Tucson Development Thread

[andrewsaturn]

Looks like the TCC will be getting solar panels on top of it's roof. It will cost $10 million and take three months to finish. However, when the Gem show comes to town, all of the tools and equipment will be either taken off site or put onto the roof. It will also be the largest solar project in Tucson and it will generate 3.5 million kilowatt hours per year. To read more about it, here are some links.

http://downtowntucson.kold.com/news/business/68539-tucson-convention-center-gets-its-place-sun

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/12/08/20111208tucson-spend-more-than-million-solar-projects.html

http://www.kold.com/category/179377/video-center?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6531235

[azliam]

Looks like the TCC will be getting solar panels on top of it's roof. It will cost $10 million and take three months to finish. However, when the Gem show comes to town, all of the tools and equipment will be either taken off site or put onto the roof. It will also be the largest solar project in Tucson and it will generate 3.5 million kilowatt hours per year. To read more about it, here are some links.

http://downtowntucson.kold.com/news/business/68539-tucson-convention-center-gets-its-place-sun

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/12/08/20111208tucson-spend-more-than-million-solar-projects.html

http://www.kold.com/category/179377/video-center?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6531235

And while it's an improvement, it's far from what's needed at the TCC.

The bleachers are in serious need of replacement. It could cost about a million dollars.

But the present bleachers are held together by duct tape and nylon ties


Lovely. I thought this was a priority for them years ago. One step forward, 10 years back.

[Patrick S]

Made a Rainbow Bridge Facebook Page
here's the URL
https://www.facebook.com/rainbowbridgetucson
Like, Send Invites ect: Maybe if we get a couple million fans we might get a bridge, but we need a new location because the land is currently turning into a senior housing appt.
Hmmm. Maybe 2million fans is a bit high, maybe 1,000,000...

I don't want to restart this argument I've seen on these pages a hundred times, but, the senior housing seems like a much better use of the land then the rainbow bridge. I just don't see that project (the bridge) as a good use of Tucson's money and a game-changer in the downtown area. I understand there are many on this sight who disagree with me, but there are much better ways we can spend this money (that the city doesn't currently have) than on some bridge that no one from outside Tucson will come here just to see. Who's going to come all the way here just for that. I grew up 2 hours from St. Louis (in southern Illinois) and I never drove their just to see the Arch. Yes, I'd go to the Arch before a Cardinals game (by the way, I'm very upset about Albert Pujols), but we don't have professional sports teams, or a major (mid-major, at least) conference basketball tournament (the Missouri Valley Conference's Arch Madness) to draw them here to do more than look at the bridge then go home. Yes, we have a Triple A baseball team, and beautiful scenery, but let's spend the money we do have on other ideas to get people here for more than an hour, and once we have a few more reliable reasons to come here then we talk about building the bridge. Another thing we need to spend money on is the courthouse building. Building costs are low right now, interest rates are low (so it would cost less to finance) and we could use the construction jobs in this city. This is a building which serves a practical need in this city.

[Patrick S]

And lastly, I think a million signers is a far-far stretch. The population of metro Tucson is just under a million. We couldn't even get people behind the hotel and convention center remodel (something that, again, has a practical value and would actually draw the people downtown and get them to stay downtown - so something that would be needed before we built this bridge), so I just don't see anywhere near that many people supporting an online petition for the rainbow bridge.

[aznate27]

And lastly, I think a million signers is a far-far stretch. The population of metro Tucson is just under a million. We couldn't even get people behind the hotel and convention center remodel (something that, again, has a practical value and would actually draw the people downtown and get them to stay downtown - so something that would be needed before we built this bridge), so I just don't see anywhere near that many people supporting an online petition for the rainbow bridge.

It's actually just over one million in the metro area. 1,020,200 to be exact according to the 2010 census.

[Patrick S]

It's actually just over one million in the metro area. 1,020,200 to be exact according to the 2010 census.

No, actually it's 980,263. I'm guessing you got that number from Wikipedia. That is the number it says in the article (which I'm pretty sure was the estimate on July - or June, I can't remember which month the estimate is for every year - 1st), but when you click on the link where it says Tucson is the 32nd largest metro area in the country it takes you to the entire list of all the countries metro area and there it says the Tucson metro area is 980,263. This is the official 2010 census count, with the official date of April 1st, 2010. As I said the 1,020,200 is the estimate from June or July 1st of 2010 and this reflects the fact that the census had been overestimating the state's population during the housing boom/bubble and hadn't counted enough of the people that left the area after the economy crashed.

It doesn't really matter anyway, as the point I was making was that there is only about a million (the 2 counts are only slightly less than 40,000 apart, or only about 4-5% of the areas population) in the area, so getting a million people to sign a petition is a very big stretch.

[aznate27]

No, actually it's 980,263. I'm guessing you got that number from Wikipedia. That is the number it says in the article (which I'm pretty sure was the estimate on July - or June, I can't remember which month the estimate is for every year - 1st), but when you click on the link where it says Tucson is the 32nd largest metro area in the country it takes you to the entire list of all the countries metro area and there it says the Tucson metro area is 980,263. This is the official 2010 census count, with the official date of April 1st, 2010. As I said the 1,020,200 is the estimate from June or July 1st of 2010 and this reflects the fact that the census had been overestimating the state's population during the housing boom/bubble and hadn't counted enough of the people that left the area after the economy crashed.

It doesn't really matter anyway, as the point I was making was that there is only about a million (the 2 counts are only slightly less than 40,000 apart, or only about 4-5% of the areas population) in the area, so getting a million people to sign a petition is a very big stretch.

I looked it up and it was kinda confussing:shrug: Some 2011 articles say we are over a million and some say under. Oh well, I'll stick with a million, it sounds better when telling others:D

[Patrick S]

Yeah, I usually just tell people a million too when I'm talking about the metro area's population. A million would be pretty much exactly in the middle of the two figures anyway.

[Ritarancher]

No, actually it's 980,263. I'm guessing you got that number from Wikipedia. That is the number it says in the article (which I'm pretty sure was the estimate on July - or June, I can't remember which month the estimate is for every year - 1st), but when you click on the link where it says Tucson is the 32nd largest metro area in the country it takes you to the entire list of all the countries metro area and there it says the Tucson metro area is 980,263. This is the official 2010 census count, with the official date of April 1st, 2010. As I said the 1,020,200 is the estimate from June or July 1st of 2010 and this reflects the fact that the census had been overestimating the state's population during the housing boom/bubble and hadn't counted enough of the people that left the area after the economy crashed.

It doesn't really matter anyway, as the point I was making was that there is only about a million (the 2 counts are only slightly less than 40,000 apart, or only about 4-5% of the areas population) in the area, so getting a million people to sign a petition is a very big stretch.

I was hoping for people from across the nation to like this page

[Ritarancher]

Yeah, I usually just tell people a million too when I'm talking about the metro area's population. A million would be pretty much exactly in the middle of the two figures anyway.

Who knows what the population is! According to the census the largest suburb is Casa Adobes with 66,000 people and the second largest is Catalina Foothills with 50,000 people and fourth is Oro Valley with 40,000 people.
I dont think that Casa Adobes and Catalina Foothills have a city council. The cities should be combined and become Tucson's largest suburb with about 110,000 people. There are some other large suburbs without city government. I noticed that there is a lot of open desert unclaimed by any city. I think that Sahuarita, Corona de Tucson, Vail and Rincon Valley should expand so that in the future they can each have 100,000 people. In the north i would think that Marana, Picture Rocks, Oro Valley should also prepare for having over 100,000 people.
The city of Tucson should also expand a little, mostly in the south, I do know that the native american reservation is in the south and a city can't claim it.

Here is a map of all the cities with their population.
http://2010.census.gov/2010census/popmap/

Look up Tucson. and you'll understand what I mean when I say that there is a lot of room for expansion.

[phxSUNSfan]

^^"Expansion" is a key word for sprawl. I think both Phoenix and Tucson have expanded enough and need to concentrate on infill. Tucson needs to develop around the new Streetcar corridor and Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa need to continue dense development along the light rail corridor.

[Ritarancher]

Sorry about my freeway plan. It didn't show up. I'm not good with technology

[aznate27]

^^"Expansion" is a key word for sprawl. I think both Phoenix and Tucson have expanded enough and need to concentrate on infill. Tucson needs to develop around the new Streetcar corridor and Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa need to continue dense development along the light rail corridor.

AMEN TO THAT!!! From what I've read on here it sounds like the streetcar route will be looking very different by the time it gets up and running. There's already quite a few projects in the works in sounds.

[Patrick S]

Yeah, there is a lot of land south of I-10 that has already been annexed by Tucson that is for the most part, unbuilt wide-open desert - so there is plenty of space for the city to grow. I can remember when I 1st moved here and was driving in on I-10 (from the east) and I hit a sign that said it was the city limits of Tucson and there wasn't a building in sight - just desert as far as the eye could see. I agree though, that with all the open lots around town we need to build in-fill and build-up (as in vertically) before we build out.

As for places like Casas Adobes and the Catalina Foothills area, these are called CDPs (Census Designated Places) - as they are unincorporated areas. The Tucson metro area has something like 300,000 (or more), so approximately 1/3 of its population, in CDPs. The Phoenix area has something like 10% (1/10th) of its population in unincorporated areas. The way the state divides the money for municipalities is that incorporated areas get far more money than unincorporated areas (such as CDPs), so our metro area is missing out on a large chunk of money we could be getting from the state if we were to either (A) annex some of these places into the city of Tucson (or into Marana or Oro Valley for that matter - at least those cities would get more money for the new areas - the current CDPs - then those areas - CDPs - already get now) - or (B) they would incorporate into a new town/city. Either way the area gets more money pumped into it from the state, and that could only help. With the current situation, the Pima County Government is stuck paying the bills for roads and other infrastructure and services in those unincorporated areas.

RitaRancher - I'm a little confused about your comment after one of mine, where you said you wanted people around the country to like this thread. Are you saying I may be offending people from around the country? - Because I would disagree. If you want people to like this thread then people need to respect it - which means we need facts, not opinions, and when we display facts, we need to get them right. If you see my 1st post ever on this sight, from page 125, then you will see I said the exact same thing when Combusean said it would cost $2 Billion a mile to build a cross-town freeway in Tucson, when it would actually cost $100 Million. I like this page, and have read it for months before my first comment, but, my belief is that we don't get anywhere in society without relying on facts, and not just opinions and misstated facts - so anytime I see an error, I will point it out. I'm sorry if that offends you, that is not what I'm trying to do, I just think it's an important and essential part of a healthy debate.

[andrewsaturn]

2012 will bring traffic tie ups with streetcar, joint courts, Downtown Links construction
by Teya Vitu, Downtown Tucson Partnership writer
Monday, December 12th, 2011,

http://media.dtsph.com/sites/kold.com/files/imagecache/story615/streetcar_5th_congress.jpg

"Right now, you can drive all over Downtown without traffic-clogging orange cones or street closures brought by varied construction projects in recent years.

This brief respite of clear sailing won’t last long.

2012 potentially will present three major projects that could simultaneously stifle vehicle progress on Congress Street or Broadway, Stone and Toole avenue, and St. Mary’s Road.

The long-awaited Downtown Links project is set to get started on St. Mary’s Road in mid-February. This is the first phase to create a parkway to link Barraza-Aviation Parkway to Interstate 10.

Also in mid-February, Modern Streetcar work is finally expected to get underway with track work likely to start in the 4th Avenue-University Boulevard area.

Pima County also wants to get started on building the Joint Courts Project on the vacant lot bounded by Toole, Stone and Alameda. The hope is to start building in May.

But the streetcar and court projects still have major unanswered scheduling questions. Downtown Links, however, is in the home stretch to start construction."

Click the link to read more: http://downtowntucson.kold.com/news/news/68747-2012-will-bring-traffic-tie-ups-streetcar-joint-courts-downtown-links-construction

http://media.dtsph.com/sites/kold.com/files/imagecache/story615/toole_joint_court_0.jpg

[Patrick S]

If they want the new student housing on the east-end of downtown done and opened by the Fall Semester of 2013, you've gotta figure they're gonna try and start that sometime next year too.

[Anqrew]

JANOS IS ADDING SIDEWALK DINING TO DOWNTOWN KITCHEN + COCKTAILS
http://www.downtowntucson.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/janos-sidewalk-trench-300x168.jpg
By Teya Vitu

Sidewalk dining is coming to DOWNTOWN Kitchen + Cocktails as soon as late December or early January.


The trench outside DOWNTOWN Kitchen is the first step to create a sidewalk dining area.
Famed restaurateur Janos Wilder started cutting the asphalt in front of his restaurant on December 9 to extend the pedestrian area into the parking space in front of DOWNTOWN Kitchen.

The sidewalk will wrap around a railing enclosure that will set off an outdoor dining area that will seat about 30 people. Trees already shade the area and Wilder will add planters and heaters.

Sidewalk dining was part of Wilder’s game plan from the outset even before he opened DOWNTOWN Kitchen in October 2010.

“We wanted to get through the first year and see how it was going,” Wilder said. “We waited to get TEP going.”

The new UniSource Energy/Tucson Electric Power headquarters is directly across the street from DOWNTOWN Kitchen.

Sidewalk dining is common in urban centers, especially in hip cities.

“That’s not so much part of my thinking,” Wilder said. “We do need the capacity, particularly during happy hour and pre-performance hours. We do want to create a street life in front of the restaurant.”

http://www.downtowntucson.org/2011/12/janos-is-adding-sidewalk-dining-to-downtown-kitchen-cocktails/

[Patrick S]

Rules would OK tall buildings in 'transition zone'
City Council advances high-rise UA housing
Rhonda Bodfield Arizona Daily Star


The Tucson City Council opened the door Tuesday for new high-rise student apartment buildings around the University of Arizona, despite opposition from historic-area advocates who say the integrity of the West University Neighborhood is being threatened.
The new rules would allow taller buildings in a "transition zone" sandwiched between the UA campus and the West University area west of Euclid.
Campus Acquisitions, a Chicago-based developer, wants to break ground in March on a 14-story apartment complex on North Tyndall Avenue, to be ready for students in 2013. It has plans for a 13-story building the following year.
Tuesday's vote launches the process to create an "urban overlay district" - which will give more shape to design criteria, such as precise building heights. That designation will have to come back to the City Council for approval.

You can read the full article at this link - http://azstarnet.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/city-council-advances-high-rise-ua-housing/article_c7f417be-3e48-5c3b-a3be-3fdeadec6d00.html

[Patrick S]

:previous: - Sorry, I haven't figured out how to do links yet on this sight, but that is the right web-sight address.

[Mattic505]

From KVOA.com

A very COOL video on the construction of the Unisource Tower.

TUCSON - A new source of energy is coming soon to Downtown Tucson, as Tucson Electric Power and its parent company UniSource move into a new Downtown building built to house 525 employees.

In the raw video clip, you can see the new building being built...

http://www.kvoa.com/news/raw-video-time-lapse-shows-new-tep-hq-being-built-in-seconds/

[andrewsaturn]

Rules would OK tall buildings in 'transition zone'
City Council advances high-rise UA housing
Rhonda Bodfield Arizona Daily Star


The Tucson City Council opened the door Tuesday for new high-rise student apartment buildings around the University of Arizona, despite opposition from historic-area advocates who say the integrity of the West University Neighborhood is being threatened.
The new rules would allow taller buildings in a "transition zone" sandwiched between the UA campus and the West University area west of Euclid.
Campus Acquisitions, a Chicago-based developer, wants to break ground in March on a 14-story apartment complex on North Tyndall Avenue, to be ready for students in 2013. It has plans for a 13-story building the following year.
Tuesday's vote launches the process to create an "urban overlay district" - which will give more shape to design criteria, such as precise building heights. That designation will have to come back to the City Council for approval.

You can read the full article at this link - http://azstarnet.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/city-council-advances-high-rise-ua-housing/article_c7f417be-3e48-5c3b-a3be-3fdeadec6d00.html

YES! Thank you city council for allowing this. And to the oppositioners, I would agree with you if only the "historic-area" was actually nice to look at. I mean aren't historic-areas suppose to be nice, well kept, and picturesque? I have walked and driven through that area several times and people don't even clean their yards. Point is, is it even worth preserving if people in that area don't take care of their own houses?

@ Patrick S- When I post links I usually just copy and paste the link and press enter right after. But if that's what you did then I don't know! :shrug: haha Good luck. :)

[Patrick S]

YES! Thank you city council for allowing this. And to the oppositioners, I would agree with you if only the "historic-area" was actually nice to look at. I mean aren't historic-areas suppose to be nice, well kept, and picturesque? I have walked and driven through that area several times and people don't even clean their front yards and their backyards are filthy as well! :yuck: Point is, is it even worth preserving if people in that area don't care take of their own houses?

@ Patrick S- When I post links I usually just copy and paste the link and press enter right after. But if that's what you did then I don't know! :shrug: haha Good luck. :)

Yeah, my whole thing is that the U of A was there before you were. When you move into a house a block or two away from a huge, major University, you have to expect that there is going to be a bunch of people (mainly young people) and traffic around.

[Anqrew]

new bike lanes downtown

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/390370_10150418509446923_283507751922_8756686_1229366511_n.jpg

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/389568_10150418509161923_283507751922_8756683_1280187449_n.jpg

see more: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Downtown-Tucsonan/283507751922

[PHX31]

/\Cool, and a great view. Are those tracks for the new streetcar, or were they already there for the old trolley?

[HooverDam]

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/389568_10150418509161923_283507751922_8756683_1280187449_n.jpg


Damn Tucson, good job, looks great. It needs a few Palo Verdes in those two gravel areas, but otherwise its terrific. Great example of desert urbanism, nice mid density, mountain views, native flora, mass transit- great!

[Anqrew]

/\Cool, and a great view. Are those tracks for the new streetcar, or were they already there for the old trolley?

They were built for the old trolley's downtown loop which never got used because of a mechanical problem with the trolleys going up the incline in the underpass, so they never got used. i think they will also be for the streetcar though once its up and running.

[Lgv]

I am probably not the first to post these pics
but I was wondering.
Does anyone know if any of the following projects are going to happen in any way shape or form? Are they on hold or are they just doomed never to happen?

http://robpaulus.com/wp-content/uploads/01_website1.jpg

http://robpaulus.com/wp-content/uploads/stone-broadway-sketch_website.jpg

http://tucsongrowup.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/presidio-terrace_website.jpg

http://robpaulus.com/

http://tucsoncitizen.com/morgue/files/2006/11/l31304-1.jpg

http://tucsoncitizen.com/morgue/tag/govtpolitics/page/467/

I think these mix use, modern condos are perfect for downtown right now. They seem unique (minus Post Lofts) and fit well with a modern, urban Tucson. They address the main problem. Not enough of our population lives dence like this. We MUST start now in condenceing the size of this city. Portalnd, with similar population, has a large downtown compared to ours, and has a lot more to offer (unique shopping, eating, entertainment. ect...) We have what we need; rich people, young people, a warm climate in a good location, tourism, and a desire for an updated Downtown.

We also earn billions of dollars each year from Sonoran Shoppers in this county alone. We need to expand that market and focus it in downtown (maybe make that train a reality all the way to Mexico city). That would quickly make Tucson the premire city in the Southwest for vacation and shopping as it would be the first and last major stop in this country.

Once this economy gets going (which looks close) and the streetcar is installed I would hope these projects are brough back on the table. It is priority number one.

I am kind of glad things were put on hold. Quailty could have been cut in favor of just getting something up. This now allows us to focus and really figure out the best possible way of building this city. The city should start with capping off any new sprawl, encourage tech companies to come to town, build that science center, and update the TCC.

[Ted Lyons]

I am probably no the first to post these pics
but I was wondering.
Does anyone know if any of the following projects are going to happen in any way shape or form? Are they on hold or are the just doomed never to happen?

http://robpaulus.com/wp-content/uploads/01_website1.jpg

http://robpaulus.com/wp-content/uploads/stone-broadway-sketch_website.jpg

http://tucsongrowup.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/presidio-terrace_website.jpg

http://robpaulus.com/

http://tucsoncitizen.com/morgue/files/2006/11/l31304-1.jpg

http://tucsoncitizen.com/morgue/tag/govtpolitics/page/467/

The Post is now planned to be a Hampton Inn although the developers are waiting on financing, IIRC. I think that'll be a solid addition to a downtown that's severely lacking hotel rooms. As far as I know, the other projects are all dead, at least for now.

[andrewsaturn]

Pima Co. Board approves funding for $48m court complex

TUCSON - The Pima County Board of Supervisors today approved funding for a $48 million construction contract for a Justice/Municipal Court Complex.

The board approved funding by a margin of 4 to 1, but the Tucson City Council has not yet approved the project, which could be stalled until Tucson commits to match $17 million in funding for construction.

http://www.kvoa.com/news/pima-co-board-approves-funding-for-48m-court-complex/

[kaneui]

Tucson's new mayor is committed to promoting downtown's renaissance, including more infrastructure improvements (the modern streetcar, improved sidewalks, lighting and vegetation), continuing the facade restoration program, resolving the city's disputes with Rio Nuevo, and attracting a corporate headquarters to Tucson's tallest building:


http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a228/kaneui/Roy-Place-bldg.jpg
The 1929 Roy Place Building displays a striking contrast--the recently restored
portion, and the remaining 1950's facade on the left, awaiting additional
funds to return it to its original Spanish Colonial Revival style.
(photo: Downtown Tucsonan)


Mayor Rothschild Is A Strong Ally for Downtown
By Teya Vitu
Downtown Tucsonan
December 20, 2011

Downtown was Mayor Jonathan Rothschild’s stomping ground long before he took up his 10th floor roost in City Hall. In fact, his pre-mayoral office for half his life at the Mesch, Clark & Rothschild law firm was only two blocks north of City Hall, tucked in the El Presidio Neighborhood. Rothschild grew up with the old Downtown when it was the city’s commercial center. His 29-year stint at Mesch, Clark & Rothschild – the last 10 years as managing director – coincided with the very end of Downtown’s department store era and the three-decade slumber that followed. “It was a different Downtown,” said Rothschild, who resigned from the law firm before taking the mayor’s oath. “You didn’t eat lunch Downtown. There was a character to it but not one that would attract people Downtown.”

Now Rothschild becomes mayor just as a sudden Downtown renaissance is thrust upon him. “I bring people down and walk them around and they say ‘I didn’t know that was there’ and ‘Oh, that’s neat,’” Rothschild said. “That foundation’s in place. Some things I’d love to see is the Downtown façade program. I’d like to see more appropriate vegetation and lighting. The Toole Avenue (streetscape) is a good experiment. We can take that as a model of what all of our Downtown streets look like.”

The mayor paused a moment, wondering if he wanted to voice his next thought. “I’d love to see Congress Street turn into a pedestrian zone,” he said. “There’s retail, restaurants, clubs, that’s when there’s going to be people walking past them and not driving by them.” Rothschild often talks about partnerships and collaborations to make Tucson a better place. “It can’t happen without public-private partnerships,” he said. “I’m lucky I’m assuming the reins when we are at a time that Downtown can take off.”


For the full article: http://www.downtowntucson.org/2011/12/mayor-rothschild-a-strong-ally-for-downtow/

[kaneui]

As the new owner of downtown's 105-year old Steinfeld Warehouse, WAMO plans to fundraise $1M+ to get the 32,000 s.f. structure rehabbed and up to code so artists can move back in sometime in 2014:


http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a228/kaneui/Steinfeldwarehouse.jpg
Artists could be back inside the Steinfeld Warehouse in just a couple years.
(photo: Downtown Tucsonan)


Steinfeld Warehouse Returns to Artists
By Teya Vitu
Downtown Tucsonan
December 21, 2011

The Warehouse Arts Management Organization (WAMO) now owns the Steinfeld Warehouse, 101 West Sixth Street. It took a five-year saga to get the 105-year-old brick structure in artists’ hands. On the way, there was heartbreak, evictions and a complex three-way deal among the Arizona Department of Transportation, the City and WAMO to finally get Steinfeld back to the artists.

Sixteen artists were in Steinfeld in November 2006 when ADOT sent out eviction letters. ADOT had owned Steinfeld and 28 other Downtown warehouses since the 1980s. WAMO first proposed buying all the Toole warehouses from ADOT in March 2007, but the artists ultimately were forced out of Steinfeld in July 2007 with no clear sense if or when Steinfeld would return to artists. WAMO took ownership of Steinfeld on November 9 after submitting the winning proposal in a competitive bidding process. The City retains ownership of the land beneath Steinfeld and Toole Shed, 197 East Toole Avenue, which WAMO acquired from the City in March 2011.


For the full article: http://www.downtowntucson.org/2011/12/steinfeld-warehouse-returns-to-artists/

[kaneui]

Although having slowed considerably since the recession, Arizona is still the eighth fastest-growing state, adding an estimated 90,000 residents between April 1, 2010 and July 1, 2011, for a total population of 6,482,505. For the 15-month period, Arizona ranked eighth nationally in both percentage growth (1.42%) and total numerical growth (90,492).


For more info.: http://www.census.gov/popest/data/national/totals/2011/index.html

[kaneui]

From the city's website:


Thursday December 22, 2011
The invitation for contractors to bid on the Tucson Modern Streetcar project went out on October 28, 2011. A procurement pre-bid conference was held on November 8, 2011 with over 100 interested parties in attendance. In response to requests by contractors to extend the bid document preparation time, the Bid Opening has been moved to January 12, 2012. After the bids are received, an apparent low bidder will be identified and the low bid contractor should be on board by early February, with construction slated to begin in March 2012.


For more info.: http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/project.cfm?cip=6638D2BE-FBF1-E5C6-A82F29CBF9A9D531

[kaneui]

Let's hope Lopez doesn't let La Placita fall into the same state of disrepair as his Hotel Arizona. The next important step is for Rio Nuevo to do a renovation of the TCC--once that is announced, there could be several new hotels built to support it (e.g., The Hampton Inn on the Thrifty lot, and planned hotels in the Mission District and The Greenline on Congress project). It may require some incentives from the city, but it's doubtful there will be more sweetheart deals for specific property owners.



http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a228/kaneui/LaPlacita.jpg
Downtown's La Placita Village, known for its brightly colored buildings, houses several
restaurants, a gift shop and a print shop.
(photo: Arizona Daily Star)


Hotel Arizona's Lopez gains control of La Placita
by Rhonda Bodfield
Arizona Daily Star
December 31, 2011

The owner of Hotel Arizona just secured a vast footprint in downtown Tucson. An affiliate of HSL Properties on Friday acquired the sprawling and colorful La Placita Village complex next to the Tucson Convention Center from its previous owner, an offshoot of Bourn Cos. The move has been brewing for several months. In August, BP La Placita Village Investors, which is managed in part by developer Don Bourn, was in default on a $2 million second deed of trust on the property, which was taken out in 2004. The beneficiary of the loan is Lopez Family-Transamerica Holdings, managed in part by Humberto S. Lopez, who owns the Hotel Arizona next door. Bourn had until the end of December to secure financing. When that didn't come through, Lopez's HSL took over the property. "Clearly, this was not necessarily a planned situation, but now we can make lemonade out of lemons," said Omar Mireles, executive vice president of HSL.

The proximity of Lopez's hotel, and the fact it will lie on the route of the future streetcar, already makes him a big player in downtown renovation efforts. Lopez, who has owned the hotel since 1984, made a pitch to the city in November to grant him substantial tax incentives to fix up the hotel, which by all accounts is struggling under the weight of millions in outstanding debt and ongoing maintenance problems. In early 2011, Lopez reported 70 of the hotel's 200 rooms were uninhabitable.

The addition of La Placita, however, now gives the company control over yet another key piece of downtown real estate. Mireles said the move helps revive possibilities for the west end of downtown. "HSL is excited to be in a position to bring together the whole block as an integral part of this TCC area," Mireles said in a written statement. In a brief interview, Mireles said it's too soon to know what those opportunities will look like, saying the company will take a fresh look at the complex. "There's nothing concrete at this point," he said. The company announced that the change in ownership will not displace any of the current La Placita tenants, which include the Arizona Daily Star's downtown bureau. All current leases will remain in place and the company will address any outstanding maintenance concerns as soon as possible, Mireles said.


For full article: http://azstarnet.com/business/local/hotel-arizona-s-lopez-gains-control-of-la-placita/article_b20d68eb-a79c-5b10-8b41-7061a25dbd64.html

[Locofresh55]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, La Placita definitely has potential to be a cornerstone in downtown Tucson. Once you get past the crazy colors of the buildings, you can wander around there and with good shops and restaurants this place being so close to the TCC can prove to be beneficial for events at the TCC. I also hope that the Hotel Arizona can be saved but 70 rooms being uninhabitable??? Dang! Well, I hope that La Placita continues to thrive and have more business.

Let's hope Lopez doesn't let La Placita fall into the same state of disrepair as his Hotel Arizona. The next important step is for Rio Nuevo to do a renovation of the TCC--once that is announced, there could be several new hotels built to support it (e.g., The Hampton Inn on the Thrifty lot, and planned hotels in the Mission District and The Greenline on Congress project). It may require some incentives from the city, but it's doubtful there will be more sweetheart deals for specific property owners.



http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a228/kaneui/LaPlacita.jpg
Downtown's La Placita Village, known for its brightly colored buildings, houses several
restaurants, a gift shop and a print shop.
(photo: Arizona Daily Star)


Hotel Arizona's Lopez gains control of La Placita
by Rhonda Bodfield
Arizona Daily Star
December 31, 2011

The owner of Hotel Arizona just secured a vast footprint in downtown Tucson. An affiliate of HSL Properties on Friday acquired the sprawling and colorful La Placita Village complex next to the Tucson Convention Center from its previous owner, an offshoot of Bourn Cos. The move has been brewing for several months. In August, BP La Placita Village Investors, which is managed in part by developer Don Bourn, was in default on a $2 million second deed of trust on the property, which was taken out in 2004. The beneficiary of the loan is Lopez Family-Transamerica Holdings, managed in part by Humberto S. Lopez, who owns the Hotel Arizona next door. Bourn had until the end of December to secure financing. When that didn't come through, Lopez's HSL took over the property. "Clearly, this was not necessarily a planned situation, but now we can make lemonade out of lemons," said Omar Mireles, executive vice president of HSL.

The proximity of Lopez's hotel, and the fact it will lie on the route of the future streetcar, already makes him a big player in downtown renovation efforts. Lopez, who has owned the hotel since 1984, made a pitch to the city in November to grant him substantial tax incentives to fix up the hotel, which by all accounts is struggling under the weight of millions in outstanding debt and ongoing maintenance problems. In early 2011, Lopez reported 70 of the hotel's 200 rooms were uninhabitable.

The addition of La Placita, however, now gives the company control over yet another key piece of downtown real estate. Mireles said the move helps revive possibilities for the west end of downtown. "HSL is excited to be in a position to bring together the whole block as an integral part of this TCC area," Mireles said in a written statement. In a brief interview, Mireles said it's too soon to know what those opportunities will look like, saying the company will take a fresh look at the complex. "There's nothing concrete at this point," he said. The company announced that the change in ownership will not displace any of the current La Placita tenants, which include the Arizona Daily Star's downtown bureau. All current leases will remain in place and the company will address any outstanding maintenance concerns as soon as possible, Mireles said.


For full article: http://azstarnet.com/business/local/hotel-arizona-s-lopez-gains-control-of-la-placita/article_b20d68eb-a79c-5b10-8b41-7061a25dbd64.html

[kaneui]

Although infrastructure work continues on The Bridges--a large 350-acre infill project along I-10--only the 1M s.f. shopping center is above ground with the recently completed Costco and a Walmart opening next fall, while the Bioscience Park and residential section await signed tenants and improved economic conditions:


http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a228/kaneui/TheBridges-siteaerial.jpg
Aerial view of 350-acre site several years ago, before any construction activity.
(photo: http://www.tucsonmarketplaceatthebridges.com/)



Retail Moving Ahead as Science, Residential Aspects Lag at Tucson Bio Park
By Dale Quinn
Arizona Daily Sta
December 18, 2011

Roads, landscaping and commercial pads are nearly finished for the retail portion of a development that includes the University of Arizona Bioscience Park. But nearly two years after breaking ground on the bio park, there's been no official word about any bioscience companies with plans to locate there. The residential piece of the mixed-use development, dubbed The Bridges, also has yet to kick into gear in a sluggish housing market. Still, projects like this one don't happen overnight, said Bruce Wright, the UA's associate vice president of research parks. "We have some positive interests in the bio park coming out of a deep recession, and I think that speaks very well," Wright said.

Costco has already opened at the fledgling shopping center called Tucson Marketplace at The Bridges, north of Interstate 10 between South Kino Parkway and South Park Avenue. Walmart purchased property there in May for $4.4 million and plans to open next fall. The retail developers -- Retail West Properties LLC, Eastbourne Investments LLC and Genesis Tucson LLC -- have nearly completed Tucson Marketplace Boulevard, which will run across the shopping center connecting Kino Parkway and Park Avenue. That work should be done by the end of March, said Eric Davis, president of Retail West. Beyond Walmart and Costco occupying two roughly 150,000-square-foot anchor spaces, Davis would not say what other retailers might go into the 1-million-square-foot shopping center. But there's interest, he said. "We have activity in all levels."

While there hasn't been much going on in the residential front, Davis said he's not worried about that hurting the shopping center. "Our retail doesn't depend on those homes," Davis said. "It'd be nice if they are there, but the market isn't allowing that right now." When it comes to building houses there, those developers, a joint venture of KB Home and Lennar Home, have struggled to meet their obligations in a land swap with the UA. The UA and the developers worked out a deal to resolve their impasse, but so far there's no evidence of new-home construction at the site, which is bounded by East 36th Street on the north, Park Avenue on the west, I-10 on the south and Kino Parkway on the east. The homebuilders have made some progress, but the market is going to have to stabilize before residential construction really gets under way, Wright said.

On its website, the bio park details an ambitious vision that includes high-tech business, student and faculty housing, a technology high school and a hotel and conference center. Right now, there's a sign at the intersection of Kino Parkway and Tucson Marketplace Boulevard identifying the bio park, but apart from some roads under construction and leveled dirt, there's no further evidence. One company was looking at building housing for graduate students, Wright said, but it wasn't able to secure federal financing through the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The bio park has since begun talks with other companies, though developers are likely moving cautiously as more student housing is planned by others for downtown.

Two more companies are very "earnestly in conversation" with bio park officials about building a research and rehabilitative hospital at the site, though Wright said confidentiality agreements precluded him from identifying them. Talks about the hotel and conference center and technology high school have also been productive, he said. But Wright said he's always maintained it would take about 20 years to fully develop the bio park.


http://southwest.construction.com/yb/sw/article.aspx?story_id=167055876

[Ted Lyons]

I'm not too concerned about the residential as the market (knock on wood) is just now showing signs of life again after several years. Similarly, private bioscience investment is also likely to take quite awhile, although some interesest right now wouldn't make me cry.

But, the fact that the anchor tenants of the retail portion have already committed (and opened, in re Costco) tells me that retailers see the neighborhood as a prime site for expansion.

The Wal-Mart will be relatively close to the planned Wal-Mart at El Con, so it'll be interesting to see how that works out in the long run. I don't think that it will be a problem, though.

The Costco is always busy as hell and appears to be a destination for Mexican day visitors. When I've been there, the number of Mexican license plates has been astounding. This makes sense given the proximity to 19 and I'm sure other retailers will notice the trend.

[azliam]

Although infrastructure work continues on The Bridges--a large 350-acre infill project along I-10--only the 1M s.f. shopping center is above ground with the recently completed Costco and a Walmart opening next fall, while the Bioscience Park and residential section await signed tenants and improved economic conditions:


http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a228/kaneui/TheBridges-siteaerial.jpg
Aerial view of 350-acre site several years ago, before any construction activity.
(photo: http://www.tucsonmarketplaceatthebridges.com/)



Retail Moving Ahead as Science, Residential Aspects Lag at Tucson Bio Park
By Dale Quinn
Arizona Daily Sta
December 18, 2011

Roads, landscaping and commercial pads are nearly finished for the retail portion of a development that includes the University of Arizona Bioscience Park. But nearly two years after breaking ground on the bio park, there's been no official word about any bioscience companies with plans to locate there. The residential piece of the mixed-use development, dubbed The Bridges, also has yet to kick into gear in a sluggish housing market. Still, projects like this one don't happen overnight, said Bruce Wright, the UA's associate vice president of research parks. "We have some positive interests in the bio park coming out of a deep recession, and I think that speaks very well," Wright said.

Costco has already opened at the fledgling shopping center called Tucson Marketplace at The Bridges, north of Interstate 10 between South Kino Parkway and South Park Avenue. Walmart purchased property there in May for $4.4 million and plans to open next fall. The retail developers -- Retail West Properties LLC, Eastbourne Investments LLC and Genesis Tucson LLC -- have nearly completed Tucson Marketplace Boulevard, which will run across the shopping center connecting Kino Parkway and Park Avenue. That work should be done by the end of March, said Eric Davis, president of Retail West. Beyond Walmart and Costco occupying two roughly 150,000-square-foot anchor spaces, Davis would not say what other retailers might go into the 1-million-square-foot shopping center. But there's interest, he said. "We have activity in all levels."

While there hasn't been much going on in the residential front, Davis said he's not worried about that hurting the shopping center. "Our retail doesn't depend on those homes," Davis said. "It'd be nice if they are there, but the market isn't allowing that right now." When it comes to building houses there, those developers, a joint venture of KB Home and Lennar Home, have struggled to meet their obligations in a land swap with the UA. The UA and the developers worked out a deal to resolve their impasse, but so far there's no evidence of new-home construction at the site, which is bounded by East 36th Street on the north, Park Avenue on the west, I-10 on the south and Kino Parkway on the east. The homebuilders have made some progress, but the market is going to have to stabilize before residential construction really gets under way, Wright said.

On its website, the bio park details an ambitious vision that includes high-tech business, student and faculty housing, a technology high school and a hotel and conference center. Right now, there's a sign at the intersection of Kino Parkway and Tucson Marketplace Boulevard identifying the bio park, but apart from some roads under construction and leveled dirt, there's no further evidence. One company was looking at building housing for graduate students, Wright said, but it wasn't able to secure federal financing through the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The bio park has since begun talks with other companies, though developers are likely moving cautiously as more student housing is planned by others for downtown.

Two more companies are very "earnestly in conversation" with bio park officials about building a research and rehabilitative hospital at the site, though Wright said confidentiality agreements precluded him from identifying them. Talks about the hotel and conference center and technology high school have also been productive, he said. But Wright said he's always maintained it would take about 20 years to fully develop the bio park.


http://southwest.construction.com/yb/sw/article.aspx?story_id=167055876

I'm calling BS on this - But Wright said he's always maintained it would take about 20 years to fully develop the bio park. I don't remember any talk about 20 years (years ago now).

[kaneui]

Another renovation of a historic downtown structure--the art deco Reilly Funeral Home building on Pennington will open as an upscale artisan pizzeria sometime this spring:


http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a228/kaneui/ReillyFuneralHome.jpg
The Reilly Funeral Home building has had a vacant downstairs for about 20 years.


Reilly Craft Pizza Looking to Open in Spring in Former Reilly Building
By Teya Vitu
Downtown Tucsonan
http://www.downtowntucson.org/2012/01/reilly-craft-pizza-looking-for-spring-opening-in-former-reilly-building/


From the outside, the former Reilly Funeral Home building across from Café Poca Cosa doesn’t look much different than it has for the past two decades. Zach and Tyler Fenton inside the historic building that will become Reilly Craft Pizza & Drink some time in spring. Inside however, Reilly Craft Pizza & Drink, 101 East Pennington Street, is starting to take shape.

The Fenton brothers, Tyler and Zach, spent the holiday season, that is, starting in mid-December, clearing the interior down to the bare floor and outer brick walls. All interior walls that set several rooms apart are gone to give Tyler Fenton a clean slate to create his artisan pizza establishment that he envisions will match the upscale casual setting of HUB, Poca Cosa and DOWNTOWN Kitchen. “We’re going for a more comfortable atmosphere, somewhere where you want to go and hang out,” said Tyler Fenton, owner/chef of Reilly Pizza. Zach is handling finances and their father, Steve Fenton, owns the building. The Fentons already have a liquor license. They have submitted plans to the City and await a building permit. They hope to start building out the interior by mid-January.

The Reilly Funeral Home building has had a vacant downstairs for about 20 years. The ambition is the have pizza coming out of the oven some time in spring. “We are shooting for a very aggressive build-out,” Fenton said. The main dining room will have the original vaulted ceiling and columns. Tyler Fenton plans to mix traditional Italian pizza concepts with American takes on pizza, leaning toward the American side. “I want to do a reinterpretation of what a pizzeria is,” he said. “We’re in America. So we don’t have to follow the rules exactly.”

[Ted Lyons]

Another renovation of a historic downtown structure--the art deco Reilly Funeral Home building on Pennington will open as an upscale artisan pizzeria sometime this spring:


http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a228/kaneui/ReillyFuneralHome.jpg
The Reilly Funeral Home building has had a vacant downstairs for about 20 years.


Reilly Craft Pizza Looking to Open in Spring in Former Reilly Building
By Teya Vitu
Downtown Tucsonan
http://www.downtowntucson.org/2012/01/reilly-craft-pizza-looking-for-spring-opening-in-former-reilly-building/


From the outside, the former Reilly Funeral Home building across from Café Poca Cosa doesn’t look much different than it has for the past two decades. Zach and Tyler Fenton inside the historic building that will become Reilly Craft Pizza & Drink some time in spring. Inside however, Reilly Craft Pizza & Drink, 101 East Pennington Street, is starting to take shape.

The Fenton brothers, Tyler and Zach, spent the holiday season, that is, starting in mid-December, clearing the interior down to the bare floor and outer brick walls. All interior walls that set several rooms apart are gone to give Tyler Fenton a clean slate to create his artisan pizza establishment that he envisions will match the upscale casual setting of HUB, Poca Cosa and DOWNTOWN Kitchen. “We’re going for a more comfortable atmosphere, somewhere where you want to go and hang out,” said Tyler Fenton, owner/chef of Reilly Pizza. Zach is handling finances and their father, Steve Fenton, owns the building. The Fentons already have a liquor license. They have submitted plans to the City and await a building permit. They hope to start building out the interior by mid-January.

The Reilly Funeral Home building has had a vacant downstairs for about 20 years. The ambition is the have pizza coming out of the oven some time in spring. “We are shooting for a very aggressive build-out,” Fenton said. The main dining room will have the original vaulted ceiling and columns. Tyler Fenton plans to mix traditional Italian pizza concepts with American takes on pizza, leaning toward the American side. “I want to do a reinterpretation of what a pizzeria is,” he said. “We’re in America. So we don’t have to follow the rules exactly.”

I hope they can get it done, but my jaw about dropped when I saw their proposed construction schedule. Anyway, this is going to make Scott and Pennington a bit of a restaurant hub downtown.

[andrewsaturn]

The new nightclub downtown on Congress and 5th ave (next to the Hub) is opening next week. The theme of the club is centered around the idea of an elementary recess hence the name of the club "Playground" and the clever slogan pinned for it is recess: the original happy hour. Patrons will be interested to find wooden swing decors on the ceiling as well as a roof top bar/lounge area to enjoy themselves in the Tucson night sky!

http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-ash2/373087_248269758543553_1345369855_n.jpg

If you haven't seen the photos of the construction progress, here is a link to their facebook. http://www.facebook.com/playgroundtucson

[Anqrew]

:previous:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/398496_303287859708409_248269758543553_742651_1598926115_n.jpg


http://ondemand.azpm.org/videoshorts/watch/2012/1/5/1830-2012-ushers-in-new-downtown-developments/

[andrewsaturn]

Should Congress St. be pedestrian only?

Posted: Jan 9, 2012 9:08 PM
Updated: Jan 9, 2012 9:45 PM


TUCSON - The new Mayor Jonathan Rothschild is considering the idea of turning Congress St. into a pedestrian-only zone. "People have talked about it for years," says Rothschild. "It creates a streetscape. It creates a community, and certainly Denver, Austin, other places where it's been done it's been successful."

But some question if the new Mayor's vision has any ground to stand on. "I come from New York City, and I don't want Tucson to be New York City I want Tucson to be Tucson," said Evelyn Alvarez.

Keith Henry
"There's not parking down here anyway, so why not make the parking on the perimeter, sounds like a great idea," said Keith Henry.

"I think it would still be a terrible idea. There's a lot of people that need to get down here for The Hub and other places," said Matt Talabera. "I actually work for Hotel Congress and I can just see how it's not going to work out for people who want to come down here and dine."

The Mayor says at this point it's just an idea. He still needs to get a lot of input from the community and downtown merchants. Daniel Martin Diaz runs an art studio on Congress and feels more foot traffic would be good for downtown.

"I think it will create more foot traffic for the businesses. So it will be a good thing for the merchants down here," said Diaz.

Congress Street stakeholders have discussed this idea before, and ultimately, decided against it.

http://www.kvoa.com/news/should-congress-st-be-pedestrian-only-/

[andrewsaturn]

Although I like the idea and I think Tucson needs a pedestrian only plaza or street but Congress street will not fit simply because of the streetcar that will be running through it and the concept will probably call for a sign that says "No cars allowed only streetcar" which will be tacky.

[Ted Lyons]

Although I like the idea and I think Tucson needs a pedestrian only plaza or street but Congress street will not fit simply because of the streetcar that will be running through it and the concept will probably call for a sign that says "No cars allowed only streetcar" which will be tacky.

This is exactly how it works in Denver (except they use busses) and it's not tacky at all. They just have barriers up to prevent other vehicle traffic IIRC. However, I don't think that's the primary holdup to this idea.

The biggest issue is how to funnel traffic to 10 without using Congress. I guess that problem is somewhat resolved with the extension of Aviation Parkway, but that's a ways down the road.

Another issue is that most places with pedestrian malls already have heavy foot traffic before the mall is created. Here, it would seem we're putting the cart before the horse. Business downtown is picking up for sure and the parking garages could easily accommodate more people driving downtown and walking around, but I don't think that reality exists right now.

[combusean]

Pedestrianizing streets only works when there is already a massive density of pedestrians to demand it. Doing that to Congress St now will make the quickest end to its nascent growth.

The idea that the new Mayor wants to do this suggests how out of touch and stuck in the past he is. Downtowns all over this nation have tried this in previous decades to encourage growth and except for the cherry-picked examples, it doesn't work.

[Anqrew]

The North Stands at Arizona Stadium have been torn down.

http://www.pdc.arizona.edu/webcam/NorthEndZone.aspx

[Ritarancher]

The mayor's idea isn't all bad or anything. The main complaint I have is that it is on Congress St. I think that putting it on Congress is a really bad idea. I would prefer Scott ave or another road that doesn't get as much traffic. I wouldn't mind Scott Ave.

[Ritarancher]

The new nightclub downtown on Congress and 5th ave (next to the Hub) is opening next week. The theme of the club is centered around the idea of an elementary recess hence the name of the club "Playground" and the clever slogan pinned for it is recess: the original happy hour. Patrons will be interested to find wooden swing decors on the ceiling as well as a roof top bar/lounge area to enjoy themselves in the Tucson night sky!

http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-ash2/373087_248269758543553_1345369855_n.jpg

If you haven't seen the photos of the construction progress, here is a link to their facebook. http://www.facebook.com/playgroundtucson

That's good for downtown. Downtown Tucson has a lot of bars and nightclubs though, I think we need something more family like. My opinion is an Ice Hockey rink. I think that having an ice hockey rink would help support the sport in the city. I know you can rent the TCC but that is a very long, hard and expensive task. The rink would also promote ice hockey in the city of Tucson. Phoenix has Polar Ice a company with multiple ice rinks throughout the valley. Along with Polar Ice there is a local hockey store called Behind the Mask with multiple locations across the valley. Currently the only place to play hockey is at Tucson Indoor Sports Center. That is an indoor inline hockey (not ice) rink, it's very hot in there. I would prefer an ice rink where the temperature is nice and is ice. I understand that Tucson used to have an ice rink hidden along Kolb that closed down but that was many years ago and the location was really bad!! An ice rink would bring people downtown and also introduce this city to a sport involving ice. I believe downtown Anaheim has an ice rink that does very well. Well I'm just fantasizing about he day Tucson will get an NHL team....

[Anqrew]

That's good for downtown. Downtown Tucson has a lot of bars and nightclubs though, I think we need something more family like. My opinion is an Ice Hockey rink. I think that having an ice hockey rink would help support the sport in the city. I know you can rent the TCC but that is a very long, hard and expensive task. The rink would also promote ice hockey in the city of Tucson. Phoenix has Polar Ice a company with multiple ice rinks throughout the valley. Along with Polar Ice there is a local hockey store called Behind the Mask with multiple locations across the valley. Currently the only place to play hockey is at Tucson Indoor Sports Center. That is an indoor inline hockey (not ice) rink, it's very hot in there. I would prefer an ice rink where the temperature is nice and is ice. I understand that Tucson used to have an ice rink hidden along Kolb that closed down but that was many years ago and the location was really bad!! An ice rink would bring people downtown and also introduce this city to a sport involving ice. I believe downtown Anaheim has an ice rink that does very well. Well I'm just fantasizing about he day Tucson will get an NHL team....


Playground is for families though. here's a post from the facebook: "‎3 days to go, menu is set, minor finishing, more training next few days, see u Thursday, bring all your friends and family, it's a place for everyone!"

and then a quote from the Downtown Tucsonan: “Everything here is to provide a lounge experience, not a nightclub,” Mislinski said.

Watch the video about downtown and playground here too which i posted above.

http://ondemand.azpm.org/videoshorts/watch/2012/1/5/1830-2012-ushers-in-new-downtown-developments/

[kaneui]

Should Congress St. be pedestrian only?

Posted: Jan 9, 2012 9:08 PM
Updated: Jan 9, 2012 9:45 PM


TUCSON - The new Mayor Jonathan Rothschild is considering the idea of turning Congress St. into a pedestrian-only zone. "People have talked about it for years," says Rothschild. "It creates a streetscape. It creates a community, and certainly Denver, Austin, other places where it's been done it's been successful."

http://www.kvoa.com/news/should-congress-st-be-pedestrian-only-/

Downtown Tucson could use a pedestrian-only zone for 2nd Saturdays and other street fairs, but it won't be on either Congress or Broadway, as they are the main east-west thoroughfares through the downtown area and are both on the new streetcar route.

An option might be to remove the onstreet parking on Congress and widen the sidewalks to accommodate greater numbers of pedestrians, but it can never be pedestrian-only. Rothschild should consult with downtown landlords, planners and business owners before suggesting such impractical ideas--they don't exactly inspire confidence in his vision for downtown's future.

[Ted Lyons]

An option might be to remove the onstreet parking on Congress and widen the sidewalks to accommodate greater numbers of pedestrians, but it can never be pedestrian-only.

The thing is that the sidewalks are already wide enough for the most part. Also, pedestrians hardly have any issues getting around downtown as the cross street traffic is quite minimal and those are the streets you cross most often.

If anything, I'd rather remove the on-street parking and put in bike lanes. I've seen too many bikers almost get hit while obeying traffic laws downtown. That's the crowd that you want to pull into the area with better accommodations. Pedestrians are already accommodated enough.

[Lgv]

What is impractical is developing Congress into a pedestrian only street in the condition it is right now. I think that there is nothing wrong with the concept. I think that it is more desirable as a consumer to walk a clean, noise, and traffic free street. With what is there currently, it is a long stretch. It sure would make it an interesting place though.

People are attracted to a mood. This is not about sidewalk with or traffic flow (changeable accommodations) so much as it is about the overall experience. What mood do you want to have when you shop/eat? The most visited restaurants and shops are usually in visually appealing/walkable areas. I can't tell you how many times I have heard people say they did not know a little shop was on a street because they never took the time to walk it.

To make this happen the "experience" has to be a novelty to outsiders and a connivence to locals. This means that most all the retail on the street must change to fit in congruence with one another. I think that it should not be made into a fake themed street, but all empty spaces should be filled, most buildings should clean up their facades, and events must take place on and around the street on a frequent basis. Maybe by pushing what traffic there is to neighboring streets they will in turn receive more visitation. You would effectively widen the regional possibilities. There is not really any place of interest for people in this city to peruse and hang out so you would be providing that much needed space. It also will be widely talked about due to the fact it is unique in this city. This is a central street and streetcar/bike traffic will force more visitations anyway. I see a more efficient way to get around not a tacky one.

Once there is a few more restaurants, entertainment venues, and other small shops (at least to fill vacancies) you could pull it off.

Could you develop at least part of Congress into a pedestrian only street? yes, with the exception of the street car every 10 minutes, it is still a large space.
Should it be done? Probably in the future once parking is moved to the perimeter, traffic is diverted properly, and the street car goes down.

[ComplotDesigner]

From a friend who works at UA. (011012)

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/403260_2822398533364_1661006844_2580436_1010794948_n.jpg

[Anqrew]

Does anyone know how to edit the Tucson diagram page, the old Unisource building is now One South Church and the new Unisource building isnt on there, i would like to make a diagram for it but it isnt listed.

[Patrick S]

I'm calling BS on this - But Wright said he's always maintained it would take about 20 years to fully develop the bio park. I don't remember any talk about 20 years (years ago now).
I read something at least a couple years ago where the builders talked about a projected 20 year build-out period for completion of the bio-science park's labs and offices, hotel, technical high-school, retail and housing. Something this size doesn't get built in just a year or two, especially in the economy we're slowly coming out of. We should be thankful they didn't just abandon the project.

[azliam]

I read something at least a couple years ago where the builders talked about a projected 20 year build-out period for completion of the bio-science park's labs and offices, hotel, technical high-school, retail and housing. Something this size doesn't get built in just a year or two, especially in the economy we're slowly coming out of. We should be thankful they didn't just abandon the project.

No kidding, but it wasn't just a couple of years ago when they started talking about this and the land just sat empty for years. I used to live right down the street from it.

[Butta]

Word on the street is that there's a plan to put up a 6 story building next to 2 E Congress (Chase Building). I got it from a pretty good source. Maybe one of you guys can look up if any permits are in the works.

[Ted Lyons]

Word on the street is that there's a plan to put up a 6 story building next to 2 E Congress (Chase Building). I got it from a pretty good source. Maybe one of you guys can look up if any permits are in the works.

Yeah, that's the site of the proposed Hampton Inn and it's supposed to be 6 floors IIRC. I hope word on the street indicates progress being made. The current status is that funding is being organized.

[Ted Lyons]

Here's an updated image of the Armory Park apartment replacement going up on Congress west of 10.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Downtown-Tucsonan/283507751922?sk=wall

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/409414_10150477265841923_283507751922_9007646_52329963_n.jpg

[Ted Lyons]

Finally, bids opened today on the streetcar construction project. The low bid is about $7 million below the estimated $62,000,000.

http://www.tucsonprocurement.com/ContractImages/TabulationImg_120367.pdf

[aznate27]

OK, so it's great that downtown is getting some height on the west side of the freeway, and I'm glad they have put up some new apartments on the east side of downtown..but for pete's sake do all we have going as far as housing projects downtown is LOW INCOME SENIORS???? I'm sorry, but they simply are not the key to a vibrant downtown!!!:hell: I found a great website on the new armory apartments, watch the video, and you'll see why I'm frustrated. What about bringing in the 30 somethings to 40 somethings?? People who are of middle income?? If I'm unaware of a project targeting this age group, please enlighten me!:shrug:

http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/project.cfm?cip=2FAC9BF6-F228-2A42-24230E68775E01AB

[Anqrew]

OK, so it's great that downtown is getting some height on the west side of the freeway, and I'm glad they have put up some new apartments on the east side of downtown..but for pete's sake do all we have going as far as housing projects downtown is LOW INCOME SENIORS???? I'm sorry, but they simply are not the key to a vibrant downtown!!!:hell: I found a great website on the new armory apartments, watch the video, and you'll see why I'm frustrated. What about bringing in the 30 somethings to 40 somethings?? People who are of middle income?? If I'm unaware of a project targeting this age group, please enlighten me!:shrug:

http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/project.cfm?cip=2FAC9BF6-F228-2A42-24230E68775E01AB

Well yes it is for seniors, but they are moving out of their old apartments. i figure once they'll all moved out, the old armory apartments will be renovated into market rate apartments where 30-40's can live, at a location closer to the heart of downtown. also putting the seniors at the end of the streetcar route will prompt more ridership as theyre less likely to have cars. so essentially this project is actually taking the low income seniors out of central downtown and replacing them with younger people.

also, Cushing Bridge photo update.
http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/azstarnet.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/01/d012acb4-bf8e-5adc-8a54-b55441ca667e/4f17993580ef2.image.jpg
photo by MAMTA POPAT - ARIZONA DAILY STAR

[aznate27]

Found some really interesting documents on the city's future plans for Toole ave and the Wherehouse Triangle District. Looks like they will allow up to six stories of residential on Toole and up to ten stories in the Wherehouse District for residential. From what I've read, this is how they see development progressing after both the downtown links and street car projects are completed.

http://www.downtownlinks.info/LandUseUrbanDesign/documents/703UODnumber1FinalDraft.pdf

[aznate27]

Well yes it is for seniors, but they are moving out of their old apartments. i figure once they'll all moved out, the old armory apartments will be renovated into market rate apartments where 30-40's can live, at a location closer to the heart of downtown. also putting the seniors at the end of the streetcar route will prompt more ridership as theyre less likely to have cars. so essentially this project is actually taking the low income seniors out of central downtown and replacing them with younger people.

also, Cushing Bridge photo update.
http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/azstarnet.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/01/d012acb4-bf8e-5adc-8a54-b55441ca667e/4f17993580ef2.image.jpg
photo by MAMTA POPAT - ARIZONA DAILY STAR

I guess that makes sense...I know a lot of planning is in the works for new high-rises on the east end to cater to students, it would just be nice to hear about new construction catering to the 25-40 crowd. BTW, I got stuck in the traffic downtown for that bridge piece Wedensday morning. It took about 25 minutes to go from the east I-10 Congress exit, to Euclid!

[andrewsaturn]

OK, so it's great that downtown is getting some height on the west side of the freeway, and I'm glad they have put up some new apartments on the east side of downtown..but for pete's sake do all we have going as far as housing projects downtown is LOW INCOME SENIORS???? I'm sorry, but they simply are not the key to a vibrant downtown!!!:hell: I found a great website on the new armory apartments, watch the video, and you'll see why I'm frustrated. What about bringing in the 30 somethings to 40 somethings?? People who are of middle income?? If I'm unaware of a project targeting this age group, please enlighten me!:shrug:

http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/project.cfm?cip=2FAC9BF6-F228-2A42-24230E68775E01AB

I think downtown Tucson doesn't have anything to go on for a market for that age group. There are some people who would want to live in downtown Tucson but I feel that a majority of people in that age are settling down and wanting to buy houses in the suburban areas. If Downtown Tucson was bustling and better designed and Tucson had some sort of major league team with an arena, then I think there could have been a market for that age group who were still single and wanting a vibrant city life scene. But lets face it, Downtown Tucson is now settling for nothing great(i.e. rainbow bridge :P) and now we to do our best to make something good out of nothing...

[Anqrew]

I think downtown Tucson doesn't have anything to go on for a market for that age group. There are some people who would want to live in downtown Tucson but I feel that a majority of people in that age are settling down and wanting to buy houses in the suburban areas. If Downtown Tucson was bustling and better designed and Tucson had some sort of major league team with an arena, then I think there could have been a market for that age group who were still single and wanting a vibrant city life scene. But lets face it, Downtown Tucson is now settling for nothing great(i.e. rainbow bridge :P) and now we to do our best to make something good out of nothing...

I think the only reason young people don't live downtown is because it is expensive, not because they dont want to, there are numerous housing projects coming up, numerous restaurants and lounges etc. i think once the student housing is complete downtown, things will accelerate tremendously.

[kaneui]

OK, so it's great that downtown is getting some height on the west side of the freeway, and I'm glad they have put up some new apartments on the east side of downtown..but for pete's sake do all we have going as far as housing projects downtown is LOW INCOME SENIORS???? I'm sorry, but they simply are not the key to a vibrant downtown!!!:hell: I found a great website on the new armory apartments, watch the video, and you'll see why I'm frustrated. What about bringing in the 30 somethings to 40 somethings?? People who are of middle income?? If I'm unaware of a project targeting this age group, please enlighten me!:shrug:

http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/project.cfm?cip=2FAC9BF6-F228-2A42-24230E68775E01AB

At the moment, the proposed market-rate apartments/housing downtown include Depot Plaza (a 5-story building next to the new MLK Apartments), the remaining 250 units proposed for the Mission District (where the Armory Apartments are being built), 62 condos at the Monier Brickyard (just south of Mercado San Agustin), and 340 units at the proposed Greenline on Congress project (all on my Metro Tucson list, btw).

Other than for low-income and student housing projects, financing is still tight for market-rate construction, although I expect we'll see at least one of the above projects move forward once the streetcar construction is in full swing. For retailers, all the new student residents will certainly spend more than low-income seniors, but any new market-rate construction will signal that downtown has really turned a corner.

[Patrick S]

I guess that makes sense...I know a lot of planning is in the works for new high-rises on the east end to cater to students, it would just be nice to hear about new construction catering to the 25-40 crowd. BTW, I got stuck in the traffic downtown for that bridge piece Wedensday morning. It took about 25 minutes to go from the east I-10 Congress exit, to Euclid!
Yeah, I heard 'Big Al' on the radio this morning talking about how they were going to be driven through downtown from about 6 A.M. to 8 or 8:30 A.M. - That seems like kind of a bad time. They should start moving them through downtown at 4 A.M. so they get done by 6:30 A.M. - I'm a little confused why they would have them going through downtown in the middle of the morning rush-hour. At least there's only one more day left of them being moved (tomorrow - Friday 1/20/12).

[Patrick S]

Found some really interesting documents on the city's future plans for Toole ave and the Wherehouse Triangle District. Looks like they will allow up to six stories of residential on Toole and up to ten stories in the Wherehouse District for residential. From what I've read, this is how they see development progressing after both the downtown links and street car projects are completed.

http://www.downtownlinks.info/LandUseUrbanDesign/documents/703UODnumber1FinalDraft.pdf

Yeah, I've read that document. It's pretty interesting, the plans they have for the area. Looks like they want to make it more mid-density and raise the height of the buildings.

[Lgv]

But lets face it, Downtown Tucson is now settling for nothing great(i.e. rainbow bridge :P) and now we to do our best to make something good out of nothing...

I don't think it is quite fair to say Tucson has nothing going for its self. It has character and history, a large university, and many new trendy things as well. Most of all it has so much potential that other cities just don't have. It should be embracing more of this because it is Tucson's only hope.

To be honest at first I did not like the rainbow bridge. Now I kind of wish it was back in the mix due to the fact that we need a multifaceted, unique attraction that kicks off this new feel for a densifying city. Yes, it is a bit extreme, But we need a shot in the arm.

Right now I see a city without imax, a world class science center, or landmark. This could have been solved. I think Rio Nuevo should plan for at least one big project like this as a means to get people paying attention to this area, rainbow bridge or otherwise.

I can't speak for everyone, but I think an attraction like the rainbow bridge (with restaurants, imax, science center, and other museums, plus the fact it is utilitarian and is grand) is more compelling then a sports arena. Personally I might watch a game 2-3 times a year, but all these other components of the bridge will receive more visitation from me, tourists, an probably most locals too.

Does anyone know what kind of funds they are sitting on? I feel as though they have done a few things to spruce up the area, but I do believe they were to have a half a billion in new revenue from the extension of the tax period (correct me if I am wrong). I think the final push needs to be made by the city/Rio Nuevo to get something monumental done (something the world can talk about). They could fix the TCC AND build themselves quite a nice science center. So what is the hold up?

[kaneui]

Does anyone know what kind of funds they are sitting on? I feel as though they have done a few things to spruce up the area, but I do believe they were to have a half a billion in new revenue from the extension of the tax period (correct me if I am wrong). I think the final push needs to be made by the city/Rio Nuevo to get something monumental done (something the world can talk about). They could fix the TCC AND build themselves quite a nice science center. So what is the hold up?

Per the Rio Nuevo website, as of April, 2011 they had approximately $30M in cash, much of which is restricted funds. The district's TIF revenue from the state averages around $1M per month, the majority being used for debt service (paying for the purchase of the TCC, etc.). In 2010, the newly reconstituted Rio Nuevo board was mandated by the legislature to only fund work on the TCC and a convention center hotel. Since then, nearly $1M has been spent on legal fees (according to the Daily Star)--sorting out the financial tangle left by the city of Tucson, and filing a lawsuit against the city to make repairs to the TCC as the primary tenant (although both parties are apparently in mediation to resolve the dispute). Whether or not the TCC is expanded, it is still in need of repairs and refurbishing to make it competitive for any convention business, and Rio Nuevo needs to get it done.

The problem with the Rainbow Bridge proposal was all about funding--after spending over $15M or so on several designs and renderings, the project cost ballooned to over $350M, and Rio Nuevo and UofA finally decided it was too much. Shortly thereafter, the financial meltdown and recession hit, killing the rest of the proposed museums and cultural projects in the Tucson Origins Park, as well as the Sheraton convention center hotel.

As far as any new Rainbow Bridge-sized projects or the proposed museums for downtown--it will probably be the private sector that eventually builds those facilities, as there won't be any government funding or subsidies in the near future, due to all the budget shortfalls. Hopefully, the completion of the modern streetcar will spur some new investment on all that vacant land west of I-10. (If it's any incentive, Rio Nuevo has already dug the hole for an underground parking garage).


http://rionuevo-tucson.org/

[PHX31]

It should be called something other than rainbow bridge. Copying a famous landmark is a bad idea. If it is to be its own landmark it needs its own name. What about Tucson bridge.

[Patrick S]

I don't think it is quite fair to say Tucson has nothing going for its self. It has character and history, a large university, and many new trendy things as well. Most of all it has so much potential that other cities just don't have. It should be embracing more of this because it is Tucson's only hope.

To be honest at first I did not like the rainbow bridge. Now I kind of wish it was back in the mix due to the fact that we need a multifaceted, unique attraction that kicks off this new feel for a densifying city. Yes, it is a bit extreme, But we need a shot in the arm.

Right now I see a city without imax, a world class science center, or landmark. This could have been solved. I think Rio Nuevo should plan for at least one big project like this as a means to get people paying attention to this area, rainbow bridge or otherwise.

I can't speak for everyone, but I think an attraction like the rainbow bridge (with restaurants, imax, science center, and other museums, plus the fact it is utilitarian and is grand) is more compelling then a sports arena. Personally I might watch a game 2-3 times a year, but all these other components of the bridge will receive more visitation from me, tourists, an probably most locals too.

Does anyone know what kind of funds they are sitting on? I feel as though they have done a few things to spruce up the area, but I do believe they were to have a half a billion in new revenue from the extension of the tax period (correct me if I am wrong). I think the final push needs to be made by the city/Rio Nuevo to get something monumental done (something the world can talk about). They could fix the TCC AND build themselves quite a nice science center. So what is the hold up?
Please, for the love of God, enough with the Rainbow Bridge. What a colossal waste of money that would be. No one is going to drive or fly here just to see some bridge crossing an 8-lane interstate (they will come here for the culture, mountains, golf, resorts and climate - which they already do, so a bridge isn't going to make any more of them come). There are so many more important or useful things that $350 Million could be spent on - such as:
- A renovated and expanded convention (TCC) center down-town. With our size, climate and access to TIA, Sky Harbor and the West Coast, we should be able to get top-notch conventions to bring in visitors and their money (& tax dollars).
- A downtown hotel to go with a renovated TCC (not the Hotel Arizona - sorry Mr. Lopez).
- Repaving the streets in Tucson. Seriously, they are horrible. Pot holes and cracks running for blocks down the lanes of the streets (besides driving, I also ride a scooter and almost wiped out on N. Country Club when my wheels got right into one of the cracks).
- Building a new basketball arena downtown. - This would actually draw people downtown and could be used for hosting NCAA 1st & 2nd round games (which would draw out-of-towners). This would also allow for the TCC's arena to be renovated to expand the amount of floor space in the TCC.
- Building a soccer stadium downtown. - Phoenix doesn't have a team, and with the built-in Hispanic market in AZ we should try to get a Major League Soccer (MLS) team. I saw a research study conducted a few years ago saying Phoenix (with one team in each of the four major sports) is tapped out as a market, based on size, income and available market share - but - the one sport Tucson would be able to support is an MLS team, and they said the Hispanic market is a good start, but that even beyond that we should be able to support a team. We already have teams planning to hold their 'spring training' here this season (without any good places to hold them), and interest seems to only be growing. We also had the 1st Desert Cup last year and that was a great success. Unless we want those teams to move north to Phoenix (see MLB spring-training) we should build a stadium downtown and attract a permanent team (the MLS has been expanding like crazy the last couple years), and also invest in building or upgrading facilities around the stadium or around town to attract and keep the MLS teams interested in holding their training-camps here.
- Light-rail or expanded modern-streetcar down Broadway (at least to the Park Place Mall), also hitting the southern part of the UA campus (by the football stadium - and I know that's on 6th St.) and the north part of Reid Park (by the baseball stadium, maybe heading to the zoo too) and the El Con Shopping Center (& possibly past Park Place to at least Tucson College) - the line could also extend north on Wilmot, past St. Joseph's Hospital and to Tucson Medical Center @ Grant/Craycroft. Other good possible routes would take it down 6th Ave/Nogales Hwy. to Laos Transit center @ Irvington Rd. (including VA hospital, Tucson Rodeo Grounds) & possibly down to the Tucson International Airport; a line down Park Ave. (past the Bridges/UA Bio-Science Park) and up Ajo to Kino Park (used to be Tucson Electric Park) & UPH; a line down to DMAFB (from last line mentioned, or connected to TIA, &/or down Aviation Highway to Golf Links) that also hits Air & Space Museum, & Pima College-East Campus; extending line under construction up Campbell (past UMC) up past the Northwest Medical Center, Tucson Mall, Foothills Mall, Tucson Heart Hospital & transit center by Tucson Mall; and extending the line currently being built further west to hit St. Mary's Hospital, PCC-West, PCC-Downtown & AZ School for the Deaf & Blind. - This way, all major medical center's and most attractions and major shopping centers are all on the routes.

I'm not saying that the Rainbow Bridge wouldn't be nice to have - I just think there are so many more important and practical things that our city could spend the money we give it on. If any of you guys see my posts on the AZ Daily Star sight, you know I'm a liberal Democrat and I've been preaching on there for months the need to re-invest in our nation's (and state & local) infrastructure. If we were flush with cash (or had a billionaire to pay for constructing the rainbow bridge - like the one fixing the Washington Monument in D.C.), I'd be all for building it - BUT - right now we are still pulling ourselves out of the Great Recession and Gov't workers are still getting laid-off all over the country every month. We need to fix our roads, build high-speed rail, upgrade water system, focus on renewable energy & upgrade our air-control system before we think about building anything we don't truly need.

[Ted Lyons]

Please, for the love of God, enough with the Rainbow Bridge. What a colossal waste of money that would be. No one is going to drive or fly here just to see some bridge crossing an 8-lane interstate (they will come here for the culture, mountains, golf, resorts and climate - which they already do, so a bridge isn't going to make any more of them come).

These are my sentiments.

On a similar front, what is it that gets people to visit cities like Austin and Portland? It's not the landmarks and, in Portland's case, it's definitely not the weather for the most part. It's what they offer as cities. In other words, their tourist industries are derived from their unique identities and associated cultures rather than expensive fabricated tourist traps.

Do tourist traps serve a purpose in urban development? Yeah, sure, but only to an extent, and for every Space Needle there's a Sunsphere.

[Ted Lyons]

Has this been posted?

http://peachprops.com/development/local/



http://i.imgur.com/hJCSO.jpg

Notice the Thunder Canyon Brewing signage. I'm guessing this is what the previous article I linked was alluding to.

Demo has begun on this project. Fences are up around the exterior and the existing stucco has been stripped off about half the building. I'll try to get some pics next time I go by.

[Anqrew]

Looks like they have started construction on South Linda Ave, where the streetcar will eventually go down on the west side. (the street on the right in diagram)

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a228/kaneui/missiondistrictsiteplan-001.jpg

the curbs are there but no asphalt yet.

[Patrick S]

These are my sentiments.

On a similar front, what is it that gets people to visit cities like Austin and Portland? It's not the landmarks and, in Portland's case, it's definitely not the weather for the most part. It's what they offer as cities. In other words, their tourist industries are derived from their unique identities and associated cultures rather than expensive fabricated tourist traps.

Do tourist traps serve a purpose in urban development? Yeah, sure, but only to an extent, and for every Space Needle there's a Sunsphere.
Sunsphere - don't you mean the Wigsphere (sorry, I don't know if anyone get's that Simpsons reference from like 15 years ago). Seriously, I get the attraction for the Rainbow Bridge, & I'm not averse to building it - just not building it right now. We are too broke with too many other things to spend money on. If we can get the TCC fixed and expanded (to bring in people from out-of-town) and then get a hotel downtown to host these people in, then I'd think we were closer to being ready for the Rainbow Bridge (And we'd really need the streets fixed in this city too, or I wouldn't want these people coming here and driving around - it'd be too embarrassing).

[Patrick S]

These are my sentiments.

On a similar front, what is it that gets people to visit cities like Austin and Portland? It's not the landmarks and, in Portland's case, it's definitely not the weather for the most part. It's what they offer as cities. In other words, their tourist industries are derived from their unique identities and associated cultures rather than expensive fabricated tourist traps.

Do tourist traps serve a purpose in urban development? Yeah, sure, but only to an extent, and for every Space Needle there's a Sunsphere.
It's kind of like what I was saying about trying to attract an MLS team here. I grew up in southern Illinois, about 2 hours from St. Louis and am a die-hard St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan. I never drove to St. Louis just to go to the Arch. Sure, I've been up in it, but only on a trip that I took there to watch the Redbirds. All the great cities in this country have distinct character, culture, etc... (New York, LA, Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco, Boston, Miami, Seattle, Philli, D.C.). Sure New York has landmarks, but notice it's landmarks (not landmark - as we would have in Tucson with the Rainbow Bridge). Now obviously, we have to build one landmark before we can have two, then three, etc... - But, if we can get people to come here and spend their money for something substantive (conventions, sporting events), then we build the Rainbow Bridge so they have even more reason to come and more to do when they are here, because the Rainbow Bridge isn't a reason enough to come here by itself.

[Ted Lyons]

It's kind of like what I was saying about trying to attract an MLS team here. I grew up in southern Illinois, about 2 hours from St. Louis and am a die-hard St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan. I never drove to St. Louis just to go to the Arch. Sure, I've been up in it, but only on a trip that I took there to watch the Redbirds. All the great cities in this country have distinct character, culture, etc... (New York, LA, Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco, Boston, Miami, Seattle, Philli, D.C.). Sure New York has landmarks, but notice it's landmarks (not landmark - as we would have in Tucson with the Rainbow Bridge). Now obviously, we have to build one landmark before we can have two, then three, etc... - But, if we can get people to come here and spend their money for something substantive (conventions, sporting events), then we build the Rainbow Bridge so they have even more reason to come and more to do when they are here, because the Rainbow Bridge isn't a reason enough to come here by itself.

I think this just goes to the fact that, for the most part, non-historic landmarks are predicated by something else that pulls in visitors.

Going back to your first post on the subject, I think a streetcar extension or light rail down Broadway is the next major step in urbanizing central Tucson. That's obviously way down the road but it would unify a major chunk of the city with only six miles of rail.

I could envision a spur going east on Broadway from downtown or, better (IMO), going south from University and Park, turning east at 6th, turning south at Campbell, and turning east again at Broadway going out to the mall. That's the only way to access the south side of campus and it would make the university the center of the rail system. Otherwise, you'd discourage students from living along Broadway as they'd have to ride out of their way to get to school.

[kaneui]

The third round of downtown's Facade Improvement Program has begun, with $245,000 available for pre-1960s buildings with a maximum award of $105,000, subject to a 50% match by the building owner:


http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a228/kaneui/ImagoDeiMiddleSchool.jpg
Imago Dei Middle School used its facade improvement grant to give bright color to its 6th Avenue building.
(photo: Downtown Tucsonan)


More Facade Improvements Will Add to Downtown Renaissance
By Teya Vitu
Downtown Tucsonan
January 24, 2012

New and old buildings have worked hand in hand for the amazing Downtown renaissance the past three years. The 1910s and 1920s architecture lays the foundation for the popular Downtown, and the Façade Improvement Program has helped bring a half dozen historic structures back to their glory. Look around Downtown and you’ll see bright marquees at The Screening Room and Beowulf Alley Theatre; vibrant color at Imago Dei Middle School; “Mars and Beyond” at the Rialto Exhibition Center; a warmer façade at The Drawing Studio; and window improvements for Reilly Craft Pizza, expected to open in spring.

The third round of the Façade Improvement Program opened January 23 with a total of $245,000 available for as many as four projects. An applicant can get up to $105,000, subject to a 50 percent match from the applicant. “This will allow us to do two major and one smaller façade improvement,” said Michael Keith, chief executive of the Downtown Tucson Partnership, which administers the program. “First you have property owners matching 50 percent. Then what happens is property owners invest additional money. We have gotten a 5-to-1 return on investment. It’s been colossal.” Providence Service Corp. moved its corporate headquarters Downtown after Peach Properties used a Façade Improvement grant to restore the 1910s façade at 64 East Broadway. Providence then went on to buy the neighboring four-story 44 East Broadway and also partially fund the second and third rounds of the Façade Improvement Program.

The third round is funded with a $90,000 grant from the Tohono O’odham Nation, $80,000 of dedicated preservation funding from the City remaining from the first round, $15,000 remaining from the second round, and a new $60,000 infusion from Providence and other private sector donors. “We have taken the time to meet with property owners to explain the program,” Keith said. Pre-1960 structures are eligible within the Façade Improvement Program Area, which includes all of Downtown east of Church Avenue from Sixth Street to one block south of Broadway and including the Toole Avenue warehouses. This essentially includes the entire Downtown commercial core, expanding the program area beyond the Congress, Pennington and Broadway corridors. Façade Improvement applications will be accepted until 1 p.m. on March 5. A selection committee will evaluate the applications and announce the finalists on March 12. The finalists will then have until April 23 to produce finalized design plans. The awardees will be announced April 30.

“We want to create an authentic, historic Downtown,” Keith said. “We have something special here. The way the town was built at the turn of the last century was different than other places. We have an intact inventory that’s hard to find anywhere.”


For full article: http://www.downtowntucson.org/2012/01/more-facade-improvements-will-add-to-downtown-renaissance/



Prior Facade Improvement Program projects

2008 Grant Awardees (major):
64 Broadway – “The Scott”
Beowulf Alley Theatre
Rialto Block
The Screening Room

2011 Grant Awardees (minor):
Gibson Gym – The Drawing Studio
Reilly Building
Sears Building – Imago Dei Middle School


http://www.downtowntucson.org/invest/investmentsbusiness-resources/facade-grant-program/

[kaneui]

I think this just goes to the fact that, for the most part, non-historic landmarks are predicated by something else that pulls in visitors.

Going back to your first post on the subject, I think a streetcar extension or light rail down Broadway is the next major step in urbanizing central Tucson. That's obviously way down the road but it would unify a major chunk of the city with only six miles of rail.

I could envision a spur going east on Broadway from downtown or, better (IMO), going south from University and Park, turning east at 6th, turning south at Campbell, and turning east again at Broadway going out to the mall. That's the only way to access the south side of campus and it would make the university the center of the rail system. Otherwise, you'd discourage students from living along Broadway as they'd have to ride out of their way to get to school.

In his downtown revitalization plan submitted a few years ago, former Downtown Tucson Partnership director Glenn Lyons recommended that the next spur of the modern streetcar go down Broadway, as it is already a major transportation artery and commercial corridor. (Additionally, any new retail activity along Broadway would funnel more state sales tax revenues into Rio Nuevo's coffers.)


For more info.: http://www.downtowntucson.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/RevitalizeMar10.pdf

[Ted Lyons]

In his downtown revitalization plan submitted a few years ago, former Downtown Tucson Partnership director Glenn Lyons recommended that the next spur of the modern streetcar go down Broadway, as it is already a major transportation artery and commercial corridor. (Additionally, any new retail activity along Broadway would funnel more state sales tax revenues into Rio Nuevo's coffers.)


For more info.: http://www.downtowntucson.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/RevitalizeMar10.pdf

Interestingly, the city is beginning planning for upgrades to Broadway between Euclid and Country Club with construction beginning in 2016. At the least, the new design should not preclude future street car construction. The last thing we need is someone down the road saying, "We just rebuilt this street and now you want to completely destroy it." In other words, any design that doesn't have eventual streetcar/light rail construction in mind is a non-starter for me.

[Ritarancher]

It's kind of like what I was saying about trying to attract an MLS team here. I grew up in southern Illinois, about 2 hours from St. Louis and am a die-hard St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan. I never drove to St. Louis just to go to the Arch. Sure, I've been up in it, but only on a trip that I took there to watch the Redbirds. All the great cities in this country have distinct character, culture, etc... (New York, LA, Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco, Boston, Miami, Seattle, Philli, D.C.). Sure New York has landmarks, but notice it's landmarks (not landmark - as we would have in Tucson with the Rainbow Bridge). Now obviously, we have to build one landmark before we can have two, then three, etc... - But, if we can get people to come here and spend their money for something substantive (conventions, sporting events), then we build the Rainbow Bridge so they have even more reason to come and more to do when they are here, because the Rainbow Bridge isn't a reason enough to come here by itself.
Completely agree. We need something to come with the bridge. Maybe a Sports team or a casino (I don't really want MORE drunks in tucson) Then after we got the money we build a bridge and then hotels would be begging to build a tower with a bridge view. If we got a sports team I would prefer a NHL team but that ain't happening!!! A soccer team would be good. Nobody watches it but it would give the city a major team which we don't have and maybe a reason for kids to stay in school to play soccer and stuff.

[Ted Lyons]

The third round of downtown's Facade Improvement Program has begun, with $245,000 available for pre-1960s buildings with a maximum award of $105,000, subject to a 50% match by the building owner:


http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a228/kaneui/ImagoDeiMiddleSchool.jpg
Imago Dei Middle School used its facade improvement grant to give bright color to its 6th Avenue building.
(photo: Downtown Tucsonan)


More Facade Improvements Will Add to Downtown Renaissance
By Teya Vitu
Downtown Tucsonan
January 24, 2012

New and old buildings have worked hand in hand for the amazing Downtown renaissance the past three years. The 1910s and 1920s architecture lays the foundation for the popular Downtown, and the Façade Improvement Program has helped bring a half dozen historic structures back to their glory. Look around Downtown and you’ll see bright marquees at The Screening Room and Beowulf Alley Theatre; vibrant color at Imago Dei Middle School; “Mars and Beyond” at the Rialto Exhibition Center; a warmer façade at The Drawing Studio; and window improvements for Reilly Craft Pizza, expected to open in spring.

The third round of the Façade Improvement Program opened January 23 with a total of $245,000 available for as many as four projects. An applicant can get up to $105,000, subject to a 50 percent match from the applicant. “This will allow us to do two major and one smaller façade improvement,” said Michael Keith, chief executive of the Downtown Tucson Partnership, which administers the program. “First you have property owners matching 50 percent. Then what happens is property owners invest additional money. We have gotten a 5-to-1 return on investment. It’s been colossal.” Providence Service Corp. moved its corporate headquarters Downtown after Peach Properties used a Façade Improvement grant to restore the 1910s façade at 64 East Broadway. Providence then went on to buy the neighboring four-story 44 East Broadway and also partially fund the second and third rounds of the Façade Improvement Program.

The third round is funded with a $90,000 grant from the Tohono O’odham Nation, $80,000 of dedicated preservation funding from the City remaining from the first round, $15,000 remaining from the second round, and a new $60,000 infusion from Providence and other private sector donors. “We have taken the time to meet with property owners to explain the program,” Keith said. Pre-1960 structures are eligible within the Façade Improvement Program Area, which includes all of Downtown east of Church Avenue from Sixth Street to one block south of Broadway and including the Toole Avenue warehouses. This essentially includes the entire Downtown commercial core, expanding the program area beyond the Congress, Pennington and Broadway corridors. Façade Improvement applications will be accepted until 1 p.m. on March 5. A selection committee will evaluate the applications and announce the finalists on March 12. The finalists will then have until April 23 to produce finalized design plans. The awardees will be announced April 30.

“We want to create an authentic, historic Downtown,” Keith said. “We have something special here. The way the town was built at the turn of the last century was different than other places. We have an intact inventory that’s hard to find anywhere.”


For full article: http://www.downtowntucson.org/2012/01/more-facade-improvements-will-add-to-downtown-renaissance/



Prior Facade Improvement Program projects

2008 Grant Awardees (major):
64 Broadway – “The Scott”
Beowulf Alley Theatre
Rialto Block
The Screening Room

2011 Grant Awardees (minor):
Gibson Gym – The Drawing Studio
Reilly Building
Sears Building – Imago Dei Middle School


http://www.downtowntucson.org/invest/investmentsbusiness-resources/facade-grant-program/



This relatively cheap initiative is one of the best things downtown has going for it. The differences between the businesses before and after is night and day.

[Anqrew]

http://www.campusacquisitions.com/ca/boards/boards-university-arizona.html
http://www.campusacquisitions.com/ca/images/thumb-boards-university-arizona-01.jpg

Campus Acquisitions is pursuing final approvals on two student housing projects immediately next to the University of Arizona in Tucson. The "1020 Tyndall" project is proposed to be a 14-story, 540+ bed upscale building, complete with modern amenities including a rooftop pool, outdoor terraces, exercise rooms, study and technology rooms, and on-site management by CA's full service staff.

The Tyndall project is slated to break ground in March-April 2012 and be ready for occupancy come August 2013. CA is also moving forward with planning for a second phase project on Park Avenue right next to the Tyndall project, which CA anticipates starting in 2013 for a 2014 delivery. CA expects both projects to continue CA's legacy of developing the best located, best furnished, best value, and best managed housing for today's college students.

[Ted Lyons]

http://www.campusacquisitions.com/ca/boards/boards-university-arizona.html
http://www.campusacquisitions.com/ca/images/thumb-boards-university-arizona-01.jpg

Campus Acquisitions is pursuing final approvals on two student housing projects immediately next to the University of Arizona in Tucson. The "1020 Tyndall" project is proposed to be a 14-story, 540+ bed upscale building, complete with modern amenities including a rooftop pool, outdoor terraces, exercise rooms, study and technology rooms, and on-site management by CA's full service staff.

The Tyndall project is slated to break ground in March-April 2012 and be ready for occupancy come August 2013. CA is also moving forward with planning for a second phase project on Park Avenue right next to the Tyndall project, which CA anticipates starting in 2013 for a 2014 delivery. CA expects both projects to continue CA's legacy of developing the best located, best furnished, best value, and best managed housing for today's college students.

F'ing awesome. Both the timeline and fact that construction on Park would necessitate the purchase and demolition of the building housing Lucky, Dominos, and Posner's tell me that these people are serious, namely because the latter would require the process to be in motion already. I do hope the local businesses find new locations if they're not incorporated into the project.

[Anqrew]

Everyone here should take the Imagine Greater Tucson Survey.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/417428_10150647715972028_157186582027_11055708_1734054240_n.jpg

http://survey.imaginegreatertucson.org/

[Patrick S]

I think this just goes to the fact that, for the most part, non-historic landmarks are predicated by something else that pulls in visitors.

Going back to your first post on the subject, I think a streetcar extension or light rail down Broadway is the next major step in urbanizing central Tucson. That's obviously way down the road but it would unify a major chunk of the city with only six miles of rail.

I could envision a spur going east on Broadway from downtown or, better (IMO), going south from University and Park, turning east at 6th, turning south at Campbell, and turning east again at Broadway going out to the mall. That's the only way to access the south side of campus and it would make the university the center of the rail system. Otherwise, you'd discourage students from living along Broadway as they'd have to ride out of their way to get to school.

That's actually about exactly how I've pictured it too.

[Patrick S]

Interestingly, the city is beginning planning for upgrades to Broadway between Euclid and Country Club with construction beginning in 2016. At the least, the new design should not preclude future street car construction. The last thing we need is someone down the road saying, "We just rebuilt this street and now you want to completely destroy it." In other words, any design that doesn't have eventual streetcar/light rail construction in mind is a non-starter for me.

Yeah, I've looked over that idea. They're going to expand Broadway from around Euclid to around Country Club (the area that's only 2 lanes each way) to look more like it does farther out east. They're going to expand the street to 3 traffic lanes in each direction with another lane each direction for busses, but they are going to be designed not just for normal busses (like they are out past Columbus and further east), but for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), which many cities are using as an alternative for light-rail or modern-streetcars. BRT is much cheeper to implement and they routes can also be modified, moved or changed with changing demographics or growth patterns (unlike rail lines - once you build them you can't move them).

Interestingly the 2040 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), a kind of wish-list of future transportation plans to have completed by 2040 (it is independent of the RTA). They propose 3 new lines for the streetcar (or even light-rail). One is east on Broadway from downtown, north on Park, east on 6th, south on Campbell, and east on Broadway to El Con Mall. The other 2 are (1) extending line being built to UMC, north up Campbell, west on Prince, north on Oracle to the Tucson Mall & (2) From downtown, south down 6th Ave./Nogales Hwy. to the Laos Transit Center @ Irvington Road. They envision that the Laos Transit Center as a place where this route, bus routes and BRT routes can all converge.

[kaneui]

Two long-announced hotel proposals near the UofA may find some traction this year: Marshall Foundation's Main Gate Square Hotel project at Tyndall & Second St., and an Aloft Hotel to replace the Four Points by Sheraton at Speedway & Campbell. (These projects could be considered TOD with their proximity to the modern streetcar line.)


http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a228/kaneui/Alofthotelroom.jpg
A typical room in an Aloft Hotel
(render: Starwood Hotels)


UA area targeted for two new hotels
Inside Tucson Business
January 27, 2012

Despite the sputtering economy, plans are moving forward on two significant lodging projects - both near the University of Arizona. Two hotel groups are considering a project for the southeast corner of East Second Street and Tyndall Avenue across the street from the Marriott University Park Hotel, according to Tom Warne, who is working with the Marshall Foundation to develop the site. "Once we have a decision on that we can get to work on final designs," Warne said, adding that he anticipates construction could get underway in December. The development is planned as a multi-use facility that would tie in with the Main Gate Square development and, among other things would include a multi-screen movie theater complex and retail. The new hotel is being planned as an all-suite and most likely would be branded separately from the existing Marriott.

Meanwhile, east of the UA, the "hip, urban attitude" Aloft Hotel is near the final stages of planning to replace the seven-story, 150-room Four Points by Sheraton, 1900 E. Speedway at the southeast corner of Campbell Avenue. Demolition work on the existing hotel should begin this summer with construction complete 18 months after that. The idea for the Aloft Hotel has been floating more than six years since Starwood Hotels and Resorts announced Tucson would be one of five launch cities for the concept. Some of the delay stems from demolition issues of the existing building that was completed in 1972. As of the end of 2011, Starwood had opened 50 Aloft Hotels. The concept is derived from Starwood's W hotel division. Rooms feature loft-like decor with nine-foot ceilings, platform beds and an emphasis on tech features, including free Wi-Fi and a plug and play connectivity station for charging electronics and syncing with an 42-inch LCD HDTV.


http://www.insidetucsonbusiness.com/news/top_stories/ua-area-targeted-for-two-new-hotels/article_97716dd4-4848-11e1-9a23-001871e3ce6c.html

[kaneui]

A new 160k s.f. campus is expanding Oro Valley's Bioscience Corridor--right next to Sanofi-Aventis and Ventana Medical Systems facilities:


http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a228/kaneui/OroValleybioscience-techpark-render.jpg
An artist's rendering of the Innovation Campus, to be located next to Oro Valley's Innovation Park,
home of some big names in the field.
(render: Anthem Equity Group Inc.)


OV to get bioscience-tech campus
Construction of facility to begin by year-end; no tenants signed yet

by Dale Quinn
Arizona Daily Star
January 26, 2012

Construction on a planned 160,000-square-foot bioscience and technology campus is expected to begin by the end of the year in Oro Valley. Anthem Equity Group Inc. announced Wednesday its plans to move forward with a 15-acre "Innovation Campus" at the northwest corner of East Rancho Vistoso Boulevard and East Vistoso Commerce Loop Road. Plans call for the campus to include bioscience research and development companies, emerging technology businesses, medical-device manufacturers and suppliers to those industries, Anthem Equity said in its news release.

Four 20,000-square-foot buildings - each 36 feet tall - will be built first. Those buildings will house laboratories, manufacturing and warehousing. The construction of 10 8,000-square-foot high-tech office buildings will follow, the company said. The property sits next to Oro Valley's Innovation Park - where French drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis and Ventana Medical Systems, which is a part of the Roche Group - already have facilities. Anthem hasn't yet signed any leases with companies looking to occupy at Innovation Campus, said Diana Dessy, Anthem's designated broker and property and operations manager. "We're starting to think, 'If you build it, they will come,' " Dessy said.


For full article: http://azstarnet.com/business/local/ov-to-get-bioscience-tech-campus/article_e2e6a986-c108-57f5-ac32-29d9c95a7b9b.html

[Patrick S]

Two long-announced hotel proposals near the UofA may find some traction this year: Marshall Foundation's Main Gate Square Hotel project at Tyndall & Second St., and an Aloft Hotel to replace the Four Points by Sheraton at Speedway & Campbell. (These projects could be considered TOD with their proximity to the modern streetcar line.)


http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a228/kaneui/Alofthotelroom.jpg
A typical room in an Aloft Hotel
(render: Starwood Hotels)


UA area targeted for two new hotels
Inside Tucson Business
January 27, 2012

Despite the sputtering economy, plans are moving forward on two significant lodging projects - both near the University of Arizona. Two hotel groups are considering a project for the southeast corner of East Second Street and Tyndall Avenue across the street from the Marriott University Park Hotel, according to Tom Warne, who is working with the Marshall Foundation to develop the site. "Once we have a decision on that we can get to work on final designs," Warne said, adding that he anticipates construction could get underway in December. The development is planned as a multi-use facility that would tie in with the Main Gate Square development and, among other things would include a multi-screen movie theater complex and retail. The new hotel is being planned as an all-suite and most likely would be branded separately from the existing Marriott.

Meanwhile, east of the UA, the "hip, urban attitude" Aloft Hotel is near the final stages of planning to replace the seven-story, 150-room Four Points by Sheraton, 1900 E. Speedway at the southeast corner of Campbell Avenue. Demolition work on the existing hotel should begin this summer with construction complete 18 months after that. The idea for the Aloft Hotel has been floating more than six years since Starwood Hotels and Resorts announced Tucson would be one of five launch cities for the concept. Some of the delay stems from demolition issues of the existing building that was completed in 1972. As of the end of 2011, Starwood had opened 50 Aloft Hotels. The concept is derived from Starwood's W hotel division. Rooms feature loft-like decor with nine-foot ceilings, platform beds and an emphasis on tech features, including free Wi-Fi and a plug and play connectivity station for charging electronics and syncing with an 42-inch LCD HDTV.


http://www.insidetucsonbusiness.com/news/top_stories/ua-area-targeted-for-two-new-hotels/article_97716dd4-4848-11e1-9a23-001871e3ce6c.html
That's great that they may finally start work on the Main Gate Square Hotel. Add to that the 1020 Tyndell Project and you've got 2 - 14 story building going up right around campus. Add to that the new student housing next to the Rialto and you've got the city building up, rather than out - a major step in the right direction. Tucson may actually start looking like a city, with some new tall (relatively tall for Tucson, at least) buildings.

[Ted Lyons]

I'm glad to hear aloft is finally happening. I thought that was dead in the water by now even though the Four Points is essentially worthless at this point. I never noticed it while I was in school (because no one came from out of town to visit me) but there are very few good lodging options near campus. The next step for the Speedway-Campbell intersection is tearing down Palm Shadows and developing something/anything of value.

[aznate27]

Longtime businesswoman now questions her belief in downtown (http://azstarnet.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/longtime-businesswoman-now-questions-her-belief-in-downtown/article_ecea1535-f90a-582d-ba31-4abac208fa7b.html?mode=story)

This story is getting a pretty good discussion going on the azstarnet website. alot of haters! I posted the following as a response:

"Everyone on here has an opinion but NO real solutions. This city is full of the most non-progress citizens I've ever seen! There are already half a dozen projects on the table for new properties along the street car route from PRIVATE companies. This means hundreds of construction jobs alone. The District is already being built on Fifth Ave in part because of it's location to the street car line. You can expect new hotels, high density housing, restaurants, nightlife, the list goes on. Why wouldn't you want this for your city??? You obviously DO because YOU VOTED FOR IT!!!! Future plans have the street car running down Broadway and throughout the city. I live on the eastside, I travel to downtown all the time, if I could take a streetcar instead of driving, hell yeah I would do it! This is the first step in making that a reality.

Phoenix had the same haters when the rail system was going up there...NOW? It's more popular than ever, with nearly 13 million riders in the past two years, considering there are only 4.2 million in the metro area, that's damn impressive. Not to mention the dozens of projects that have gone up or are in the works due to the rail line. All=JOBS!

If you're going to bitch, come up with a REALISTIC solution...horse drawn wagons??? REAllY?!?! 51 of you gave it a thumbs up...I'm guessing that's the average age of the haters too, if not older. Wether you like it oe not, this city is going to keep growing, it's no longer the quaint town it was in the '50's. There are about a million people here now and unless we come up with solutions NOW on how NOT to become a sprawled out concrete city like Phoenix, all you haters will hate it a lot more!

YES, Rio Nuevo has managed to waste A LOT of tax payers money. I get that, and I get the anger that some of you express, but there is a difference between being angry over that, and just being against progress. Believe it or not there are some aspects of Rio Nuevo that are worth believing in. This is one that the city hasn't F'd up totally so far and has good potential to get this city moving in a great direction.

Street cars instead of freeways, infill and high density housing instead of suburbs 30 to 50 miles outside the city, a vibrant city center instead of a dying one...as a person born and raised here, THAT'S what I want for Tucson! What about all you? What do you want??...."

[Anqrew]

:previous:
I just can't at the ADS comment boards, idk why everyone there is so anti development and progress. I'm fairly certain 99% of the commenters are Right Wing, and in retirement, with very outdated views. Anytime i post on ADS my comments get incredible numbers of thumbs down, its ridiculous. And it doesnt make sense because ADS is quite a liberal newspaper. W/E they all complained and complained for ages about the streetcar, but too bad, its happening. They all still talk about downtown as if its what is was 10 years ago, completely unaware of all the changes that have occured. They're not important anyway, they probably all live out in the suburbs living out the rest of their retirement, they're not the type to enjoy urbanity or downtown anyway, their loss.

btw, i gave you a thumbs up. :]

also, Playground updated their sign, it now says "Tucson" on it.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/419073_314188691951659_248269758543553_765712_1325218537_n.jpg
i like it, it gives the corner identity, this is Tucson

[Ted Lyons]

They're not important anyway

This is important on more levels than you even mention. Many of the anti-urbanization trolls on the Daily Star website aren't residents of Tucson in the first place, so their opinions have absolutely no effect on the governance of the city.

Are there some people who are opposed to downtown's growth who live in Tucson? Yeah, sure, but I'd be willing to bet a significant number of those comments are espoused by people living in the county, Green Valley, Sahuarita, Oro Valley, Marana, and the Foothills. Those are the people who have affirmatively distanced themselves from urbanization and are the most likely to speak out against it.

[Ted Lyons]

Longtime businesswoman now questions her belief in downtown (http://azstarnet.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/longtime-businesswoman-now-questions-her-belief-in-downtown/article_ecea1535-f90a-582d-ba31-4abac208fa7b.html?mode=story)

This story is getting a pretty good discussion going on the azstarnet website. alot of haters!

This lady sounds like a complete dolt. If she didn't plan for this construction, which has been on the books for years, she deserves to fail. It's that simple. She's been in business for 17 years and had plenty of time to prepare for a temporary decrease in business access; and are we even sure that access will be diminished that much in the first place?

Further, I find it incredibly shortsighted for a small business owner downtown to not see the completely obvious benefits of the streetcar once it's completed. Three student housing projects are in development, all being built due to the streetcar and potentially increasing the area's population by a significant percentage, and she's going to complain about the project? Really? I'd like to walk into her store and just give her a rundown of the number of businesses that wouldn't exist, which all help boost her own traffic, without the streetcar. But, maybe she'd like to operate in a neighborhood with absolutely no other businesses.

Finally, "trolleys with rubber tires" exist already, in a more efficient form - they're called busses and they don't spur significant economic development at all. You'd think she'd know this after wallowing away downtown for 17 years.

[aznate27]

I wasn't going to do it, but I let loose on a guy named "Ed" on azstarnet! He says downtown is a "dead horse"..WTF??? He's probably never even been downtown in years! People on there are just idiots I swear! Here's my response to hater Ed:


5 minutes ago
Ed G. (EdGein) wrote:

"Everyone on here has an opinion but NO real solutions."


Leonard it's real easy.

Give it up on downtown. A hundred years ago we needed a center of town with a rail spur, but we have come far enough along we have no need nor desire to be "downtown" anymore for anything.

Not necessary, and I would like to see the city stop wasting tax money on trying to "re-vitalize" the dead horse.

Have you been downtown recently?????? I thought not. There are more people, business, restaurants, nightlife than ever before! Congress on a friday and saturday night are full of people heading out downtown. Did you not see all the damn cranes and construction downtown in the past two years?? No ED, that would mean actually doing research and having to take the blinders off, maybe driving more than a mile from your front door.

YOU are the dead horse, ALL of you haters! You hate everything about this city yet you choose to live here anyway. 90% of you aren't even from Tucson. People like you have no business saying anything about a city you've already given up on. NEWS FLASH: THE CITY IS MOVING ON WITHOUT YOU WETHER YOU HATERS LIKE IT OR NOT! New high-rises are in the works (4 to be exact all along the street car route), street cars will be built, downtown is being reborn...bitch and moan all you want. Your opinions are the minority THANK GOD ( and no, just because you have the most thumbs up does not make you the majority!), otherwise this city wouldn't be moving forward the way it has.

Do me a favor ED, MOVE AlREADY! You and every hater on here. You all said it, there's nothing in Tucson to offer you anyway, I hear Sun City and Green Valley are quite lovely this time of year.

[Ted Lyons]

I think it's best to completely disregard the ADS comments altogether. When I was younger, I put a lot of weight into what people said on that site because I incorrectly assumed the comments accurately reflected the sentiments of the community as a whole. As time's gone by, I've seen the same negative comments continue on while the city and voters have worked to make real progress. It's the reaction to these decisions by the majority that keep the trolls going strong.

When you see 38 people (probably way more now) give a thumbs up to one of those mental derelicts implying that the CDC should be called to clean up the LGBT community downtown, you know you're dealing with the lunatic fringe.