Tempe Development Thread

[Jjs5056]

Originally Posted by PHXFlyer11

Is there an updated diagram anywhere to reflect this? Any update on when they expect to break ground?

Yes to the diagram, no to the groundbreaking. It's within the minutes of one of the meetings (available on tempe.gov); I can't for the life of me find it, however. I'm sorry... I can describe anything if you have questions.

I love Tempe's progressive stance on transit, but I just wish it were focused on initiatives that actually made sense. This streetcar is one of the few instances where I believe the "we only copy what cities are doing" argument has merit.

[Jjs5056]

FOUND IT: http://documents.tempe.gov/sirepub/c...5104024743.PDF

Also, they are still determining if they are going to add a stop at St. Luke's and they might shorten the Apache leg to terminate at Rural.

In addition, I just found the following doc which shows that Rio Salado is proposed as a dedicated median alignment, so that's one positive.

http://documents.tempe.gov/sirepub/c...5104310571.PDF

[DevilsRider]

Interesting that they'd go dedicated median on one alignment but mixed traffic on the other. I would think that the mixed traffic would reduce any reliability gains provided by Rio's dedicated median.

The links seem to be dead; do you remember which meeting it was from?

Originally Posted by Jjs5056

FOUND IT: http://documents.tempe.gov/sirepub/c...5104024743.PDF

Also, they are still determining if they are going to add a stop at St. Luke's and they might shorten the Apache leg to terminate at Rural.

In addition, I just found the following doc which shows that Rio Salado is proposed as a dedicated median alignment, so that's one positive.

http://documents.tempe.gov/sirepub/c...5104310571.PDF

[PHXFlyer11]

Originally Posted by DevilsRider

Interesting that they'd go dedicated median on one alignment but mixed traffic on the other. I would think that the mixed traffic would reduce any reliability gains provided by Rio's dedicated median.

The links seem to be dead; do you remember which meeting it was from?

Links worked for me, thanks for posting them.

It looks like they are going to get this wrapped up and submitted for funding (I assume federally) by the end of the Summer.

On Mill you really need to have mixed traffic.

[Jjs5056]

Originally Posted by PHXFlyer11

Links worked for me, thanks for posting them.

It looks like they are going to get this wrapped up and submitted for funding (I assume federally) by the end of the Summer.

On Mill you really need to have mixed traffic.

Yes, Mill makes sense. But, Apache doesn't. It is an extremely congested road and if they had the option of dedicated ROW, they should have taken it.

To be honest, they should have just planned LRT extensions to begin with instead of this.

[PHXFlyer11]

So I heard an interesting discussion on the radio the other day about how Jerry Colangelo is apparently involved in the ASU Basketball head coaching search. The fact was brought up in the discussion that Jerry wants to bring USA basketball to Tempe. The didn't quite go this far, but it gave me a thought...

I recalled some of the info SilverFox passed along and began to wonder if ASU and USA BB are working on a proposal for new joint facilities within the Athletic District.

Ray Anderson, the ASU AD mentioned just a few weeks ago that they were looking into options as Wells Fargo Arena continues to age. I think this would be a match made in heaven for Tempe, ASU and the Athletic district. I hope that something is in the works.

I'd love to see a new facility at the corner of Rio and Rural, where the old Packard Stadium is and the street car extended to Rural. That would surely be a great new centerpiece for the district!

[Jjs5056]

Originally Posted by PHXFlyer11

So I heard an interesting discussion on the radio the other day about how Jerry Colangelo is apparently involved in the ASU Basketball head coaching search. The fact was brought up in the discussion that Jerry wants to bring USA basketball to Tempe. The didn't quite go this far, but it gave me a thought...

I recalled some of the info SilverFox passed along and began to wonder if ASU and USA BB are working on a proposal for new joint facilities within the Athletic District.

Ray Anderson, the ASU AD mentioned just a few weeks ago that they were looking into options as Wells Fargo Arena continues to age. I think this would be a match made in heaven for Tempe, ASU and the Athletic district. I hope that something is in the works.

I'd love to see a new facility at the corner of Rio and Rural, where the old Packard Stadium is and the street car extended to Rural. That would surely be a great new centerpiece for the district!

Yes, I have been saying that USABB would end up in the Stadium District since USA Place fell apart. Seems like a no-brainer. Would've been nice to have had a mid-large scale event center in downtown, though.

[ASU Diablo]

Originally Posted by PHXFlyer11

So I heard an interesting discussion on the radio the other day about how Jerry Colangelo is apparently involved in the ASU Basketball head coaching search. The fact was brought up in the discussion that Jerry wants to bring USA basketball to Tempe. The didn't quite go this far, but it gave me a thought...

I recalled some of the info SilverFox passed along and began to wonder if ASU and USA BB are working on a proposal for new joint facilities within the Athletic District.

Ray Anderson, the ASU AD mentioned just a few weeks ago that they were looking into options as Wells Fargo Arena continues to age. I think this would be a match made in heaven for Tempe, ASU and the Athletic district. I hope that something is in the works.

I'd love to see a new facility at the corner of Rio and Rural, where the old Packard Stadium is and the street car extended to Rural. That would surely be a great new centerpiece for the district!

You beat me to it! They brought the publisher from Sun Devil Source on Burns & Gambo Show on today on 98.7 to once again rehash that story. He provided some background on why USA Place initially fell apart which included details with "unhappiness" with the developer (which was already known) but also provided insights into grumblings between Jerry Colangelo and Michael Crow on how the revenue was going to be split up between both entities from the retail, residential, etc.

Not sure if everyone here follows ASU Mens BB but Colangelo has been linked to helping them find a replacement for head coaching position. Two names in the mix are two ex-Duke guys and coincidentally Coach K (Duke) is also head coach for USA Basketball. All this to say that USA Place is hopefully still alive and I agree with both PHXFlyer11 and Jjs that a shared facility would be awesome regardless of where it resides in Tempe. Great for downtown Tempe and great for ASU and its quest to have a better men's basketball program.

[MegaBass]

Originally Posted by airomero83

You beat me to it! They brought the publisher from Sun Devil Source on Burns & Gambo Show on today on 98.7 to once again rehash that story. He provided some background on why USA Place initially fell apart which included details with "unhappiness" with the developer (which was already known) but also provided insights into grumblings between Jerry Colangelo and Michael Crow on how the revenue was going to be split up between both entities from the retail, residential, etc.

Not sure if everyone here follows ASU Mens BB but Colangelo has been linked to helping them find a replacement for head coaching position. Two names in the mix are two ex-Duke guys and coincidentally Coach K (Duke) is also head coach for USA Basketball. All this to say that USA Place is hopefully still alive and I agree with both PHXFlyer11 and Jjs that a shared facility would be awesome regardless of where it resides in Tempe. Great for downtown Tempe and great for ASU and its quest to have a better men's basketball program.

Wonder how that would work out if the hockey team (soon to be Division I) moves to the new arena since WFA already hosts men's and women's basketball, volleyball, gymnastics and wrestling. As Spitfiredude mentioned earlier Kajikawa football practice fields and Dickey Dome (Bubble) will be freed up once they relocate practice fields and indoor field house to the northern part of the stadium. It'll be interesting what they end up doing with WFA, Packard, Alpha Drive, Kajikawa/Bubble sites.

[combusean]

Guys,

If there's a link from Tempe's city website that is something like documents.tempe.gov/sirepub/cache/ljhkadhfladshf/32873027320.pdf, it's temporary and won't last long.

Please rehost those documents like on Google Drive or something, or indicate how you found the document.

Thanks.

[Jjs5056]

Are they permanent as long as they don't have 'cache' in the URL?

City Council March 26th - Apache and Mill alignments under the "Streetcar Update" agenda item:

http://documents.tempe.gov/sirepub/m...doctype=AGENDA

Streetcar Update 2/19/2015 - Rio Salado alignment, discussion on possible 13th Street route change (instead of Apache curve), discussion on possible Rural Rd termination (instead of Dorsey):

http://documents.tempe.gov/sirepub/m...docid=24053809

[TempeSilverFox]

This was posted on Friday to the AZ Builders Exchange website. Talks the Grand at Papago Park (202 and Priest.)

- Could have some 10 story buildings
- Will house up to 20,000 workers / residents at buildout
- Looking to secure some tenants prior to breaking ground
- Going ahead with building the roads in to the project
- Canal has already been moved so that it can become the center focus of the project
- Looking to become "Crown Jewel" of the Papago Park area

http://azbex.com/the-grand-at-papago...egacy-project/

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by TempeSilverFox

This was posted on Friday to the AZ Builders Exchange website. Talks the Grand at Papago Park (202 and Priest.)

- Could have some 10 story buildings
- Will house up to 20,000 workers / residents at buildout
- Looking to secure some tenants prior to breaking ground
- Going ahead with building the roads in to the project
- Canal has already been moved so that it can become the center focus of the project
- Looking to become "Crown Jewel" of the Papago Park area

http://azbex.com/the-grand-at-papago...egacy-project/

We were talking about this a few weeks ago. Ambitious project that has been on the books for what 6-7 years? I don't have a lot of hope for full build out unless they get 1 or two major tenants to sign on.

Nice to see that some residential is still planned!

[CrestedSaguaro]

I'm not sure this was posted yet since I normally look at this form from my cell phone and I have not seen it posted, but dirt is moving on the AC Marriott and construction equipment is on site.

[PHXFlyer11]

Originally Posted by RonnieFoos

I'm not sure this was posted yet since I normally look at this form from my cell phone and I have not seen it posted, but dirt is moving on the AC Marriott and construction equipment is on site.

I believe someone mentioned it about a week ago. Great to hear it confirmed though! I assume that the Mill + Rio project was approved. Hopefully we see that break ground quickly.

Good to see dirt moving on new projects as some of the others like University House, HFL3 and Marina Heights wrap up.

I did notice that the first level of SALT appears to be above ground now also. Looking forward to seeing the proposal that SilverFox mentioned and whatever will be selected in place of USAplace.

[DevilsRider]

The elevator shaft is going up for the project next to the Marina. Some quick, visible progress. I like it!



Plus, I took a photo of Marina Heights from the north side. Nice to see building #3 almost completely glassed up, building #4 halfway there, and building #5 a couple floors up!

[Leo the Dog]

Tempe and Scottsdale are really taking the lead in the Valley.

Tempe "skyline" is looking good. Any complaints from the locals/NIMBYs about losing the view of A Mountain?

[DevilsRider]

Originally Posted by Leo the Dog

Tempe and Scottsdale are really taking the lead in the Valley.

Tempe "skyline" is looking good. Any complaints from the locals/NIMBYs about losing the view of A Mountain?

I've heard a couple personal comments about that, but there's still view corridors that will give you significant parts of the mountain, and I don't think the SALT apartments will be tall enough to block more than the very bottom of the mountain.

Fortunately, from the north side, there weren't that many residences with views of the mountain to begin with. And you still get a decent view from Papago Park even with the new construction, I think.

[Leo the Dog]

Originally Posted by DevilsRider

I've heard a couple personal comments about that, but there's still view corridors that will give you significant parts of the mountain, and I don't think the SALT apartments will be tall enough to block more than the very bottom of the mountain.

Fortunately, from the north side, there weren't that many residences with views of the mountain to begin with. And you still get a decent view from Papago Park even with the new construction, I think.

Cool, I think it's actually become a neat focal point with the buildings wrapping around it. I remember when Tempe considered leveling off the butte for development.

[Jjs5056]

I love the look of the butte against the shiny buildings. Looks great.

Tempe was supposed to build an observation deck at the top of A mountain at one point; I wonder if that will ever happen? The more unique attractions/amenities downtown, the better!