Uptown, or Midtown

[MJLO]

Ok Loftguy, Colin, lurkers, or anyone. Can someone tell me how "Uptown" Phoenix came to be, why is there a semi dense Phoenix CBD and then two miles up Central Ave, a bunch of Mid to high rises, that are tantamount to a suburban office park? Does anyone else agree, that the city would look much much better, if they had controlled the growth of uptown, and all those highrises existed downtown Phoenix? Phoenix's downtown is a dissapointment as it is, but when you ad uptown to it, it's just a fragmented mess. I assume there was a time when building codes weren't controlled very well. Or perhaps it's still that way. Im trying to find the cities master plan online not having much luck as of yet. But what are your opinions on uptown?

[colin]

Im trying to find the cities master plan online not having much luck as of yet. But what are your opinions on uptown?

Master plan? That sounds a little too foresightful for Phoenix. The Planning Department has a General Plan.

I like Uptown. I've never been clear on what to call it, and always refer to it as "Central Avenue." Sure, it's separated from Downtown by a few miles, but it's still a nice little business district. One benefit I see is that with the few miles of "less developed land," you leave open the potential for more development between the two. Plus, it becomes the obvious choice for a major transit corridor, hence the light rail.

A lot of cities do this though. Houston has no less than four CBDs, although it's certainly not a model city in any sense. Tucson has at least two (Downtown and Williams Center), and the UMC area could be considered another one.

As for its evolution, I think the idea was to pull offices and workers out of Downtown. This idea was popular for a while, especially in the Sun Belt, after suburbs started growing and people no longer liked their long commute. Of course, it's not good for urban design, but that's just what happened. Those more suburban areas were much more attractive to companies, but many themselves have now become as bad, if not worse, than the Downtown areas with the same parking and traffic issues.

The Uptown area isn't just office development though, mind you. There's always been a high-density residential base there, and it's just growing. Having a truly mixed-use development, where workers live close to their jobs, would be beneficial to a city, I would think, by keeping housing prices down near the central core.

Just a thought.

[MJLO]

see I told you colin, you know everything! Uptown reminds me of Southfield, A city in Michigan who's office market and highrises obliterated downtown. I know what you're saying about CBD's but uptown seems not very central at all, it's very spread out.when I'm driving thru it, it feels like a suburb. I hope they get some infill, because PHX looks like it's missing some teeth.

[colin]

see I told you colin, you know everything!

No, I just think I do, don't let it fool you.

I wish I could find a Houston panorama photo showing Downtown and Uptown because it is exactly the same. There's an area with a large concentration of skyscrapers, five miles of nothing, then another area with a concentration of skyscrapers, including what was, for many years, the tallest building in town (Williams, formerly Transco, Tower).

It is frustrating because it detracts from the nice skyline, but, given time, maybe Phoenix's Downtown will build some more. I think the west side, near the State Capitol, is vastly under-developed. Wouldn't be surprised if there are some new buildings there soon.

[MJLO]

wow the state capitol, I've never seen the Arizona state capitol building. I for some reason naively assumed it was in downtown. For it being the state capitol, it's amazingly hard for me to find state office buildings. That's alot different than other state capitols.

[loftguy]

Midtown Phoenix is what I refer to as anything across the freeway to about Indian School- and then it is Uptown til about Bethany Home rd...

I'm not sure if this is main stream or just my own formed opinions-

If we had had all those buildings built in our actual Downtown- our Downtown may actually be somewhat respectable...

I personally like the Central Corridor immensely- the drive is very impressive- (okay maybe not right now with light rail construction)... I like the drive from Camelback all the way Downtown on Central-

I would like for both areas to be beefed up in the next decade- but more our actual Downtown-

It needs a lot of work...

[MJLO]

So loftguy, do you think that one day downtown, and midtown will merge? The thing about midtown, is that it has a very suburban feel. I need to find some pictures of downtown Southfield in Michigan. Southfield has a very pretty skyline from afar. But when you are actually in town it's just a big office park complete with ground level parking and all.

[loftguy]

So loftguy, do you think that one day downtown, and midtown will merge? The thing about midtown, is that it has a very suburban feel. I need to find some pictures of downtown Southfield in Michigan. Southfield has a very pretty skyline from afar. But when you are actually in town it's just a big office park complete with ground level parking and all.

Well- there will always be the distinction- but I have lived here my whole life, and I don't feel such a huge transition when I am driving from Midtown through to Downtown on the Central corridor...

I think light rail will tie it all together...

I think of Midtown as the "prep" for Downtown.

(We're getting close now)

I don't think that skyscrapers will ever connect...

Most don't have a clear definition of Downtown- just that it's on the "other side of the freeway", or anything South of McDowell....

[MJLO]

One thing that seems kind of strange about midtown, is that it seems to get more construction projects than downtown itself. Do you think this will change as things get easier for downtown, and more loft projects come along?

[loftguy]

One thing that seems kind of strange about midtown, is that it seems to get more construction projects than downtown itself. Do you think this will change as things get easier for downtown, and more loft projects come along?

Downtown is getting much more new projects- and high rises- Midtown is only really getting Century Plaza- all the rest are going in Downtown-

A lot of private money was waiting on the results of the bond 2 months ago- I am optimistic but I do think many of these projects will be built...