Phoenix | The Whitney | 2** FT | 24 Floors

[combusean]

Downtown really has to be the employment center again, and it's just not. I don't think it's been that way since they completed the 101 around North Scottsdale, or maybe even earlier than that since 44th St grew up in the late 80s or so.

When you set up shop in Chandler or Tempe or even Gilbert you increase your workers' commute radius all the way to Pinal where college-educated young families are filling up the place

Those folks just do not seem to be buying homes somewhere near the 10 in the West Valley in any reasonable number anymore.

A comprehensive private, secular, nonprofit college out in like Buckeye or Avondale (or an ASU/UA/NAU campus that's not a wheezing afterthought like ASU West) would do wonders for pulling employers back to locating downtown. The percentage of people with college degrees for basically all West Valley cities are at or below the statewide average, and that's just not enough in the commute circle to build new Class AA towers in Downtown Phoenix.

[RMC]

Originally Posted by xymox

A deep pocketed 'steward' for the city is ultimately needed. Something with a strong vision and money to take risks on some projects. Like - build us a signature observation tower with giant phoenix on the top raising up in the sky that lights up red at night. Build some other signature buildings and put his companies in them. Its a shame that Carvana and the Garcia's prefer to spread out in the suburbs and would rather spread across 3-5 different smaller office buildings in Tempe vs building a signature building downtown. Maybe if Ishbia can get his entertainment district that could be the start of something as well. But someone like this needs to step up and help this city. Just like the former founders for Microsoft and Amazon did for Seattle.

Remember when there was a proposal for a high oil burner to stand tall and proud for the city? I'm so glad that thing never got built. It would be nice to add more angles and shape our tabletop skyline from box to angles, and hopefully over time with small dense canyons, with a few clusters of rise and drift. Like if Dallas and Seattle had a baby, that would make an ideal skyline for Phoenix.

[halicem]

Originally Posted by xymox

A deep pocketed 'steward' for the city is ultimately needed. Something with a strong vision and money to take risks on some projects. Like - build us a signature observation tower with giant phoenix on the top raising up in the sky that lights up red at night. Build some other signature buildings and put his companies in them. Its a shame that Carvana and the Garcia's prefer to spread out in the suburbs and would rather spread across 3-5 different smaller office buildings in Tempe vs building a signature building downtown. Maybe if Ishbia can get his entertainment district that could be the start of something as well. But someone like this needs to step up and help this city. Just like the former founders for Microsoft and Amazon did for Seattle.

Agree we need someone who loves the city... The closest one that to me is doing the work, albeit in a limited capacity, are the folks behind Pretty Decent Concepts. The concepts they're coming out with on the regular are very unique, gets national attention in the industry, and by and large have become drivers of activity -- the wildest one coming up is Astra. I'm jealous of the designers who basically seem to work with an unlimited budget from the looks of their newer concepts.

They also live downtown at CityScape iirc.