Sorry, last post.
One thing I forgot to mention was Union Station. As obvious as it is to us, and as great as it would be, it will never serve as the central point of our transportation system. The south line of light rail could've been planned to least pass by it and keep open some ideas, but that was never on the table. The City allowed it, and it's beautiful Chambers neighbor, to be leased to awful companies that have threatened the integrity of the structures - it has never, and will never be, a focus of our government for Union Station to be a public amenity, by way of being a transportation hub or otherwise. 2nd stupidest mistake, IMO, with The Westward Ho's million-year lease being 1.
My hope is that the ASU art program is the first of many more educational investments into the area. Ideally, Phoenix College becomes a University, and houses its fine arts, real estate and sustainability courses in the Warehouse District. Union Station would be transformed into the Arizona Urban & Cultural History museum in the center, Valley Youth Theatre to the east, restaurant and open air patio to the west. The 1-acre of land would be turned into a park, with free weekend performances in the summer mornings by VYT, Phoenix U, Ballet TDC, etc. Land would be acquired to the south, and a HAWK signal and other safety precautions would allow the safe travel over the tracks onto this area, which would house a botanical garden filled with farmed ingredients for the restaurant as well as local art from students, tennis and basketball courts, and a new Performing Arts Center along 3rd, built in collaboration between those entities above, and Phoenix Job Corps, Phoenix OIC and others in the district with similar goals.
Along with light rail and any educational buildings built, hopefully we'd see a boom in warehouse investing, with entertainment and commercial uses in the warehouses, and midrise residential filling in the gaps.
There's also synergies in sustainability, marketing/creativity, and innovation just waiting to be fostered, with the APS H2O Power Park, Electric Transportation, EcoTality (car chargers), Vintage Industrial, Iiam (medical innovations), NRG, Moses, R&R and more in the area.
Quote:
Originally Posted by soleri
Urban triage for Phoenix would necessarily focus on Roosevelt, adding density and perhaps even more transit options like a streetcar line down Roosevelt St to Grand Avenue and possibly running up to McDowell over to 16th St. This is, of course, just fantasy/speculation on my part since there's not nearly the density in place to support such a line.
30-some years ago, it looked like Coronado and the old Miracle Mile strip on McDowell would evolve into real urban neighborhoods. Gays were at the forefront in gentrifying the area. Then AIDS came along, and the effort floundered as many of the pioneers died. The other historic neighborhoods are opposed to density in their midst, so don't look for Willo, Encanto Vista, Palmcroft, Alvarado or Ashland to allow much if any development. Once you're north of Thomas, there's little urban fabric since it was all developed in the 1950s with cars in mind. There are two other areas to watch. One is the Camelback corridor from 7th Avenue to 7th Street. It's probably the hottest area in Phoenix now with all the new restaurants and businesses. Medlock Place is a historic neighborhood but it's got great mid-century apartment complexes on Pasadena and Medlock. With The Newton opening soon, this area could really upgrade dramatically. The other area, Melrose, possesses some decent buildings and urban values (read: gay bars) but sits on 7th Avenue, which is a virtual freeway. There are a number of good mid-century apartment complexes on 8th Avenue, but it's going to need some help. One partial remedy: getting rid of the "suicide lane" on 7th Avenue.
If you're an urban curator in Phoenix, you have to do a couple of things. One is squint your eyes a lot because there really isn't much to work with. The second thing is to encourage people to walk or bike. If you go to Postino's, Windsor, Joyride, or Federal Pizza, parking is already a hassle. This is actually good news since anything that prompts people to get out of their cars and act like city dwellers is a plus.
Would it be possible to knit together Phoenix's disparate semi-urban islands? I'm not sure but if Arizona becomes less right-wing in the coming years, a real urban renaissance would probably happen in central Phoenix. This means more people, businesses, and possibly even a return to downtown's traditional role as the economic core. Focus on more shade, more bicycles, more urban-style businesses (e.g., brew pubs), and less of the suburban stuff (Applebee's!). Good luck, Phoenix. I'm rooting for you.
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Soleri - I've always thought McDowell just west of the 51 would make the best gayborhood in Phoenix, given the street fronting businesses and grit that are perfect for bars and nightlife, with restaurants and housing hopefully to follow. It's interesting that it may have happened if not for the AIDS epidemic.
Melrose, unfortunately, just hasn't caught on within that community. I've never heard the district called by name, and we're always wishing for that kind of place we "own." Melrose's identity is as an eclectic central suburb with funky shops and a melting pot of culture, so it's no surprise gay bars have opened there. But, it hasn't ever been embraced, as you can tell by how scattered 'gay' establishments are throughout Phoenix. An area with more than 2 gay-friendly establishments in walking distance of each other, where we feel no less safe than 7th ave/Camelback and I think you might see the community start flocking closer and closer.
As far as a streetcar, I've had a similar wish. Roosevelt - McDowell, 16th St - 7th Ave (with Grand financing its own, or this could go south on 7th, up Grand to about 12th? I just like 7th's potential calming if a line went in.). I don't think density would be an issue. Potential for development is much more important, plus with the light rail so close, our densest neighborhoods are effectively connected. But, this puts some of our best cultural amenities on a transportation network which is so important: Banner, all of Roosevelt, Grand hopefully, 7th/McDowell..).
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