ASU/UofA Downtown Phoenix construction thread

[nickw252]

Not much to see yet.



Y:

[HX_Guy]

Wow I can't believe I haven't seen the Y in person...any of the construction at all actually, haven't been downtown during the day in that long.

[HX_Guy]

Dorm at ASU’s downtown Phoenix campus overbooked

Associated Press
Fri Aug 2, 2013 4:59 PM
PHOENIX — Arizona State University officials say its downtown Phoenix dormitory is overbooked.

They say less than 90 students still don’t have rooms at Taylor Place, but they will be housed at the Westin Hotel until bed space becomes available.

The hotel is adjacent to ASU’s downtown campus.

It’s the first time in the dorm’s five-year history that it will be at maximum occupancy.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/p...verbooked.html

[phxSUNSfan]

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

Dorm at ASU’s downtown Phoenix campus overbooked

Associated Press
Fri Aug 2, 2013 4:59 PM
PHOENIX — Arizona State University officials say its downtown Phoenix dormitory is overbooked. They say less than 90 students still don’t have rooms at Taylor Place, but they will be housed at the Westin Hotel until bed space becomes available.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/p...verbooked.html

Those kids get to live at the Westin!?! Nice! Also good to hear the dorms are at capacity. Sounds like they need to build another dorm. I wonder how Roosevelt Point is doing?

[Leo the Dog]

Originally Posted by phxSUNSfan

Those kids get to live at the Westin!?! Nice! Also good to hear the dorms are at capacity. Sounds like they need to build another dorm. I wonder how Roosevelt Point is doing?

I remember in the late 90s that Boston Univ kids got to live in the old Howard Johnson hotel in Kenmore Sq due to overcrowding. They loved it bc they got daily housekeeping service.

Since then, BU built really awesome high rises on the river to accommodate the housing demand. Perhaps ASU will do the same.

[nickw252]

I drove down 7th St yesterday and noticed the Cancer Center has started going vertical. Looks like an elevator core is up to about the second floor.

[Arquitect]

Originally Posted by Leo the Dog

I remember in the late 90s that Boston Univ kids got to live in the old Howard Johnson hotel in Kenmore Sq due to overcrowding. They loved it bc they got daily housekeeping service.

Since then, BU built really awesome high rises on the river to accommodate the housing demand. Perhaps ASU will do the same.

The original design of Taylor Place was three towers, but the last one was held-off unit there was a greater demand for dorms in the area. A smart move if you as me, since most students that were going to the Downtown campus were not wanting to live there. I am sure with this great change in demand, ASU will probably begin the development of the third an final tower.

[Arquitect]

Originally Posted by phxSUNSfan

Those kids get to live at the Westin!?! Nice! Also good to hear the dorms are at capacity. Sounds like they need to build another dorm. I wonder how Roosevelt Point is doing?

From what I heard from the people there, they are actually filling up a lot quicker than even they expected. Early last week they said they were around 70% capacity. They were also surprised that most of the people wanting to live there were not students. There are a bunch of 1 bedroom and studio units that are being rented out by people that just want to live downtown.

Out of all of the student housing projects opening up in the valley this month, this is the one that is built with the most foresight. It can very easily be remarketed as a regular apartment complex without having to do many changes.

[HooverDam]

I hope this over booking of Taylor Place incident will get ASU to look back into building Taylor Place phase 3. I wouldn't want the Valley Youth Theater building demolished, but a TP3 could easily be designed around it.


Also, I was talking with someone the other day about how someday I hope the Westward Ho is reverted to a hotel. He said "I wouldn't be surprised to see it become part of Dr Crows ASU Downtown empire, maybe as dorms." Which I thought was an interesting idea.

I'd prefer it be a hotel, but it could be an interesting educational building, somewhat similar to Pitts tower. Space on the lower floors that was once ballrooms and meeting spaces could be converted to classroom space and eateries. The rooms would likely be nicer (certainly have nicer views) and perhaps be set aside for upper class-men and honors students. Maybe the old Arizona room upstairs (that glass in area) could become a major lecture hall for not only ASU lectures, but community engaging lectures as well.

An interesting idea anyhow, that would certainly help activate the building more than it is in its current state.

[phxSUNSfan]

Originally Posted by HooverDam

Also, I was talking with someone the other day about how someday I hope the Westward Ho is reverted to a hotel. He said "I wouldn't be surprised to see it become part of Dr Crows ASU Downtown empire, maybe as dorms." Which I thought was an interesting idea.

I'd prefer it be a hotel, but it could be an interesting educational building, somewhat similar to Pitts tower.

The Westward Ho would make an awesome educational tower. The PITT tower is called the Cathedral of Learning. It is 42 floors and a beautiful, historic gem like the Westward Ho. But yes, remaking the Westward Ho into a hotel would be the absolute best outcome IMO. That building deserves to be cleaned up and used in a way that allows it to be more open to the public.

[Jjs5056]

Originally Posted by phxSUNSfan

The Westward Ho would make an awesome educational tower. The PITT tower is called the Cathedral of Learning. It is 42 floors and a beautiful, historic gem like the Westward Ho. But yes, remaking the Westward Ho into a hotel would be the absolute best outcome IMO. That building deserves to be cleaned up and used in a way that allows it to be more open to the public.

Yes.

Imagine a revitalized hotel up top, and all of that retail on the ground floor occupied, connecting to the bars on the north? Would be a great organic extension of the happenings on Roosevelt and the neighborhoods to the south on 5th, 4th and 3rd.

[HooverDam]

Also keep in mind that under Central Ave was once a tunnel that lead to an underground bowling alley (under the lot bounded by Fillmore/Pierce Centeral/1st st). I think ASU owns that parcel, which its currently using for parking. But I'd love to see that underground space revitalized and used as an amenity for students but something also open to the public.

A bowling alley would be cool, but Im sure Lucky Strike wouldn't like that and we probably need to be careful about cannibalizing downtown businesses. A Barcade would be cool, being at the Art Museums "Art of Video Games" exhibit last night and getting to play tons of old arcade games like NBA Jam, Galaga, Rampage, etc. made me want one even more. Combine that with booze and it seems like a sure fire kinda place that would appeal to all the young people in the area.

[phxSUNSfan]

Originally Posted by HooverDam

Also keep in mind that under Central Ave was once a tunnel that lead to an underground bowling alley (under the lot bounded by Fillmore/Pierce Centeral/1st st). I think ASU owns that parcel, which its currently using for parking. But I'd love to see that underground space revitalized and used as an amenity for students but something also open to the public.

The tunnel was destroyed and filled in when they added the light rail tracks. The underground space under the lot does still exist. A camera was lowered into the space by New Times staff in 2010/2011. There was an article about the bowling alley and tunnel in a 2003 Republic article. I am still trying to find it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQVWkbsPsD4

EDIT: I found some articles about the Gold Spot Bowling Alley:
http://vanishingphx.downtowndevil.co...bowling-alley/
http://www.uer.ca/forum_showthread.a...threadid=45246
http://www.phoenixmag.com/lifestyle/...s-of-the-city/

Something interesting, I found photos about the abandoned tunnel under the Deck Park: http://microapp.phoenixnewtimes.com/...itproject.html

US Parking Systems owns the lot across from campus on Fillmore. The university owns the parking lot next to the Cronkite building.

[Jjs5056]

I've been to the Barcade in Jersey City, which is a city directly across the river from NYC that's been revitalized in recent years, and it was a lot of fun. I could definitely see it doing well in that area, or a bit northwest/closer to Roosevelt. Would be great to have a cluster of entertainment options around FilmBar or The Nash.

[Jjs5056]

Does that parking lot have any hope of being developed? I'm not sure a high rise makes the most sense, but can't help but I'd like to see at least a portion of it filled with high rise residential to try and fill in the skyline gap. Nervous a highrise would mean a megablock development and we'd get service/garage entrances on Central instead of retail complementing that existing strip of bars.

[phxSUNSfan]

Originally Posted by Jjs5056

Does that parking lot have any hope of being developed? I'm not sure a high rise makes the most sense, but can't help but I'd like to see at least a portion of it filled with high rise residential to try and fill in the skyline gap. Nervous a highrise would mean a megablock development and we'd get service/garage entrances on Central instead of retail complementing that existing strip of bars.

It might be developed as part of ASU's expansion but I'm not sure. The university has plenty of land for development in the immediate future so that lot might remain for quite some time.

[PHX31]

The ASU Downtown Post Office Student Engagement Project is finished. Actually, it finished a few months ago, but I missed it. Here are the finished photos in case anyone else didn't see them.


https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...5094348&type=1

I think it's a great addition for downtown and the ASU downtown campus. It's cool that an old building is getting this new additional purpose and the fact that it transitions into the park is perfect.

[MegaBass]

The view of Downtown Phoenix from the new rooftop pool at the Y@ASU fitness center.

[Arquitect]

Originally Posted by MegaBass

The view of Downtown Phoenix from the new rooftop pool at the Y@ASU fitness center.

That is a really nice view. Not a bad place to lounge by the pool.

[RichTempe]

Originally Posted by phxSUNSfan

The tunnel was destroyed and filled in when they added the light rail tracks. The underground space under the lot does still exist. A camera was lowered into the space by New Times staff in 2010/2011. There was an article about the bowling alley and tunnel in a 2003 Republic article. I am still trying to find it.

I've walked by that lot at night and the space under the sidewalks on Central and Pierce is lit up. I've been by there at different times and sometimes the lights are on and others not. Here are some pics I took tonight around 10:30.

Looking west along Pierce:


Looking south on Central: