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Originally Posted by Spitfiredude
The site is along the lake. Clustered between the lake (south), Gilbert Dr/College Ave alignment/marina (west), freeway (north), and Hayden Harbor development (east).
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Technically, it doesn't border the lake. A piece of Hayden Habor is nestled between the two - and it would really suck if Tempe Town Lake Residential was built and Hayden Harbor built right up to that border with multi-story development given how much land they have.
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Originally Posted by PHYFLYER11
I was thinking the other night, we have Ash emerging as a hub of urban activity with some nice 3-4 story town homes, restaurants and senior living. Mill has long been the primary hub, but with the lakefront from Mill to Rural about to be nearly completed in the coming years, could Rio Salado bring urban develop to Rural road as a new corridor? Let me explain my reasoning.... - The athletic district will create new incentives for development that stretches along and past Rural road
- There is land available for development on the corners of Rural and Rio, especially when the athletic facilities are relocated or redone
- The district would be accessible from the University and Rural light rail station and hopefully the street car down Rio
- Lack of single family residences in the area to complain about building heights/density
- Remodel of Sun-Devil Stadium
I would love for Tempe to continue to think big and have Rural road from Rio Salado to University (or even Apache) designated as another urban area for the long term. My vision would start with a few more simple ideas: - Make Rural Rd. pedestrian-friendly from University LR station down to the Rural Rd. bridge. Add landscaping, green painted bike lanes, improve medians, maybe some diagonal on-street parking, brick sidewalks, improved streetlights, shade, etc
- Create another park on the bank of Town Lake under the useless, disgusting space beneath the power lines on the NE corner of Rio and Rural.
- Designate development for more student housing, condos and apartments in the area W of Rural Rd, essentially along Rural and around the stadium.
- Commission something unique to be built in the last remaining lot directly West of Rural on Rio Salado next to Marina Heights. Not sure what that would be, but it should be something very community oriented or public in nature. Ideas include Museum, more aquatic amenities, public pool/beach, outdoor amphitheater, etc.
Just an idea for a vision that takes us to the next 20-30 years after Mill, Ash and Rio are more fully developed that allows the continued urban growth of Tempe. I think it plays extremely well into the Athletic District vision.
I've always loved driving along the 202 and coming into Tempe, seeing the beach park along the lake. If something similar, but different could be done along Rural, it would really create an oasis in Tempe. |
I agree that more emphasis should be placed on Rural Road as an urban arterial. In the near future, it will have light rail, bus rapid transit, and street car all running along or through it in a very small, condensed area of the city.
In addition to carrying 3 modes of transportation, it's also the true N/S center of the city and is the major link between Tempe and Chandler and Scottsdale, and we're also seing urban development spreading as far east as Price Road. It would be great to start planning ahead and thinking about how roads like University, Broadway and Southern will develop from Rural > Price in the future.
I think a plan that extended from Curry through Baseline would be wise. Baseline/Rural has been designated as a hub for the Lakes region, Southern/Rural is home to the city's Library and Museum, Broadway is the major link to Fountainhead and the Buttes, Apache will only continue to grow, University > Rio Salado is part of the Stadium District, and Curry marks the transition into the south Scottdale area.
I think the road is extremely underdeveloped, especially the area around ASU, where there is mainly empty land and single-story, auto-oriented business. I hope the Golub towers on 8th eventually get built, as that would help the tone for development moving forward. I think Rural from Broadway to Rio Salado can handle a greater intensity of retail uses, but will need the increased residential density of towers like was being proposed to support it. Designating a certain area for such use will also help when it comes to making changes like adding parallel/diagonal parking, etc. 8th is also slated for a makeover to make it more pedestrian and retail-friendly, so with the LRT stop at its center, this would make a great centerpoint for Tempe.
It's too bad that the new ASU developments along Apache and Rural didn't use Vista del Sol as a model. Would've been great for all those new dorms to have had ground level uses, even if it was a mix of academic and retail. That, again, could've sparked some changes to the infrastructure and maybe led to lane reductions/parking or landscape buffers/and so on.
I see Rio/Rural as being kind of a hospitality gateway. I think one of the corners should definitely include a mixed use transit center for the future BRT and Streetcar with offices and residential. I think the parcel just east of Marina Heights need to be extemely pedestrian-focused and draw people onto the lake to take advantage of all the lake-fronting public amenities and retail. A large plaza with large lit signage showcasing the retail would be great, and there'd still be plenty of room for a signature development. A boutique hotel anchored by a state-of-the-art fitness center and museum dedicated to the Tempe sports HOF would be awesome.
University/Rural is more of the academic gateway with mixed use student housing, shopping, and classroom spaces that contain public components. Broadway/Rural could be a neighborhood gateway with more market rate housing and hopefully redeveloped neighborhood retail. Southern/Rural would be a civic gateway with the Museum, Library, and maybe a new park for that side of town, and galleries, etc. Housing would still be dense, but less high, and we'd see more townhome-type development in the area. Lastly, Baseline/Rural would be a commercial town center with heavy retail, midrise offices, retail with 1-2 stories of housing above fronting major streets, and dense townhomes on side streets.
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This is one time I'm hoping parking is above ground; I think, aesthetically, this needs to be at least 8 stories to give some levels and perspectives to Tempe. Everything right now is around the same height, so it looks entirely flat with some exceptions, of course.
It also lends itself to having the garage completely integrated, because they'll want the entrance facing Playa del Norte and amenities facing the lake directly. The setup of NorthShore is terrific in that regard, though the design and height are awful.
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