Quote:
Originally Posted by exit2lef
Actually, I'm not assuming that. Transit should exist primarily to move people with a secondary goal of catalyzing density and development. My point about Mill south of 13th Street being full of single family homes is important because the original streetcar route would have fulfilled neither goal. Without existing density, there wouldn't have been enough ridership to justify the route, and without suitable vacant or derelict land there wouldn't have been potential for development. The only way the original route might have worked was if it had some park-and-rides to entice the car-owning population of that part of Tempe to park remotely and then ride the streetcar Downtown, but no park-and-rides were planned and no land was available for them. A second phase going to the city facilities at Southern & Rural might have made the project a little more logical, but I doubt that the library, history museum, and senior center, as nice as those amenities are, would have generated enough ridership by themselves to make a difference. What would be nice is a light rail line running along Scottsdale / Rural Road from Scottsdale through Tempe to Chandler, but a certain city's refusal to consider rail transit within its borders rules that out.
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Sorry, my "you's" were mean to be generalized. I just don't see many areas in Tempe that have redevelopment opportunity outside of downtown, Apache, and portions of the lake - all areas currently being invested in and served by other forms of transit. These all happen to be the only areas with decent levels of density. I completely agree that a light rail spur makes much more sense than any of this, but maybe Tempe just doesn't transit beyond LRT and eventual commuter rail? It's kind of impossible to imagine any dense, TOD neighborhoods springing up throughout the city. And, of course the Civic area is nothing to write home a bout, but this is Tempe, and it is a destination as well as a center of employment that could one day link with a Scottsdale Rd. line. Anyway....#1 Priest+Papago, #2 BRT on Rural (only because LRT was hastily dismissed).
Looks like there's a new Asian restaurant at SkyWater joining Coffee Press; does anyone know if the large banks on the edges of Rio Salado are necessary for the lake? They really prevent any sort of real connection between the sidewalk and projects, let alone between either side of the street. With Skywater's live/work spaces along 1st St, that street has become lined with ground level commercial spaces/walk-up units from Farmer through at least Roosevelt. It'd be nice to see the other side to fill in and for this to become a neighborhood center.
The Yard/Annex Criticism
In the meantime, I wish Tempe would set up task forces/committees to focus on defined areas of downtown, because there seem to be projects popping up everywhere without any real clear vision. I'm thinking: College Ave-Forest and University-Veterans Way; Ash-Beck and University-Rio Salado; Rural Road-McClintock and 8th Street-Apache... with a future group to work with ASU on the stadium proposals.
But, I find it frustrating to see great places like The Yard and Annex option, but within such disappointing contexts. I hadn't realized only Madison entry exists off Farmer at The Yard - the rest is accessed through the massive parking lot that covers all of 5th-1st Streets essentially (with another employee lot to the west). With The Lodge opening sound across the street, this project should've been held to the same design standards as any other downtown project and promoted an active streetscape that would have made for an awesome energy in this area. The Madison also has a gorgeous entry, but you have to park to see it... wouldn't a plaza that connected Farmer to the (not built) multiuse path along the rail?
I'm super glad these places are adding a more mature vibe to downtown, but I want to feel confident that they are port of a more concerted effort, rather than two anchors on the edge that don't relate at all to the rest of the projects nearby. Getting some performance venues, and artist live/work spaces, would be a great recruitment; whereas, identifying properties that could be potentially RFPd, renovate, or reused near College would go a long way - no reason University Towers can't get a major makeover with some commercial wrapping it, for its small parking garage is be eating up so valuable land, and for a venue used as little as Stray Cat to stay in their current location, IMO.
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