Quote:
Originally Posted by PHX31
I typically agree with your take on a lot of things JJS, but with this, you're crazy!
Go to any of the existing residential developments in downtown Scottsdale (how about the original Optima). I bet you spend 30 minutes until you even see 1 person leave the building and "interact with the City".
Now go to any of the similar ASU buildings downtown (how about the Cronkite School of Journalism). I bet you see a ton of people interacting with the city and milling about, walking places, going to and from Light rail, other ASU buildings, the Rec Center, Public Market, etc. etc.
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Context.
![Smilie](images/smilies/smile.gif)
If you put those same residential developments in the built environment of downtown Phoenix instead, where there is more cultural and recreational amenities within a smaller imprint, people might behave differently. It's okay, though. I'm not saying ASU is a bad thing (though I think their designs have been poor). I'm just saying other cities are attracting new development, while Phoenix has been attracting redevelopment and adaptive reuse, making it all the more important to preserve what's left.
The Welnick Bros. warehouse on Van Buren is a perfect example. That was slated for demolition in 2006/2007 for the Calder Tower project. Thankfully, they never got as far as a demolition permit, because the project failed to get off the ground, and now - after being abandoned for over a decade - the warehouse is being restored to its former glory and will be a retail/restaurant marketplace. And, WVB is much more desolate and risky of an investment than the Warehouse District, IMO.
In Phoenix development news (so that this is somewhat on topic):
1) It looks like something might be happening on 4th Ave/McKinley. A site plan review for the project was scheduled, but canceled, so I don't know any details. Something like the Lofts at McKinley just west of the lot would be great (but condos or market rate rentals instead).
2) In addition, the community is gathering feedback to present to the City to encourage them to issue an RFP for the two city-owned lots just east between 2nd and 3rd Avenues:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/23mckinleyrfp
3) Portland on the Park is set to break ground March 25th; the adjacent hotel is slated to open this fall.
4) 2 proposals were submitted for Portland/2nd Street - 1 was selected and is moving forward with City agreements... the 2 proposals were a 3-story condo complex and a containers project
5) More in-depth look at the recommendations for the Pappas School site:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2w...NVE1PUmxv/view
6) 4-story condos at 2nd Street/Moreland are slated to break ground in April
TakeFive - the growth in Tempe was absolutely expected and was occurring well before the State Farm announcement. Tempe has the largest, most vibrant, walkable downtown business district of any city in metro Phoenix, immediately adjacent to one of the largest university campuses in the country, with a recreational and aesthetic amenity in its center that nowhere else can offer (Tempe Town Lake). It has convenient access to multiple modes of mass transit (light rail and great local bus system and circulators), with plans to add even more (streetcar). It was perfectly suited to attract investment catered toward the young professional market, as well as to attract more and more businesses that want to leverage the proximity to a talent base like ASU. The hotels and retail that followed were just an inevitable spinoff of this growth. Tempe was a hot market during the boom, and picked up right where it left off during this most recent cycle.