Southwest Coffee Talk

[phxbyrd]

The minority suppliers convention is proof of nothing. They are a usual suspects group and it's a political decision. When a-political groups that aren't hispanic, or minority or immigration or liberal or labor oriented start canceling then it will prove something but that hasn't happened yet. I also wonder about that 7,000 attendees figure. It's not typical for a show that big to be moved on short notice and into the high season in Florida. Where would they have an opening in the fall? Would a major conservative show be able to up and move to Phoenix in Feburary if the decision we made in October, most likely not.

[dtnphx]

Originally Posted by PHX NATIVE 929

For your satisfaction, perhaps I should chime in on the height of tower cranes more often?

Yes, maybe you should, Nancy.

[Leo the Dog]

Originally Posted by Don B.

^ All of that is great, but if there's no money to make it happen, it won't.

I was confident that Phoenix was going to emerge from this horrific recession by this year. Now, I'm not so sure, especially when stuff like this is continuing to happen:

--don

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articl...ions-rise.html

Ariz. records gain in state tax collections

May. 27, 2010 05:10 PM
Associated Press

Arizona's budget has been in the crisis mode for about two years now but legislative budget analysts are reporting some good news.

The Joint Legislative Budget Committee staff reported Thursday that April saw the first year-over-year gain in monthly tax collections since September 2007, with a 4.1 percent increase above the April 2009 level.

The analysts call that "evidence of the stabilization of the economy" along with April's increase in sales tax collections over a year earlier. That ends 26 months of year-over-year reduced sales tax collections.

The analysts also say the projection for a $150 million budget shortfall at the June 30 end of the current fiscal year could be smaller than anticipated and even possibly eliminated.

Good news, maybe AZ is starting to turn the corner with higher tax revenue coming in for the first time in years.

[Don B.]

^ Or it could be a "dead-cat bounce." The answer is no one really knows for sure.

If this trend continues for several more months, then perhaps we have, in fact, turned the corner. But I'm not ready to bust out the party balloons just yet.

I can report that our revenue in the lawyer referral service is up significantly the last two months (our nadir was in February), so I take that as a positive sign. May is looking really good as well.

--don

[PhxPavilion]

Originally Posted by PHX NATIVE 929

Wow. Excellent point... except I wasn't debating with Michael Moore, didn't lie about him, and didn't run from the comment. Other than that, your analysis is spot on....

Loads of intellectual giants on this board.

You weren't debating with Moore but you were insulting him, you are lying (uninformed opinions are not fact) and you are being a great big douche. Since you love to throw around libbies as some sort of attempt at an insult while insinuating we're all dumb that must make you a repuke right? I'll add a charlatan to that as well.

[PHX NATIVE 929]

Originally Posted by PhxPavilion

You weren't debating with Moore but you were insulting him, you are lying (uninformed opinions are not fact) and you are being a great big douche. Since you love to throw around libbies as some sort of attempt at an insult while insinuating we're all dumb that must make you a repuke right? I'll add a charlatan to that as well.

Opinions are lies? Keep reaching, libbie.

I don't need to insinuate that you're dumb. Your posts speak for themselves.

[Buckeye Native 001]

You all do realize that debating PHX NATIVE 929 is the only reason he keeps coming back here, right?

Here's a wonderful idea: Fucking ignore him, and maybe he'll go away.

[Vicelord John]

Why do people who argue politics always call out each others beliefs?

LIBBY! RIGHT WINGER!!

Saying those things doesn't really prove a point. It's like calling a black person a nigger, it just states the obvious and provides nothing constructive to the argument nor does it state what your point actually is.

The next time someone argues politics with me and calls me a libby as an attempt to prove their point, I'm not going to respond. lol

[PhxPavilion]

Originally Posted by PHX NATIVE 929

Opinions are lies? Keep reaching, libbie.

I don't need to insinuate that you're dumb. Your posts speak for themselves.

LOL, denial is not a river in Egypt.

[Leo the Dog]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/...ex.html?hpt=C2

Not so fast, Pisa! UAE lays claim to world's furthest leaning tower
By the CNN Wire Staff
June 6, 2010 8:45 a.m. EDT

The Capital Gate building has been deliberately engineered to slant.
Capital Gate building leans nearly five times farther than Leaning Tower of Pisa
It is deliberately engineered to lean
UAE also home to world's tallest skyscraper Chalk another record to the United Arab Emirates' collection.
The Capital Gate building in the desert kingdom's capital, Abu Dhabi, has been certified by Guinness World Records as the "World's Furthest Leaning Man-made Tower."
How far does it lean? Nearly five times farther than the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy.
The 35-story Abu Dhabi building has an 18-degree slope, compared with four degrees for the freestanding bell tower.
But unlike the tower in Pisa, the Capital Gate building has been deliberately engineered to slant.
The floor plates are stacked vertically up to the 12th floor, after which they are staggered over each other by between 300 mm to 1,400 mm -- giving the tower its lean, the owners said.
More CNN news in Arabic
"It is a signature building which speaks to the foresight of the emirate," said Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon al Nahyan, the chairman of the building's owner, Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company.
The mixed-use building will be ready for occupancy at the end of the year. It is featured in a new National Geographic documentary, called "Megastructures."
In January, Dubai -- one of seven emirates that make up the UAE -- unveiled the world's tallest skyscraper: the $1.5 billion, 160-story Burj Khalifa, which has a height of more than 800 meters (2,625 ft).

I think this is pretty cool and its only 35 floors, perfect for Phoenix.

[Leo the Dog]

Monsoon 2010 made an appearance:

First sprinkles in the city of Phx last night. Dewpoints in the mid-50's. If we go by the true/old indicator of the start of Monsoon season of three consecutive days of a dewpoint of 55 degrees or higher, then we are almost there.

[HooverDam]

So going on this long comedy road trip Im on has been a lot of fun (and tiring) but depressing in the way that seeing other cities downtowns really makes me realize how far behind ours is. Phoenix must have the least amount of park, mall and general civic open space of any large city. Its absolutely pathetic, I love the new Civic Space Park, but its on the far North end of the CBD and its just not enough.

Im even more convinced now than I was before that the lot bounded by Wash/Jeff and 1st St/2nd St should become a city square/park in lieu of a (likely never to happen) CityScape phase. With clubs on one side, office and restaurants on the East and West and an arena to the South it could make for a great active Central Square. If the Hanji hotel ever happens to the Southwest and the lot directly west of USAC fill up, it would become really special.

Of the large cities we've stopped in so far Des Moines, Omaha and Denver all have probably better downtowns than Phx. So far only ABQ falls short of Phoenix. Up next are Chicago and St Louis which I've been too and I know Phoenix will fall far short by those measuring sticks.

/end moping

[Leo the Dog]

Originally Posted by HooverDam

So going on this long comedy road trip Im on has been a lot of fun (and tiring) but depressing in the way that seeing other cities downtowns really makes me realize how far behind ours is. Phoenix must have the least amount of park, mall and general civic open space of any large city. Its absolutely pathetic, I love the new Civic Space Park, but its on the far North end of the CBD and its just not enough.

One only needs to travel to Scottsdale, Tempe, Flagstaff, Prescott to become aware of how far behind DT Phx is to other cities.

The only other large city I can think of that Phx may compete with is Detroit, but even Detroit has a nice stock of early 20th century buildings and a nice waterfront.

[bwonger06]

Originally Posted by HooverDam

Im even more convinced now than I was before that the lot bounded by Wash/Jeff and 1st St/2nd St should become a city square/park in lieu of a (likely never to happen) CityScape phase. With clubs on one side, office and restaurants on the East and West and an arena to the South it could make for a great active Central Square. If the Hanji hotel ever happens to the Southwest and the lot directly west of USAC fill up, it would become really special.

Of the large cities we've stopped in so far Des Moines, Omaha and Denver all have probably better downtowns than Phx. So far only ABQ falls short of Phoenix. Up next are Chicago and St Louis which I've been too and I know Phoenix will fall far short by those measuring sticks.

/end moping

After Cityscape, I really do not believe the true downtown will ever have a chance at becoming a urban walkable core (24/7) which I do not mind. I believe the area will get much better and already has during the day but I cannot see the area having any kind of nightlife. This, however, mimics the personality of other big cities. Go to the financial district in New York & Denver, Capitol Hill in DC. Heck even go to Shanghai, the areas by the big tall skyscrapers become desolate at night.

However, there is obviously hope. The area between Fillmore up to just north of Roosevelt has a real chance of becoming Uptown. From 1st Ave to 7th street, you have plenty of great Clubs (the trio at Amersterdam), Bars (the Roosevelt hipster bars), Galleries, Restaurants, Phoenix public market, several great housing developments, etc. There are already great projects inside this "Updtown" zone, but infill will need to happen before the area can start booming due to the abundance of empty lots.

I know this would hurt the public market, but I for one would like to see the big parcel of Pierce and Central get developed into a 5-6 story mixed used building with underground parking. Perfect location... close to the clubs, asu, short walk to light rail. Class A apartments are doing very well in the area- take a look at Alta Phoenix, 85%+ leased in about a years time which is great in the Apartment industry. Ground floor retail (some kind of restaurant open very late would do very well considering the drunk food potential).

Someone mentioned modern urban row-houses. I just don't think the demand is there yet. People are still very scared to buy housing downtown. (Although successful rowhouse properties have worked at Artisan Village). The city, however, has to get its act together if we really want this to happen. Destroy many of the stupid setback rules, do not promise free parking, etc.

[NorthScottsdale]

Originally Posted by bwonger06

After Cityscape, I really do not believe the true downtown will ever have a chance at becoming a urban walkable core (24/7) which I do not mind. I believe the area will get much better and already has during the day but I cannot see the area having any kind of nightlife. This, however, mimics the personality of other big cities. Go to the financial district in New York & Denver, Capitol Hill in DC. Heck even go to Shanghai, the areas by the big tall skyscrapers become desolate at night.

However, there is obviously hope. The area between Fillmore up to just north of Roosevelt has a real chance of becoming Uptown. From 1st Ave to 7th street, you have plenty of great Clubs (the trio at Amersterdam), Bars (the Roosevelt hipster bars), Galleries, Restaurants, Phoenix public market, several great housing developments, etc. There are already great projects inside this "Updtown" zone, but infill will need to happen before the area can start booming due to the abundance of empty lots.

I know this would hurt the public market, but I for one would like to see the big parcel of Pierce and Central get developed into a 5-6 story mixed used building with underground parking. Perfect location... close to the clubs, asu, short walk to light rail. Class A apartments are doing very well in the area- take a look at Alta Phoenix, 85%+ leased in about a years time which is great in the Apartment industry. Ground floor retail (some kind of restaurant open very late would do very well considering the drunk food potential).

I agree, but why not leave the first couple floors on that 5-6 story structure open-air, which could provide space for the public market?

I think our best bets for nightlife vibrancy will be the Roosavelt row district, the area around cityscape/washington/2nd st, maybe Jackson st if that ever becomes a reality... I also really hope they do something with 7th ave between Indian School and Camelback like narrow the streets and landscape or something.. it is such a cool stretch of road!

[bwonger06]

Originally Posted by NorthScottsdale

I agree, but why not leave the first couple floors on that 5-6 story structure open-air, which could provide space for the public market?

I think our best bets for nightlife vibrancy will be the Roosavelt row district, the area around cityscape/washington/2nd st, maybe Jackson st if that ever becomes a reality... I also really hope they do something with 7th ave between Indian School and Camelback like narrow the streets and landscape or something.. it is such a cool stretch of road!

I'd really want the public market to relocate to the streets much like the Santa Monica farmers market. Close down Central (or 1st street to avoid LR) from Roosevelt/Pierce to Van Buren and piggy back off of the Civic space. Once again, the City has to support this idea.

[phxbyrd]

what about Taylor Street?

[HooverDam]

So a while back (in a different thread I think) Combusean was talking about our draconian last call and alcohol laws, which I agree with. His point was people generally chug right before 2am, then are let loose to drive the streets. In ideal liberty loving world, there wouldn't be a last call, unfortunately the pragmatist in me can't really see people ever going for this.

So it got me thinking, does anyone know of any places that do a staggered last call? Maybe all hard liquor sales stop at 2am but beer sales could continue to 3 or 4 or something...? I dunno, I just thought it might be an interesting idea to help not only the bar/nightlife economy in AZ but also to give the scene something unique and make it more vibrant or whatever.

[Vicelord John]

NY city cars only have to close 1 hour a day.

[PHX31]

Who wants to drive around in NY in the winter with their doors open?