Gilbert, Arizona is #3 best place to buy a home (Phoenix: condo, hotels)
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So I would consider myself a big city person, from Dublin, maybe I missed a beat when I was in Phoenix, we stayed downtown, close to the stadium and felt the downtown area like a lot of cities I have been to here in the States (excluding NYC) was a big disappointment, well that is not fair, I came with low expectations after we contemplated Boston for our move and that was a big let down. Planning on heading back to Phoenix in a few weeks to look at schools but will be staying downtown again, where would you recommend I go to get that big city feel, I just didn't see it when we were there recetly.
I think you're confusing big city for mega city. Boston is undeniably a big city, with infinitely more culture, vibrancy, better architecture, and better public transportation than 99% of the US. If you were somehow "let down" by Boston of all places, you definitely won't find anything even remotely to your liking in metro Phoenix.
I think you're confusing big city for mega city. Boston is undeniably a big city, with infinitely more culture, vibrancy, better architecture, and better public transportation than 99% of the US. If you were somehow "let down" by Boston of all places, you definitely won't find anything even remotely to your liking in metro Phoenix.
I had no expectations of Downtown Phoenix when I came tbh, I was just curious as to what the poster was seeing that I missed. Gilbert would be considered a town from a European point of view, but I was reasonably impressed with the place, certainly the neighbourhoods we were looking at were a reasonable distance to Old Town Scottsdale etc...
So I would consider myself a big city person, from Dublin, maybe I missed a beat when I was in Phoenix, we stayed downtown, close to the stadium and felt the downtown area like a lot of cities I have been to here in the States (excluding NYC) was a big disappointment, well that is not fair, I came with low expectations after we contemplated Boston for our move and that was a big let down. Planning on heading back to Phoenix in a few weeks to look at schools but will be staying downtown again, where would you recommend I go to get that big city feel, I just didn't see it when we were there recetly.
That vibe really doesn't exist in Phoenix (yet). They've made great strides the past 10 years but I think we would need another 10 years of solid growth to get what you want. Downtown is still struggling with losing their major employers to the suburbs, like I mentioned earlier in this thread, but there is still interest and growth in downtown. Phoenix really embraces suburban living with yards and swimming pools, even a block or two away from DT, it becomes very suburban in nature.
That vibe really doesn't exist in Phoenix (yet). They've made great strides the past 10 years but I think we would need another 10 years of solid growth to get what you want. Downtown is still struggling with losing their major employers to the suburbs, like I mentioned earlier in this thread, but there is still interest and growth in downtown. Phoenix really embraces suburban living with yards and swimming pools, even a block or two away from DT, it becomes very suburban in nature.
So again if that’s the case, why be far from anything in Gilbert when you can be much closer for the same thing? What’s the point of living in a metropolitan area if you are going to be far from what made it a metro to begin with. Since you hate the West Valley so much, I even provide other East Valley options. So what is it, really?
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Phoenix is by definition a big city, we have a lot of people and a lot of land and a lot of jobs and we are a powerful and influential city and state. Again, we offer a lot and all other things big cities offer. As a proponent of urbanism myself I’m kinda sick from hearing from people that we aren’t a big city because Sun City exists. Again we are the size of DC and bigger than Seattle in PEOPLE. And for cities, man-made for man, man is what matters, and we have quite a bit of it compared to other places. Until people start treating us like what we really are —a very populous metro— we aren’t going to be treated like that and it’s a feedback loop.
I’m sick of this conservatism thinking from the 90s—three decades ago—of what Phoenix is still applying today. We aren’t going to get any advancement if people just want to regress and not focus on progress. Think like what we really are, a big city, and we will get more of what often constitutes as things in big cities. Like more transit, more tall buildings, and more jobs.
So again if that’s the case, why be far from anything in Gilbert when you can be much closer for the same thing?
Are you really asking? I guess I have to answer inside of a couple of sentences. Budget, safety (crime), closer to a family member or job, quality of schools, etc.
Last edited by MN-Born-n-Raised; 10-26-2021 at 06:45 AM..
I’m sick of this conservatism thinking from the 90s—three decades ago—of what Phoenix is still applying today. We aren’t going to get any advancement if people just want to regress and not focus on progress. Think like what we really are, a big city, and we will get more of what often constitutes as things in big cities. Like more transit, more tall buildings, and more jobs.
Seattle is 84 square miles. Washington DC is 68 square miles. MPLS 57 square miles. Do you see a trend? Phoenix proper is 517 square miles. Can you see the difference in size? PHX is diluted and should separate into 10 different cities. But, they are still pushing to get bigger. It is one reason why the downtown area feels sleepy because it is duluted (spread out).
My point: Your size comparisons in your earlier post are semi-irrelevant. Now compare PHX to other major sprawling cities like Nashville (526 square miles), or San Antonio (515 square miles), or Oklahoma City (621 square miles). They too lack a focus in their individual DT areas. It's because of s-p-r-a-w-l.
So I would consider myself a big city person, from Dublin, maybe I missed a beat when I was in Phoenix, we stayed downtown, close to the stadium and felt the downtown area like a lot of cities I have been to here in the States (excluding NYC) was a big disappointment, well that is not fair, I came with low expectations after we contemplated Boston for our move and that was a big let down. Planning on heading back to Phoenix in a few weeks to look at schools but will be staying downtown again, where would you recommend I go to get that big city feel, I just didn't see it when we were there recetly.
Same here, except it was London for me and get what you’re meaning. About the only place we hang out in Phoenix is around Roosevelt Row which is a walkable arts district , bars, boutiques , restaurants and lots of street art. We go to Fair Trade coffee there.
So again if that’s the case, why be far from anything in Gilbert when you can be much closer for the same thing? What’s the point of living in a metropolitan area if you are going to be far from what made it a metro to begin with. Since you hate the West Valley so much, I even provide other East Valley options. So what is it, really?
—
Phoenix is by definition a big city, we have a lot of people and a lot of land and a lot of jobs and we are a powerful and influential city and state. Again, we offer a lot and all other things big cities offer. As a proponent of urbanism myself I’m kinda sick from hearing from people that we aren’t a big city because Sun City exists. Again we are the size of DC and bigger than Seattle in PEOPLE. And for cities, man-made for man, man is what matters, and we have quite a bit of it compared to other places. Until people start treating us like what we really are —a very populous metro— we aren’t going to be treated like that and it’s a feedback loop.
I’m sick of this conservatism thinking from the 90s—three decades ago—of what Phoenix is still applying today. We aren’t going to get any advancement if people just want to regress and not focus on progress. Think like what we really are, a big city, and we will get more of what often constitutes as things in big cities. Like more transit, more tall buildings, and more jobs.
Again, this isnt a big city lifestyle here. In the Phoenix area we embrace suburban living with the garages, pools and yards -- it's what the market demands. Keep in mind most people are not like you and VN, we have significant others and children to consider. In any event, all I was doing was responding to a guy who liked Gilbert, assuring him that being a few miles closer to DT isn't such a big deal that I would alternatively live in Avondale or Laveen.
Gilbert doesn't impress me much at all. It's basically an oversized bedroom community, which is similar to Mesa in that regard, except Gilbert has better neighborhoods overall. The layout of the downtown area reminds me of Old Town Scottsdale around 1975ish. Worst of all, Gilbert has a population of over 250,000, but still calls itself a town, and their primary landmark is a water tower. It really needs to grow up and quit behaving like a hick town.
As far as downtown Phoenix being the epicenter: Prickly Pear is correct in this case. It's not only the employment we have to look at, but all the other amenities, such as sports, entertainment, museums, conventions, mass transit, etc. The majority of these things are downtown. The scheduled concerts that I have any interest in attending over the next year are all taking place in downtown venues. Tempe has a great urban vibe along & near Mill Avenue, and a good employment base, but downtown Phoenix still is the primary urban center of metro Phoenix.
Not sure how you get hick town from the million dollar homes, Teslas, MB, etc that litter this entire city. I mean, it is a bedroom community. I don't think they are trying to be something they are not. But there is a lot of money in this "town" and I definitely wouldn't call it hick anymore (maybe 15 years ago).
Seattle is 84 square miles. Washington DC is 68 square miles. MPLS 57 square miles. Do you see a trend? Phoenix proper is 517 square miles. Can you see the difference in size? PHX is diluted and should separate into 10 different cities. But, they are still pushing to get bigger. It is one reason why the downtown area feels sleepy because it is duluted (spread out).
My point: Your size comparisons in your earlier post are semi-irrelevant. Now compare PHX to other major sprawling cities like Nashville (526 square miles), or San Antonio (515 square miles), or Oklahoma City (621 square miles). They too lack a focus in their individual DT areas. It's because of s-p-r-a-w-l.
With the exception of San Antonio, your comparisons are to cities which are much smaller in population than Phoenix is. Houston & Dallas have active downtowns with much more majestic skylines, despite both cities being very sprawling (Houston encompassing 671 square miles, Dallas encompassing 383 square miles, and both containing roughly the same population density as Phoenix). I think you, like many others, are reaching for excuses for why the central core isn't taller & more active than it is. I definitely agree that certain parts of Phoenix don't need to be in the city limits, and should be separate communities.
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Originally Posted by Sno0909
Not sure how you get hick town from the million dollar homes, Teslas, MB, etc that litter this entire city. I mean, it is a bedroom community. I don't think they are trying to be something they are not. But there is a lot of money in this "town" and I definitely wouldn't call it hick anymore (maybe 15 years ago).
As I explained earlier: Gilbert still calls itself a "town", their landmark structure is a water tower, and their downtown area resembles Old Town Scottsdale from the '70s. Those things are small townish for a place with a population of over 250,000. I'm not saying it's a bad place to live, but at the very least, they could drop the "town of Gilbert" ID, and refer to it as a city like it should be. That would be a good start.
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I guess I have to answer inside of a couple of sentences. Budget, safety (crime), closer to a family member or job, quality of schools, etc.
