Phoenix Development News (3)

[Arquitect]

Originally Posted by SunDevil

It was the city's land no? Are you saying, contra to everything you've said before, that the property owner has no right to choose what to do with its property?

Don't feed the troll!

[RichTempe]

Here are some pics from yesterday of the construction at the YMCA and the Native American Connections site:

SWC of 2nd Ave & McKinley:












YMCA

[nickw252]

City of Grace Church — one of the largest Evangelical Christian churches in the Valley — has purchased the Historic First Presbyterian Church in downtown Phoenix for $3.75 million.

The 65,000-square-foot Presbyterian church building is at Monroe Street and Fourth Avenue in downtown Phoenix. It was built in 1927.

City of Grace already has campuses in Mesa and Scottsdale. It is the home church of former Arizona Cardinals quarter Kurt Warner and his family.

City of Grace will open a church at the downtown site and will begin regular services in January.

Officials from both churches could not be reached for comment Friday.

Monroe Street in downtown Phoenix used to be home to a number of churches.

The shell and some buildings of the empty First Baptist Church remain at 3rd Street and Monroe. St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Basilica is located on Monroe Street and 3rd Street.

City of Grace raised $1.25 million as part of a capital campaign to buy the downtown church and to make improvements to its Mesa campus.

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2012/11/09/big-evangelical-church-buys-downtown.html

[Vicelord John]

Here's to praying, no pun intended, they don't demolish it.

[Jjs5056]

Anyone been down to 7th and McDowell recently? I haven't seen the tenants on the north side moved in and, wow! What a difference a year made. Having grown up in New Jersey, streets like this are a dime a dozen, but this area gave me a very nice, quaint neighborhood feel. In spite of the suburbanized design of the south building, I think it's still quite apparent that you are in the heart of an older, historic place in Phoenix - a sense of neighborhood you just can't find many other places.

I hope something fun goes in above Habit Burger in the My Florist building. The lack of local or unique retail offerings really does stick out. One or two really interesting businesses will make that intersection truly sepcial.

Now, if they could just expand the north building eastward toward Central (and fill in that forsaken lot on McD and Central), add some signage that relates to the four-point historic intersection, add street parking, and develop a streetcar from the 51 westward to this area, I'll be a happy camper. I know, totally unrealistic.

While on the topic of unrealistic, I also think the intersection is missing that "next step" destination after eating. Sure, there's Sidebar, but something like a theatre, jazz bar, karaoke club, etc would really round out the mix. I know the neighbors would freak, but I think a small park with some live music would be incredible over there - in my dream world, replacing the Circle K on the NWC.

[nickw252]

Originally Posted by Jjs5056

I hope something fun goes in above Habit Burger in the My Florist building. The lack of local or unique retail offerings really does stick out. One or two really interesting businesses will make that intersection truly sepcial.

It's an office for Generated Materials Recovery on thesecond floor above Pot Belly's.

http://www.generated.net/html/locations.html

I really want housing to go on the empty east lot. There is already a shortage of parking for the lunch crowds so more restaurants would not be a good idea. Something like 3 floor townhouses with garages on the first floor and access from the back would be nice.

Now if only someone would develop the empty lot at the northeast corner of 15th and McDowell also. Townhouses would be great there too.

[westbev93]

The lot directly to the east of My Florist is already slated to be more restaurants. You won't see any housing unless they go back to rezone and get a new site plan approved. It's doubtful they would do that. Instead, you are going to see that same lot covered in gravel with the entitlements to build a new building to house two new restaurants. Parking is difficult there, but the bigger problem is that the intersection is saturated with restaurants. The one business I consistently used at that intersection (other than Circle K) was the Serna's drycleaner. But that has now closed up (I believe there is going to be a Liberty Tax or something like that going in). There are a few local offerings (Community Florist and Boutique Solie), but not a whole lot. However, as a resident of that area, I am less concerned with chain v. local than I am restaurant v. anything else I could use. I eat out a lot and even I think there are too many restaurants at the intersection.

15th Ave and McDowell used to have apartments and, I believe, it was already entitled for condos that never happened. So some residential could theoretically happen. But I would imagine that, before anyone did anything there, they would wait to see how the market responds to the rehabbed condos at 11th Ave. and McDowell. If those don't sell, nobody is going to dump money into condos/townhouses 4 blocks down the street. That work has been going forward, but there is no way they are going to be done by the end of the year as one optimistic project manager there thought.

[dtnphx]

Originally Posted by westbev93

The lot directly to the east of My Florist is already slated to be more restaurants. You won't see any housing unless they go back to rezone and get a new site plan approved. It's doubtful they would do that. Instead, you are going to see that same lot covered in gravel with the entitlements to build a new building to house two new restaurants. Parking is difficult there, but the bigger problem is that the intersection is saturated with restaurants. The one business I consistently used at that intersection (other than Circle K) was the Serna's drycleaner. But that has now closed up (I believe there is going to be a Liberty Tax or something like that going in). There are a few local offerings (Community Florist and Boutique Solie), but not a whole lot. However, as a resident of that area, I am less concerned with chain v. local than I am restaurant v. anything else I could use. I eat out a lot and even I think there are too many restaurants at the intersection.

15th Ave and McDowell used to have apartments and, I believe, it was already entitled for condos that never happened. So some residential could theoretically happen. But I would imagine that, before anyone did anything there, they would wait to see how the market responds to the rehabbed condos at 11th Ave. and McDowell. If those don't sell, nobody is going to dump money into condos/townhouses 4 blocks down the street. That work has been going forward, but there is no way they are going to be done by the end of the year as one optimistic project manager there thought.

From what I heard about a year ago from the brokers who had the lease on the northside of McDowell was that either a building built to look like the orginal was to face McDowell with parking in the rear, or that a larger restuarant like Ztejas or Paradise Bakery would go on the corner with parking between it and Habit Burger and a little behind. Seems as the though the later is probably going to happen before a look-alike historic building.

[Jjs5056]

There is a PDF somewhere deep within this thread that showed the plans for the eastern lot - essentially, what you described: an extension, "replica" of the portion that already exists (with brick facade, and so on).

While the inauthentic design would suck, I would rather street-fronting retail with parking in the rear vs. 1 large restaurant dumped in the corner. I do like the idea of townhouses, too, as improbable as it may be.

Also, to clarify my earlier post, I definitely agree that any new tenants should be services (such as a dry-cleaner), or non-restaurant retail (such as a music venue, hardware store, etc.). One more sandwich shop, and I'll cry.

[HooverDam]

Originally Posted by Jjs5056

. One more sandwich shop, and I'll cry.

I wouldnt mind another sandwich shop if the existing shops weren't so redundant. Two burger joints at the same price point that are nearly indistinguishable. Two sandwich shops already, though they're a bit more different than the burger places are.

My girlfriend and I go to that corner a lot and before all the tenants moved in we were hoping for something like a Wildflower/Paradise Bakery/Cafe Zupas. Speaking of that, have any of you been to Cafe Zupas? Its on 20th St/Camelback, for a cheap chain place its quite good. They have some crazy delicious soups.

I was really hoping for a bar above Potbelly's. That space even has a small back patio, it would've had an awesome view of Midtown. Tough perhaps the neighbors along Almeria would've fought that. I wish the "My Florist" sign was illuminated.

I too hope that whenever the new development happens on the empty lot that we get some diversity, more than just restaurants. A hardware store is needed in the area, though I worry that something like that would take up that entire lot. I'm hoping for at least 2 tenants there, maybe that have slightly different hours to keep the corner activated.

It'd be amazing to get a butcher/meat shop there but those are few and far between. But something like Hobe Meats, Schreiner's Fine Sausage or The Pork Shop would be freakin' amazing and really help give that 'neighborhood' feel.

[HooverDam]

Does anyone know whats going on with that old Circle K building just north of the Vig Uptown? It looks like its getting a ton of work done it. I hope its something cool, that corner has really become awesome.

[Vicelord John]

I can't picture an old circle k building north of vig uptown

[HooverDam]

Originally Posted by Vicelord John

I can't picture an old circle k building north of vig uptown

Here you go, an out of date shot from Google Maps:



Vig on the right, a Circle K building on the left (north). It wasn't a Circle K in this shot, but it has all the tell tale signs that it was a Circle K at some point.

[PHX31]

I think it was an old 7-eleven, given the architecture.

According to the permitting for the address on the City of Phoenix's website, it looks like it will become "Everything Bagels".

[HooverDam]

Bagels sounds good to me! That corner is already awesome, a bagel/breakfast place would be a good addition.

[Vicelord John]

a bagel shop in a jewish neighborhood... great idea.

[Don B.]

16th and Bethany is a Jewish neighborhood? And here I thought it was just heavily gay...this is just one mile down the street from Homo Heights, where I live.

Actually there's a synagogue around somewhere because I've seen Orthodox Jews along 16th Street walking to or from services. I biked past some of them just last week.

--don

[Vicelord John]

There are 3-4 synagogues within 2 miles of that intersection.

[Jjs5056]

I know most of you have seen this, but here is the PDF I was referencing that shows the new building as an exact replica of the existing structure. While I'd prefer something more modern to contrast (leaving aside the fact that a replica will certainly cheapen the actual older building), I do like the feature/accent on the far east.
http://www.lawrenceandgeyser.com/7th-Mcdowell-Brochure.pdf

A shame there aren't many strips like these with an additional story atop with apartments. Especially given the retail mix which doesn't contain any loud/nightlife options, it would give some more height and just a bit more density/foot traffic to the area.

[nickw252]