Working in downtown Phoenix? Curious about moving to downtown? Look here... (Scottsdale: apartment complex, for rent)

[HX_Guy]

Originally Posted by blueeyz911

Very nice pictures. I work in downtown Phoenix but I would not want to live there. I lived in the historical district for 4 years and that was alright but I would not do it again.

What didn't you like about living in the historic district, why wouldn't you do it again?

[blueeyz911]

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

What didn't you like about living in the historic district, why wouldn't you do it again?

I did not like that it was so far away from everything (we only had one grocery store nearby and hardly any restaurants close by except a couple artsy fartsy places. There was no Target or Walmart nearby either or my bank. Also, there were a lot of homeless people walking around digging in our garbage cans in the alleys. They did not bother us but it was depressing. My biggest complaint was the HUGE sewer roaches! YUK! We had quite a few of the little suckers and some of them could fly. I have never had roaches anywhere else that I lived in the valley and I have lived here for 29 years.

[HX_Guy]

I guess it depends exactly where you lived and what you consider "close". There are a few grocery stores around 7th St and McDowell I believe...plus an AJs at Central and Camelback and a Target at 7th Ave and Camelback, which is 5 miles from the center of downtown (Central and Washington).

It all comes down to personal preference, I like the "artsy fartsy" restaurants like Cibo, Fate, etc and would much rather go to those then say Chili's...but you also have the nice ones relatively close at 24th and Camelback which itself is only 7 miles from central downtown, such as Cheesecake Factory or Donovan's etc.

Downtown itself also has some more selection then the artsy ones...such as Kincaids in the Bank of America building or The Compass Room at the top of the Hyatt, plus a few others.

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by blueeyz911

I did not like that it was so far away from everything (we only had one grocery store nearby and hardly any restaurants close by except a couple artsy fartsy places. There was no Target or Walmart nearby either or my bank. Also, there were a lot of homeless people walking around digging in our garbage cans in the alleys. They did not bother us but it was depressing. My biggest complaint was the HUGE sewer roaches! YUK! We had quite a few of the little suckers and some of them could fly. I have never had roaches anywhere else that I lived in the valley and I have lived here for 29 years.

Actually, there's a bunch of places in the valley with sewer roaches (parts of Tempe and Mesa have that problem too)-- and you're not kidding, it's one of the most disgusting things ever.

You do make a really good point, blueeyz911. People moving to downtown Phoenix may think they're living in an "urban" environment, but they're really not. Central and Van Buren is just one piece of the giant grid, just as 7th st & McDowell is, just as 19th ave & Dunlap is, just as 48th st and Chandler Blvd is. "Urban themed," perhaps, but not the real thing. What makes a place truly urban and not just a self-consciously "urban themed" development in the sea of gridded-out sprawl is population density. All the boutique hair salons, art galleries, and frou frou restaurants in the world can not replace sheer population density within a certain area. Some of the most truly urban parts of Phoenix are not downtown, Central Ave, or Camelback Corridor, but rather areas with high concentrations of illegal immigrants, like McDowell & 16th, or areas like the neighborhood just east of the ASU campus in Tempe, with tons of old, crowded apartments packed in together. I've seen 1970s-80s era "suburban" apartment complexes on Baseline Rd in Tempe that have more population density than official "new urbanist" developments along Central Ave. And most of the best food to be had in Phoenix is located in old strip malls scattered around all over the place-- not in downtown Phoenix.

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

You do make a really good point, blueeyz911. People moving to downtown Phoenix may think they're living in an "urban" environment, but they're really not. Central and Van Buren is just one piece of the giant grid, just as 7th st & McDowell is, just as 19th ave & Dunlap is, just as 48th st and Chandler Blvd is. "Urban themed," perhaps, but not the real thing. What makes a place truly urban and not just a self-consciously "urban themed" development in the sea of gridded-out sprawl is population density. All the boutique hair salons, art galleries, and frou frou restaurants in the world can not replace sheer population density within a certain area. Some of the most truly urban parts of Phoenix are not downtown, Central Ave, or Camelback Corridor, but rather areas with high concentrations of illegal immigrants, like McDowell & 16th, or areas like the neighborhood just east of the ASU campus in Tempe, with tons of old, crowded apartments packed in together. I've seen 1970s-80s era "suburban" apartment complexes on Baseline Rd in Tempe that have more population density than official "new urbanist" developments along Central Ave. And most of the best food to be had in Phoenix is located in old strip malls scattered around all over the place-- not in downtown Phoenix.

Actually, I'd say it's not just about density. As you suggest, density is sometimes higher outside Downtown. The advantage for Downtown is walkability. DT Phoenix, DT Tempe, and Old Town Scottsdale generally have narrower streets, shorter blocks, better separation of pedestrians from high-speed traffic, and better access via public transit. From that point of view, moving Downtown would provide a more urban lifestyle. Agree about the restaurants, though.

[The_Cadillac_Lawyer]

I love living downtown!!! As I pass over the 3rd st bridge over I-10 I say to myself "look at all those poor-bastards stuck on that gridlocked freeway driving home".....lol I used to be one of them!! Takes me 8 minutes to get to work, and 5 to get home.
I live on the 20th floor and my view is amazing. Always wanted to live downtown, so I just bit the bullet and went for it. I'm buying a house next year probably in the historic district.
Here are some pics.

[blueeyz911]

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

I guess it depends exactly where you lived and what you consider "close". There are a few grocery stores around 7th St and McDowell I believe...plus an AJs at Central and Camelback and a Target at 7th Ave and Camelback, which is 5 miles from the center of downtown (Central and Washington).

It all comes down to personal preference, I like the "artsy fartsy" restaurants like Cibo, Fate, etc and would much rather go to those then say Chili's...but you also have the nice ones relatively close at 24th and Camelback which itself is only 7 miles from central downtown, such as Cheesecake Factory or Donovan's etc.

Downtown itself also has some more selection then the artsy ones...such as Kincaids in the Bank of America building or The Compass Room at the top of the Hyatt, plus a few others.

yep that's the Safeway we shopped at - 7th St. & Mcdowell. Fortunately, that is a very nice Safeway. I do not know of any other grocery stores around 7th Street and Mcdowell though. We also shopped at the 7th ave & Camelback Target (not too crazy about that location though). I love Cibo and Fate but I did not know those restaurants existed when I lived downtown. Now that I work downtown I have been introduced to them. I've eaten at Kincaids too. I was not too impressed with the food there.

For me I like to live close to LARGE shopping plazas with a varierty of shopping like the 7th St and Bell area for example. I like to have all my shopping in the same area so I don't have to drive from store to store. Also I do not like downtown driving- it's hard to find parking, one way streets are annoying etc... There was always someone driving the wrong way down the one way street where we lived and we would have to honk our horns at them. I guess I am a "suburb" girl.

[datkid72]

Originally Posted by trudawg

I love living downtown!!! As I pass over the 3rd st bridge over I-10 I say to myself "look at all those poor-bastards stuck on that gridlocked freeway driving home".....lol I used to be one of them!! Takes me 8 minutes to get to work, and 5 to get home.
I live on the 20th floor and my view is amazing. Always wanted to live downtown, so I just bit the bullet and went for it. I'm buying a house next year probably in the historic district.
Here are some pics.

how much do you pay a month for rent?

[The_Cadillac_Lawyer]

$1350 all utiltites included 1600 sq. feet

[Fra Diavolo]

This has been one of my favorite threads, so far. I love the picture of Downtown Pheonix. I can't wait to get there! Anyone else have any pics of some nice parts of Downtown Phoenix?