Downtown's come a long way in the past 10 years. But there certainly have been some missteps along the way. Here's a review of the five worst things to happen in downtown Phoenix since 1996:
5. The Civic Plaza Garage, a.k.a. "Garage Mahal": The last thing downtown Phoenix needs (ever) is another ugly, space-killing parking garage. Especially with Bank One Ballpark/Chase Field right next door, the block at 7th Street and Jefferson was a prime redevelopment spot that could have been filled with retail or residential. Instead, we get a massive garage that looks ugly, destroys the streetscape, sits lifeless when there isn't a game going on next door, and best of all, cost $91 million dollars of public money to build.
4. Bank One Ballpark/Chase Field: This is really more of a missed opportunity. Bob/Chase wasn't built to blend into the downtown streetscape like Coors Field in Denver or the MCI Center in D.C., but is instead another downtown fortress that, like the Garage Mahal, is pretty much lifeless on non-game days. This would be higher on the list but for the fact the Diamondbacks play inside, and 2001 was obviously unforgettable.
3. Sheraton at Phoenix Convention Center: Sensing a theme here? Another publicly-financed megaproject that is, at best, sterile and disappointing. I can't describe the hotel any better than the classic comments of letter-writers to the Arizona Republic: "it looks like the underside of my boat," or "that reminds me of Las Vegas buildings of the 1970's that are being demolished." What was especially regrettable is that the Phoenix City Council passed over a daring, cool architectural proposal from a local group in favor of this retread.
2. "Copper Square": There's only one saving grace to this ridiculously stupid attempt to "brand" downtown-- absolutely no one ever-- ever-- calls downtown "Copper Square." (Well, except the people who came up with the name and are paid to repeat it.) The idea that a city's downtown would be known by some other name is just conceptually false. Maybe they could have renamed some portion of downtown as "Copper Square"...but not the whole thing. Hopefully the Downtown Phoenix Partnership cuts its losses and drives a stake through this one.
1. The continued demolition of historic buildings: Since 1996, downtown has lost Madison Square Garden, St. Mary's Elementary School, several warehouse district buildings when the county built its awesome jail/morgue complex, and has set the stage for the total compromise of the integrity of the Sun Mercantile Building and San Carlos Hotel. In the works is the continued tear-down of historic buildings in the Warehouse District thanks to a recent Phoenix Planning Commission decision to make it easy for developers to carve up the overlay in that area.
Downtown Phoenix needs to realize that its competitive edge over the suburbs or even an area like 24th Street and Camelback is its history. Other downtowns across the country have leveraged their history as an economic development tool, but Phoenix for the most part hasn't figured this out. Of course, this problem may "solve" itself, because at the rate things are going pretty soon there won't be much history left to tear down.
Coming next: The Five Best Things to Happen Downtown in the Last Decade...
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3 comments:
Hi, I'm with Phoenix Metropolitan magazine. Can you e-mail me at stephanie@phxmetropolitan.com? I have a few questions for you. Thanks!
Hi I just found your blog and I've enjoyed reading it. I'm a Phoenix resident and native. I agree that Phoenix is tearing down the very foundations that could distinguish it from the oceans of cookie-cutter housing that stretches from Tonopah to Maricopa. What is wrong with our leaders that they just bow down to the developers at every turn? Can we get people in there who will preserve something...ANYTHING... of our heritage? And yes, Phoenix does have a heritage, it just gets swept out the door at the first sign of cash. Phoenix is circling the drain and the council members are right at the helm!!!
Great column, I love your insights because they are very true. downtown phoenix is not what I had in mind in terms of the new phoenix vision. although it has improved somewhat on saturday nights but it normally dead every day of the week. even out of towners mention something like "is it just a slow day in downtown phoenix or is it always like this? (chuckles)" I really wished there was a more urban heart rather than building something here and there and then hoping for the best. would be nice if there were more shops near cityscape and arizona center. i live in roosevelt south and i have almost no reason to go downtown except for work. i really hope that would change in the future. perhaps a gameworks?
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