Downtown's one thing, how about redevelopment off the beaten path?

If you really want to get discouraged about the Phoenix area, take a drive along Grand Avenue (northwest of McDowell) or go to any one of the neighborhoods to downtown's immediate south, east and west. At least downtown is the focus of redevelopment efforts, but you have to wonder whether some of those areas will ever turn around.

That's why it was really great to see this week's announcement in the Arizona Republic about Yourtown, a $12M redevelopment of an old Smitty's restaurant at 16th Street and Buckeye in one of those no man's lands. Sloane McFarland, the guy who helped get Lux Coffeebar and Welcome Diner going and sparked redevelopment in the areas around those spots, will bring both of those concepts plus an urban farm, a building supply store and art and music venues to this blighted corner. (McFarland's also a Brophy grad. Go Broncos.)

When this gets going, it'll be a great place to take people for coffee or breakfast after picking them up at Sky Harbor. And it brings some life to one of those places that seem like they'll never be found by redevelopment.

Downtown Phoenix loses an advocate and other comments

• Jon Talton is reportedly moving to Seattle. Not sure whether he will continue to work in journalism up there or pursue some new adventure, but I already miss his work in the Arizona Republic. I disagreed with Talton's national political views, but I loved his Phoenix-oriented columns. No one else at the Republic kept downtown at the front and center of discussions the way in which Talton dared. While his negativity regarding Phoenix bothered some people, I believe he wrote from the viewpoint of someone who loved this city with his whole heart and had subsequently had his heart broken many times as Phoenix made mistake after mistake in destroying its downtown.
  

• On a happier note, yesterday Girlfriend_of_Downtown_Resident and I stopped into the Mosaic sales office and learned that KML, builders of the Mosaic project in Tempe, have plans for the block bordered by Roosevelt Street, Third Street and Fourth Street. Their project, tentatively called the "Gateway" development, is to feature a condo tower, apartments and a grocery store. While this location is a crucial piece of the redevelopment of downtown Phoenix, as it would(hopefully) bind together the Roosevelt Arts District and the emerging urban life around the parcel, it's a long way off. We were told the sales team would start moving on selling that project in late 2008. But, as this parcel is probably the most embarassing one of all the vacant parcels in downtown Phoenix, this could be a great project.

• Three words: Let's go Suns!