January 27, 2008 – 7:00 pm
Officials at METRO announced that our much-anticipated Light Rail system has already experienced some preliminary problems.
Over the course of the 20-mile track that runs through Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa, seven mysterious cracks have been discovered. According to Marty McNeil, the marketing manager for METRO, it is unknown why the flaws occurred, which process caused the cracks, and most importantly, whose fault it was. While it could be several weeks before anything is determined, I’m sure many of the Light Rail’s contractors are runnin’ for the hills even as we speak.
METRO hired Zeta-Tech Associates of Cherry Hill, NJ to assess and analyze the problem. The company has consulted for cities with similar projects such as Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and the Bart system in Northern California’s Bay Area. Aside from these mysterious cracks, the rail is still on schedule to carry its first riders in December of this year. Either way, the light rail has spurred development along its route, increasing the prices of land all along the 20-mile track. Transit Oriented Development (TOD) zones have been placed over the areas closest to the stations, hopefully increasing mixed-use development with residential above retail.
The seven areas where the track cracked are as follows:
• First Avenue and Fillmore Street
• 26th and Jefferson streets
• 15th and Washington streets
• 44th and Washington streets (two breaks)
• First Street and Ash Avenue in Tempe (four breaks)
• Third Street and Mill Avenue in Tempe
• Apache Boulevard & Martin Lane in Tempe
For full story go hear: http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2008/01/14/daily37.html
September 19, 2007 – 10:37 pm
I think most people are trying to avoid driving around the downtown Phoenix area lately. The construction for the light rail is really making it difficult to navigate Central Ave and some of the surrounding neighborhoods. I had an appointment last week to show property to some out of state clients who were looking in Tapestry on Central and the Artisan on Central Lofts. Once we were done I bravely ventured down Central Ave to see how things were coming at 44 Monroe and Summit at Copper Square, two of the larger high rise condo projects in Phoenix. I was amazed at the amount of construction going on everywhere, and not just for the light rail line. Buildings and structures are going up everywhere you look. The residential standouts were 44 Monroe and Summit at Copper Square, plus the new Sheraton Hotel. ASU is moving at light speed with new education and housing facilities going up all around their downtown campus. It’s amazing to see how much activity is going on considering the
slow housing market.I have always believed that downtown Phoenix was not quite the destination that it really wanted to be, either for visitors or for residents. It’s a great place to catch a game or a play, weekdays are active and bustling, but it has always had a tendency to empty out after 5:00 pm. Weekends had that kind of strange, empty, ghost town feel to them. I thought light rail system would help, but it was still lacking the residential population base to make it a hip destination. Now I’m convinced that the ASU presence, along with a functioning light rail system, will turn downtown Phoenix into a place that people want to visit, and want to live in. One thing is for sure, these are not the days of the starving students anymore,…students spend money. Throw a large student population into the Copper Square mix and watch the shops, trendy clubs, boutiques and restaurants come in right behind them.
Last week newly reelected Phoenix mayor Phil Gordon gave his victory speech in the Summit at Copper Square building, the first formal event to be held there. As I stood outside the 22 story tower and looked across to the plaza in front of Chase Field, I realized that downtown Phoenix was finally turning the corner it has been trying to turn since Jerry Colangelo chose to build a new stadium for the Suns off Jackson St.
The future for downtown Phoenix and Copper Square is bright, I can’t wait to watch it unfold.
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