[PHXFlyer11]

I was thinking yesterday how Jackson St. used to have Cooperstown and Jacksons on 3rd. Then further south was Coach & Willies, although i think perhaps Jacksons closed before Coach's opened?

Jackson's was kind of a dump, but it was a quick place to grab cheep beer at before or after the game. Cooperstown had pretty crap food but has some novelty value. Coach and Willies was ALWAYS hopping for DBacks games.

Now that area south of the Arena and Ballpark is completely void of bars and restaurants. I think this is what really has led to the failed vision of the Warehouse Entertainment district.

I can only attribute this to the increase in options north of the arena and ballpark. I think it started with Cityscape, the light rail and the rise of Roosevelt. In addition, the low quality places where you go to stuff your face or pound drinks immediately before or after a game seems to have shifted to the parking garage in front of the Jefferson St. station.

The music venues have largely focused to the north and west with Cooper Blues, Crescent Ballroom, The Van Buren and Valley Bar.

At this point I see the future of the warehouse district being a rather sleepy commercial and residential area. Maybe a bar or restaurant or two will pop up to serve the influx of residents with The Blue and Ballpark Apartments in the future, but I don't ever see the vision being realized.

If I had to point to one thing, I think it was the light rail that killed these hopes. It brought all the concentration of development north into downtown's center and up central.