Is the Phoenix Metro area getting too large? (Tucson, Glendale: apartments, crime)

[NorterraPhil]

Am I the only one who thinks Phoenix is becoming too large? With rising gas prices and the city growing outwards everyday, I don't want to drive 40 miles just to see a baseball/football game or to go shopping.

I think building more skyscrapers and expanding downtown could be a solution. Having a bunch of businesses and shops located in buildings within a few blocks of each other like say New York, but thats just my opinion. What you guys think?

[Alacran]

Most Americans to the west and south need a car.

Every prefers the suburban lifestyle.

It will come to bite them in the ass.

[seattlecoming]

Phoenix is too big for the truly small-townish nature of the city and the area in general. Tiny downtown area that goes dead after 7:00 every night. Even when Suns or Diamondbacks are playing there's not much of a crowd. [mod cut-- off topic] Phoenix is the nation's 5th biggest city in population only because it's spread out over 500 square miles and consists of mostly cheap tract homes, apartments, and strip mall centers. It looks and acts more like the inland empire area of southern CA - a large mass of eastern Los Angeles suburbs - than a real world-class city. Even some of the smaller-sized suburbs of Los Angeles like Pasadena, Santa Monica, and Glendale have more active central core downtowns than Phoenix. I could go on and on but I'll probably get censored or flamed again.

[ibarrio]

Western cities tend to grow out, not up. That includes Los Angeles (LA has even made it over the hill and into Palmdale - Lancaster).

There are two solid world class cities on the west coast, L.A. and San Francisco. An argument can be made for Santa Fe being close to world class.

These cities are nice but they are not world class. Some are nicer than others of course. These cities are San Diego, Seattle, Portland, Denver, SLC, Phoenix, Albuquerque, El Paso, Tucson, Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio.

[Ritchie_az]

If it's "too big" for you don't live here or don't live in the suburbs. That's pretty simple.

[Phxguy]

Originally Posted by seattlecoming

Phoenix is too big for the truly small-townish nature of the city and the area in general. Tiny downtown area that goes dead after 7:00 every night. Even when Suns or Diamondbacks are playing there's not much of a crowd. Scant library system, no real musems or fine art to speak of and little to offer for nightlife. So they build a light rail line in the middle of it all with hopes that people will somehow want to go downtown on the choo-choo. Decent amount of service-level jobs that pay squat wages, and it's the talk of the town when Paypal decides to open a plant in Chandler. Phoenix is the nation's 5th biggest city in population only because it's spread out over 500 square miles and consists of mostly cheap tract homes, apartments, and strip mall centers. It looks and acts more like the inland empire area of southern CA - a large mass of eastern Los Angeles suburbs - than a real world-class city. Even some of the smaller-sized suburbs of Los Angeles like Pasadena, Santa Monica, and Glendale have more active central core downtowns than Phoenix. I could go on and on but I'll probably get censored or flamed again.

For as much as you descibed Phoenix and the valley, I couldn't relate to anything you just said. Sure Phoenix has that laid back type mentality but it's no where near small townish. Ever been on the 101, 10, 60 during rush hour? 7 every night. HAHA! You must still be living in the 90s. I go downtown occasionaly on weekends; say Sunday and there's more people out walking around between 4-8pm then 7-9 am. The library system isn't the best but then again what library system in the country hasn't been affected.
No real museums??? What about Phoenix Art, largest and most important art museum in the region? Heard Museum?? As for nightlife, there's Tempe, Scottsdale, downtown and Midtown Phoenix, parts of Glendale. The light rail has been time and again a success. Exceeding rider expectations by more than a million.
And the reason why Phoenix has so many people is because of weather, housng costs, friendlier atmosphere, and the growing job oppotunities. This has been proved by the last 18 months of continuous unemployment levels dropping.
Phoenix as sure as hell doesn't act or look like the inland Empire. Phoenix is a city of it's own, there's no where like it anywhere else on Earth.
Sounds to me as if you've never been in Phoenix at all. Everything you've described I've heard numerous times by people who've never even been to the city. Maybe you should know something true before spreading false accusations about a place.

[_Charles_]

I have seen a definate incremental decline in the quality of life in the Valley over the last 25 years.
Given my ties here, I have no desire to live anywhere else and still see Phoenix as OZ but yes things are not what they where and this is attributable to - too many folks moving here.

It would would be nice to see a shift in the Valley's economy away from real esate speculation and move in the direction of good jobs.

I also would like to see the Valley stop being a magnet for transient types - running from their personal problems expecting to find gold/cake here - but I do not have an answer for that one.

[Bondurant]

It's all relative to where you live in relation to sites and attractions. I'm sure NFL and NHL fans in the WV love having stadia there.

[Ponderosa]

There is a reason that people don't live in high rise residential structures here. THEY DON'T WANT TO.

[seattlecoming]

Originally Posted by Phxguy

For as much as you descibed Phoenix and the valley, I couldn't relate to anything you just said. Sure Phoenix has that laid back type mentality but it's no where near small townish. Ever been on the 101, 10, 60 during rush hour? 7 every night. HAHA! You must still be living in the 90s. I go downtown occasionaly on weekends; say Sunday and there's more people out walking around between 4-8pm then 7-9 am. The library system isn't the best but then again what library system in the country hasn't been affected.
No real museums??? What about Phoenix Art, largest and most important art museum in the region? Heard Museum?? As for nightlife, there's Tempe, Scottsdale, downtown and Midtown Phoenix, parts of Glendale. The light rail has been time and again a success. Exceeding rider expectations by more than a million.
And the reason why Phoenix has so many people is because of weather, housng costs, friendlier atmosphere, and the growing job oppotunities. This has been proved by the last 18 months of continuous unemployment levels dropping.
Phoenix as sure as hell doesn't act or look like the inland Empire. Phoenix is a city of it's own, there's no where like it anywhere else on Earth.
Sounds to me as if you've never been in Phoenix at all. Everything you've described I've heard numerous times by people who've never even been to the city. Maybe you should know something true before spreading false accusations about a place.

I know all about rush hour and the heavy traffic. Yes, Phoenix certainly has the traffic, the drugs, the crime and all that big-city stuff but I was talking about the finer things that really comprise a true world-class city. With all that downtown has tried to accomplish we would certainly hope it would bring in more people after 7:00 but it's still very dead compared to other smaller cities like Denver, San Diego, Seattle, Portland, and even Salt Lake City. Also for your information I happen to be a native and I even used to like it here. Not anymore. There comes a time when one gets tired of weather- like too little rain and dreadfully hot summers that last 5-6 months. But luckily I won't be around here too much longer because I am moving to the PNW next month. See I'm not just another outsider. I've been here long enough and know what I'm talking about. I'm unhappy here but at least I'm doing something about it.