Yes, our skyline is "boring". (Phoenix, Scottsdale: condo, buyers)

[stasi_crystals]

As you ALL know, everyone dislikes Phoenix's skyline and I can't say I blame them. After researching proposals like the 32-story residential Cielo towers (that were trashed), Omega one tower: all these projects that would've boosted our skyline! There was even a proposal for a "Phoenix tower" that was supposed to withstand 110 stories! Also, what ever happened with the Trump tower Pheonix? Can someome please explain why our skyline is so dinky for our size? Other than being so spread out, Houston is more spread out then we are and they still have a better skyline. Can we just break our record already!? It's been almost 40 years since..

Moderator cut: copyright violation

[observer53]

We've had threads about this in the past. It depends on your vantage point, so that it looks better in some views than others, but I don't find our skyline as boring as others do. We have a lot more important things to worry about than how our skyline looks, IMO. It's "dinky" for our size, as you put it, because Phoenix started spreading out from downtown a long time ago. Our business district has never centralized downtown as in other cities. It's moving back that way somewhat, but only time will tell whether the Phoenix skyline will ever achieve the approval of its present detractors.

[ShampooBanana]

Does EVERYONE hate the skyline? How can you say with such certainty?

That said, I agree that it is lacking compared to most cities of it's size. Had the economic downturn not made so many project come to a screeching halt, I'm sure Phoenix's skyline would be a bit different today. Part of the reason Phoenix's skyline does not look like Houston's though is partially because it has a million fewer people, and secondly because Phoenix is a City that has only recently rapidly expanded to become the very large city that it is today. It's doubled in population over the past 30 years. Most of that growth was outward expansion and there has historically been little pressure for density to increase in the downtown core. It's simple land economics. Land is cheap, and especially on the fringes. Single family housing is cheap and so many new housing developments sprang up all over the Valley. Many executives desire to live close to where they work, so established their offices and headquarters in places like Scottsdale or Biltmore area, or further up Central instead of the downtown.

The City of Phoenix lacked some foresight back in the 60's and 70's and neglected the downtown, which left it a less desirable place for people to live near or businesses to grow or locate to. That has slowly changed over the past 10 years or so, so you are starting to see some more densification as new condo towers are built to go along with new tall buildings like Freeport McMoran and Cityscape. It took many decades, but downtown is becoming a more happening place, and as that happens, land values increase and people are more compelled to build high.

[cacto]

Yeah, but we have mountains right in town. Most other cities don't. Mountains are prettier.

[Bondurant]

Who is going to pay for the buildings to improve the Phoenix skyline? Building just for the sake of doing so is beyond stupid.

[HX_Guy]

It's not so much the skyline that bothers me, it's the empty dirt lots and surface parking lots that do. If we could fill up every dirt lot and parking lot with 5-10 story buildings, our skyline would look the same but downtown would be so much better.

[stasi_crystals]

Originally Posted by observer53

We've had threads about this in the past. It depends on your vantage point, so that it looks better in some views than others, but I don't find our skyline as boring as others do. We have a lot more important things to worry about than how our skyline looks, IMO. It's "dinky" for our size, as you put it, because Phoenix started spreading out from downtown a long time ago. Our business district has never centralized downtown as in other cities. It's moving back that way somewhat, but only time will tell whether the Phoenix skyline will ever achieve the approval of its present detractors.

Those threads didn't really answer my question. Im not saying we should replicate another city or be the 15th best skyline. All im saying is that I think its about time we expand past 500 ft, atleast.

[Bondurant]

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

It's not so much the skyline that bothers me, it's the empty dirt lots and surface parking lots that do. If we could fill up every dirt lot and parking lot with 5-10 story buildings, our skyline would look the same but downtown would be so much better.

Again, who will pay for this? I'm sure more buildings would go up if the vacant properties/lots had interested buyers who wanted to build upon them.

I would also had that people are comparing a young skyline to cities that have been major cities for a hundred years or more.

[Steve Pickering]

I like it.

[sablebaby]

I kinda like our skyline. I didn't know EVERYONE disliked it. LOL