Originally Posted by Jjs5056
I can't wait to drive down Apache in a year or so and see the amazing transformation from Mill down to McClintock with The Villas at Vista, Vista del Sol, Barrett Honors, Vue, District, Grove, Gracie's and Grigio.
As this corridor continues to attract more and more residential development, I was wondering what your thoughts were on trying to bring more uses; some of these have retail components (though largely unoccupied- hopefully, places like the Grigio will fill up once additional residents are brought to the area as that is highly visible space so I'm surprised that it's remained that way for so long), but for the most part, Apache has been redeveloped solely through residential projects. Is that because of the economy and demand currently for rentals, or a part of Apache's identity?
Do you think the Apache corridor should have more diversity, and attract retail, office, hotel, etc. to the mix and become its own district/neighborhood? Or, shoud it focus on being an urban residential district that feeds into our downtown via transit? I don't think there is one right answer, but I was interested in hearing opinions of more educated folks.
I think that, even if the focus continues to be bringing residential projects along the corridor, the city and developers need to focus on a few things to ensure we take full advantage of its potential.
1) Retail - regardless of whether we think Apache needs projects with space for department stores, smaller stores like Target or clothing stores, etc., I do think that future residential projects need to incorporate at least some retail components in order to make the corridor as sustainable as possible and promote walking, and so on. Additionally, I think sidewalk cafes and the like would go a long way in creating an active streetscape and brigning life to the corridor and promoting east-west/west-east movement and exploration.
2) Streetscaping/landscaping - none of the above will be successful if people have to walk from McClintock to Rural in 125 degree weather, unless the city and developers get serious and innovative with shade and landscaping. From an aesthetic standpoint, the corridor is already overpowered by large amounts of gray in the exteriors of most buildings, so it could really use a little life and color in the landscaping at least. From a functionality standpoint, there's no question- shade is a must in order for this corridor to work as a dense TOD neighborhood.
3) Market rate living - While student housing is important, in demand and inevitable given the proximity to ASU, Apache and Tempe in general need to start developing some rentals that cater toward a slightly older and more affluent resident who has disposable income that can help boost the local economy; a corridor of low-income housing for seniors, the deaf and students will not be making a vibrant scene, nor will it allow for any retail to be successful.
4) Public spaces - With this influx of residents, the city needs to start thinking about providing some amenities that are typical of neighborhoods, in my opinion. Sure, depending on where the project falls on the Blvd, it is already part of a neighborhood that likely has parks and green space, but the corridor really has an identity of its own. While we may end up deciding it should be a 'feeder' in to downtown, some amenities nearby wouldn't cannabilize Mill, but would make Apache more appealing. There are still so many empty lots that make the street seem just as seedy once was. If any of these are city-owned, I'd love to see the create a small public park for all of these residents to enjoy. Doing so would also bring some traffic from non-residents, as currently, there isn't much reason to walk own there isn't much of a reason to venture down that way. Maybe a dog park or something similar that brings greenery and community together.
Anyway, yet another long post has come to conclusion. As the economy has picked back up, it has been obvious that Apache is getting much of the attention when it comes to development in Tempe. While we'd all love to see luxury condo towers near Mill, for now, it looks like we'll have to settle for some market-rate midrises along the Apache corridor. If that's the case, I think it's important to discuss what the 'right' course is for development, since the corridor is essentially starting from scratch. Let's hope they do it right and that whichever path they choose, Apache complements and co-exists with Mill/downtown, rather than take away.
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