don is swept away at the Phoenix forum meet...

[Don B.]

We had pretty good turn-out
for the August 2007 forum
meet. The owner and developer
of the 23-story Summit @
Copper Square near the ball
park in downtown Phoenix
was kind enough to meet
with us and take us up in
his building. That would be
David Wallach and his crew,
including forumer Gump
(project manager, I think)
and others. Big thanks to
all of you for your time and interest. :cheers:

Of course, a dust storm
arrived in front of powerful
thunderstorm winds blowing
in from the mountains in
eastern Arizona, creating
a dusty fog-like effect just
as we arrived at the meet.

When we arrived at the top
of the 250-foot building, the
winds were gusting up to 40
mph and made it very difficult
to hold on to the camera while
shooting without moving around.
Here's the view of downtown
looking northwest @ 16mm:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2838copy.jpg

Next, I slapped on the 100-400mm
telephoto lens and started shooting
in the gusts and blowing dust.
This view is of the main portion
of the downtown skyline, high-
lighting the 34-story 44 Monroe
project:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2843copy.jpg

This shows the 31-story Sheraton
Convention Center Hotel (it's
hideous - my eyes!!!!!!) and the
uptown skyline about 2-3 miles
north of downtown:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2844copy.jpg

The Sheraton even closer:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2845copy.jpg

Zoomed in to uptown:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2846copy.jpg

Even closer:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2847copy.jpg

44 Monroe zoomed in:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2848copy.jpg

This view will soon be obscured
by several 40-story skyscrapers,
part of the Cityscape Project:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2849copy.jpg

You can see the Convention
Center expansion under
construction in front, and the
various towers of Arizona Center
behind:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2851copy.jpg

Phoenix's burgeoning bioscience
campus downtown, with a high
school and various companies in
the various structures:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2852copy.jpg

Zoomed in to Good Samaritan
Medical Center, about three
miles northeast of downtown.
You can see, faintly in the
distance, part of the Biltmore
skyline:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2853copy.jpg

Really zoomed in to the uptown
skyline:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2854copy.jpg

Details on some of Phoenix's
few historic skyscrapers:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2855copy.jpg

Zoomed in to Patriot's Square
Park, about to be demolished as
part of the aforementioned
Cityscape project:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2856copy.jpg

Detail along 3rd Street at the
base of the new convention
center and hotel:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2859copy.jpg

The downtown ASU structures
are rising fast on the skyline:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2861copy.jpg

Zoomed in to the very dusty
Sky Harbor airport. Very
faintly, in the distance, you
can see Tempe's burgeoning
skyline, about six miles away:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2865copy.jpg

Street scenes in south Phoenix
(gritty on many different levels):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2867copy.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2868copy.jpg

Looking north along 3rd Street
at street level:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2869copy.jpg

Another downtown street
scene, looking post-apocalyptic
in nature:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2870copy.jpg

Looking east on Jackson:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2871copy.jpg

Food and drink in the cool
confines of Alice Cooperstown,
where we went for dinner.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2872copy.jpg

Es fin. :D

--don

[Buckeye Native 001]

A whole new perspective on Phoenix. Great pics as always, Don :tup:

That dust didn't muck up the Uber-Precious, did it?

[PHX31]

Awesome photos! I Especially liked all of the zoom shots of construction and the rarely seen angles. If I knew it was going to be the roof of Summit, I might have gone.

Did anyone question David Wallach in regards to the Omega Tower? I think that might have been the ultimate opportunity to find out what's going on with that.

[plinko]

What a unique vantage point. Watching dust storms roll in from someplace high is crazy (I used to live on the 16th floor in what is now the Landmark). Used to love to watch them eating away at the city.

The Sheraton's got a big ass roof if it's really going to be 330' and is already topped out.

favorite (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2855copy.jpg)

[DowntownDweller]

:jump:

Damn, I need to send the wife in my place next time so she can take some good shots since mine suck compared to your's. You got my Jeep in one of the pics too.

[DowntownDweller]

Did anyone question David Wallach in regards to the Omega Tower? I think that might have been the ultimate opportunity to find out what's going on with that.

He mentioned Omega quite a bit. I think Don was grilling him on it.

[NIXPHX77]

thanks guys - i had a good time, even though i was too late to make it up to the roof. great pix by all of you - very cool!
thanks gump for arranging this; sorry i did not get to meet you.

while waiting in the sales trailer, the very friendly summit/wallach/w development (not the w hotel) staff told me that the sales office for the Omega will open in a retail space at the Orpheum Lofts in 45 days!

[NIXPHX77]

ps - for whatever this is worth, the one staffer also said that they have a reservation list of 2700
for Omega. he seemed excited by that, and it sounds good to me, too!

things are also moving forward w/ Jackson St ent. district. Mr. Wallach
owns several parcels in the corridor. he will be partnering with others on that project. that's all we had time to discuss.

[PHX31]

/\ A list of 2700 reservations? No way, he must really be marketing hard in Chicago or some other places.

Although it probably means 2700 on an interest list.

[SD_Phil]

Awesome pictures. Did any of you stop by one of Phoenix's best and most unique attractions: The Fry Bread House?

[innov8]

Loved those Uptown shots with the dust in the air...nice :D

[andrewkfromaz]

A couple observations:
It looks like Dubai! Well, the dust and pollution, anyway. ;)
Patriot's Square looks really green. Maybe it's the angle.

[jcchii]

nice

and I count 20 retired chicago outfit guys in these shots

[LSyd]

sweet pics. the dust and storms add a nice air to the city. wow, tempe's that close? (one of my favorite bands is from there and i wouldn't mind traveling to see them play.)

-

[DracoCaifan]

Great Pictures Don!! Taken from an angle never seen before!! Thanks!!

[Clevelumbus]

Great pics of Phoenix!

[James Bond Agent 007]

Yeah, cranes!! :rock:

[Aleks]

When is one of these meetings coming to Seattle?

[J. Will]

Nice pics. Alice Cooperstown is one cheesy name, LOL

[ady26]

good to see new constructions in Phoenix, new cranes mean new buildings!

[plinko]

Nice pics. Alice Cooperstown is one cheesy name, LOL

Why? It's a baseball themed restaurant and Alice Cooper is a minority owner. It's locally and unique and entered downtown (1998) at a time when many businesses still wouldn't.

[Vicelord John]

just FYI both of your pictures captioned "2nd street" are actually looking at 3rd street.

[Don B.]

^ Fixed. So what did you think of the photos?

That dust didn't muck up the Uber-Precious, did it?

I don't think so, but I haven't tried to take any photos with it since the meet. :)

When is one of these meetings coming to Seattle?

You have to organize one. :D

wow, tempe's that close?

Not really; that's the effect of a long telephoto lens. It compresses linear distance away from the lens and makes things look closer together than they really are. For example, in this photo:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Downtown%20Phoenix%20-%20day/IMG_2854copy.jpg

The distance between the beige 1960s box on the left and the gray and white horizontally striped tower second from right is almost two miles, but they look very close together.

Did any of you stop by one of Phoenix's best and most unique attractions: The Fry Bread House?

Never heard of it, so you might be joking? :haha:

Thanks to all of you!!!

--don

[oliveurban]

Fantastic photos! Great job, and I actually think the dust made them especially interesting.

* Oh, and the Fry Bread House is a great place on 7th Ave, just north of Indian School Rd. Which, for those who aren't from Phoenix, that's a few miles north of downtown Phoenix - in midtown.

[vertex]

Glad to see the Summit pics come out Don. :tup: I was worried the dust storm was going to ruin a great photo op, instead it only added visual interest, a good story, and a great thread title.

And in case anyone is interested, images from other forumers at the August meet have been posted to the 'Phoenix Meet' thread in the Mountain West forum. (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?p=3015188#post3015188)

This particular image came a couple of hours after the storm, which created a pretty nice sunset.


http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/6539/img1884cleannh5.jpg (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?p=3015188#post3015188)

[Red UM Rebel]

Great shots don, the Sheraton does look very ugly. It reminds me of the Embassy Suites in Atlanta, GA, I hate when they color around the windows!

[loftlovr]

Great pics Don-
great shots with the duststorm too! I kind of like the duststorm element...
I always like the close ups and the commentary!
You have powers that we do not with your telephoto lense!
Sad I couldn't go- especially considering David Wallach was there!

You must tell of your grilling!

[arbeiter]

These pictures lend a more interesting air to Phoenix than previously imagined. However, it kind of sums up why it's the ultimate doomsday archetype surburb-steroid complex. Oh, the things old folks will do for warm weather in the winter and lower taxes.

[PHX31]

/\ I'm not sure what you really mean, but FYI Phoenix has one of the lowest median ages in the country. One outlying suburb of old people (Sun City) has nearly ZERO to do with the health, direction, or growth of Phoenix.

Good photo vertex

[Ex-Ithacan]

Dandy set of pics Don. Glad to hear there's some 40 story rascals going in downtown, and nice to see the cranes too. Now if ya can just fill in the space between downtown and Uptown, let those dusty winds blow. Thanks for the tour.

[Upward]

Nice shots, Don. Are you going to have to send the 5D to Tempe Camera for a sensor cleaning after using the Dust Trombone™ 100-400 lens in those conditions?

Also, you should turn one of those pictures of the Sheraton construction into b&w and try to pass off as a picture of a commieblock under construction in the early 60s, and see if anyone can tell the difference. :D