Total newbie to Arizona

[KurtAZ]

Originally Posted by Bernalillo

To be honest with you, I lived in San Diego and Maricopa County which includes Phoenix, Tempe and more. You have a LOT of Asians and Orientals in Tempe but not Phoenix. There's a number of Polynesian restaurants such as Hawaiian but not Philipino. There's no Philipino community though they are in the region. Plus, Phoenix is a dying city so moving there would be FOOLISH.

Please elaborate on what you mean by "dying city".

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by Bernalillo

The landmark building downtown Phoenix is the state's tallest building but it is abandoned. The SECOND tallest building is US Bank which is now an abandoned building in downtown Phoenix. MUCH of the restaurants there are closing and leaving the area especially downtown. The horse track named 'Turf Paradise' nearly closed and is barely alive. Phoenix doesn't have a real downtown but what it has for a downtown has only lunch break restaurants for court and city employees. VERY UNLIKE San Diego's Gaslamp District that me and you are used too. There is literally NO activity zones in the entire city unless 1st Friday is taking place which is once a month and that has been downsized itself.

It's our focus, which often is concentrated in the suburbs than in the downtown area. It's unfortunate that it has to be that way ... however, that focus is what has contributed to companies abandoning their downtown office buildings, why new sports arenas are going to suburban areas instead of the central core, and why places like AZ Center are dead (even after a remodel). It's not that Phoenix itself is dying ... in fact, it's still one of the fastest growing cities in the nation, but the appearance of the central city alone makes it seem like we don't care much about having a world class downtown area. This is even despite the fact that downtown has made noticeable improvements in the last 15 years.

Originally Posted by Bernalillo

In Phoenix, much of the businesses are leaving and there is great economical stress there. No one likes it there. You are better off going to Las Vegas or even better Houston Texas. Their primary malls Metrocenter Mall(former landmark) and Paradise Valley Mall are now abandoned and one is torn down. Chris Town Mall is barely afloat and the situations is nothing like Mission Valley and Fashion Valley or San Diego's downtown outdoor mall which are always busy. Gradually, Phoenix is surely shutting down.

Those kinds of malls are going out of style, sorry to say. Paradise Valley Mall was torn down, but a new development is going in its place. Metrocenter has been an eyesore for a long time, but that is also planned to be demolished and replaced with a more modernized concept. The more upscale shopping areas like Fashion Square and Biltmore are very much thriving. I should know because I live fairly close to the Biltmore, and everywhere along Camelback is bustling & busy. Sadly, you are correct in some ways about downtown, but to conclude that all of Phoenix is shutting down is purely ridiculous.