Tempe Development Thread

[Leo the Dog]

Originally Posted by Sepstein

I think its great looking! Just wish we could 10 of those downtown but 3 times the height! The random balconys hanging out is alittle odd but other than that its Sweet special that Pool Area sick!

I strangely like this building too for some reason.

[phxSUNSfan]

Originally Posted by Leo the Dog

I strangely like this building too for some reason.

Same here...can't put my finger on it, but I like it. Usually these plain, modern highrises don't work for me but this one is different. To be fair, that picture does make it look much more dull than it actually is in person. That is most likely the case due to the fact that when you see the building on foot, you notice that the bottom floors are all glass and it makes the whole thing look better.

[Spitfiredude]

Originally Posted by phxSUNSfan

Same here...can't put my finger on it, but I like it. Usually these plain, modern highrises don't work for me but this one is different. To be fair, that picture does make it look much more dull than it actually is in person. That is most likely the case due to the fact that when you see the building on foot, you notice that the bottom floors are all glass and it makes the whole thing look better.

Nope...I pass by it at least twice a day and it never looks any better than the last time I passed by it. Its ugly. High rises are meant to be glass. IDK what the one guy is saying of the pool. No one has seen the damn pool yet besides in renderings lol

[phxSUNSfan]

Originally Posted by Spitfiredude

Nope...I pass by it at least twice a day and it never looks any better than the last time I passed by it. Its ugly. High rises are meant to be glass. IDK what the one guy is saying of the pool. No one has seen the damn pool yet besides in renderings lol

Haha! Well, we can't really say "yes" or "no" about other peoples' opinions. We can disagree, which a few of us here do, but there is no right or wrong answer. However, I have to say that the renderings of the pool area look very cool...especially with the large projection screen similar to the one on W6. That is a large projection right? And not a large video screen on W6?

[TempeSilverFox]

Originally Posted by phxSUNSfan

Haha! Well, we can't really say "yes" or "no" about other peoples' opinions. We can disagree, which a few of us here do, but there is no right or wrong answer. However, I have to say that the renderings of the pool area look very cool...especially with the large projection screen similar to the one on W6. That is a large projection right? And not a large video screen on W6?

It actually is a massive TV, not a projection. I work at Chase in downtown Tempe and park in the tower opposite the pool deck at W6 and am always curious to see what they are watching haha!

[Jjs5056]

Stumbled upon an old article on the Tempe streetcar and I'm still kind of struggling with the proposed options. The new alignments were based on new guidelines that prefer routes that encourage dense development along the way- has anyone heard how they decided these routes were the best fit?

The option running east on Apache to Terrace makes almost no sense at all to me. There aren't many lots left in that area of Apache to develop, and the residents along that corridor are already in walking distance of light rail, which connects them to Mill. What is typical trip they are envisioning for potential riders?

I have the same issue with the Rio option- why bother with the Apache piece? Why would you not take that mile or so and extend the Rio leg east toward McClintock? That would link ASU, downtown Tempe, Tempe Marketplace, Sports District, etc. and connect all of those served by light rail. The current Rio option ends at Hayden Ferry- if the goal is development, why is it stopping exactly where developed properties end?

I just don't see who would actually ride this along these routes, or how this complements LRT- if anything, it seems like this would cannibalize light rail's ridership. I would love if someone could educate me if I am missing something, but there just don't seem to be any new areas or amenities served that aren't already fairly accessible via transit, and the development opportunities seem minimal. Most of the potential areas, such as Ash or the few lots within this area of Apache, are again fairly close to existing transit and/or within dense areas, so I would think that if development were to happen, having a streetcar stop adjacent opposed to a LRT stop .25 miles away wouldn't have much of an impact... Or does it?

I'm happy to see more options enter the mix, but am disappointed at what seems like a missed opportunity.

[exit2lef]

Jeff Speck urges his readers to think of modern streetcar projects more as "pedestrian accelators" than transit projects like light rail. In other words, a streetcar running through a developed area around ASU and Mill would make people empowered to travel longer distances from light rail stations. On the other hand, Jarrett Walker had a good piece in the Atlanta paper about how this approach only works when you have high frequency service:

http://www.myajc.com/news/news/opinion/s...itationbox_apr2013_ajcstubtomyajcpremium

If Tempe can fund service every 5 or 10 minutes, the pedestrian accelerator concept might work. If it's every 15 or 20 minutes, it won't help. I think the current proposals make a lot more sense than the earlier one that extended down Mill into neighborhoods of single-family homes. Nevertheless, the most logical one would follow Rio Salado farther east toward Tempe Marketplace (as tacky as it is, it is a substantial trip generator) and the new Cubs stadium in Mesa.

[Spitfiredude]

Originally Posted by phxSUNSfan

Haha! Well, we can't really say "yes" or "no" about other peoples' opinions. We can disagree, which a few of us here do, but there is no right or wrong answer. However, I have to say that the renderings of the pool area look very cool...especially with the large projection screen similar to the one on W6. That is a large projection right? And not a large video screen on W6?

Definitely true. It is a TV and not a projection. I do believe at least the pool area will probably be VERY cool from the renderings, but I am just so disappointed (personally) on how the building turned out on the exterior that I'm not sold just yet! Plus I think he made it kind of seemed like he had already been there...I was just being a stickler......

[Classical in Phoenix]

Originally Posted by phxSUNSfan

Haha! Well, we can't really say "yes" or "no" about other peoples' opinions. We can disagree, which a few of us here do, but there is no right or wrong answer. However, I have to say that the renderings of the pool area look very cool...especially with the large projection screen similar to the one on W6. That is a large projection right? And not a large video screen on W6?

Disagreeing just isn't the same without Vicelord.

[Arquitect]

Originally Posted by Spitfiredude

Nope...I pass by it at least twice a day and it never looks any better than the last time I passed by it. Its ugly. High rises are meant to be glass. IDK what the one guy is saying of the pool. No one has seen the damn pool yet besides in renderings lol

Interestingly enough, high-rises did not start being made out of glass. In fact, the first high-rises were all made out of masonry, with steel support, and had a lot less glass than the View has now. The Monadnock building in Chicago and th Prudential Building in Buffalo are great examples of non-glass high-rises.




In fact, there are really awesome contemporary high rises that are not entirely glass clad. Such as the Porter House in NYC by shop architects:



I am not a huge fan of The Hub aesthetically, but I don't think it is an eyesore either. Plus looking at it from the urban standpoint, it brings a lot of density into a vacant lot. It has a lot of retail space. And its parking garage is not only tucked away, but also is kinda small for the amount of people that will live there, encouraging people to walk, bike, or take the light rail. Aesthetics aside, it is a great addition to downtown.

[cygnusloop99]

Originally Posted by Arquitect

Interestingly enough, high-rises did not start being made out of glass. In fact, the first high-rises were all made out of masonry, with steel support, and had a lot less glass than the View has now. The Monadnock building in Chicago and th Prudential Building in Buffalo are great examples of non-glass high-rises.




In fact, there are really awesome contemporary high rises that are not entirely glass clad. Such as the Porter House in NYC by shop architects:



I am not a huge fan of The Hub aesthetically, but I don't think it is an eyesore either. Plus looking at it from the urban standpoint, it brings a lot of density into a vacant lot. It has a lot of retail space. And its parking garage is not only tucked away, but also is kinda small for the amount of people that will live there, encouraging people to walk, bike, or take the light rail. Aesthetics aside, it is a great addition to downtown.

Great analysis!!! And on a side note, i am also a fan of SHoP projects, they do good work.

[nickw252]

I really like the appearance of The Hub. I'm glad it's not covered in stupid southwestish colors like orange and teal.

[phxSUNSfan]

Originally Posted by nickw252

I really like the appearance of The Hub. I'm glad it's not covered in stupid southwestish colors like orange and teal.

Orange and teal are southwestish? I always thought of turquoise, copper, and browns as southwestern colors. I really like that building in NYC by SHoP Architects...That should have been done, albeit on a smaller scale, with the buildings that were knocked down by U.S. Airways Center.

[Spitfiredude]

Agreed, if you look at US Airways and Gateway Center, they are masonry as well. I think I was getting at everything BUT stucco. But like others said, opinions are opinions. Some people will like it, some will not...but it is definitely controversial.

[MegaBass]

ASU Walk-Only Zones Next Fall

In an effort to promote pedestrian safety on the ASU Tempe campus, ASU will launch the first of three Walk-Only Zones in high foot-traffic areas at the start of the fall 2013 semester.

In addition to the Walk-Only Zones, actions are underway to improve and ease access for pedestrians across campus including these enhancements: bicycle valet areas; new bicycle rack types and locations; locked skateboard racks; and overnight golf cart charging and parking areas.

[ApacheRedevelopment]

220 unit student apartment project to be located at 1010 E Lemon Street. This project will include ground floor retail.

Apache Redevelopment
https://www.facebook.com/Apache.Redevelopment

[PHX31]

/\Nice... that piece of land is prime. I can't believe it has been vacant for so long.

[combusean]

They cleared the mobile home lot for which this project is presently proposed during the boom, as a reminder. Can't remember for what project specifically.

This is more value-engineered meh, and student housing at that which will be vacant four months out of the year. It's a shame developers aren't concentrating on full-time housing.

[PHX31]

/\ Not necessarily... unless these are dorms and actually close in the summer, many students live in places more more than a semester or two, and there will be students there year round. That area is the "student ghetto", so it makes sense to me that these are student apartments. I doubt many normal people would want to live in an area like that with so many students so close to ASU.

[Arquitect]

Originally Posted by PHX31

/\ Not necessarily... unless these are dorms and actually close in the summer, many students live in places more more than a semester or two, and there will be students there year round. That area is the "student ghetto", so it makes sense to me that these are student apartments. I doubt many normal people would want to live in an area like that with so many students so close to ASU.

Very true. Plus as I have stated before, you don't have to be a student to live at any of these "student housing" projects. They are marketed towards students, and most of the apartment layouts are geared towards student life, but anyone who wants to can rent out a place there. It just happens to be that they are being built in Tempe, and most of the people looking to rent here are students.

I think this is a decent project. Of course there could be something better, but there could always be something better. This project would continue the trend of density in the Apache/Rural area.