New Jackson Entertainment District Downtown (Phoenix, Tempe: credit, real estate, condos)

[Cj81]

Hey everyone check this out, renderings of the proposed new Jackson St. Entertainment District in downtown Phoenix. For everyone who is tired of Phoenix having a boring downtown! Lets keep our fingers crossed on this one.

[Boatdrinks]

Very cool!! I haven't heard about this. When is construction supposed to start?

[HX_Guy]

Here is the full article...

http://www.contact-mag.com/issue6/feature1.htm (broken link)

Cj81, your welcome for the pictures.

[TracerHawk]

I'm really excited by the potential of the Warehouse district. Especially with more and more residential areas in that section.

One thing I found funny about the renderings is the amount of people in them. It's the old "if you build it, they will come" mentality. I think the area has a ton of potential, but right now, the only time you see this many people downtown is when a Suns or Diamondbacks game lets out (unfortunately!).

[june]

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

Here is the full article...

http://www.contact-mag.com/issue6/feature1.htm (broken link)

Cj81, your welcome for the pictures.

Read the article and hope this happens. Theres nothing like living in the burbs and being able to escape to the big city for entertainment, just in time for me a New Yorker moving to Phoenix. Have any good ideas on a business for downtown? How about hot dog vendors? Nothing like a dirty water dog! Thats what a NY hotdog is called from a street vendor. Well very exciting, and I cant wait....

[Andre5140]

As a recent graduate of a Master of Urban Planning program, all I can say is "good luck and keep dreaming" because that's about all the further stuff like this will go.

Planners and developers have too much time on their hands to do anything in small, productive increments

[Cj81]

Here is the full article...

http://www.contact-mag.com/issue6/feature1.htm (broken link)

Cj81, your welcome for the pictures.

Sorry HX, I was just trying to get the word out, forgot to site the source. BTW, nice pics on your last post!!

As a recent graduate of a Master of Urban Planning program, all I can say is "good luck and keep dreaming" because that's about all the further stuff like this will go.

I understand your skepticism, there is no doubt that projects like this are hard to get off the drawing board. I really think downtown Phoenix today is rather different. There are some major components impacting the growth like the light rail, biomed campus and probably the most important ASU!! ASU broke ground on the new school of journalism about 2 weeks ago and they will soon break ground on new high rise student housing. I think they plan to have around 15,000 students attending the downtown campus by 2010. These students are going to create a huge demand for an entertainment district downtown. Not to mention the residents of all of the new high rise condos downtown. However, I do understand where your coming from, downtown has had about 30 different plans over the last 30 years and all of them have failed!! The difference that today brings, is that the fuel is now in place, there is a demand for downtown. All of the past plans were just thrown out there by various groups and soon forgot about. I think we are experiencing something different today. Its obviously going to take a while but its going to happen. If you still don't believe me , just take a trip downtown and see for yourself, or take a look at HXguys pictures!! And I am an architecture grad, so I'm not just talking out of my *** , I have taken many urban planning classes

[Steve-o]

Im glad to see some initiative being taken, but it still lacks any soul based on the renderings.

[Andre5140]

Originally Posted by Cj81

I understand your skepticism, there is no doubt that projects like this are hard to get off the drawing board. I really think downtown Phoenix today is rather different. There are some major components impacting the growth like the light rail, biomed campus and probably the most important ASU!! ASU broke ground on the new school of journalism about 2 weeks ago and they will soon break ground on new high rise student housing. I think they plan to have around 15,000 students attending the downtown campus by 2010. These students are going to create a huge demand for an entertainment district downtown. Not to mention the residents of all of the new high rise condos downtown. However, I do understand where your coming from, downtown has had about 30 different plans over the last 30 years and all of them have failed!! The difference that today brings, is that the fuel is now in place, there is a demand for downtown. All of the past plans were just thrown out there by various groups and soon forgot about. I think we are experiencing something different today. Its obviously going to take a while but its going to happen. If you still don't believe me , just take a trip downtown and see for yourself, or take a look at HXguys pictures!! And I am an architecture grad, so I'm not just talking out of my *** , I have taken many urban planning classes

Some excellent points you make there, for sure. I have visited Phoenix 4 different times and recently accepted a job in Tempe. The light rail will be a great catalyst to walkable growth. The Metro subway lines built in and around Wash DC in late 1970s have lead to great places that were once burned out.

Unlike DC, Phoenix has a great opportunity. Whereas DC is surrounded by smaller cities with older downtowns that have ALL went up in price, Metro Phoenix has suburbs for those who prefer single-family low density while also having the ability to foster a great downtown.

Yeah, these plans are pretty over the top but we have to get started somewhere. And by the way, just because I have a degree in urban planning doesn't mean I automatically discredit any one else's credentials. Any valid thoughts are accepted here.

I'm curious if all the talk of really wanting a downtown is true or just hype created by the idealists (such as the progressives and those with arch and up degrees ). Since I don't live there yet, I cannot be sure. I'd appreciate some feedback from residents.

[Andre5140]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Im glad to see some initiative being taken, but it still lacks any soul based on the renderings.

Perhaps you're being too critical of these initial ideas. What are some things you'd like to see? Are workshops being offered for residents to participate in? What is the real estate market even like downtown?