27 replies to this topic

[nuplanner]

Well, I just left AZ for Denver.  I am in grad school doing two masters degrees in Urban and regional planning, and the other one is in urban design. I am still working in the field, but as of now, I still have a job.  If it gets worse up here, I will jobless which will suck. But I am thankful I at least have a job.  Not a dream job by all means, but it’s a good place.  Denver is in much better shape economically then phx is, but it is affecting work up here.  I know a lot of people in AZ are losing their planning job because the system is so depended on projects.  That his one of the reasons sprawl has happen.  More growth, more money in the cities pockets.  Now they are having a hard time paying for this sprawl as funds are drying up. Its really expensive.  Density is hard too because of the high cost and expectations of the developers.  So im not sure if the cities can help change the growth patters because I think they will become desperate for any project and will continue the growth patterns of sprawl.

09 is not looking great either, but what I am hearing is that we are expected to level out then and hopefully start the long road of recovery.  I also do not think Obama can help it out fast enough.  Our market needs to heal its self and go back to functioning the way it is suppose to.  That takes time.  These band aids that congress continues to place on our economy will not do it.  The reason why I say this is history tends to repeat itself.  Now I hope it does not get this bad as it did during FDR’s administration.  The government has to be careful that they do not hurt it and put us in a deeper hole, or prolong the economic state.  The reason why I say this is I just read a report that came out of UCLA about how FDR’s policies prolonged the great depression 7 years more.  Now that is scary.  Thing is, if you like him or not, obama is talking about similar policies.  



Sorry to get all political, but it will affect how AZ’s future goes.  Fact is, this is a great time for the all cities to figure out a vision and plan for when the upswing happens and they will be ready for it.  They can help lead growth in the appropriated areas, and will not just give a rubber stamp on any project with no vision.

[cueball1914]

Sorry to hear you're leaving, actually left now, sorry I don't check in as often as I should. Anyway,, been to Denver, seems like a nice enough place, tho to cold for this old man...
Are you going to be checking in on us?
Good luck and keep your head down in '09.

[nuplanner]

Thanks man.  Will do

Good news about Jackson Street ED.

http://www.azcentral...610wed1-10.html

Sounds like they are moving forward and it is going to happen.  Since they are not getting the parking garage, seems like it will be all on the south side which sucks.  Maybe the other owners will get in on this such as Suns and Dbacks in building up this area around their stadiums, parking etc.

[nuplanner]

More news.

http://www.azcentral...street0630.html

The city is voting on it and Jackson street is moving forward!

[MJLO]

I have high hopes for something like this to go thru.  But big doubts remain, It requires and influx of cash that's probabally not there, along with to many people cooperating.  For it to truly be successful, we'd need to find a way to grow downtowns population, which, even with condo projects completed, lags far behind valley hotspots.  Can someone tell me, with all the explosive growth in Arizona over the last 50 years, how downtown Phoenix doesn't resemble that of one of the nations premeir hotspots, but rather, has more the feel of a sleepy midsized midwestern downtown, that shuts down when the offices close?  Is it just the overall mediocrity that native arizonans imbue?  People who fight any little damn thing that goes in? Because they woke up one day and didn't realize that it's not the 70's anymore and 4 million people live around them now.  Phoenix is at a disadvantage because of things like this.

[nuplanner]

I know what you mean.  money is a major issue for any project, especially a mixed use one in downtown like this.  But I now at least the owner has major cash as a former dbacks and suns part owner.  but Im not sure if he has enough to finance it himself of course.  

to the comment about change in this valley.  The boom of people the last few decades is why downtown is the way it is.  Cheap land, affordability drove the growth and economy.  SFH was the best option to make money here, not really to invest in downtown, which is the CBD, like most older cities.  I live in denver as I said, and this is how Denver was two decades ago.  With time, projects and private investment and public investment and planning, the downtown is changing.  Phx is behind the trend of course, and the economic downturn IMO has really hurt the potential of our downtowns.  I personally feel that the skyline will not be that impressive decades down the road. I think we will have more buildings, but due to sprawl, I think we will see more urban villages/central hubs.  The major one IMO will be downtown Phx.  I think you will see ones like Mesa gateway pop up, tempe, and north scottsdale continue to grow, north phx and the west valley in addition to that.  I think these will be your major ones and then mid size and smaller ones as this valley progresses and changes to be more of a sustainable, different type of urbansim than your  traditional urban centers.  We are so spread out that I believe that this is what is going to happen.  It will take some time, if we have that time.  But many are thinking of this as growth is predicted to continue.  Same with issues with water and the environment and the local economy.  We have a huge hurdle and many challenges ahead.  But if we do it right, get ahead of the curve and make sure we plan for the future, and AZ can be a place that is a great place to live and adapts to current and future challenges.

[nuplanner]

ok, back to the topic.  I should have looked for this before I went off.  my bad.  So I guess the city passed it, now it is the developers hands now.

http://www.downtownp...istrict-moving/

[MJLO]

We'll see, If Downtown could havce more than just financial offices down there, say maybe a couple big companies move in, that could really go along at getting things where they want them to be.  AZ needs more headquartered companies in general.