Rebirth
Some of my favorite downtown projects are the restorations of the old, forgotten buildings in and around downtown. Those projects are every bit as much of a sign of the downtown comeback as the big deals. Here are a couple of those:
The bar next door to Fate (924 N. Fourth Street, just south of Roosevelt) looks just about done. The patio out front and the tree-like structure in the middle should be a fun place to hang out.
Since Matt's Big Breakfast opened in late 2004, two of the neighboring single-story buildings have been rehabbed-- one holds an architecture firm and another is the sales office for KML, the company developing Mosaic in Tempe and the "Gateway" project at Roosevelt and Third Street. This building, a little closer to the downtown core at 705 N. First Street,
is poised to join its neighbors as a restored, useful structure.
This little house on north Second Avenue is one I've spotlighted for a while. Its exterior is just about done, although the tagged-up door is kind of a cool vestige of the building's former dilapidated self.
Odyssey Homes is building three small communities north of Roosevelt Street. This one is at the northeast corner of Second Street and Portland Street; I think the project looks nice and urban the way it faces the street. A twin development is being built at the southwest corner of the same intersection. The new residents here ought to supply nearby Carly's Bistro with a few more customers within walking distance, although judging from the looks of things Carly's is doing pretty well all by itself right now.
The Portland 38 project is moving forward in the Garfield neighborhood east of Seventh Street. I love the view of the cranes in the background of this picture. I don't love the site plan for Portland 38, in which it appears the buildings don't face the street. That causes the development to act a little more like a suburban apartment complex, which is too bad.
ALTA Phoenix construction is rolling along. This project is supposed to feature retail and supposedly will have some gallery space for First Fridays. It's a cool development that will link together Roosevelt Row with the downtown core (Arizona Center is just across the street).
The BioScience high school is finishing up over at Fifth Street. While the building is a little fortress-like, especially from the back (not pictured here) I love the colors they used.
The twelve condos at 215 McKinley are just about finished. I like this development, although I think it was built one story too tall. This project will also have street-level retail and is within a five-minute walk of The Roosevelt, Matt's Big Breakfast and the shops at Artisan Village.
Finally, Roosevelt 11 is also under construction in the Garfield Neighborhood at Roosevelt and Ninth Street. Just five years ago it would have been unthinkable to see upscale condos being built in the once-crime-ridden Garfield district, so this building is a great sign.
The Big Guys.
Everybody knows about these high-profile projects-- you can see them driving by on the freeway, for one thing. I'll let the pictures do most of the talking here:
Portland Place, the best of all the new downtown projects (in my unbiased opinion)...
Summit, using some very daring color schemes. I kind of like it, but I hope their HOA doesn't hesitate to remake the colors in a few years if the colors start to look outdated. Note the weird contrast of styles with Chase Field in the background and a cool old warehouse in the foreground.
44 Monroe, which is just about topped off. I think it looks awesome the way it helps to fill out the downtown skyline.
The New, but Smaller, Stuff
Light rail will be up and running (supposedly) in just under 18 months. Here you can see the "sails" that will provide shade to the Metro stations have been installed at the station at Central and Van Buren.
Odyssey Homes is building three small communities north of Roosevelt Street. This one is at the northeast corner of Second Street and Portland Street; I think the project looks nice and urban the way it faces the street. A twin development is being built at the southwest corner of the same intersection. The new residents here ought to supply nearby Carly's Bistro with a few more customers within walking distance, although judging from the looks of things Carly's is doing pretty well all by itself right now.
The Portland 38 project is moving forward in the Garfield neighborhood east of Seventh Street. I love the view of the cranes in the background of this picture. I don't love the site plan for Portland 38, in which it appears the buildings don't face the street. That causes the development to act a little more like a suburban apartment complex, which is too bad.
ALTA Phoenix construction is rolling along. This project is supposed to feature retail and supposedly will have some gallery space for First Fridays. It's a cool development that will link together Roosevelt Row with the downtown core (Arizona Center is just across the street).
The BioScience high school is finishing up over at Fifth Street. While the building is a little fortress-like, especially from the back (not pictured here) I love the colors they used.
The twelve condos at 215 McKinley are just about finished. I like this development, although I think it was built one story too tall. This project will also have street-level retail and is within a five-minute walk of The Roosevelt, Matt's Big Breakfast and the shops at Artisan Village.
Finally, Roosevelt 11 is also under construction in the Garfield Neighborhood at Roosevelt and Ninth Street. Just five years ago it would have been unthinkable to see upscale condos being built in the once-crime-ridden Garfield district, so this building is a great sign.
The Big Guys.
Everybody knows about these high-profile projects-- you can see them driving by on the freeway, for one thing. I'll let the pictures do most of the talking here:
Portland Place, the best of all the new downtown projects (in my unbiased opinion)...
Summit, using some very daring color schemes. I kind of like it, but I hope their HOA doesn't hesitate to remake the colors in a few years if the colors start to look outdated. Note the weird contrast of styles with Chase Field in the background and a cool old warehouse in the foreground.
44 Monroe, which is just about topped off. I think it looks awesome the way it helps to fill out the downtown skyline.
5 comments:
Looks exciting. I've heard the new place next to Fate will focus on Japanese-style tapas. Should be interesting.
Can't wait for that spot...any idea if they'll have sushi? (I guarantee Phoenix is the largest American metro area without sushi downtown).
I don't know about sushi, but I suspect someone will provide it soon. There has been sushi downtown before, a place called Ah-So in the '90s, but it was in a cursed location that has never worked out for anyone -- except the current tenant, Baja Fresh.
Very cool. I lived in Phoenix from 1995-2005. It's nice to see it's still continuing to grow and shape downtown.
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