28 Day Challenge - Yurbanism

Tag Archives: 28 Day Challenge

New Tools Needed

[Orginally posted on February 11, 2010]

A frustrating thing about living in Arizona is the parochial attitude of many of its residents, especially long-timers. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told, “Arizona is unique,” or it will never work here” or “good idea, but we don’t do things that way here.” Sometimes their rationale is sound, but more often than not, I want to shout “Has any one looked around lately and seen the results of the way you DO do things?”

Portrait by Elven Whims

The ongoing economic crisis isn’t the short-term results of the housing melt down, banking fiasco, or illegal immigration. Rather, it is a predictable results of a generation of poor policy and economic decisions made at all levels of government by officials of all political persuasions. Quite simply the decisions that the state has made over the past generation have dropped us into a hole that will be all but impossible to climb out of without radical rethinking. Applying the same tired solutions (more tax cuts, more corporate ‘incentives’), or hoping the next housing boom will solve the state’s problems is not only short-sighted—it is a recipe for continued decline.

Other States are Getting It

While Arizona politicians continue to debate what tax cuts to make, or which national chains to ‘subsidize’, other states are taking innovative measures to spur their local economies.

Earlier this year, the Oregon legislature created a task force to look at ways of encouraging communities to grow their own jobs through local entrepreneurial activity. Based on the concept of ‘economic gardening,’ this proposed legislation intends to balance the more traditional business recruitment strategy of economic development, in which towns and cities do whatever they can to try to lure big employers, who often leave for greener pastures as soon as the costly incentives expire. In baseball terms, this is the difference between hitting the odd home run versus hitting a steady stream of singles and doubles. While the home run may make ESPN, the singles and doubles win the game. Alas Arizona continues to hope to lure the free agents with the big, but un-loyal bats while ignoring the locally grown talent in our ‘farm system.’

In New Mexico, the House of Representatives unanimously approved a bill that allows the state to move between $2 and $5 billion of state funds to credit unions and small banks. The proposed legislation is base on a national movement called Move Your Money that encourages people and businesses to move their money to smaller credit unions and community banks. Not only would this keep more money and investment in the state, it should also improve the quality of local businesses and developments. Alas the legislature adjourned before the Senate could vote on the bill. Hopefully it will be reintroduced in a future session.It would be great to see a similar bill proposed in Arizona. A significant barrier to responsible development in the state is that local developers need to go to national banks for funding. These lenders often look at local business as high risk and prefer one size fits all templates that favor chain stores and big box developments. Having more local options would help give local owned business more local funding options.

Neither of these ideas are the Holy Grail that will save Arizona. However, they are new tools to consider for the new times we’re living in. They are ways to start building a ladder to help the state climb out of our hole, rather that the shovels that we continue to use.

Thanks for reading. As always I’d love to heat you perspective on the issues raised above.

Note: I learned of the Oregon task force initiative through Sarah Dinges on Twitter. Kimber Lanning from Local First Arizona told me about the New Mexico legislation.

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Dumb and Dumber: The City of Phoenix and ASU

Phoenix is about to lose another historic gem. It is a story we have heard dozens, if not hundreds of times before. This time however, the antagonist isn’t a greedy developer or out-of-state company, but our very own city government and state university.

The Hotel in its Heyday

As a former ASU employee, I have long known about ASU’s take no prisoners approach to expansion that over ruled any stated interests in sustainability or community engagement. I had hopes that the new city management and the City’s stated commitment to a vibrant downtown were more the mere window dressing. I was wrong.

Together ASU and the City of Phoenix are about to do something that would make even the most Machiavellian developer blush – raze a historic hotel in the middle of our city, and replace it with a parking lot. For more information on the back-story, and the history (and potential) of the site, please read this passionate post by my friend Rachel Dawn Luptak. For a more concise overview, check out this post that Seth Anderson managed to sneak by the typically boosterish editors at DowntownPhoenix.com

Like Seth, I may have been sympathetic if it was to replace it with a vibrant new project, but no, in their infinite wisdom, ASU and the City of Phoenix have decided that what downtown needs is yet another parking lot. Sure, there are long-term plans to build a law school on the site, but there are no firm plans. Downtown is already littered with empty lots, razed to make way for well intended yet never realized projects. Why not use one of them instead?

Also, what is wrong with encouraging multimodal transportation such as light rail? There is a station less than a block away that to service the ASU downtown campus. this system connected to hundreds of park & ride spaces, where people can park for free and ride into downtown for cheaper that a downtown parking spot.

Dumb

ASU is supposed to be committed to sustainability. They boast about the LEED certifications awarded to the new nursing and journalism buildings, yet want to destroy a landmark hotel for a parking lot. Surely with all the supposed sustainability expertise they have amassed they would have learned that the greenest building is the one already built.

Dumber

The City of Phoenix has listed ‘Dense City Core as one of it’s visions for their General Plan Update. Why then are they allowing the demolition of an existing building when there are already plenty of empty lots in the immediate vicinity? Are they really that siloed in their thinking?

What Can We Do?

While the City is telling us that this project is a done deal, I’m not giving up hope. I’ll join the fight to get the city and ASU to reverse this asinine decision. It may be late in the process, but until the wrecking ball dislodges the first brick, there is still hope. Please join me:

Start by leaving your ideas for adaptive reuses for this building. The most effective opposition contain reasonable alternatives. Lets give them some.

Write letters or emails letters expressing you opposition to the proposed demolition to Mayor Gordon and City Council members. Also let the ASU administration know of your displeasure, particularly President Michael Crow and ASU Downtown Vice President, Dean Debra Freidman.

Attend this Saturday’s (March 13^th) meeting of the Downtown Voices Coalition, where there will be a discussion on strategies to reverse City Council and ASU’s decision and keep the building for more creative uses. The meeting runs from 9:30-11:30 at the 9:30 a.m. at the Roosevelt Commons meeting room, 825 N. 6th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85003.

Stay tuned to this blog. I will keep you posted of further developments and opportunities to engage.

DPJ Article: Three New ‘R’s: Rezone, Reuse and Revitalize – The City of Phoenix’s Adaptive Reuse Program (yuriartibise.com)
Suicide Lanes Kill Communities (yuriartibise.com)

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One ‘Wei’ to Support a Vibrant Downtown Phoenix

Being an urbanist is hard in Phoenix. Even when the city takes a step in the right direction, it faces opposition. This week, one such example has come to my attention. The proposed expansion of the “Arts, Culture and Small Business Overlay” is being discussed at the Central City Village Planning Committee on Monday.

1302 W Roosevelt St

The current overlay has been in place since April 2008. It has been responsible for many of the new galleries and small businesses in and around downtown that have opened in the past few years, including many featured during this past weekend’s Art Detour. It has been such a success, in fact, that the city would like to expand it to other parts of downtown. Alas, there has been some opposition by nearby residents, making a slam dunk decision into a much more tentative one.

Here is a letter from one of my friends who will be directly affected by the outcome of this weeks meeting.

Hi there,

My name is Katie Hess. I am relatively new to the neighborhood. I bought a house at the NW corner of 13th Ave. and Roosevelt about a year and a half ago.
[…]

Since I purchased my house, I have worked hard to fix it up, and have had many volunteers as well, including a group of herbalism graduates that came to help plant trees, plants, and flowers. We also painted everything inside and out. The house used to be a drab dusty color, and now is sky blue with a mango wall.

My intention in supporting the overlay program is to bring goodness and positive energy to the neighborhood. When I first moved in, people were taking naps in the front lawn everyday, but that soon stopped. We’ve noticed that the negative activities in our area have declined. There is less trash in the alley and fewer intoxicated people hanging out. Over time we’ve really gained respect on our street because we take pride in our neighborhood and really value what we have.

My background is in natural medicine, my main specialty in flower essence therapy (the kind without the scent, taken internally to enhance happiness). I hand-collect the flower essences from flowers around the world, as well as growing flowers here at the house to infuse them into elixirs, body care, spa products, and even organic dark chocolate. My business partner, Lisa Reinhardt, owns an organic, fair-trade dark chocolate company. We may know some of you from the Downtown Phoenix Farmers’ Market, as we’ve had a booth there for several years now.

Since this house is zoned R-5 we have permission to use part of the space for business purposes, and so for the last year or so my flower essence therapy clients have made appointments with me there during the day.

We are in support of the overlay program for our property, because we’d like to have the opportunity to allow people to come and buy organic chocolates and organic skin care/body care products. We think it would be wonderful for our neighborhood to have a resource, sort of a ‘wellness’ atmosphere, where you can walk down the block to buy healthy chocolates that boost your immune system and other organic products to keep you healthy and happy. I believe that this type of community activity would continue to decrease the negative things that we all don’t want to see and enhance our neighborhood.

I have talked with most of my neighbors to the west of me all the way to Grand, as well as the apartment buildings to the south and to the east of us, and everyone is supportive.

For these reasons, I’m asking for your support of the Arts, Business, and Culture Overlay Program. The proposed overlay areas would only affect the corner of 13th Ave and Roosevelt west to 15th Ave and Grand Ave, as well as one property on the NE corner of 15th Ave and Portland St.

If you have any questions I am happy to answer them.

Warm regards,

Katie Hess
1302 W. Roosevelt

Last week, I talked about the need for people to get involved in their community. Katie has done this. She now wants to take here involvement to the next level. Expanding the Arts and Culture Overlay will allow her (and others) to do just that.

However, to make her dream a reality, she needs your help. If you are free Monday night (Mar 8^th at 6pm) please come out and show your support for the overlay expansion at the Village Planning Committee meeting. The meeting will take place at 6:00 pm at Emerson Court, School District Board Room, 1817 North 7th Street (southeast corner of 7th Street and Palm Lane).

It is important that those of us who seek a vibrant downtown make our voices heard at events such as these. You don’t need to speak, or even stay for the entire meeting. You can just fill out a card with your name and address, and say that you are in favor, and then leave. If you can’t make it, yet want to show your support, please send an email to Katherine Coles, the City of Phoenix contact for the committee.

Gentrification is Good (yuriartibise.com)
Cities can’t be branded (tdhurst.com)
Walk this Way: Jane’s Walk Phoenix is profiled in Sunset (yuriartibise.com)

One ‘Wei’ to Support a Vibrant Downtown Phoenix

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Welcome to My Neighborhood

The other day, I wrote a ‘Call to Action’ exhorting readers to get more involved in their community and city.

Those of you who know me, may know that I am involved in many activities related to downtown Phoenix. What many people don’t know, however, is that my civic participation begins closer to home. Actually right outside my front door.

This past winter I became president of the Grandview Neighborhood Association. Formed in 1991, the association represents about 1,200 residents living in our diverse central Phoenix neighborhood. The homes in Grandview are of mid-century vintage, with most being but in the early 1950s. We also have a few apartment complexes (including one designed by Al Beadle) and condominiums. Our neighbors come from all walks of life, and age groups and include some of the original residents! The neighborhood boundaries are from 7^th Avenue west to 15^th Avenue and from Camelback Road south to Campbell Avenue, bordering the Grand Canal (map).

The stated goal of the Grandview Neighborhood Association is “to improve quality of life, safety and security, communicate with city, business and institutions in the neighborhood, and preserve the diversity of lifestyles.” We are NOT a homeowners association; we do not “hold power” over an individual’s home. (In other words residents can paint their homes any color they want.) Rather we act as in information conduit between our residents and the neighboring business and organizations as well as city officials and the Phoenix Police Department.

In my brief time as president, not only have I met many more of my neighbors, but I have also got to know the city officials responsible for various aspects of our quality of life. I have deepened my understanding of my neighborhood and the issues our residents face. I have also gained insights into how the City of Phoenix functions.

To anybody interested in getting more involved in their community, I suggest you start by seeing if you have an active neighborhood association (Phoenicians can search here). It is a great way to build an understanding of not only your community but also your city. If nothing else, it will introduce you to more of your neighbors, which is never a bad thing.

As an aside, if you’re heading to the Seventh Avenue Street Fair today, be sure to stop by our table and say hi. I’ll be there between 1 pm and 3 pm at the least, but there will be residents around all day. To learn more about my neighborhood, join our our Facebook Group or follow us on Twitter.

Suicide Lanes Kill Communities (yuriartibise.com)
Plan a flowery walk around the ‘hood (centraldistrictnews.com)
Process, participation, and progress: a neighborhood planning primer (beaconhill.seattle.wa.us)

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Friday Five: What I Read in the Week that Was

Usually I have a hard time whittling down my weekly reading list to just five. This week I didn’t have a problem. Not because there weren’t tons of great articles out there, but because I haven’t had a chance to read as much. Here are about the only five articles I read this week (although they are all excellent ):

Credit: Nobara Hayakawa (Flickr: nobara)

Consequential Strangers: A review of a book that looks at why the people we take for granted like our car mechanic, the bakery clerk and the fellow dog-walkers at the park, are actually more important people in our lives than we may imagine.

Bill Gates Is Wrong As Usual: To Mac addicts like me, this title may not be shocking, but the reason just may be. This post looks at why Gates’ recent TED presentation was wrong-headed and potentially dangerous to the climate change movement.

Can We Design Cities for Happiness: another way at looking at urban success. Key passage: “Economics, urban planning, ecology are only the means. Happiness is the goal”.

The 10% Solution: The post links to one of the best articles I’ve read on urban strategy in a long while. It is a great reminder at how seemingly modest goals can have transformative impacts. I will be following up on this concept and how it applies to Phoenix in the near future

Getting to Yes on Open Data: This article appealed to the policy wonk in me. Open Data could be a game changer in how cities services are delivered, as well as increase accountability, and, ultimately, increased trust with our local governments.

This is day 24 in my 28 Day Blogging Challenge. 4 days to go.

Urban Savoir-Faire (yuriartibise.com)
CityScape: Suburbanizing Downtown Phoenix (yuriartibise.com)
What is Placemaking? (yuriartibise.com)

Friday Five: What I Read in the Week that Was

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Sheeple vs Heretics

The world is filled with Sheeple. People who blindly follow. People who don’t question. People who believe things ‘are the way they are’ and can’t change. Most people don’t even realize that they are ‘sheepwalking’ through live. They have been raised to be obedient, to play by the rules, get a stable job, go to church on Sundays and be happy with what they have.

Then there are the rest of us. Those of us who challenge authority. Who ask ‘why?’ when we encounter something that doesn’t make sense. Who present alternatives to the status quo. Chances are that if you’re reading this blog, I’m talking about you. In his book, Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us, Seth Godin describes people such as us as heretics. People who are willing to step outside the mainstream and lead.

As with most of what Seth writes, there isn’t much in this book that we don’t already know, at least on a subconscious level. We all have at one time or another felt restrained by the status quo and had a desire to change things. In fact many of us already lead tribes, even if we don’t always recognize ourselves as leaders.

Seth is a master at turning conventional concepts on their heads and presenting ideas in enlightening and refreshing new ways. The values of Tribes, therefore isn’t to tell us anything new, per se. Rather it is to package together things that people are already feeling and thinking and bring it to the forefront. It is meant to spur us to action.

Like his thinking, Seth doesn’t write in a conventional way either. The book is broken into a series of brief discussions about ideas, almost like a series of blog posts. it is perfect for those of us lacking the time or attention span to delve deep into a text heavy tome. It’s perfect for reading before bed, or while waiting for a friend.

Tribes won’t change the world, but it may inspire you to change your small part of it.

Final Verdict: ****1/2. I highly recommended for anybody who thinks.

This is day 23 in my 28 Day Blogging Challenge. 5 days to go.

Linchpin by Seth Godin – Video Book Review (chrisbrogan.com)
Presenting Seth Godin’s Tribes (slideshare.net)
Thoughts from Seth Godin (broadcasting-brain.com)

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A Call to Action

Yesterday I wrote about some of the strengths that Phoenix has, and how they are building blocks for creating a great city. However, too many of us still look to the politicians, developers and civic organizations to arrange these building blocks and create new ones. The trouble is they keep squandering this responsibility by chasing after the next big block, instead of finding ways to pull together what we already have. Put another way, we have allowed city-building to become so problematic, so institutionalized that it has lost all but the most rudimentary citizen input.

Part of this is our own problem. We have sat back and watched the real estate industrial complex and kookocracy take over our city. We are satisfied with the odd positive outcome and accepted their empty platitudes. Sure a few people have complained from the sidelines, a few more have attempted to get involved, and fewer still have been able to affect some positive change. This makes the rest of us victims. As Derek Neighbors has said “the biggest faux pas that creative class has made in downtown Phoenix is not getting involved in the right organizations and making an impact.”

If enough people do not care to do more than whine among themselves; if enough people don’t have the passion to get involved, then there isn’t a platform for positive change to build on. Sure we can stand around and hope that Kimber will enter the Mayor’s race, but without a critical mass of ACTIVE supporters there isn’t much she can do, even as mayor. We all need to prove to our civic leaders that there is a market, not only for denser downtown, but a vibrant downtown created by community involvement. We need to give them with not only good ideas, but also the confidence to enact them.

The decisions made today were conceived months–if not years–ago. They weren’t pulled out of thin air; they were built and negotiated by city staff, developers, and business groups. Some of them may have been referred to a committee for consideration. By the time they reach the public, it is too late to do much more than smooth a few rough edges. If we want to affect sustained change, we need to have impact earlier in the decision-making process.

Quite simply we need to GET INVOLVED. Instead of simply complaining, find an organization you would like to see changed (or influence change) and start attending their meetings. Try to get on their board od directors. At the city level, there are dozens of citizen based boards and committees, many with vacancies (I have listed several vacancies with the City of Phoenix in another post). Find one and apply to be on it. In the meantime, start attending your council district, neighborhood association, and/or HOA meetings and learn about what is going on and who the key influencers are.

Be warned that this won’t change things overnight. Those with the power wont hand it over because you attend a meeting or two. Real change takes perseverance and patience. The developers have it. This is why they are so often on the winning side. If we want to balance the tables, we need to have it as well. If we love our city, then a little effort put into making it better is a small price to pay. If enough of us get involved in a concerted way, I guarantee that real change WILL occur.

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It’s Not ALL Bad

Regular readers of this blog will notice that I’ve had several harsh words for Phoenix and it’s leader lately. It’s not that I dislike Phoenix. Quite the opposite. I’ve quickly grown to love much of the city and many of its people. It’s because of this love that I want to see my adopted city reach it’s potential.

I’ve long believed that excellence requires a constant search for improvement. If everyone thinks everything is perfect already, or are reluctant to criticize, then there is no impetus to improve. I’ve touched on this theme before.

However, as necessary as it is to point out where we need to improve, it is also important to highlight our successes. There are a lot of great things about Phoenix (otherwise I’d be long gone). The city is home to many world-class events and sites that are uniquely ‘Phoenix.’ Sure not all of these events are the best they could be, but they are building blocks to use to create a unique sense of place that many say is lacking.

An artistic rendering of Pueblo Grande in its prime (circa 1100-1450 AD)

Here are a few of the more prominent ones:

The Heard Museum is not only one of Phoenix’s first cultural attractions, but also one of the world’s finest destinations for learning about American Indian arts and cultures. In addition, it is home to a world-acclaimed Indian Fair and Market that draws 20,000 visitors and more than 700 of the nation’s most outstanding and successful American Indian artists. If you haven’t been yet, now’s you chance. It’s occurring this weekend.
Phoenix is home to the longest running (and likely largest) art walk in the country. Can you believe it’s been 22 years? This is also happening this weekend.
What do Emma Stone, Max Crumm and Jordin Sparks have in common? They all honed their skills at the Valley Youth Theater. VYT is a world-class, nationally recognized non-profit theater in our own back yard. They achieve their success by insisting on the same standards of excellence to its programs that apply to adult theater.
The PF Chang Rock n’ Roll Marathon was first held in Phoenix in 2004. In just 5 years, it has become the largest same day marathon and half-marathon in the United States, With over 30,000 participants in 2009, Its unique format has been repeated in seven fourteen cities (and counting). Not bad for an event sponsored by a locally based company.
At over 16,000 acres, South Mountain Park is the largest city park in the world. Yet this is but one of the amazing outdoor areas in the middle of our city. There is also Camelback, Piestewa and North Mountain Preserve in the center of the Valley, and other great natural amenities on the outskirts. As well, we have also have world-class urban parks like Encanto Park with was recently voted one of the best in the country, alongside such famous parks as New York City’s Central Park, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park and Boston Commons.
Phoenix is home to one of the longest (and oldest) canal systems in the world. Venice’s 125 miles of canals and Amsterdam’s 47 miles of canals make these cities European icons and postcard darlings. Meanwhile, Phoenix trumps both with 181 miles of canals, yet most people treat them like back alleys. Check out the new Canalscape Exhibit at Phoenix City Hall from March 2nd to March 12th to learn more about their history and potential. The opening event is this Thursday, March 4, 2010 at 4pm.
Our history is measured in millennium, not centuries like the east coast, or decades like many people seem to believe The Valley is among the longest inhabited region in the USA. The Hohokam began settling here around 1 AD. Learn more at the Pueblo Grande Museum on 44^th St and Washington.

What is your favorite thing that is unique to the Phoenix?

This is day 21 in my 28 Day Blogging Challenge. 7 days to go.

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A Mallrat Repents

I have a confession to make. I was a mallrat.

I spent endless hours of my tween and teen years hanging out in and malls. I loved movies featuring mall scenes like Can’t Buy Me Love, Weird Science and Back to the Future (all of which I saw in a mall theater). As a kid growing up in the suburbs it was the ‘cool thing’ to do. Even though my hometown had a pretty decent downtown, I viewed it as a place for ‘suits’ and tourists. Ironically, it wasn’t until a new downtown mall opened that I started exploring city life outside of it.

A few years later, I moved away to college, and discovered the joys of a small town’s main street. I then spent a few years in the urban mecca of Vancouver, and several more in the eastern city of Ottawa. I began taking city life for granted. I enjoyed hanging out at locally owned coffee shops and bars and finding unique items at local businesses. I discovered the writings of Jane Jacobs. I only stepped foot in malls on an occasional basis, usually to catch a movie at the Cineplex or to buy something of a gift registry for a wedding or baby shower. I started going to the grand old movie theaters whenever possible. I had become an urbanite.

Thus, moving to Phoenix was a culture shock. It is next to impossible to avoid malls here. Even the downtown urban infill projects that the city is lauding have more in common with a suburban mall than an urban main street. This is why a film I saw yesterday at the Phoenix Art Museum resonated with me in such a strong way.

The film was Malls R Us. It was co-presented by No Festival Required, as part of its almost monthly series of documentaries and ‘indie’ films. It was sponsored by CityCircles, a new resource for exploring the city by light rail.

Malls R Us is a provocative documentary that looks at North America’s love affair will the mall. Produced by Helene Klodawsky, the film takes us through the history of the mall from its unassuming beginnings of the mall in suburban Minneapolis in the 1950s to todays mega-projects in Dubai and India. Helene attempts to portray a balanced picture of the mall and its place in our culture and communities. Despite this attempt at neutrality, I left the theater with an even stronger revulsion for malls and the damage they represent, not only to our built form, but our social interaction as well.

Part of the reason that movie resonated so deeply with me is its portrayal of places and people I’m familiar, with. The movie opens with a panoramic shot of the Sonaran Desert, complete with saguaro cacti. One of the main protagonists of the film is a Canadian film developer who whose wants to develop the world first ‘green’ mall on a parcel of environmentally sensitive land in the outskirts of Montreal. His search for tenants take him to Cabela’s, the outdoor megastore in Glendale, a Phoenix suburb. This closed the circle for me as a Canadian living in Phoenix.

I won’t go any deeper into what the movie reveals, because I strongly urge you to see it yourself. But I did want to leave you something to think about. I understand that special places that malls occupy in our memories. I certainly have many happy memories myself. But like Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, as we grow up, we need to stop over- romanticizing and realize that full truth behind these memories. I hear all the time what a special place malls like Park Central, Christown Spectrum and Biltmore Fashion Center have in the hearts of long time residents.

What we tend to forget though, is just as malls like Metrocenter and Scottsdale Fashion Center lead to the demise of malls like Christown Spectrum and Park Central; Park Central and Christown led to the demise of downtown Phoenix. So feel free to reminisce, but don’t mourn too much. It is only with the demise (and hopefully adaptive reuse) of such malls, that our downtown core can reach it’s potential as a vital hub for the city.

Perhaps now with the difficulties that CityNorth is having, politicians and developers will wake up and realize that the era of the North American mall is over. Too bad it is just beginning in place like Kazakhstan and India.

Related Site: Deadmalls.com

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