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I think skyscrapers add diversity to the housing and business options, and although they may seem random, they are a complete necessity in a city like Tempe that is landlocked and cannot grow any direction but up.
Tempe does, in fact, have height restrictions imposed by the FAA because of being so close to the airport. I appreciate that Tempe so closely limits how and where tall buildings are allowed. In my opinion, the taller buildings add to the view, not ruin it.
Absolutely right! I get so tired of hearing all these NIMBYs who squawk about taller buildings blocking "THEIR" mountain views. Seems funny that a good share of them are transplants who move here & dictate to the natives & long term residents what to build, what to plant, how to live their lives, etc. Somehow they think that this is still some small desert city that doesn't need skyscrapers. Well, I would much rather see upward development in the more established areas instead of so much outward low density sprawl just so a few pathetic NIMBYS can gawk at their mountain views. Also, as you mentioned, Tempe is building upward in order to keep growing because they are landlocked. Eventually, other Valley cities will also become landlocked, and will need to become more dense if they want to continue to grow & prosper.
As I mentioned before, Tempe allowed two condo towers right in the flight path of jets. San Diego and Las Vegas have tall buildings in close proximity of their airports, and it doesn't seem to be a problem ... so I say screw the FAA, and the ones who keep using Sky Harbor as an excuse to impose height limits.
I think Tempe is doing a good job with urban transformation, but Im also thankful that there are height restrictions in place. Tempe could build up by putting more 10-15 story condos, etc, without having a big ol eyesore on the horizon, similar to what Scottsdale has done.
Luxury condominium towers belong in Scottsdale, not Tempe. The majority of college students are on limited budgets and can't afford this kind of living.
I think W6 was intended to be condominiums but the project went dormant because of the recession and now it is apartment units, much more sensible than million-dollar shells.
Tempe is already building up with many projects along the lake waterfront, most of them will be at least ten stories.
Luxury condominium towers belong in Scottsdale, not Tempe. The majority of college students are on limited budgets and can't afford this kind of living.
I think W6 was intended to be condominiums but the project went dormant because of the recession and now it is apartment units, much more sensible than million-dollar shells.
Tempe is already building up with many projects along the waterfront at least ten stories.
They belong where the market tells them they belong. Personally I think a high rise luxury tower is too capital intensive to do in Tempe unless there is a HUGE demand for them. I like the luxury brownstone idea for Tempe and leave the high rises for the students. But let's keep in mind there are a lot of ASU students living in high end housing (rentals) paid for by their parents. Hayden Ferry Lakeside has a ton of listings for their luxury condo's, until those things are sitting on the market for less than 30 days and in high demand, no one will build another I don't think.
They belong where the market tells them they belong. Personally I think a high rise luxury tower is too capital intensive to do in Tempe unless there is a HUGE demand for them. I like the luxury brownstone idea for Tempe and leave the high rises for the students. But let's keep in mind there are a lot of ASU students living in high end housing (rentals) paid for by their parents. Hayden Ferry Lakeside has a ton of listings for their luxury condo's, until those things are sitting on the market for less than 30 days and in high demand, no one will build another I don't think.
You're probably right, but I just see luxury condominiums belonging more in Scottsdale where the $30-$40,000.00 millionaires roam.
I always thought the W6 towers weren't suited for Tempe in the original plans for luxury living, but when they were converted to more affordable apartments they came back to life and nearly all the units became occupied.
You're probably right, but I just see luxury condominiums belonging more in Scottsdale where the $30-$40,000.00 millionaires roam.
I always thought the W6 towers weren't suited for Tempe in the original plans for luxury living, but when they were converted to more affordable apartments they came back to life and nearly all the units became occupied.
Your statement makes zero sense. How would someone making $40k/year afford a luxury condo in Scottsdale?
Your statement makes zero sense. How would someone making $40k/year afford a luxury condo in Scottsdale?
The same way many people in Scottdale drive luxury cars, dine at expensive restaurants, hit the clubs, dress to the nines, and have plastic surgery, with plastic money.
I don't believe for a minute these luxuries can be afforded with income because salaries in the valley tend to be on the low side, even in Scottsdale. An annual income of $40,000.00 per year is pretty average here.
Anyway I don't want to get into a debate about Scottsdale and plastic millionaires, this thread is about Tempe. Sorry I brought it up.
The same way many people in Scottdale drive luxury cars, dine at expensive restaurants, hit the clubs, dress to the nines, and have plastic surgery, with plastic money.
I don't believe for a minute these luxuries can be afforded with income because salaries in the valley tend to be on the low side, even in Scottsdale. An annual income of $40,000.00 per year is pretty average here.
Anyway I don't want to get into a debate about Scottsdale and plastic millionaires, this thread is about Tempe. Sorry I brought it up.
If you know the secret to driving luxury cars, dining at expensive restaurants, getting plastic surgery and buying a luxury condo on a meager salary of $40k/year, please share. If it makes you feel better to believe that those people are faking it, that's fine, but it's not realistic.
Just because wages tend to be lower doesn't mean that there aren't people making healthy incomes here. Despite your inaccurate assumption, it costs REAL money to do the things you listed. Sure, there may be some kids still living with their parents and driving Beemers, but get real. No one drives a Porsche and lives in a $1mm condo on $40k.
Wow, when you put it like that, it's interesting to think about. Phoenix not wanting to be what it is, Tempe not wanting to be what it is. Urban transformation in Tempe is good, but it would have been wonderful to get State Farm in downtown Phoenix, maybe renovating some of the existing old buildings, and keep Tempe as a thriving college town. Not because I don't like Tempe, but because downtown Phoenix needs an infusion, and right now its major feedstock is ASU's downtown campus.
Why can't Phoenix attract big businesses downtown? I don't get it.
New2colo, in my view, was right on when he talked about cities within the metro competing with each other. It's an interesting situation because the area is so spread out, and it would be nice to see each city with a thriving downtown and local economy. But I think ideally the 'burbs should be thriving commercial centers with some jobs while the area's true economic engine should be in Phoenix.
Think how vibrant the city would be if it had even half of Scottsdale's and Tempe's employers. Phoenix's poor job at recruiting business has probably influenced how sprawled the area is. No need to build close in if the jobs aren't in the city anyway.
I think Phoenix's (and Tempe's) effort to become dense and urban is a good thing. I don't see it as wanting to be an Eastern city. Downtown LA is undergoing a transformation, Seattle is walkable and thriving and so is San Francisco. I hear Denver has a nice, vibrant downtown, too. Many people, including myself, are tired of spending their lives in cars and want to live, work, and play in a small, easily accessible area.
And as new2colo mentioned, many of the country's most thriving urban centers are blue. In fact, most big cities are. Even downtown Atlanta and Dallas have strong Democratic contingents.
I agree with much of what you say but I don't think Tempe's ability to attract businesses like State Farm where the City of Phoenix fails is attributable to sprawl. According to the U.S. Census, the average travel time to work for a Tempe resident is 20.4 minutes and for a resident of Phoenix it's 24.4. A negligible difference. The two cities also have an almost identical rates of median age, people over 65, and even poverty rates: 22.2% for Tempe. 21.8% for Phoenix (both lower than Pima County). Phoenix has a higher percentage of home ownership, but that seems attributable to the number of students in Tempe.
What is dramatically different about the two populations is education level. 90.7% of Tempe residents are high school grads and 41% have a bachelor's degree or higher. In Phoenix it's 80.1% for HS but only 25.9% for college +. That's an important statistic when companies are looking to establish new or move existing operations.
SF is said to be placing 8,500 employees in their newest "regional operations center." Their representatives indicated that proximity to ASU was a major reason they chose the Tempe Town Lake site for their new buildings. Also, I imagine that if they will be bringing in employees from elsewhere in the nation. If so, they were likely looking for an attractive community where people will want to put down roots and raise families — this being a company headquarters and not a phone bank operation. That means they want affordable, upscale housing, top-rated school districts, and attractive amenities including shopping and entertainment. The Tempe/Chandler/Scottsdale area provides those things.
While Mayor Stanton seems to have made a real commitment to improving public education in Phoenix (re-opening the shuttered Office of Education was the start). His education task force has forged partnerships with United Way, AARP's Experience Corps, and the Arizona Diamondbacks to establish literacy programs, provide tutors to give students a strong foundation in reading by the time they reach third grade, and provide more resources to support after-
-school programs His program called Degree Phoenix is designed to pump up the number of high school grads who pursue higher education. This effort is great, but it can only promise future results. Currently, the area where SF is building has more to offer people immediately for their children.
Stanton has multi-pronged strategies to attract businesses and residents to downtown. An interesting aspect of this plan is international trade. He points out that Arizona was the only state in the nation to see exports fall from 2007-12. He is determined to reverse that statistic. His administration is opening a Phoenix trade office in Mexico City this autumn. Trade missions to our neighbor increased exports to Mexico 12% in 2013. Inroads are also being made in markets in Canada and China. Stanton's 2014 State of the City addresses included the pledge to double trade to Mexico in five years and double all exports in ten. To that end, Phoenix is now participating the prestigious Global Cities initiative sponsored by the Brookings Institute and J.P. Morgan Chase.
I fully agree that there is no reason any of the communities that make up Metro Phoenix can't be more "urban." What's the benefit to being a "laid back town" that has few ambitions other than being a home to retirees? Tucson already has a lock on that and few plans to grow. Like it or not, Phoenix is the sixth largest city in the nation. We should act like it so outsiders will stop being surprised when they hear that statistic.
Luxury condominium towers belong in Scottsdale, not Tempe. The majority of college students are on limited budgets and can't afford this kind of living.
I agree with much of what you say but I don't think Tempe's ability to attract businesses like State Farm where the City of Phoenix fails is attributable to sprawl. According to the U.S. Census, the average travel time to work for a Tempe resident is 20.4 minutes and for a resident of Phoenix it's 24.4. A negligible difference. The two cities also have an almost identical rates of median age, people over 65, and even poverty rates: 22.2% for Tempe. 21.8% for Phoenix (both lower than Pima County). Phoenix has a higher percentage of home ownership, but that seems attributable to the number of students in Tempe.
What is dramatically different about the two populations is education level. 90.7% of Tempe residents are high school grads and 41% have a bachelor's degree or higher. In Phoenix it's 80.1% for HS but only 25.9% for college +. That's an important statistic when companies are looking to establish new or move existing operations.
SF is said to be placing 8,500 employees in their newest "regional operations center." Their representatives indicated that proximity to ASU was a major reason they chose the Tempe Town Lake site for their new buildings. Also, I imagine that if they will be bringing in employees from elsewhere in the nation. If so, they were likely looking for an attractive community where people will want to put down roots and raise families — this being a company headquarters and not a phone bank operation. That means they want affordable, upscale housing, top-rated school districts, and attractive amenities including shopping and entertainment. The Tempe/Chandler/Scottsdale area provides those things.
While Mayor Stanton seems to have made a real commitment to improving public education in Phoenix (re-opening the shuttered Office of Education was the start). His education task force has forged partnerships with United Way, AARP's Experience Corps, and the Arizona Diamondbacks to establish literacy programs, provide tutors to give students a strong foundation in reading by the time they reach third grade, and provide more resources to support after-
-school programs His program called Degree Phoenix is designed to pump up the number of high school grads who pursue higher education. This effort is great, but it can only promise future results. Currently, the area where SF is building has more to offer people immediately for their children.
Stanton has multi-pronged strategies to attract businesses and residents to downtown. An interesting aspect of this plan is international trade. He points out that Arizona was the only state in the nation to see exports fall from 2007-12. He is determined to reverse that statistic. His administration is opening a Phoenix trade office in Mexico City this autumn. Trade missions to our neighbor increased exports to Mexico 12% in 2013. Inroads are also being made in markets in Canada and China. Stanton's 2014 State of the City addresses included the pledge to double trade to Mexico in five years and double all exports in ten. To that end, Phoenix is now participating the prestigious Global Cities initiative sponsored by the Brookings Institute and J.P. Morgan Chase.
I fully agree that there is no reason any of the communities that make up Metro Phoenix can't be more "urban." What's the benefit to being a "laid back town" that has few ambitions other than being a home to retirees? Tucson already has a lock on that and few plans to grow. Like it or not, Phoenix is the sixth largest city in the nation. We should act like it so outsiders will stop being surprised when they hear that statistic.
Exactly! Tempe has all that, downtown does not. When developers go into an area they build an elementary school and donate land for high schools. They pay commercial to come in - supermarkets especially - and subsidize them for years. DMB built an entire Potemkin downtown for Verrado! Tempe has a huge advantage over downtown in that it has the things people want. Phoenix downtown is still in the gimmick stage of attracting people and businesses. The city needs to act more like a private developer would even if it is not as glamorous as a light rail line and monthly art fairs. Schools and food!
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