General Tucson Thread

[colin]

Meetings set on I-10 bypass proposal

The bypass just won't go away.

I'm all for it, but I still don't see how they're going to do it and still be environmentally responsible.

[colin]

Experts can't agree on why Tucson's water use fell

Despite Tucson's population growth last year, water use actually fell by 7%. I think it was me not taking a shower every day.

[colin]

Mega-developments create 'Sun Corridor' controversy

I don't know that Tucson will ever get an Anthem. We have several large-scale bedroom communities like this already, but not quite on the level of Anthem.

Any opinions on the "Sun Corridor" monicker? The Star staff obviously thought long and hard on that one.

[convulso]

^ the last paragraph of that article says it all. no one living in these developments gives a damn about civic life. pukes.

the name could possibly one day be changed to the 'sun corridor regional linear parking district.' let 'em keep moving out of the cities. gas, gas, gas.

[colin]

The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), passed by voters last year by about a 60/40 margin, suffered a scare last week.

State asked to review '06 RTA vote

I don't think anything will come of it, but it bring up some major issues with the future of the transporation infrastructure if it was repealed.

[traal]

Found an interesting article this morning:

Out-of-state experts ride bus to size up Tucson

They enjoyed Downtown's pedestrian ambiance, but shuddered at South Houghton Road's car culture.

They admired the architecture of Civano's energy-efficient homes — but not their far-flung location.

They loved the rugged, red brick homes and businesses bordering the University of Arizona, but not the endless strip centers clogging East Broadway.

[colin]

Gasp! You beat me to it!

I think it's accurate. Tucson's doing an excellent job of at least making an effort to move toward sustainability and even green building, but these are just nuggets in a field of slop. I'm actually really glad that the Star ran this so that maybe people will ask more questions about the development out there.

[traal]

Sorry, I was excited to find that article.

Except for Civano, the same arguments in the article could be said about Phoenix or any of its suburbs. The closest thing Phoenix has to Civano that I know of is Agritopia in Gilbert, but the homes don't incorporate either active or passive solar in their design.

[colin]

Ah, Agritopia!!

I actually emailed the developer about a year ago after finding the spot and being impressed with its design and general mission. I know that I asked something, but nothing came back except a short "thanks for writing" message. I've had bad luck with my contact with developers though. After asking Pulte what the status on a ghost town just west of their new Red Rock Village development was, I received no real answer (although the guy was pretty nice) and was put on their mailing list.

Anyway, Agritopia is not really a Civano, but, yeah, it's about the closest Phoenix has gotten thus far. Civano was actually bought out a few years back (Pulte, again) and has strayed far from its New Urbanist vision. But there's still those who hold out hope for the future, and it's still way better than the other garbage they've got going up on Houghton.

I got the sense that, with Agritopia, there's some sort of apocalyptic/God's wrath thing going on there, and it wouldn't be too shocking considering it's in the most psycho of Phoenix's Christian-run suburbs. But I also wouldn't be shocked if there was an underground arms cache, Agritopia militia and massive food storage in the development somewhere.

I'll have to bring a metal detector and a shovel next time I'm in Gilbert.

[colin]

Homes, offices could be a finale

According the article, there is just about no land left for development in the Catalina Foothills north of Tucson. This means that they'll either have to use developed plots of land in conjunction with undeveloped to create new developments, or they'll have to re-use properties and build up density. Either one would be good for the Foothills.

[colin]

UA to take over Biosphere 2 research

Kind of what everyone was hoping for with Biosphere: status quo. This allows it to avoid the wrecking ball of the land developers and will hopefully drop admission prices, which were at about $25 when I was there three years ago.

[colin]

The big box situation in Tucson seems to have come to a head and this particular segment will probably decide which direction Tucson goes on this for the near future.

Wal-Mart petitions rejected

[colin]

Grijalva releases his wish list for project funding

It's Tucson-related, but much of it will end up affecting all of Arizona.

Of interest here are funding for Tucson's light rail and for Depot Plaza, the proposed mixed-use development adjacent to the Amtrak train station Downtown.

The projects:

• $8 million to the city of Tucson for grade-separated railroad crossings at West Speedway, West Sixth Street and East 22nd Street.

• $6 million to the University of Arizona to continue the U.S. Marine Shrimp Farming Program.

• $4 million to the Tohono O'odham Nation for border security related to illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

• $3.5 million to the city of Tucson for planning and design of a light-rail system.

• $4 million to University Medical Center for trauma-center expansion.

• $8 million to the University of Arizona for clinical trials for a valley fever vaccine.

• $250,000 to Pima County for Canoa Ranch.

• $2 million to the UA for studies on current and planned immigration-enforcement policies.

• $3.6 million to the city of Tucson for Depot Plaza.

• $4 million to Southwest Gas for a demonstration project of gas-driven air-conditioning systems at military installations.

[traal]

Wal-Mart petitions rejected

[colin]

Is anyone else as disturbed by this as I am?

[convulso]

But, seriously, is the Democratic Process responsible and level-headed enough to make decisions related to zoning? That's a lot of faith in the typical, uninformed American voter...Or am I way off here?

[colin]

the growth happens first, safe from the city's oversight, taxes, zoning laws and planning commission reviews...and THEN a bedroom town will incorporate, or annex (or tucson itself, in theory, will expand to include some of the closer-in development), and that town will then be saddled with a ridiculously unplanned mess of disoriented shopping centers, stand-alone gas stops and restaurants, and oddly-sited housing developments.

[colin]

Nonstop flight to El Paso to begin soon

Express Jet, Continental's low-cost little sister that runs on smaller jets, will introduce the new daily ELP direct on September 9th. Why no one has flown this route before is beyond me. It just seems so logical: two Hispanic-dominated military towns of 500,000+ within about 300 miles of one another.

Also, as the list at the right suggests, we'll have a direct to Oakland in November via Southwest, which will be only the second daily direct to the Bay Area from TUS (United now flies to SFO).

On that list you can again see how Express Jet has really opened up TUS to the rest of the country, and has made the airport all the more convenient for those living here to not have to go to Sky Harbor. I flew them for the first time last month on a round-trip to/from Austin and it was quite nice. The take-offs were bumpy, but the XM Radio was great (100+ channels) and they had one of the best self-produced magazines I've seen on a commercial airline. Good food, too, despite the relatively short flight.

[traal]

What we can learn from Portland

To summarize, Pima County hit the 1 million population mark last November and can accomodate another million, but the question is whether to keep that second million from coming or prepare for it. Portland, Oregon is the model city for Smart Growth. Unfortunately, the same kind of planning takes a lot of work, time, money, and cooperation. And a leader.

Portland residents are nearly evangelical in their zeal about creating habitable neighborhoods that are close to nature and close to the bus or streetcar.

[colin]

I've heard them a lot, and I really resent the constant Tucson-Portland comparisons.

I went to Portland for the first time this summer and, let me tell you, Tucson is not Portland and it's essentially an apples and oranges affair. Actually, I think Phoenix would be better off trying to become more like Portland (maybe instead of trying to become more like LA like it's been doing).

Sure, it would be a great city to benchmark for its public parks, urban redevelopment, mass transit system, network of bike paths, historical preservation, investment in the tourist economy, as well as other cultural aspects. But there are so many differences between the two cities that would make it impossible for Tucson to ever become like Portland except to become like it in its own way.

[traal]

I just don't want to see Tucson growing uncontrolled until it's another suburb of Phoenix.

[ErinJ]

Sure, it would be a great city to benchmark for its public parks, urban redevelopment, mass transit system, network of bike paths, historical preservation, investment in the tourist economy, as well as other cultural aspects.

[colin]

Welcome back, Erin!

Thought you had left us like the moderator.

I think I resent those comparisons because, when you look at Portland and what they've done as a community, it makes Tucson look so bad. I mean, the fact that our metropolitan area has places like Marana in the first place makes it look bad.

Portland has its own issues though.

[colin]

In my obsession with ExpressJet, I checked out their site again today to find that, apparently, Tucson also now has a direct to/from New Orleans MSY, even though it's not on their route map yet. About $99 one-way.

Pretty cool!

[convulso]

In my obsession with ExpressJet, I checked out their site again today to find that, apparently, Tucson also now has a direct to/from New Orleans MSY, even though it's not on their route map yet. About $99 one-way.

Pretty cool!