Tempe Development Thread

[CBar]

Originally Posted by muertecaza

Snagged some quick drive-by pictures through most of of the DT Tempe and adjacent area developments under construction:

Rural Parking Garage

This one seems like the ASU building next to the Parking garage (almost finished) on Mill Avenue and 9th Street (back of Omni hotel).
Both the Mill avenue and Ninth street signs are kind of visible.

[RichTempe]

Originally Posted by CBar

This one seems like the ASU building next to the Parking garage (almost finished) on Mill Avenue and 9th Street (back of Omni hotel).
Both the Mill avenue and Ninth street signs are kind of visible.

It is. Here's a link to the construction cam. View is from the east looking west.

https://app.oxblue.com/cameras/14a5a...rkingStructure

And a pic from the cam:

[azsunsurfer]

Yes it's both the parking garage and the ASU building that I believe will house offices, classroom space and maybe retail??

[azsunsurfer]

Also the space in front of the garage from the webcam pic is suppose to house a 5 story student housing development from a private developer....no idea when is that suppose to start.

[muertecaza]

Originally Posted by azsunsurfer

Looks like at the next DRC meeting they are going to preview "Apache Square" that's the development proposed for the SWC of McClintock and Apache where the Pep Boys used to be.

Originally Posted by locolife

do we have any details on this one?

Originally Posted by azsunsurfer

No...I think originally there was a pre-submittal application for about 340 units with ground-floor retail in a 7-story building but not sure if that's changed since.

Here's the red zoning sign with some info: 5 stories, 167 units.

[CB1]

https://www.azfamily.com/2023/08/08/...ation-project/

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by CB1

https://www.azfamily.com/2023/08/08/...ation-project/

I trust the city to do horrible and tacky job.

Just leave it alone the street is fine.

[muertecaza]

Originally Posted by Obadno

I trust the city to do horrible and tacky job.

Just leave it alone the street is fine.

They already seem to be signaling moving away from the long-used ficus trees, which imo would be a mistake.

[PHX31]

This is a terrible, unnecessary, and wasteful idea.

Without knowing the details of the funding, it reeks of "we have this money earmarked for something along these lines and if we don't use it we lose it".

The entire region clamors for large shade trees. One of the few places that has some nice ones (even if some large ficus were replaced not all that long ago, and ficus present some collateral problems) and the idea is to rip them out because "it’s time to do a little bit of a refresh on that street."?

They want to put in trees "that are responsive to and can be resilient to the extreme heat that we’re experiencing and being mindful of water conservation". i.e. palo verdes or something similar that will never provide as much shade and will just blow over some day when we experience extreme winds one upcoming storm. No tree is resilient to everything. And to throw out "water conservation" is dumb, so dumb. Do they even irrigate the trees? Hard to tell on street view, and if so, it's not that much water and is but a small price to pay for much better shade. Of course these mindless reasons are coming from a "Sustainability and Resilience Director".

And wastefully rip out the old brick sidewalks just to put in likely some shit pavers? Ever heard of just keeping a vintage look that which will only get better with age as it gives a popular street a sense of place, rather than updating something "just because"? Is trashing a bunch of bricks in to a landfill a component of Sustainability? Methinks this is just trying to sustain an inflated budget.

[exit2lef]

I hope this doesn't turn out simillar to what's happening in dowtown Mesa. Just as that area has started to take off, storefront shade structures are being removed because they're not authentically part of the original buildings. In light of the record heat we've experienced over the past month, I'll take shade over authenticity.

[muertecaza]

Originally Posted by PHX31

This is a terrible, unnecessary, and wasteful idea.

Without knowing the details of the funding, it reeks of "we have this money earmarked for something along these lines and if we don't use it we lose it".

The entire region clamors for large shade trees. One of the few places that has some nice ones (even if some large ficus were replaced not all that long ago, and ficus present some collateral problems) and the idea is to rip them out because "it’s time to do a little bit of a refresh on that street."?

They want to put in trees "that are responsive to and can be resilient to the extreme heat that we’re experiencing and being mindful of water conservation". i.e. palo verdes or something similar that will never provide as much shade and will just blow over some day when we experience extreme winds one upcoming storm. No tree is resilient to everything. And to throw out "water conservation" is dumb, so dumb. Do they even irrigate the trees? Hard to tell on street view, and if so, it's not that much water and is but a small price to pay for much better shade. Of course these mindless reasons are coming from a "Sustainability and Resilience Director".

And wastefully rip out the old brick sidewalks just to put in likely some shit pavers? Ever heard of just keeping a vintage look that which will only get better with age as it gives a popular street a sense of place, rather than updating something "just because"? Is trashing a bunch of bricks in to a landfill a component of Sustainability? Methinks this is just trying to sustain an inflated budget.

Originally Posted by exit2lef

I hope this doesn't turn out simillar to what's happening in dowtown Mesa. Just as that area has started to take off, storefront shade structures are being removed because they're not authentically part of the original buildings. In light of the record heat we've experienced over the past month, I'll take shade over authenticity.

Definitely agree. The ficus trees are on a drip system; I'm certain their water needs are inconsequential in the grander scheme of the city and the state.

Here are their concepts:

https://www.tempe.gov/home/showpubli...73217668870000

And here you can give input online:

https://www.tempe.gov/government/com...-tempe-refresh

The concepts aren't terrible, but I could do without a lot of them. There are options that would still result in primarily brick and ficus.

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by muertecaza

Definitely agree. The ficus trees are on a drip system; I'm certain their water needs are inconsequential in the grander scheme of the city and the state.

Here are their concepts:

https://www.tempe.gov/home/showpubli...73217668870000

And here you can give input online:

https://www.tempe.gov/government/com...-tempe-refresh

The concepts aren't terrible, but I could do without a lot of them. There are options that would still result in primarily brick and ficus.

It's frustrating that the survey gives no option to leave Mill largely as it is today.

[azsunsurfer]

Leave it to the City of Tempe to bring everyone together for a change on this forum!

What was the point of those original concrete "placemaking" signs they installed by the Mill and Monti's only for them to be demolished? I honestly don't mind the new signs they are proposing, both schemes are ok although I prefer that more electronic one to be installed by the Beach Park.

[azsunsurfer]

Does anyone know where we can find and watch the past recorded meetings of the DRC?

[muertecaza]

Originally Posted by azsunsurfer

Does anyone know where we can find and watch the past recorded meetings of the DRC?

Best place is the Tempe Channel 11 YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@Tempe11Video/videos

[azsunsurfer]

Originally Posted by muertecaza

Best place is the Tempe Channel 11 YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@Tempe11Video/videos

I was hoping to see renderings of Apache Square...but I guess well have to wait until the next meeting and/or the agenda when it's formally introduced....

[azsunsurfer]

I really like the scheme that's planned for the Devil's Advocate parcel. We're getting two towers potentially and the facade looks nicely designed. I hope that proposal makes it through.

The proposal behind the Newman Center has a nice podium and roof...but that's about it.

Honestly a little disappointed with Apache Square. It looks like that project that went up on the corner of Indian School and Central in Phoenix...but honestly, it fits the area and is still a decent infill with retail fronting Apache.

[azsunsurfer]

Also, I noticed this weekend that they've started work on the Novus parcel that will have the hotel and restaurants.

[muertecaza]

Originally Posted by azsunsurfer

I really like the scheme that's planned for the Devil's Advocate parcel. We're getting two towers potentially and the facade looks nicely designed. I hope that proposal makes it through.

The proposal behind the Newman Center has a nice podium and roof...but that's about it.

Honestly a little disappointed with Apache Square. It looks like that project that went up on the corner of Indian School and Central in Phoenix...but honestly, it fits the area and is still a decent infill with retail fronting Apache.

Agreed on all counts. Links for the lazy:

https://www.tempe.gov/home/showdocum...77064146820161

https://www.tempe.gov/home/showdocum...77126961621959

https://www.tempe.gov/home/showdocum...76264604711429

Pretty cool to potentially have high rises spreading to that area of University.

[ASU Diablo]

Originally Posted by muertecaza

Agreed on all counts. Links for the lazy:

https://www.tempe.gov/home/showdocum...77064146820161

https://www.tempe.gov/home/showdocum...77126961621959

https://www.tempe.gov/home/showdocum...76264604711429

Pretty cool to potentially have high rises spreading to that area of University.

Thanks! RIP Devil's Advocate. Some awesome times there.