Southwest Coffee Talk

[HooverDam]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

Glad to see you're on MyPlanPHX. I'm posting a lot there under David B45, the user name the system arbitrarily assigned to me.

I kinda like that the site is making people use their first name/last initial and that most folks are using actual pictures of themselves. The slightly decreased anonymity seems to be creating a somewhat more pleasant environment of civility.

EDIT: VV Haha yah I don't know. I think I'm Will N7, there certainly weren't 6 other Will N's before me. Could I be the 7th overall person to register and you the 45th?

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by HooverDam

I kinda like that the site is making people use their first name/last initial and that most folks are using actual pictures of themselves. The slightly decreased anonymity seems to be creating a somewhat more pleasant environment of civility.

I agree. I just wonder how the number is determined. I though maybe it was a comment about my age as in "David be 45." That's not too far from the truth since I just turned 47.

[combusean]

I think the lumping in of Phoenix and Scottsdale together comes from two things: a serious identity crisis for Phoenix proper and Scottsdale being known more as a targeted resort/shopping destination in those circles and Phoenix area-establishments trying to steal that cachet. So it's worse than elevating Scottsdale to twin-city status with Phoenix, it's more like elevating Phoenix to twin-city status with Scottsdale.

I was actually talking to somebody in SF who had recently stayed in Phoenix and he could have sworn the Biltmore was in Scottsdale because it was that close to Fashion Square.

[HooverDam]

Hey boys and girls.....well I guess its just boys around here....

there's a "My Plan PHX" meeting tonight! In fact, there's 2. Won't you please attend? I think it would be well worth your time.

Here's the info:
What: PlanPHX with Mayor Stanton & Councilman Simplot
When: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 26
Where: Valley Garden Center - 1809 North 15th Avenue


What: PlanPHX with Councilman Valenzuela & Councilman Gates
When: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 26
Where: Royal Palm Middle School - 8520 N. 19th Avenue

I'll be at the one at the Valley Garden Center, because hey- the Mayor will be there! So if you want a chance to potential meet the Mayor and one of our most pro urban Councilmen (Simplot), I'd recommend coming out.

Sometimes they have cookies and such at these things...so yah. Come on out. If you do, say hi to me.

[Jjs5056]

Please continue to let us know of upcoming events, if possible! Would have loved to have attended with some advanced notice (not intended to be a dig at you- certainly not your responsibility to inform us).

Were you the one who Tweeted the mayor about moving HQ's downtown? If so, I hope you had the chance to follow up and/or grill him on the topic!

[HooverDam]

Originally Posted by Jjs5056

Please continue to let us know of upcoming events, if possible! Would have loved to have attended with some advanced notice (not intended to be a dig at you- certainly not your responsibility to inform us).

Were you the one who Tweeted the mayor about moving HQ's downtown? If so, I hope you had the chance to follow up and/or grill him on the topic!

I was. I didnt mention that to him tonight, as I took his answer as satisfactory I guess. Its hard to know what to bring up to the Mayor. I have a zillion ideas for this City, so trying to choose what to focus on when you have him for a second is a tough call.

Regarding upcoming MyPlanPHX events, local awesome dude Jim McPherson made this Google Map. So you can see when there's one near you that is convenient:

https://www.google.com/maps/ms?msid=...59098,1.326599

And here's just a list of the events:
http://phoenix.gov/webcms/groups/int...ent/085739.pdf

[Phxguy]

http://www.newgeography.com/content/...mmuting-using-latest-census-data

It's interesting to see Phoenix actually be listed in the 10 top for bicycle usage.

Every city out there seems to be vying to be the bike friendliest city in the world. Yet bicycling has yet to make much of an impact on commuting. Only 7 out of 51 large metros even post 1% mode share for cycling:

Row Geography 2011




1. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
23,941 (2.3%)

2. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
38,419 (1.9%)

3. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
16,013 (1.9%)

4. Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville, CA
15,804 (1.8%)

5. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
8,847 (1.0%)

6. New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA
5,307 (1.0%)

7.Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ
18,007 (1.0%)

8. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
15,949 (0.9%)

9. Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO
12,052 (0.9%)

10. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, C

50,080 (0.9%)

[HooverDam]

Originally Posted by Phxguy

http://www.newgeography.com/content/...mmuting-using-latest-census-data

It's interesting to see Phoenix actually be listed in the 10 top for bicycle usage.

Every city out there seems to be vying to be the bike friendliest city in the world. Yet bicycling has yet to make much of an impact on commuting. Only 7 out of 51 large metros even post 1% mode share for cycling:

Row Geography 2011




1. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
23,941 (2.3%)

2. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
38,419 (1.9%)

3. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
16,013 (1.9%)

4. Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville, CA
15,804 (1.8%)

5. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
8,847 (1.0%)

6. New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA
5,307 (1.0%)

7.Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ
18,007 (1.0%)

8. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
15,949 (0.9%)

9. Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO
12,052 (0.9%)

10. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, C

50,080 (0.9%)

I've never understood why "bicycle commuting" is always looked at as sort of the be all and end all metric about where is a good place to bike or not. It reminds me of pre "Moneyball" baseball statistics, its just a lazy way to quantify information.

What about how often people bike to the park, or to dinner, or to a friends house? I do those things more often than I bike commute to work (though I do that too). While ones commute is general the longest trip you take each day, its usually not the only one. If we can get people thinking about taking bikes to dinner, to go shopping, to a friends, to the football game, etc. that will be a huge leap.

[HooverDam]

Who's that handsome fellow on Channel 12 trying to save the David Wright House?

http://www.azcentral.com/video/1876363392001

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by HooverDam

Who's that handsome fellow on Channel 12 trying to save the David Wright House?

http://www.azcentral.com/video/1876363392001

Nice job, Hoover. Glad to see local TV news has taken a break from their usual obsession with weather, crime, & traffic to cover this issue. I guess one upside of quitting your bad job is a little time for worthwhile community activities like this one. Thanks for being out there.

[Don B.]

Rode 12 miles on my new bicycle yesterday morning, than ran and hiked last night.



--don

[HooverDam]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

Nice job, Hoover. Glad to see local TV news has taken a break from their usual obsession with weather, crime, & traffic to cover this issue. I guess one upside of quitting your bad job is a little time for worthwhile community activities like this one. Thanks for being out there.

Yup, I figured I could email out resumes while sitting in my car just as easily as while sitting at home watching Judge Judy.

Here's the local CBS story/video:

http://t.co/rx5wFH0a

Here's the national CBS video which was on todays morning programming:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_1...lition-threat/

[Vicelord John]

Originally Posted by Don B.

Rode 12 miles on my new bicycle yesterday morning, than ran and hiked last night.



--don

if you ever start a strava account to track your bike rides/hikes, etc. follow me on there and I'll return the favor.

[nickw252]

Originally Posted by HooverDam

Who's that handsome fellow on Channel 12 trying to save the David Wright House?

http://www.azcentral.com/video/1876363392001

Good job raising awareness. It's sickening that someone is so dead set on tearing down such an architecturally significant building. If this were Chicago there would be riots in the streets if someone wanted to tear down the Robie House to build some McMansions.

[HooverDam]

This is today:
http://grandavephoenix.com/grand-avenue-festival/

I'll be helping guide the 8am tour of some historic buildings, there are also tours at 10 and 12. There's a free film screening and free events all day, come on down and see how Grand Ave is coming along :-)

[PHX31]

Interesting. Too bad you aren't guiding the 10 am tour as well, I can make that one.

[nickw252]

Originally Posted by HooverDam

This is today:
http://grandavephoenix.com/grand-avenue-festival/

I'll be helping guide the 8am tour of some historic buildings, there are also tours at 10 and 12. There's a free film screening and free events all day, come on down and see how Grand Ave is coming along :-)

Yesterday I saw a bunch of boxed palo verdes in the stone lot at the Roosevelt, Grand, and 15th intersection. Were those for the festival?

[HooverDam]

Originally Posted by nickw252

Yesterday I saw a bunch of boxed palo verdes in the stone lot at the Roosevelt, Grand, and 15th intersection. Were those for the festival?

I don't know! I had to work the rest of the day, so I did the 8am tour until 10am and then had to be off. So I wasn't really hip to the rest of the goings on.

[nickw252]

After only two weeks on the market, the historic Phoenix home designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright is in escrow to be sold to an anonymous buyer for $2.38 million.

Robert Joffe, the home’s listing agent, told me late Wednesday afternoon that the buyer has opted to remain anonymous until the cash deal closes, at which time such information will become public record. Joffe, owner of the Joffe Group and an agent of Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty, is listing the home pro bono. It was unclear as to how long the escrow process may take, he said.

Click here to see photos from inside the home.

The most important thing, Joffe said, is that the buyer fully intends to preserve the 2,500-square-foot home in the Arcadia neighborhood.

“The buyer is absolutely the perfect type of buyer we’re looking for,” Joffe said. “My belief is that they’re going to honor the house and restore and preserve it the way it is intended to be.”

The home has been a source of contentious debate on the local and national stages in recent weeks after the seller’s initial plans to demolish the house sparked a public outcry among historic preservationists and architecture purists.

The concrete home was built in 1952 for Wright’s son David and daughter-in-law Gladys.

It was purchased in June by local development company 8081 Meridian LLC, which was trying to act on the demolition permit it had received from the city before the expiration date this month. After sparking the public uproar, Meridian put the house on the market for the exact price that is now in escrow with the anonymous buyer.

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/n...n-phoenix.html

Excellent news!

[PHX31]

Originally Posted by HooverDam

This is today:
http://grandavephoenix.com/grand-avenue-festival/

I'll be helping guide the 8am tour of some historic buildings, there are also tours at 10 and 12. There's a free film screening and free events all day, come on down and see how Grand Ave is coming along :-)

Hoover, what is the status of the O.S. Stapley Hardware building? If you gave tours of it, there must be some new developments regarding its sale or restoration. Any news?