Phoenix Development News (3)

[Vicelord John]

Originally Posted by johnnyb588

I know being a douche is the way you like to operate, but it's really not lunacy to suggest some businesses might consider relocation from LA to Phoenix.

I think you're confusing "douche" with "rational."

[Vicelord John]

go suns!!!

[HooverDam]

Just a reminder, the Downtown Phx Voice Coalition 5 year visioning update is tomorrow at the AE England building. Its from 10AM-3pm I believe, or whenever it finishes/you have to leave to go watch the Cardinals. I really hope some of you from here go, I know at times it can seem like so much pissing in the wind but it is at least slightly more effective than us bitching to each other here. Planners and people from the city will be there and they do end up looking at whatever plan is drafted. More importantly its a great way to network and maybe actually get involved in some projects that can actually make a difference downtown. At the very least its nice to be around other Downtown lovers, perhaps it'll lift your spirits or whatever.

If you decide to come tomorrow Ill be wearing a maroon ASU hat and I look something like this, come by and say hi:



And yes, I was recently elected Mayor of Handsometown, USA. Thank you for remembering.

[HooverDam]

Oh and some actual news:

Phoenix political rivals of one mind on GOP convention
Jan. 16, 2010 07:33 AM
The Arizona Republic
They once were political foes, jockeying to become the next Phoenix mayor in 2003.

As recently as 2007, Randy Pullen, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party, implied that Democratic Mayor Phil Gordon was a greater security threat than Osama bin Laden following a security breakdown at Sky Harbor International Airport.

But then there's that old saying about politics and bedfellows.


Pullen and Gordon, we learned this week, are joining forces to try to lure the 2012 Republican National Convention to Phoenix.

Both need to be on board for Phoenix to win the bid, especially with Pullen's influence as a top official with the GOP national committee.

But the two have had a contentious past. They tangled over immigration and a day-labor center, light rail and city subsidies during the 2003 campaign.

More recently, Pullen suggested Gordon should resign as mayor after security videos showed airport employees entering secured areas without having their bags screened by private guards, metal detectors or X-ray machines. The mayor was in the midst of his 2007 re-election bid.

"Who knew the greatest security threat to western civilization was not Osama bin Laden, but Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon?" Pullen said in a statement later posted to his blog, Pullen for the Party. "For the safety of all Arizonans and all Americans, we need a thorough investigation of the situation, if it is found that the mayor knew of this security failure, he ought to resign."

Gordon, who easily defeated Pullen with 72 percent of the vote in 2003, said he doesn't hold any grudges. In fact, the two recently have spoken by phone four or five times about bringing the convention to Phoenix.

The GOP convention "is an economic opportunity for the city, Valley and state . . . that benefits everyone no matter what the political party," Gordon said this week. "No grudges at all."

Pullen echoed the sentiments of his one-time rival.

"Politically, we don't agree on very much in terms of issues," Pullen said. "But for something like this, we clearly understand this is a tremendous opportunity for the city of Phoenix whether you're a Democrat or a Republican.

"There are some things we can agree on," he added.

* * *

One thing everyone can agree on is that it will be hot in Phoenix for either a Democratic and Republican convention in 2012.

Democrats held their 2008 gathering in Denver from Aug. 25 to 28, while Republicans staged theirs in the St. Paul-Minneapolis area from Sept. 1 through 4.

The average high in Phoenix in August is 105 degrees, though it cools down to a balmy 99 in September, according to Weather.com.

Those backing the bids said convention-goers will be shuffling between air-conditioned downtown hotels and the nearby air-conditioned convention center anyway. And Phoenix's dry heat beats muggy Houston or Tampa any day, they said

"If Major League Baseball can bring the All-Star Game next year in July to Phoenix, Arizona, that should give everyone the confidence to stage a major political event, Democratic or Republican, in the Valley," said public-relations specialist Jason Rose, who is working on Phoenix's GOP bid.

I'd rather have a Democratic convention just because it would attract more blatant hippie weirdos who would be fun to watch on the streets of downtown. The Right wing weirdos aren't nearly as fun to people watch. Either way, it would be a great thing for Phx.


EDIT: VVV Does that post have any meaning?

[PhxPavilion]

Ugh.

[gymratmanaz]

Let's have both. Has any city ever had both conventions??

[scottkag]

Originally Posted by gymratmanaz

Let's have both. Has any city ever had both conventions??

And let's have them both at the same time

[Teacher_AZ_84]

Originally Posted by scottkag

And let's have them both at the same time

I'd love to be a bystander for that!

[combusean]

I dunno if I wanna be anywhere near downtown when a political convention is going on. A friend of a friend complained constantly of the mini police state Denver became when the 2008 Democratic convention went on. I would be curious however to see how many closet cases show up at Amsterdam and related venues up and down the LRT route.

[wissundevil06]

Originally Posted by combusean

I dunno if I wanna be anywhere near downtown when a political convention is going on. A friend of a friend complained constantly of the mini police state Denver became when the 2008 Democratic convention went on. I would be curious however to see how many closet cases show up at Amsterdam and related venues up and down the LRT route.

If your implying just because the Democratic Convention would be here that the gays or "closet cases" would take over then that's a pretty stereotypical and ignorant comment to make.

[Vicelord John]

there would be gays and flag wavers fighting on the streets!

[kevininlb]

Hey, don't know if this has been discussed and it has nothing to do with a tall bldg.

It's about the Musical Instrument Museum opening on April 24 on Tatum/101.

It's utterly nondescript from the 101. I had the chance to take a pre-opening tour yesterday and, in my humble opinion, this is an architectural masterpiece. It's stunning.

Not only that, if it's promoted/marketed properly, this could and should be a massive tourist draw for people around the world. It's essentially a one-of-a-kind museum. It's truly, truly remarkable - I was blown away.

www.themim.org

[mwadswor]

Originally Posted by kevininlb

Hey, don't know if this has been discussed and it has nothing to do with a tall bldg.

It's about the Musical Instrument Museum opening on April 24 on Tatum/101.

It's utterly nondescript from the 101. I had the chance to take a pre-opening tour yesterday and, in my humble opinion, this is an architectural masterpiece. It's stunning.

Not only that, if it's promoted/marketed properly, this could and should be a massive tourist draw for people around the world. It's essentially a one-of-a-kind museum. It's truly, truly remarkable - I was blown away.

www.themim.org

Agreed that it's cool, but it drives me nuts when they market it as "the world's first global instrument museum." There are other global instrument museums in the world. At a minimum, I've been in one in London and one in Carlsbad, CA, and I really don't think I've been to the only two global instrument museums out there... especially if a town like Carlsbad, CA can have one.

That said, I think this museum looks way cool, and it's definitely something I'm into (as evidenced by the fact that I've been to others ), I just wish they'd quit marketing it as the first. Maybe the biggest (if that's true) or the most diverse (if that's true), but it's not the first.

[kevininlb]

Originally Posted by mwadswor

Agreed that it's cool, but it drives me nuts when they market it as "the world's first global instrument museum." There are other global instrument museums in the world. At a minimum, I've been in one in London and one in Carlsbad, CA, and I really don't think I've been to the only two global instrument museums out there... especially if a town like Carlsbad, CA can have one.

That said, I think this museum looks way cool, and it's definitely something I'm into (as evidenced by the fact that I've been to others ), I just wish they'd quit marketing it as the first. Maybe the biggest (if that's true) or the most diverse (if that's true), but it's not the first.

I asked about that. They're saying it's the first museum with instruments from every country in the world. And I'm not arguing with you. Their line is this: It's the first of its kind in scale and scope...

[HooverDam]

Reposted from the DVC site:

How would you improve 1st Street in downtown Phoenix?

[Source: City of Phoenix] — The first of three stakeholders meetings to discuss the 1st Street Pedestrian Improvements project will be held on Wednesday, February 3 at 4 p.m. at the Irish Cultural Center, 1106 N. Central Ave. (close to Roosevelt Station light rail). Interested persons are encouraged to voice their opinion to the pedestrian improvements plan for 1st Street between Van Buren and Moreland Streets. For more information, contact Gail Brinkmann, City of Phoenix Street Transporation Department, at 602-495-2073.

[Leo the Dog]

Funny, we were talking about 1st street a few months ago on here to better landscape, narrow the road, and basically make it more pedestrian friendly. No need to have it 4 lanes wide when it handles almost no traffic at all.

[Tfom]

Anyone know about a busted water main near central and McDowell? Azcentral obviously has their head too far up their ass to report a large amount of water flooding the streets of the city.

[Kroney]

From the Downtown Phoenix Journal

The Main Ingredient: One Couple’s Dream in Coronado

Posted by Christina O'Haver on 1/25/10

For about 10 years, Matt and Courtney Diamond have envisioned owning their own restaurant. With a background in restaurant management, Matt dreamed of bringing experience and creativity to the business while Courtney would use her accounting knowledge to crunch numbers.

On January 18, the couple introduced the product of their dreams to Downtown Phoenix in the form of The Main Ingredient Ale House & Café, located in the 1939 bungalow that previously housed Lisa G Wine Bar & Café.
Main Ingredient The Main Ingredient: One Couples Dream in Coronado

Matt and Courtney Diamond made some subtle changes to the building, giving it added warmth. Photo by Si Robins.

The menu, which has absolutely nothing over $10 except for bottles of wine, primarily consists of sandwiches and salads that Matt describes as simple, yet very fresh.

“If you’re going to do sandwiches and salads, they have to be fresh,” Matt says. “It’s got to taste like it’s right out of the garden.” Matt explains that he orders small quantities of the ingredients every day to ensure freshness.

The Main Ingredient’s menu includes several family recipes, such as Mindy’s Mac ‘n Cheese, named after the dish prepared by Matt’s sister every Thanksgiving and Christmas. The macaroni is baked and loaded with cheddar cheese and green chilies. The salsa on the menu is also a recipe of Mindy’s.

Although it is an ale house and there are eight different types of beer on tap (plus many more in bottles), The Main Ingredient has an inexpensive wine list that the owners consider to be almost as important as the beer. The food is meant to complement both, and mixed drinks can be ordered as well.

Matt and Courtney’s menu also incorporates many products from local vendors that they are trying to support. Their dessert list features items from the Arizona Cheesecake Company in Chandler and Crave Artisan Ice Cream in Phoenix, their sandwiches and salads are made with tomatoes that are grown in Queen Creek at One Windmill Farm and their bread is from Capistrano’s in Tempe. The restaurant serves beer from Tempe-based Four Peaks Brewery and water from mountain springs in Sedona that is bottled up by the family-owned Arizona Bottled H20.

Speaking of aiding the locals, Courtney says she and Matt hope the restaurant will become a neighborhood spot.

“Our number one priority is to fit into the community and appeal to the Coronado district,” she says. “We want this to be their neighborhood bar.”

Courtney says the people in the neighborhood are supportive of the restaurant, and she described the area as having “a lot of soul,” which is something that is incredibly important to her and Matt.

“We feel strongly that the main ingredient of a restaurant is the soul of the restaurant,” Matt says. “It’s either there or it’s not.”

Matt adds that the building already had the soul they were looking for. During their search for a place to open their restaurant, they hoped to find a red brick, free-standing building with a patio and a place to park.

“We were willing to compromise on (the red brick) if we could get the other things, but when this place had everything we wanted, we just fell in love,” Courtney says. Not only are some of the couple’s favorite restaurants in red brick buildings, such as Pizzeria Bianco in Downtown Phoenix, but they also both grew up in red brick houses.

Considering their likes and dislikes about other restaurants for inspiration, the duo decided to make the restaurant into a spot that where would enjoy hanging out. They wanted a place that feels like home to their customers. Since the building is already an old house complete with a fireplace, the Diamonds only had to add a few things to enhance the home-like atmosphere, including a couch they bought on impulse that fit perfectly without any measurements, a coffee table, a few flower centerpieces, photographs and artwork. “It’s almost like the house itself did the work for us,” Matt says.

Another thing that is important to Matt and Courtney is that they be present at the restaurant as often as possible. “We really notice the difference when we go into places where the owners are there and they’re greeting you and serving you, and making sure everything is up to their standards,” Courtney explains.

“This is the dream job,” she adds. “I’m working somewhere that I want to be. It’s everything that I love and everything I’m passionate about.”

I went to The Main Ingredient for happy hour last Friday and I walked away impressed with the place. It reminds me a lot of the Roosevelt Tavern. However, I prefer TMI because 1) it has an outdoor patio, 2) The TVs had sports on, 3) It was Radiohead-free. I'm a little jealous of Coronado residents. They have a nice mix of restaurants along 7th street between McDowell & Thomas. Here's the draft beer list in case you're wondering:

1. Four Peaks Hop Knot
2. Four Peaks Hefe
3. Four Peaks Sunbru (Kolsch) - It doubles as the House Ale.
4. Oak Creek Nut Brown
5. Oskar Blues Gordon (Double IPA)
6. Stone Russian Imperial Stout
7. Ska True Blonde Ale
8. I can't remember.... it might have been the Four Peaks 8th Street Ale.

[Vicelord John]

I went there last friday. Not impressed with the beer list. Im tired of seeing four peaks everywhere. I can go get it at the source if i want it that bad. Its good beer but not good enoigh that every place which serves microbrews should choose it over o'dell, stone, dogfish, ska, rogue, or any other great breweries.

The coronado coney and the mac n cheese were fucking magical, however.

[PHX31]

Originally Posted by Kroney

I'm a little jealous of Coronado residents. They have a nice mix of restaurants along 7th street between McDowell & Thomas.

heh heh... this beauty is less than a block away from me, I've walked there twice already. I'm happy they opened. It was good to hear the owners saying they want it to be their (coronado residents') neighborhood bar, because that's what I hope it becomes for me. Having good beers on draught and tvs showing sports, along with some good music is a great start. Being a 1-2 minute walk also helps. As long as the owners stay cool and the service is good, the place can't lose IMO.

Vicelord, i semi-agree that there are a lot of great beers they could have chosen from, however, everyone has different tastes and Four Peaks makes some great beers. I'm glad that a lot of places are serving Four Peaks, it is a plus that it helps a local company.