First time in the phoenix downtown area (Scottsdale, Peoria: houses, homeless) - Arizona (AZ) - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

Phxguy · 02-08-2011, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kickinit

Downtown Phoenix is just gross!!!

How is it gross?

kickinit · 02-08-2011, 06:55 PM

Downtown Phoenix is not thriving. There are many homeless people and addicts. Not many businesses at all. Not much to attract people. I lived in the phoenix area 13 years. Go see for yourself. Its not nice downtown. Nobody wants to go down there like they do in many other cities. To be honest most people would avoid living in any area even near downtown Phoenix... if they could.

scratchNsniff · 02-08-2011, 07:33 PM

I wouldn't say it's gross, it's actually pretty clean in comparison to a lot of other major downtowns! But that's probably because nobody goes there, ha ha, so that's the plus side to it being empty!!

I've never seen a person defecating on the sidewalks in Phoenix but I have in other downtowns. The smell of urine in downtown Phoenix stairwells is not as thick as it is in other downtowns, too. Those are my major indicators of "grossness" and I think Phoenix comes out ahead. Or maybe I just haven't been in the right (wrong?) stairwells...

And I've never felt unsafe in downtown Phoenix, but maybe that's because I'd lived near there my whole life and the known unknowns are better than the unknown unknowns.

Phxguy · 02-08-2011, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kickinit

Downtown Phoenix is not thriving. There are many homeless people and addicts. Not many businesses at all. Not much to attract people. I lived in the phoenix area 13 years. Go see for yourself. Its not nice downtown. Nobody wants to go down there like they do in many other cities. To be honest most people would avoid living in any area even near downtown Phoenix... if they could.

I lived in the Phoenix area for the past 17 years. I've seen downtown in the dead of the 90s to now. It's not that scary place that hosts creeps anymore. I've been there 5 times in the past 3 months on day trip to explore the area and never once did I feel threatened nor out of place, infact I was amongst other people enjoying their day in the urban core. I know a lot about downtown and so far it's attracting quite a few buisnesses (big ones too), attracting more and more people with it's urban lifestyle and growing opportunites, and plays host to so many events every year. Downtown is hardly the unattractive place as it was. I'm actually looking to live there soon.
Also I've been to Downtown Chicago and your saying Downtown Phoenix has a lot of homeless and addicts?

khuntrevor · 02-08-2011, 11:31 PM

I've seen more homeless within a 200 feet radius of the Berkeley, CA McDonalds than I have seen in all of downtown Phoenix.

observer53 · 02-09-2011, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kickinit

Downtown Phoenix is not thriving. There are many homeless people and addicts. Not many businesses at all. Not much to attract people. I lived in the phoenix area 13 years. Go see for yourself. Its not nice downtown. Nobody wants to go down there like they do in many other cities. To be honest most people would avoid living in any area even near downtown Phoenix... if they could.

Must have been a long time ago, you must not have much to compare it to, and you just didn't like Phoenix for whatever reason. So now, you can bash it long distance. No place is perfect, no place is for everyone. But, most of what you say is just inaccurate. Does it have the same bustle as the downtowns of other major cities? No, that's already been said, but the rest of your post is very misleading, at best. Phxguy, myself, and others who have CURRENT experience with downtown would differ with you. Go see for ourselves? Sure. We can, on a daily basis. You can't.

Uhuh · 02-09-2011, 03:26 AM

This is typical downtown Phoenix. It is very hot here, and people drive EVERYWHERE. Once in a while Phoenicians like to pretend they are green and walk around, but that is so rare. But seriously... Phoenix is a car city, although many attempts to revitalize the downtown to become a thriving, energy filled cultural meeting point. But has failed.. I look at Phoenix as a giant suburb, and the downtown's are the malls. Its just too hot.

kickinit · 02-09-2011, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by observer53

Must have been a long time ago, you must not have much to compare it to, and you just didn't like Phoenix for whatever reason. So now, you can bash it long distance. No place is perfect, no place is for everyone. But, most of what you say is just inaccurate. Does it have the same bustle as the downtowns of other major cities? No, that's already been said, but the rest of your post is very misleading, at best. Phxguy, myself, and others who have CURRENT experience with downtown would differ with you. Go see for ourselves? Sure. We can, on a daily basis. You can't.

I lived there 13 years and just moved away a year ago. I have quite alot to compare it to. I have been to most all cities in California, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada and Arizona. I have also been to in numerous cities in Michigan, Minnesota, north Dakota, south Dakota, Wisconsin, Texas, Alabama, Missouri, and Georgia.
While I agree my statement about homeless and addicts may have been misleading
What I meant is those are basically the only people that you see downtown. It may not be as full of them as other cities bacause downtown Phoenix is almost deserted compared to other downtowns. Atlanta, Portland, San Diego for example have bustling downtowns that are fun to go to. People walking everywhere and business thriving. I've seen the difference. Phoenix is definately a car city.. everyone lives outside the perimeter. It is in need of a major cleanup. I actually love Phoenix.. just not downtown!!

observer53 · 02-09-2011, 06:19 AM

A major cleanup downtown? I still don't get what you are saying. Glad to see you've backed off some of your statements. No, Phoenix does not have a crowded, bustling downtown, day or night. It's not likely to ever have the kind of downtown other major cities have, because it doesn't have a single business/shopping district. That doesn't mean it is as you described it. There are several entertainment venues, large and small, and, I hope, more to come. I don't think you spent much time at any of them, or you'd have a different perspective.

I work within a short walk of downtown, I'm there all the time during the day, and am there in the evening at times as well. To say that the homeless are "basically the only people you see downtown" is just not accurate. I see one here and there during the day, and sometimes walking from the arena or ballpark or theater at night, but not every time. During the day, hey aren't the ones I see walking between the downtown buildings, heading to or from a class at ASU downtown, or eating in the restaurants.

As far as "thriving" business, if you mean heavy duty shopping, then no, that moved away from downtown years ago; very recently they are trying to bring more shopping back, but no, downtown is not a magnet for shopping any more, and likely never will be on a large scale. But there are lots of "thriving" businesses, or there would not BE a resurgence in downtown. That doesn't make Phoenix "gross" or in need of a "cleanup".

I've lived here over 50 years, and there was a time when downtown was truly deserted and didn't feel safe. That was decades ago-- not any more.

Java Jolt · 02-09-2011, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kickinit

Downtown Phoenix is not thriving. There are many homeless people and addicts. Not many businesses at all. Not much to attract people. I lived in the phoenix area 13 years. Go see for yourself. Its not nice downtown. Nobody wants to go down there like they do in many other cities. To be honest most people would avoid living in any area even near downtown Phoenix... if they could.

I have lived here almost 15 years and everything you wrote is untrue.

Downtown Phoenix used to be deserted but usually after dark and on weekends, it's not so much that way now.

You make downtown Phoenix sound like Maryvale or south-central Los Angeles.

I'm sure homeless and drug addicts exist as they do in lots of other cities but the numbers are small compared to the businesspeople and attendees of games at the venues.

The only thing I could see driving people away is the summertime heat, nobody wants to walk around much in July. Otherwise your view of downtown Phoenix is full of fallacy.