 4-5 years ago I began thinking "maybe they were right, this is taking longer than I expected to turn".

The closest parallel I can draw is San Diego's North Park. Long forgotten but still close enough to the city to be reborn as soon as a few guys think it through. North Park ten years ago was very unpleasant and now it's blossomed into a center of restaurants, breweries, and cool places to live.

You're right, I was confused from watching all these Cavaliers playoff games at Quicken Arena.

Dirt Wars: The Battle Over the Future of Downtown Phoenix
 

I read this article this morning and the last 2 paragraphs "In other words, we should embrace Phoenix for what it is, and not try to force it into being something that it’s not.

Maybe downtown Phoenix won’t ever feel like downtown Seattle or downtown San Francisco or even downtown Denver. And maybe that’s okay.
" tells me that this author doesn't know a thing about true urbanism and what being a real city means.

By all means...let's keep building single family housing and keep sprawling and becoming more of a low density metropolis :koko:

I do think the author should have held onto the spin that our historic homes should be preserved and are what make Phoenix stand out from other US cities.

In any sense, this is just another article to remind me that I HATE the fucking Goldwater Institute and will NEVER drink at Angel's Trumpet Ale House. It seems the owners want downtown to remain a slum so they can afford to stay. They can move to Apache Junction if they don't want to hear jackhammers.

GPLETs are investments in the city and have a future tax benefit significantly greater than an empty lot or low density housing, much like educated poor children (including immigrant and Native American children) will have a significantly greater contribution to society than poorly educated children. Something the arrogant, near-sighted, fucking assholes at the Goldwater institute will never understand.

..off my soapbox.

:yeahthat: :tup:

Angels Trumpet really is below average. Even before this GPLET injunction nonsense.

The conclusion of the article is confusing. I give the author credit for understanding the difference between high-rise and mid-rise buildings. Then, she assumes the role of architecture critic and trashes mid-rises that don't meet her standards. I wish she had taken the time to interview some of the residents of the new buildings. The few that I know are generally pleased with their dwellings. Also, finding fault with empty balconies seems silly when most of these buildings are not yet fully occupied. Finally, she praises the federal court house, which is probably one of Phoenix's biggest architectural mistakes.

The Van Buren contract calls for CK to study design streetscape and sidewalk improvements as well enhancements for parking, pedestrians and bicycles.

The project also will look to put in more shade and whether to reduce street lanes.

The city made some similar moves on a stretch of Grand Avenue near downtown, but that has created some congestion for commuters.

CK beat out two other bidders for the three-year contract. The cost is not supposed to go over $600,000, according to city documents.

CK Group has down work at Phoenix Sky Harbor and its PHX Sky Train monorail as well as on the Metro light rail extension in Mesa.

Phoenix council approves airport fees, parking lease
 

http://www.abc15.com/news/region-pho...-parking-lease

Of course we knew that city council would approve the Quicken Loans parking lease deal, but I was especially interested in the very last paragraph of the article.

"City leaders say they are working with several other major employers interested in setting up shop downtown."

This bodes well for increased office demand depending on how "major" some of these employers are. I can't wait to hear who may be coming Downtown next.

This is great news that will put a pretty big dent on the office vacancy.

On the 10 PM newscast last night ABC15 had the same report, but included additional comments from Christine MacKay, the PHX Economic Development Director. She said some of the other employers they are in talks with would be for parking arrangements almost as large as the Quicken deal. That sounds like some pretty major employers unless she's just blowing smoke.

At any rate, it's good to see that the "Garage Mahal" will finally have some regular use and not be so empty all the time. Thankfully it kept yet another big garage from being built.

We are really on the precipice of a turning point and acceleration of development if we can get more high-paying jobs downtown.

Would be great to see the sale of the Sheraton finally and proposal for a new Suns arena with additional development. Been awfully quiet on that front lately.

I think we are over the precipice and heading right into some major growth, the last year for the entire metro has been fantastic, I don't think a week goes by that there isn't some announcement of new employment coming to the valley and the development has been wide spread diverse: tech, Health, multi-family, single family, Financial services, Logistics and Warehousing, Hotels and entertainment, education especially higher education, manufacturing. Even retail at a time that retail is declining.

And It's not just Phoenix, Tucson is growing, Yuma is growing, Casa Grande, Prescott, etc. The Recession has resulted in a much more robust economy for our state.

Anyway, Took a detour through Downtown today before work and saw some interesting things.

1. Hampton in is on the 4th floor

2. The blocks on 5th have started moving

3. Broad stone is stuccoed

4. The lot at NWC of 5th street and Roosevelt was fenced and there was a tractor moving dirt. Anyone know what's going on? wasn't there talk of a small retail/office building going there a while back?

5. Trans western development on third north of the park looks like its about to start demo, there is a coming soon sign out-front and its fenced off.

6. Dirt is moving at the midrise apartment block off central between CVS and the Library

7. The Remodel office building off central and and Palm is moving along quickly.

8. Muse being done makes the entire corner of McDowell and Central much much nicer.

9. The senior center off Indian School and 7th street is topped out and a large apartment complex is starting to go vertical

10. Macayo's (the apartments) are starting to go vertical

11. A bunch of little projects and remodels on going around some of the central neighborhoods.

couple of other things, is the "grow house" new or am I just oblivious? There is a dumpster out in front of the old house across from Enhance, is that being redone? The shipping container project looks like offices not apartments and I think its kind of meh:uhh:

Also can someone explain what the hell is going on along central at the Viaducts? Why has it been under construction for like a year?

Agree on all counts. The Garage Mahal never should have been built, but if it can be put to use and thereby prevent the construction of another garage, that will be a positive outcome.

I can't think of any office buildings within a one-block radius of the garage. That may mean that Quicken employees are walking two or three blocks if they choose to drive and park in the garage. That would be another good outcome because in some cases an express bus stop or light rail platform may be closer that the garage, and some employees may be more likely to consider public transit for their commutes.

I was wondering about this myself. I Googled the walk to where Quicken Loans office will be. It was...at the possible shortest route...a .4 mile walk at about 9 minutes. That's going to suck during the summer. I see them finding alternative ways to the office.

But that w0uld also be great foot traffic for any shops along the way