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.
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