Tempe Development Thread

[TempeSilverFox]

Originally Posted by ASUSunDevil

The Hub is looking great, looks to be at about 16 stories if my counting was accurate. Does anyone know what the structure outside of Monti's is supposed to be? I'm assuming its going to look like the one across the street at Hayden Flour Mill, just didn't know if anyone had details. Thanks

I was talking with a friend who works for the City of Tempe, and he told me that the structure being built at the SW corner of Mill and Rio Salado- right in front of Monti's is going to be a sculpture by local artist/ landscaper Bill Tonnesen. I found his website, but I could not find any renderings or pictures of what it will look like when it's completed. Apparently the structure on the other side of Mill (SE corner) is "done" - so what we have there is how it will stay. The idea was to create a gateway in to Tempe from the north- heading south in to downtown.
If I ever find a rendering for the Monti's sculpture- I'll post it here.
Here is Bill Tonnesen's website:

http://www.billtonnesen.com/

[Don B.]

Originally Posted by PHX31

I would be interested to see what that adobe looks like and what all they have on that land. Somehow that little area is the most hidden piece of land in an extremely high profile and exposed location.

I was curious as to why these people could not use the doctrine of adverse possession to claim title to this land, since their occupancy of same seems to satisfy all of the general legal requirements for same: open and obvious, continuous, etc.

Then I remembered that the government apparently enjoys some sort of sovereign immunity to adverse possession claims. In other words, we as a society have decided that government ownership of land is entitled to more protections than the average landowner. As much of a piece of shit as this land is (google maps shows it quite well), this double standard in the law really irks me.

--don

[phxSUNSfan]

Originally Posted by Don B.

I was curious as to why these people could not use the doctrine of adverse possession to claim title to this land, since their occupancy of same seems to satisfy all of the general legal requirements for same: open and obvious, continuous, etc.

Then I remembered that the government apparently enjoys some sort of sovereign immunity to adverse possession claims. In other words, we as a society have decided that government ownership of land is entitled to more protections than the average landowner. As much of a piece of shit as this land is (google maps shows it quite well), this double standard in the law really irks me.

--don

Could you imagine if people could claim title to federal, state, or local land if that were the case? It would be a mess and disingenuous people would be granted land rights in areas like national forests, parkland, etc. to name a few. Government needs a little more say than most individuals or corporations who manage their land improperly allowing adverse possession to come into play.

Obviously, this power isn't always nice or pretty but it offers protections against those who would claim ownership when documents aren't clear cut. I think the family should be offered some sort of reprieve (full cost of relocation, money, etc.) for the loss of land they did believe was theirs due to government mismanagement of land that is 120 years in the making.

[Leo the Dog]

Originally Posted by phxSUNSfan

Probably isn't even worth talking about desalination plants on a large scale since they aren't even being planned, but California wouldn't want to give AZ any water as evidenced by the fight for Colorado River water in the past. However, the federal Reclamation Act wouldn't give California complete control, especially if the project crosses international borders...unless the state built its own plants in which case it wouldn't be an issue at all.

It would be easier to use water from the Gulf of California rather than Pacific Ocean water off the coast of California because it is cleaner and less acidic (not as much industrial and chemical runoff). Solar power plants that would be built to power a desalination plant and the pumps would likely be built in Arizona; Arizona is much closer to the coast of the Gulf than Is California

Largest desal plant in the US is in the works near Camp Pendelton for SD residents. It will use traditional power from gas powered plants. Water rates are expected to increase quite a bit. Solar would increase the costs. No way AZ inks out a deal with Mexico for water anytime soon and CA needs every drop for CA.
US states already take more water from the Colorado, leaving mex with a trickle and mex/az relations are strained bc of illegal immigration issues.

[phxSUNSfan]

Originally Posted by Leo the Dog

Largest desal plant in the US is in the works near Camp Pendelton for SD residents. It will use traditional power from gas powered plants. Water rates are expected to increase quite a bit. Solar would increase the costs. No way AZ inks out a deal with Mexico for water anytime soon and CA needs every drop for CA.
US states already take more water from the Colorado, leaving mex with a trickle and mex/az relations are strained bc of illegal immigration issues.

Of course AZ wouldn't ink out the deal, since it crosses an international border it would be a U.S. led initiative. Meaning that AZ would receive some water, but as I have stated before, it would be a drop in the bucket compared to CA's allocation. That is due to the Newlands Reclamation Act. But don't think that Mexico wouldn't act on this type of economic incentive; though AZ diplomatic relations may seem strained because of the immigration issue, Mexico is still Arizona's largest trading partner and that has only grown in recent years, not retracted. A desal plant in Mexico would help supply recharge for the Colorado River Delta, an essential part of agriculture for Northern Mexico and SW Arizona.

And yes, while the Carlsbad Desal Project will provide enough water for about 300,000 residents in San Deigo County...that isn't really large scale considering there are 20 million people in Southern California (http://www.carlsbad-desal.com/). There are plants in the Middle East that supply enough for entire cities (think Dubai with over a 2.3 million people, 3.8 million metro-Emirate). But again, any talk of truly large scale desal projects for the West aren't being planned. California would probably go it alone for smaller projects, but AZ wouldn't benefit from it. Furthermore, since large scale solar plants are planned near Yuma and Gila Bend (largest in the world), it wouldn't be a leap to project that solar would play a significant role in theoretical plants in Mexico and pumping stations in the U.S.: especially with EPA regulations on this side of the border.

My entire point about desal plants was to state that there will be no available water to extend Tempe Town Lake into Phoenix to partially restore the urban river. Even if the U.S. and the Western states are forced to act and build huge plants because of worsening drought conditions, I don't think creating a big body of water in the desert would be a priority. Even more so considering the evaporation rate of the current lake during the summer months.

[ASUSunDevil]

Originally Posted by TempeSilverFox

I was talking with a friend who works for the City of Tempe, and he told me that the structure being built at the SW corner of Mill and Rio Salado- right in front of Monti's is going to be a sculpture by local artist/ landscaper Bill Tonnesen. I found his website, but I could not find any renderings or pictures of what it will look like when it's completed. Apparently the structure on the other side of Mill (SE corner) is "done" - so what we have there is how it will stay. The idea was to create a gateway in to Tempe from the north- heading south in to downtown.
If I ever find a rendering for the Monti's sculpture- I'll post it here.
Here is Bill Tonnesen's website:

http://www.billtonnesen.com/

Why wouldn't they make them look the exact same when they are so similar? The Monti's structure will have some sort of big cement block in the middle, but the Flour Mill won't? Strange if true.

[TempeSilverFox]

Originally Posted by ASUSunDevil

Why wouldn't they make them look the exact same when they are so similar? The Monti's structure will have some sort of big cement block in the middle, but the Flour Mill won't? Strange if true.

lol - who can say? I don't know if the idea is for one side (the mill side) to represent the past... and the Monti's side to represent the present and future? Both sides feature the high wall- both oriented the same way- so there is some continuity, but yeah- it's a bit odd. Hopefully it will make more sense once the Monti's side is done.

[Vicelord John]

I'm sure it's posted somewhere but I'm on my phone and it's hard to wade through it all, what's the thing they are building on the north side of Montis?

[phxSUNSfan]

Originally Posted by Vicelord John

I'm sure it's posted somewhere but I'm on my phone and it's hard to wade through it all, what's the thing they are building on the north side of Montis?

A sculpture by Bill Tonnesen...but details of the project aren't available or no one on this site has found any.

[Vicelord John]

It looked like there was a staircase heading down somewhere. I could be out of my mind though.

[ciweiss]

It looks like the big building on the NW corner of Rural and Curry was leveled. It used to be a Pure Fitness. Any ideas whats going on there ?

[DaveInTHX]

Saw a new project announcement this morning, in the dirt lot just East of Hayden Ferry Lakeside. Hadn't heard of this one.. sounds pretty cool if they can pull it off. Here are the highlights...

Public Hearing on 8/27 at 6:30 PM at Hatton Hall (34 E. 7th Street)

Project looks to be called "The Lofts @ Hayden Ferry", and is for a new 264 unit multi-family res dev with 4-story lofts on 3.7 acres, located at 260 E. Rio Salado Parkway.

[MegaBass]

Tempe's University Drive to Get a Bike and Pedestrian Makeover in 2013

More than a decade in the making, a stretch of University Drive in Tempe is finally set to get a makeover that will bring improved bike lanes, sidewalks, public art and landscaping to this roadway that is the western gateway into ASU's Tempe campus.

The City of Tempe's Streets Department released initial plans and calls for public meetings to discuss and outline the renovations that will run between Ash Avenue and Priest Drive. The improvements are funded with $1.1 million in federal grants that the city has secured.

Planners anticipate construction kicking off in the summer of 2013 after additional rounds of public meetings this fall and final city council signoff. The University Drive project is one of four street enhancement projects currently in planning in Tempe.
"We want University Drive to look like its own cool place while also showing influences from its surrounding neighborhoods such as Maple Ash and Mitchell Park," says Eric Iwerson, transit official for Tempe and the project manager. "The goal is to make this part of University Drive much more comfortable for cyclists and pedestrians."

Initial discussions about roadway improvements to this stretch started more than 10 years ago with residents pushing the city to do capital improvement projects.

The project was reintroduced to the community at a public meeting in January because the city had finally secured federal funding.
The new plan calls for new median islands down the center of University and isolated bike lanes separating cyclists from auto traffic between Beck Avenue and Hardy Drive. Public art installations are targeted near Margo Drive on the west end and Farmer Avenue to the east. A call for artist concepts could come in the late fall, after the second public meeting.

"Tempe is an older community as far as the region goes and our roadways have been at or near capacity for nearly sixty years," says Iwerson. "The City of Tempe is now trying to reconfigure its roads, especially arterials such as University Drive, to a current vision of what our roadways should be to bring modal sustainability for the future."

A key demand from residents that the city wants to implement is to ensure easier and safer crossing so that those living on the south side of University can get to Tempe Town Lake and all of its amenities more easily, and those on the north side can get to the parks and the ASU campus. But the primary goal is to create a vibrant multi-modal boulevard that will enhance the neighborhood experience for businesses along University and the residents both along the street and from the neighborhoods behind it.

"Very few arterials are claimed by neighborhoods like University Drive is," says Iwerson. "This enhancement will allow University Drive to be treated as a place, not just a street."

[Vicelord John]

Originally Posted by daveinthx

project looks to be called "the lofts @ hayden ferry", and is for a new 264 unit multi-family res dev with 4-story lofts on 3.7 acres, located at 260 e. Rio salado parkway.

ha

[ASUSunDevil]

Originally Posted by MegaBass

Tempe's University Drive to Get a Bike and Pedestrian Makeover in 2013

Wow. Great news for University. Happy to see Broadway and Hardy are getting makeovers in 2013 too. Tempe should be a destination similar to Austin, TX once Sun Devil Stadium is renovated and the remaining vacancy on Mill Ave. is filled.

[MegaBass]

New Bike-Friendly Beer Garden Coming to Tempe

Tempe-sians who like a little bicycle with their brats and booze will want to get their chainwheels checked before cruising down Mill Avenue in September. That's when the city's new bike-friendly beer garden, Handlebar & Grill, opens for business.
The concept comes from restaurateur Julian Wright, owner of two other Tempe venues: La Bocca Urban Pizzeria and Wine Bar and Canteen Modern Tequila Bar.

Located at 680 South Mill Ave (next door to Fat Tuesday) Handlebar will feature 24 craft beers on tap, a full bar, and German-inspired munchies like brats, sausages, fries, and Belgium pretzels.

And like any new restaurant preparing to open for business, Handlebar has already had a few challenges to address. For one, its name.

According to its Facebook page, Handlebar's pre-opening issues have included a pipe bursting open, the landlord rejecting the exterior sign, and the county health department saying hell no to plans for an outdoor kitchen.

Then there's the restaurants name, which, along with the concept, happens to be already taken by (whoops!) a place in Apache Junction. Not to worry though, Wright says he's worked it out with the owners and the Tempe Handlebar will keep its name.

When Handlebar does open in early September, it promises a "brewery meets urban loft" look with highlights like a 60-foot long indoor/outdoor bar, a 2,000 squre-foot and dog-friendly patio with hooks where customers can hang their bikes, and decor touches like reclaimed wood, brick, and white subway tile.

Take a video tour of Handlebar & Grill with owner Julian Wright below. Oh, and ignore the part about the outdoor cooking area. Ain't gonna happen.

[Tempe_Duck]

Speaking of new places on Mill. Has anyone seen the Bad Mother Cluckers on University next to the Old Chase bank. Seems like a really bad location. Looks to be a chicken place, anyone know anything else about it?

[Vicelord John]

I know it's the worst name for a restaurant I've ever heard and I hope it fails just for that reason.

[Leo the Dog]

Originally Posted by Vicelord John

I know it's the worst name for a restaurant I've ever heard and I hope it fails just for that reason.

The worst?. I'm going with Pink Taco. Funny and amusing if you're in 8th grade.

[Vicelord John]

Same type of play on words. I call it a tie.