NPR on Tucson's growth (Young: neighborhoods, college, young professionals)

[robabeatle]

I only caught a little of this but the discussion highlighted a survey given by Imagine Greater Tucson and three points that came from the survey:

"During the inevitable growth in the future, how should Tucson accommodate this growth:"

Respondents supported:

1. Denser urban growth over sprawl

2. Walkable areas/neighborhoods

3. More varied modes of transportation.

Downtown seems to be buzzing from the private sector. Now can the city government get its act together?

[citynomad]

With regards to that IGT survey, that's accurate. Urbanization is the trend these days, anywhere. The popularity of the suburbs is waning. Google it yourself.

Pretty much most gov't institutions have their flaws. And regardless the flaws, the end result needs to be executed successfully. If urbanization in Tucson couldn't be achieved in the next few years, then the officials in the city of Tucson could add another in their long list of executed failures.

Robabeatle, you are brave to post this. I'm too old to argue and reason with some folks in this city. Those new and future projects in Tucson should help spur job growth which is severely lacking. Tucson needs to think big and not with small incremental steps. Thank you, kindly.

[Kabluey]

Originally Posted by robabeatle

I only caught a little of this but the discussion highlighted a survey given by Imagine Greater Tucson and three points that came from the survey:

"During the inevitable growth in the future, how should Tucson accommodate this growth:"

Respondents supported:

1. Denser urban growth over sprawl

2. Walkable areas/neighborhoods

3. More varied modes of transportation.

Downtown seems to be buzzing from the private sector. Now can the city government get its act together?

But the message touted by IGT has been raised for five or more years. A few years ago the Star had a profile comparison between Tucson and Austin, and between Tucson and Portland. Whatever messages certain sectors are hearing about making the area more accommodating to young professionals, to college graduates, about making it more walkable, less car-oriented, more dense. Those messages crawl slowly from the voices to the decision-makers, from the voices to the politicians, from the voices to the pavement. Progress moves slowly because so many are complacent and self-satisfied with the status quo strategies.

IGT is great, but they need to put feet on the pavement. They need to act, impose this will upon political executives and legislators.

Those seeking to improve in the areas IGT has

[kirk99]

A lot of the slow progress can be blamed to the city gov't of Tucson and those neighborhood associations or neighborhood activist. Tucson gov't is corrupt. They awarded contracts to local developers who don't have enough dollars to finance those expensive developments downtown in the first place. Most, if not all, of the developments that are successful came from out of Tucson like developers from New York or Chicago. The idea that local developers would care more about their community than non-local developers is ludicrous. None of the local developers have proven any concern to Tucson. They are there to make a quick buck. The neighborhood associations have been hijacked by neighborhood activist who resist to any change or as Kabluey stated '...complacent and self-satisfied with the status quo strategies'. And Tucson gov't have a stupid tendency to listen to the minor few over the majority of Tucsonans.

Way back in the 80's there were efforts to build several high rises but where later turned down. Ironically, The Great Financial Meltdown of 2008, pretty much forced Tucson to go urban. And yes, IGT needs to be more active and aggressive in promoting urbanization in Tucson otherwise Tucson will have fallen behind again compared to cities of the same size. As citynomad implied, Tucson also needs to get beyond the 'small incremental steps' that I characterized as slow progress. It needs to 'think big' to support and adapt to it's growing population.

[Kabluey]

Another issue is the possibility that the people who want these changes aren't voting enough. Young professionals or college students may not be voting to make their voices heard. We can all do our part and vote, participate and share when opportunities like IGT arise, support initiatives that reflect your values.

I go to more Padres games than batCat games, because I was disheartened when we lost AAA and all three spring training games due to lack of foresight of government. They've regretted it ever since. They've regretted listening to the NIMBYs, you can tell, with the initiatives they are supporting now. They are basically begging anyone to be interested in that geographic mistake called Kino Stadium. And they've found some, and now some visionaries and civic minded leaders are proposing a soccer complex and more events to bring professional sports back to Tucson.

But whatever the concern is, when you see a move toward it, support that move. Change comes with a step.