General Phoenix Metro Discussion Thread

[combusean]

You guys should actually crunch the numbers from the downloadable LEED database. I glanced at it and there's plenty of stuff that's not discussed, even a tower renovation pushing 500,000 sqft.

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by KEVINphx

Some people just gotta be correct . . . lol - the matter of "what is hot" is slightly subjective, but only slightly. I was born here in 1985 and lived here all my life and I'm not a desk jockey - I work in construction and summer is the busiest time of the year. It is miserable. I don't really think it's a subjective matter either - over 645 people DIED from the heat here last summer. 425 DIED in 2022. It is not an anomaly - but yes 2023 was a "record" we averaged 97 degrees overall - this summer we are expected to "average" 100. That is including every "low" temperature as well.

This historical averages for locals who've been here forever is no longer relevant. Summer even when I was a child in the '90s was much rainier and did NOT have overnight lows that were what they are today.

To give an idea of comparison, deaths in Minneapolis in winter (older years but gives you an idea) 2019: 62, 2018:52, 2017: 52.

The heat is a killer and a pedestrian nightmare - I'm sure as shit not a lightweight and I know I'm not in the minority. Besides, there is really only so much the city can do to truly mitigate the heat, bottom line is 110+ with nights only going into the low to mid 90s is just NOT conducive to pedestrian activity aside from very short journeys.

You guys are making a separate argument.

I said that its nicer in Phoenix for more of the year than it is in most other cities and that's a fact.

If you can have walkability in Minnesota and Chicago and Boston you can have it here even with the extreme summer temps

Listing off those temps has nothing to do with the original statement. Is it conducive to walk around at 1pm in the sun when its 117? No but you also don't see people walking around at 4 Am in January in Chicago when its -10

[highnoon]

Originally Posted by Obadno

You guys are making a separate argument.

I said that its nicer in Phoenix for more of the year than it is in most other cities and that's a fact.

If you can have walkability in Minnesota and Chicago and Boston you can have it here even with the extreme summer temps

Listing off those temps has nothing to do with the original statement. Is it conducive to walk around at 1pm in the sun when its 117? No but you also don't see people walking around at 4 Am in January in Chicago when its -10

But the problem is that everyone is up at 1pm, and nobody really is at 4am

[CrestedSaguaro]

Ya'll are comparing apples to oranges here. Some people can handle the heat, while others can't. The same goes for the cold. Judging one region as better than the other is purely subjective. I know plenty of people back home who wouldn't move here because of the heat, and friends here who swear they'd never return to a colder climate. There's no right or wrong opinion on this. It's all personal preference.

[AZSunHiker]

The main cause with those deaths isn't heat. It's the drug abuse crisis.

https://www.kjzz.org/kjzz-news/2024-...the-reason-why

[AZSunHiker]

But the problem is that everyone is up at 1pm, and nobody really is at 4am

Having lived in St. Paul, MN, Minnesotans don't walk around much outside during winter. The downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul skyway systems addressed this but also killed off much of the outdoor pedestrian traffic the rest of the year. I wonder if it would be possible to design a skyway system that could connect to tenants with street access so that it could be closed during milder temperatures? Or perhaps use a network of misters?

[KEVINphx]

Originally Posted by Obadno

You guys are making a separate argument.

I said that its nicer in Phoenix for more of the year than it is in most other cities and that's a fact.

If you can have walkability in Minnesota and Chicago and Boston you can have it here even with the extreme summer temps

Listing off those temps has nothing to do with the original statement. Is it conducive to walk around at 1pm in the sun when its 117? No but you also don't see people walking around at 4 Am in January in Chicago when its -10

I agree with all this

[locolife]

Originally Posted by Obadno

You guys are making a separate argument.

I said that its nicer in Phoenix for more of the year than it is in most other cities and that's a fact.

If you can have walkability in Minnesota and Chicago and Boston you can have it here even with the extreme summer temps

Listing off those temps has nothing to do with the original statement. Is it conducive to walk around at 1pm in the sun when its 117? No but you also don't see people walking around at 4 Am in January in Chicago when its -10

I totally agree with this, having lived in the Boston area and practically lived in Chicago as well, I much, much, much prefer this.

I'm also more oriented towards hotter weather than colder, so I get where some people may feel the opposite of me and could despise Phoenix temps but walking around a bit downtown when it's 110-112? That's not that big of a deal.

I mountain bike/hike throughout the summer usually going around 5-6pm in the hottest months. I've been doing so for 22 years, usually get out 3-4 days a week. Not advocating for others to do anything they're uncomfortable with but you can somewhat adapt to the weather and if you build up a little bit it's not that bad.

It's not 117 very often and it's almost never that temperature at 1pm. In the summer we hit peak around 4pm and even then, downtown it's possible to walk around from building to building pretty easily. There's almost always shade. We'll hop on a scooter sometimes as well, if going from say Roosevelt to the Suns arena or something like that.

[TllrSkyline-01]

The increasing numbers of homeless in our streets over the past 3 years also highly contribute to the heat-related deaths every year.

[TllrSkyline-01]

Went to the Dbacks game today and walked a bit from our parking garage to the stadium...it was hot and humid walking those 5 blocks, but in the shade was quite tolerable. I am sure as more high rises go up...more shade will be created enhancing the pedestrian experience.

[azcats]

I read these comments...and I especially appreciate the updated photos. Two comments I'd like to respond: Getting involved to help make changes - at a "grassroot" level...and the other, regarding Phoenix being a post war city. I agree with both comments.

Regarding downtown Phoenix - south of McDowell - and between 7th St. and 7th Ave.

If you would like to make changes...have an impact, etc., getting involved is a great way to get some things accomplished - that might not happen otherwise.

The other comment - Phoenix being a post war city.

Of all the major cities of today - Phoenix is probably the youngest. Let's face it, before 1950 ... it was not much more than a small "cow town." I agree that there has been tremendous growth in the last ten years. I don't really have a problem that the downtown core is somewhat small compared to other cities ...or, the height of the skyline is anemic. What I find disappointing is that what is there - at the ground level. The city of Scottsdale requires that new developments out by the McDowells - be set aside 25% towards open space. Maybe, downtown Phoenix could be some sort of special assessment zone - that new developments - there are still so many empty lots - dirt lots...downtown - have requirements to include - I don't know ...plant shade trees...etc. There could also be a public/private partnership to make downtown special - maybe, different street lighting compared to the rest of Phoenix. SOME - even if not grand - some monuments...statues...- a few little plazas with water features or fountains. They call Indianapolis - Indian NO Place. Yet, right in the middle of downtown, there is a giant war time memorial. The UofA built on the mall a monument to the U.S.S. Arizona. I'm just throwing things quickly off the top of my head. I would consider downtown Phoenix almost a blank canvas - since there is still so much empty space down there. There are already incentives for developers to build - and the combination of universities, government, retail, private, etc., is happening - I think by really making it stand out - would make it that more special.

[AZSunHiker]

Originally Posted by azcats

I read these comments...and I especially appreciate the updated photos. Two comments I'd like to respond: Getting involved to help make changes - at a "grassroot" level...and the other, regarding Phoenix being a post war city. I agree with both comments.

Regarding downtown Phoenix - south of McDowell - and between 7th St. and 7th Ave.

If you would like to make changes...have an impact, etc., getting involved is a great way to get some things accomplished - that might not happen otherwise.

The other comment - Phoenix being a post war city.

Of all the major cities of today - Phoenix is probably the youngest. Let's face it, before 1950 ... it was not much more than a small "cow town." I agree that there has been tremendous growth in the last ten years. I don't really have a problem that the downtown core is somewhat small compared to other cities ...or, the height of the skyline is anemic. What I find disappointing is that what is there - at the ground level. The city of Scottsdale requires that new developments out by the McDowells - be set aside 25% towards open space. Maybe, downtown Phoenix could be some sort of special assessment zone - that new developments - there are still so many empty lots - dirt lots...downtown - have requirements to include - I don't know ...plant shade trees...etc. There could also be a public/private partnership to make downtown special - maybe, different street lighting compared to the rest of Phoenix. SOME - even if not grand - some monuments...statues...- a few little plazas with water features or fountains. They call Indianapolis - Indian NO Place. Yet, right in the middle of downtown, there is a giant war time memorial. The UofA built on the mall a monument to the U.S.S. Arizona. I'm just throwing things quickly off the top of my head. I would consider downtown Phoenix almost a blank canvas - since there is still so much empty space down there. There are already incentives for developers to build - and the combination of universities, government, retail, private, etc., is happening - I think by really making it stand out - would make it that more special.

Great ideas. I would encourage anyone interested in pursuing this kind of thing to read the Walkable Urban Code which already has requirements and criteria around some of these suggestions such as:

https://phoenix.municipal.codes/ZO/1304.F

https://phoenix.municipal.codes/ZO/1309.A.3

https://phoenix.municipal.codes/ZO/1310.A.2 at A.2.b

[builder03]

Here are some photos of active projects downtown today 9/2/2024.

https://imgur.com/a/4hZF2k3

[AZSunHiker]

Nice Photos.

[AZSunHiker]

The Ray and Sol photo would make a nice historical photograph. Dawn of a new age depicting the driverless car (akin to a horseless carriage) dwarfed by the rebirth of downtown's new era of residential high rises.

[muertecaza]

Good to see positive news on TSMC:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...srnd=undefined

[azsunsurfer]

Originally Posted by muertecaza

Good to see positive news on TSMC:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...srnd=undefined

Is this to counter all the bad press with Intel?

[Obadno]

Another Semiconductor development: https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...cia-intel.html

Anyone link the rest of the article please?

[azliam]

Originally Posted by Obadno

Another Semiconductor development: https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...cia-intel.html

Anyone link the rest of the article please?

Here is a full article from AZCentral:

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news...y/75166551007/

[WarrenBuffett2024]

Hey fellas. Huge admirer of the Phoenix Metro and Arizona as a whole here. I'll be leaving the Boston area for a Phoenix / AZ vacation on Halloween. Gonna spend a couple days in Phoenix Metro and then a day in Flagstaff / Sedona and a day in Grand Canyon Village area. Any recommendations would be warmly welcomed and greatly appreciated. Weather should be interesting because I'm expecting PHX to be low 80s during the afternoons and Flagstaff and Grand Canyon Village to be mid20s at night! Will be staying in Scottsdale, Flagstaff, and GCV. My goal is to see as much insanely beautiful and impressive scenery / landscapes as I can.