The rising Western skyline - Page 2

azliam · #21 Posted **Feb 6, 2019, 11:42 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtown,man

I'll get killed on here for this but....

I've always imagined Phoenix having a Dubai-like skyline scattered across the metro.

It's nice to dream; however, that would never happen lol.

Part of the allure of the Phoenix metro is of course the Scottsdale area, which boasts popular valley nightlife, high-end retail, restaurants, lounges/bars, events, and 16,589 hotel rooms at the many hotels, resorts and spas. All of that also draws residents and employers to the area. It's hard to say how many of those hotel rooms would be located in and around downtown Phoenix if Scottsdale and golf weren't so popular, but I would imagine even a fraction of those rooms would make a significant difference in the appearance of downtown's skyline.

I would imagine the same can be said to some degree when it comes to ASU if the university had been located closer to downtown PHX rather than in Tempe. I see how much a downtown ASU campus has positively impacted and regenerated downtown in the past few years.

LMich · #22 Posted **Feb 6, 2019, 12:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The North One

Wasn't Denver's supertall just a fantasy concept? And I thought Seattle's one thousand footer was dead or in limbo.

Don't know about the Seattle one, but, yeah, I was under the impression that as originally designed that the Denver one was cancelled. So, it would be pretty weird for them to write this article where a good chunk of what's featured isn't going to be built.

Pedestrian · #23 Posted **Feb 6, 2019, 5:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LMich

Don't know about the Seattle one, but, yeah, I was under the impression that as originally designed that the Denver one was cancelled. So, it would be pretty weird for them to write this article where a good chunk of what's featured isn't going to be built.

It's from the Bezos Washington Post. Therefore, FAKE NEWS I suppose.

But let's move beyond their examples and talk about what IS happening in mid-sized western cities especially.

muertecaza · #24 Posted **Feb 6, 2019, 5:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcexpress69

I probably should have mentioned Tempe, since I did check out their skyline on Google Earth. I know much of it is centered around the campus, but it looks pretty decent, nonetheless. Hopefully they continue to build up.

I guess I should have clarified when I said, not much is in the pipeline for Phoenix. I was looking at proposals on Wikipedia, and only saw a few buildings around 200 feet that were approved or currently under construction. I guess I was thinking more of buildings closer to 400-500 feet. Oh well. Hope they can continue densifying downtown.

Yeah, I would love some 400-500 ft. proposals. Right now, it's just hard for me to see it given how scarred downtown still is (especially north of Van Buren) with vacant lots. I'm good with 100-300 foot proposals for now (and even 4-5 story projects if done well) if they will eat up more of the vacant lots. Then hopefully with continued downtown growth someone will justify a taller proposal.

Obadno · #25 Posted **Feb 6, 2019, 8:21 PM**

If the current Phoenix pipeline pans out then Downtown would have doubled its high-rise count in the last 10 years alone. Not including the lower denser developments.

Unfortunately we are starting from pretty close to 0

CherryCreek · #26 Posted **Feb 7, 2019, 5:09 PM**

Although Denver is mentioned in the original article referred to, in fact a surprisingly small number of high rises have been built in the current boom in Denver, even though growth has been explosive and the economy has soared for 7 to 8 years straight now. From memory, I think there's only been three high rises built or under construction in that period.

This is mostly because Denver has so much "brownfield" development space that has filled in with mid-rise construction since 2010. Thus, there has been a huge amount of new office space, but mostly mid rise space in the new Denver Union station and Rino business districts.

Denver Infill has a nice photo series capturing this.

https://denverinfill.com/blog/2018/0...-complete.html

Wigs · #27 Posted **Feb 7, 2019, 5:56 PM**

In Western Canada, the skylines of both Calgary and Edmonton are going gangbusters

Calgary

Edmonton

credit: SSP diagram database
http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?

Obadno · #28 Posted **Feb 7, 2019, 6:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CherryCreek

https://denverinfill.com/blog/2018/0...-complete.html

This kind of Dense infill > any amount of tall towers.

CherryCreek · #29 Posted **Feb 7, 2019, 6:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wigs

In Western Canada, the skylines of both Calgary and Edmonton are going gangbusters

Calgary

Edmonton

credit: SSP diagram database
http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?

Such cool stuff. All of the Canadian cities can't help but make me jealous with both their level of urban density, and quality of design. LOVE Telus Sky, as well as many of the other ones.

JAYNYC · #30 Posted **Feb 7, 2019, 7:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by azliam

While it's true that downtown Phoenix's skyline isn't spectacular in comparison to other city skylines[/URL]

"Isn't spectacular"? It's arguably the least impressive major downtown U.S. city skyline (San Jose being the other candidate).

azliam · #31 Posted **Feb 7, 2019, 7:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAYNYC

"Isn't spectacular"? It's arguably the least impressive major downtown U.S. city skyline (San Jose being the other candidate).

What? I'm not entitled to my opinion, but you are?

IMO, you're arguably the most annoying poster is this thread...

Crawford · #32 Posted **Feb 7, 2019, 7:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAYNYC

"Isn't spectacular"? It's arguably the least impressive major downtown U.S. city skyline (San Jose being the other candidate).

San Jose isn't really a city, though. Phoenix would have the least impressive big city skyline relative to size.

urbanadvocate · #33 Posted **Feb 7, 2019, 7:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crawford

San Jose isn't really a city, though. Phoenix would have the least impressive big city skyline relative to size.

That is sarcasm right?

Crawford · #34 Posted **Feb 7, 2019, 7:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by urbanadvocate

That is sarcasm right?

What city of 5 million would have a worse skyline than Phoenix?

Steely Dan · #35 Posted **Feb 7, 2019, 7:39 PM**

the major US cities that immediately stick out to me as having particularly weak skylines relative to their size are phoenix, san jose, and san diego*, and all are FAA height restricted.

my guess is that all of them would have much taller and more impressive skylines we're it not for their unfortunate airport proximity/alignment relative to downtown.

(*) and DC too, but DC is its own unique situation where the city has consciously decided that it does not want to be a skyscraper city.

Zapatan · #36 Posted **Feb 7, 2019, 7:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crawford

What city of 5 million would have a worse skyline than Phoenix?

Washington DC (Metro)

Pedestrian · #37 Posted **Feb 7, 2019, 7:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crawford

San Jose isn't really a city, though. Phoenix would have the least impressive big city skyline relative to size.

Quote:

(San Jose is) the largest city in Northern California (both in population and area). With an estimated 2017 population of 1,035,317, it is the third-most populous city in California (after Los Angeles and San Diego) and the tenth-most populous in United States . . . .

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Jose,_California

Boisebro · #38 Posted **Feb 7, 2019, 7:55 PM**

most intermountain west cities in the U.S. punch below their weight for cities of their size.

Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque, El Paso, Fresno, Las Vegas, Boise, Reno, and Spokane -- you could easily argue their skylines are not as impressive as similarly-sized, older and more established cities in the east.

compare Boise to Des Moines, Rochester, or Little Rock, for example... Boise's skyline can't compare.

however... many of these so-called "flyover" cities are starting to develop taller, more dense skylines (when they can). to me, it's exciting to watch these cities start to come into their own.

Crawford · #39 Posted **Feb 7, 2019, 8:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Jose,_California

Yeah I get that SJ is technically a "big city" but my point is that it isn't, really. It's part of the larger Bay Area, and the local "big city" is 50 miles north.

It would be like if you combined all of Long Island into a municpality, and then wondered why this "big city" of nearly 3 million doesn't have a "big downtown skyline". Because it isn't really a "big city".

urbanadvocate · #40 Posted **Feb 7, 2019, 9:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crawford

Yeah I get that SJ is technically a "big city" but my point is that it isn't, really. It's part of the larger Bay Area, and the local "big city" is 50 miles north.

It would be like if you combined all of Long Island into a municpality, and then wondered why this "big city" of nearly 3 million doesn't have a "big downtown skyline". Because it isn't really a "big city".

I disagree I think SJ is definitely it's own city separate from SF. It is more closely tied to silicon valley and all it's fortune 500 companies and certainly has it's own cultural attractions independent of SF. I look at it as more like Dallas/Ft. Worth--two large cities that share a metro. If it was not for the proximity of the airport I think you'd certainly see SJ start to go vertical.