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Mar 08

Dumb and Dumber: The City of Phoenix and ASU

By Yuri Artibise 28 Day Challenge, Opinion View Comments

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.

Dumb and Dumber: The City of Phoenix and ASU

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.
  • Attend this Saturday’s (March 13th) 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.
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Mar 07

One ‘Wei’ to Support a Vibrant Downtown Phoenix

By Yuri Artibise Uncategorized View Comments

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.

wei 300x225 One ‘Wei’ to Support a Vibrant Downtown Phoenix

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 8th 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.

This is day 25 in my 28 Day Blogging Challenge. 3 days to go.

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Mar 04

Sheeple vs Heretics

By Yuri Artibise 28 Day Challenge, Book Review, Opinion View Comments

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.

Cover of "Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us&...

Cover of Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us

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.

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Mar 01

A Mallrat Repents

By Yuri Artibise 28 Day Challenge, Reviews, urbanism View Comments

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.

38308d1237576568 how do you remember phoenix stories park central mall 07 A Mallrat RepentsA 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

This is day 20 in my 28 Day Blogging Challenge. 8 days to go.

A Mallrat Repents
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Feb 24

CityScape: Suburbanizing Downtown Phoenix

By Yuri Artibise 28 Day Challenge, Opinion, urbanism View Comments

Those of you who follow me on Twitter and Facebook know that I’m not a fan of CityScape. I was initially excited by the project and had high hopes that the city finally ‘got’ it.  However, as the months went by the buildings went up, my excitement turned to guarded skepticism.  This week any hopes I once had were dashed by the following three strikes:

Strike #1: Urban Form

I recently walked around the exterior of CityScape, Phoenix’s supposedly ‘exciting urban infill’ development.  During this walk my suspensions were confirmed:  Far from being an authentic urban development that takes into account the surrounding urban fabric, it would be yet another typical development.  I guess I was naive to think expect anything different from a project conceived in a Scottsdale business park and designed by an Seattle architect.

CityScape’s idea of urban form is to place a large-scale suburban pharmacy on one corner of the development and an elevator lobby on another corner. So much for encouraging an active street life or pedestrian activity downtown.

While I have no problems with the CVS Pharmacy, I do wish the proposed design took up less street frontage (perhaps placing it on the second floor?). This would free up valuable street frontage for smaller scale businesses that would attract customers and window shoppers, enhancing the urban vitality of the development.  Instead it looks like we’ll get something similar to most other CVS’s with large blank walls or faux windows, punctuated by a small entry way or two.

Strike #2: Public Space

The supposed ‘park’ to replace the publicly owned Patriots Park, is not really a park, but an outdoor arcade on private property surrounded by buildings. Worse yet, at least part of it will be above street level, further discouraging pedestrian activity.  Basically, this ‘park’ is designed for the office dwellers and patrons of the complex, NOT the citizens and residents of downtown Phoenix.  Besides, we already have several downtown park spaces that are chronically under used, why do we need another?

Strike #3: Grocery Store

On Monday, we learned that the long promised grocery store in downtown Phoenix was not actually a grocery store, but rather a high-end food boutique.  While I don’t have a problem with Oakville Grocery per se (especially if it keeps it’s, it’s promise to stock locally produced goods.), I do take issue with is the conceit that it is a ‘grocery store’ that will meet the needs of downtown residents.  There is only so much demand for handmade cheeses and gourmet sandwiches in downtown (and besides the Phoenix Public Market already offers these items and more. (On the upside, the high price products will be a boon to the City’s new food tax).

What is really needed downtown is a place to pick up toilet paper, laundry detergent. I rather have seen something like Fresh and Easy or even Trader Joes come in.  However, I realize the difficulty in luring other grocers, particularly since the promised residential part of Cityscape is delayed indefinitely.  This means that the population needed to support a real grocery store just isn’t there.

As a result of these three strikes, and several others, CityScape represents yet another failed attempt to revitalize downtown. It is basically a morphing of downtown’s last two failed ‘urban infill’ attempts:  Collier Center and Arizona Center. Both these were supposed to enhance downtown’s urban fabric. Both failed miserably at this goal.

CityScapeAlex3 225x300 CityScape: Suburbanizing Downtown Phoenix

A Seattle-style tower in the dessert

The various civic ‘leaders’ who continue to push such misguided projects need to wake up. Instead of facilitating a downtown that ALL residents can enjoy, they have continued on the futile quest to keep suburbanites and tourists downtown after ball games or conventions by creating a suburban haven in the middle of the city.

These so-called leaders need to realize that what’s needed downtown isn’t foisting another new mega-project on us.  Rather, we as a broad-based community need to radically rethink how we approach development. Until that happen, Phoenix will never realize the potential of being ‘Arizona’s Urban Heart.”

Developments such as Cityscape don’t take us closer to a true downtown, rather they move us further away.  In Phoenix’s desperate attempt to attract suburban tourists downtown, the city is morphing downtown into a suburb itself.

This is day 16 in my 28 Day Blogging Challenge. 12 days to go.

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Feb 18

Gentrification is Good

By Yuri Artibise Uncategorized View Comments

One of my pet peeve about many fellow urbanists and city dwellers is their disdain for gentrification. Like Gordon Gecko’s notorious “Greed is Good’ speech” in the 1987 movie Wall Street, I’m here to say ‘Gentrification is Good”

At its most basic level, gentrification reflects the transformation of long neglected places like downtown Phoenix into vibrant and successful areas. It begins with the arrival of artists and hipsters attracted by low rents, The pioneers then cultivate a scene that begins to attract middle class professionals.

According to Sharon Zukin’s recent book, Naked City: The Death and Life of Authentic Urban Places Gentrification is Good, gentrification depends on transforming neighborhoods so that the professional class sees them as “gritty” and “authentic.” Historical building, warehouses and the like provide a foundation for the “authentic” urban experience that attracts upper-middle class people tired of strip malls and chain store.

Since I’ve come to Phoenix, I’ve noticed increasing tensions downtown’s development. Some critics of what is going on are labeling it ‘gentrification.’ To me this label is misapplied.

Using coffee as an example, both the many locations of Starbucks as well as the independent coffee shops such as Fair Trade Cafe, Royal at the Market, Conspire and the new downtown locations of Lola Coffebar and Cartel Coffee Lab have contributed to the revitalization. Many people lump all this development together under the banner gentrification.  They are wrong. The multiple Starbucks clones reflects a homogenization of downtown that is distinct from gentrification.

lola coffee bar gold spot 5 Gentrification is Good

Lola Downtown. Photograph from Arizona-Coffee.com

A Starbucks is a Starbucks is a Starbucks, whether you are in a Chandler strip mall, Taylor Place at ASU downtown, or for that matter, Hong Kong. On the other hand the independent coffee shops show  a more positive ‘gentrification’ of downtown. Even though many of the ‘independent’ coffee houses are the second or third locations in the Valley, their downtown outlets reflect the flavor of the surrounding neighborhood rather that that of a corporate brand.

There is a distinct difference in décor and more importantly vibe between, say Lola Uptown and Lola Downtown that is lacking when you visit one of the numerous Starbucks or Subways around town. Yes the surroundings may be familiar from one place to the next, but each location is different enough to offer authentic experience. Besides, it’s at these independent cafés where the young urban hipsters and “gentry” are found, not in Starbucks.

I’m not immune to the consitency of Starbucks, or the affordability of Subway.  Vigilant readers may spot me in one of these establishments on occasion.  This post isn’t meant to judge such business or their customers, rather to point out the different impacts after all, if downtown Phoenix is to be successful we need to greatly increase its population of both residents and visitors, which means opening our arms to ALL walks of life. My problem isn’t with Starbucks or Subway, and it isn’t just with downtown Phoenix.  In fact it is a global phenomenon of the same stores, selling the same stuff and the same coffee.  One Starbucks is cool. Four within a ¼ mile rover each other is overkill.

Stay tuned for more posts along this line of thinking.  As always, I look forward to reading your thoughts and questions in the comments section.

This is day 10 in my 28 Day Blogging Challenge. 18 days to go.

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Feb 17

What is Placemaking?

By Yuri Artibise 28 Day Challenge, Personal Brand, Who am I?, urbanism View Comments

After asking me what a policy wonk is, the next most popular question I get is: What is aplacemaker?

Placemaking is another ‘wonkish’ term that has means different things to different people.  To give you a broad idea, here are a few definitions from a survey conducted by the Project for Public Spaces:

“Placemaking is a dynamic human function: it is an act of liberation, of staking claim, and of beautification; it is true human empowerment.”

“Placemaking is the art of creating public ‘places of the soul,’ that uplift and help us connect to each other.”

Placemaking is “making a Public Space a Living Space.”

The concept of placemaking originated in the 1960’s when urban visionaries like Jane Jacobs and William H. Whyte espoused what were then (and may still be) radical ideas about designing cities that catered to people, not just to cars and shopping centers. Jacobs and Whyte felt it was important to create and support lively neighborhoods and inviting public spaces. In particular, Jacobs advocated residents taking ownership of their streets through the now-famous idea of “eyes on the street.” Whyte focused on seemingly minor details of urban spaces (such as movable chairs, water, and food) as important to creating vibrant public spaces.

At its most basic, placemaking is making livable places by thinking through:

  1. The design of places
  2. The experiences that make possible, and
  3. The consequences they have in our lives.

Bases on my studying of the works of Jacobs, Whyte and others (as well as a lucky few discussions I had with Jane in person), I have adopted this manta of placemaking: “creating a sense of place and a place of sense”

Cities used to be social places designed for people.  Placemaking was the natural order of things.  Unfortunately, over the past 50 years, our cities and neighborhoods have become conduits for cars and commerce and the people who actually live in the them have been all but forgotten.

I consider myself a placemaker, because I’m passionate about returning the streets of downtown Phoenix to the residents of the Valley. I give life to this passion in many ways. I hold my own events highlighting the potential of public spaces, including Jane’s Walk Phoenix, Park(ing) Day or Urban Breakfast.  I’m a member of groups like RadiatePhx and Get Your Phx that connect me with other people to share ideas and support each other in our endeavors. I also take part in organizations that push for creating a sustainable downtown as the Downtown Voices Coalition.

My goal is to help people realize that we are all responsible for the success of the places we live. By retaking control of the public spaces and holding our own events and making our own changes, not matter how small, we can be the leading edge of systemic changes that will force the politicians and bureaucrats to take note and begin designing cities for people again.

place diagram What is Placemaking?

The Place Diagram, form the Program for Public Spaces

For more of my thinking on this topic, here is a link to a presentation on placemaking I gave to ASU’s Barrett Honor CollegeDowntown Phoenix ASU campus on August 20, 2009. And here  ‘Urban Experience’ orientation at the is the link to my Ignite Phoenix 5 presentation on ‘Urban Space’.

This is day 9 in my 28 Day Blogging Challenge. 19 days to go.

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Feb 16

10 Reasons Why Civic Space Park Doesn’t Work

By Yuri Artibise 28 Day Challenge, Opinion, Phoenix, Places View Comments

Last week, I wrote a post on Schelling points, or nodes of unconscious coordination, where people spontaneous identify as important meeting points in a city. When I asked if Phoenixhad such a place, there was no consensus, but several people did name the potential of Civic Space Park to become one.  However, the park’s inability to draw larger crowds—other than when there are formally planned events—was also raised.

Civic Space Park 1 fs 10 Reasons Why Civic Space Park Doesnt WorkThis got me thinking of why—despite being a great park on paper—Civic Space Park has yet to live up to its promise as a great urban space fordowntown Phoenix. On the surface, the park is well designed for activity. It has a fountain for children and a café for teens and adults. It is easily accessible by public transit (both light rail and several buses), and is across the street from ASU downtown, the Westward Ho senior residences and several office buildings. It features, not one but three historic buildings (AE England, US Post Office, and Metro Office Building), and boasts some impressive public art. It features public restrooms, shade structures and trees and bike racks. It provides movable seating that allows people to decide where they want to sit in the space.

While I mused that perhaps it is simply that Phoenicians prefer to hide behind block walls than interact in public spaces, other than at ‘official events’, upon greater reflection, this isn’t the case. Several other urban parks in central Phoenix are well used most of the year, notably Encanto (recently named one of America’s Best City Parks by Forbes) and Steele Indian School Parks, so if it isn’t the people, why other than the odd student and homeless person, is it dead 90% of the time?

Here are ten reasons that I came up with (with suggestions from Facebook and Twitter):

  1. The park is disconnected from its surrounding.  The light rail tracks landscaping and fencing act as a barriers for people to casually enter or exit that park.  This limits its popularity as an impromptu gathering place.
  2. There is little parking in the immediate vicinity. While this shouldn’t be a major issue, given its proximity to transit and well-populated buildings, etc, we are in Phoenix after all, where cars still dominate.
  3. It suffers from a malady common to several city parks: it is over landscaped. While there are a lot of places to sit, there are few open spaces to play.  Popular park pastimes, such as Frisbee, soccer, etc, are inhibited by the unnecessary berms, mounds and other extraneous design flourishes. While these may add visual interest, they inhibit the discourage play.
  4. The café, Fair Trade Civic Space, which never felt inviting, now has reduced its hours, The fact that it is hidden away in the ‘basement’ and is not visible from the street further limits its appeal and accessibility.
  5. The A.E. England Building, while a great restoration, it under-utilized, leaving one of the most prominent features vacant the majority of the time. (Perhaps the café and meeting spaces should have been flipped.) The Post Office has yet to be integrated into the park, and there are no plans to include the Metro Office Building)
  6. A heavy security presence. While there to deter homeless people, it also makes it feel uninviting for other users. Also the security is over zealous at times (i.e. telling people that they can’t WALK their bikes through the park)
  7. Lack of a playground for children. Other than the fountain, which is often turned off, there are few areas for kids to play. Further, given the lay out of the park, it is hard for parents to keep an eye on their children as the run around corners, etc. As well, dogs—another great park demographic—are not welcome.
  8. The grouping of the shade structures on the south side of the park, with little shade provided throughout the rest. The trees planted on the north side will take several years to mature (if they even make it; it looks like a few have already died.)
  9. It is hard to convene public gatherings. There are no publicly available large tables, or other amenities for medium to large groups of people.
  10. The name. Is there anything less inspiring than the bureaucratic ‘Civic Space Park’?  (I have a sneaking suspicion that this moniker is but a placeholder until it is named ‘Phil Gordon’ Park.

Do you have anything to add?  Want to come to the park’s defense?  Leave a comment.

This is day 8 in my 28 Day Blogging Challenge. 20 days to go.

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NOTE: There were several insightful comments on this post when it was first posted.  Alas, due to technical diffculaties, I lost a weeks worth of comment and have had to repost from archives, so I have cut and pastem them below:

10 Responses to “10 Reasons Why Civic Space Park Doesn’t Work”

  1. I’d love to use it more, but there just isn’t any reason to.

  2. I think your reasons are pretty spot on.

    Outside of tweaking some of what you mentioned, I guess it might take good programming to get people there and hopefully have them think of it as a place they can visit outside of special events.

    Also, I agree that the name is pretty uninviting. So, I will start calling it Jellyfish Park since it sounds silly and fun.

  3. You make some great points. Perhaps people choose to visit Encanto and Steele Indian school parkmore often due to:
    1) The incumbent advantage. Encanto & Steele park are long-standing public spaces. They are more well known. People know what to expect there.
    2) Habit & tradition. This ties in with #1. If a certain group holds a monthly meeting at Encanto or Steele park and they have for years, they’re not likely to change to a new park just because one popped up.
    3) Space. You mentioned this in your post and I think it’s a BIG one. Encanto and Steele parks just have much more open space to accommodate a broader range of activities and groups. And parkingspace, as you mentioned.
    4) Water/ponds. Civic space lacks this. Perhaps this is a draw for more people.

    I don’t live downtown, but even if I did, I don’t see any compelling reasons to choose Civic Spacepark as a meeting ground. I hear they’ve been doing live music shows there, which is something that would interest me, but your post isn’t about events, just meeting places.

  4. One of the problems with Civic Space Park is that it’s crammed between 1st Ave and Central, with both traffic and light rail running along its east and west sides. I think this connects it too much with the activity on the street and diminishes the relaxing park atmosphere which it should have. Good parks are respites from the hustle and bustle of urban life…they get people away from the street and provide an opportunity to play. Not only are there the issues you mentioned (overlandscaping and lack of a playground), but connecting the park to streets on two sides makes it seem less restful.

  5. I agree that the name is atrocious and hope that it is renamed sooner rather than later. (And I’d prefer it not be named after a person, but something more grand. The media referred to the Echelman sculpture as “Sky Bloom” and even though that’s not the actual title, I still think “Sky Bloom Park” sounds cool.)
    You makes some great points but I think the major obstacle is that there are just not enough people who live downtown. Without an established neighborhood what’s the point of neighborhood park?
    Overall I quite like it though. I’ve been to some fun and very crowded events there. But like most things in Phoenix, the park has a lot of potential that it hasn’t lived up to.

  6. 10 Reasons Why Civic Space Park Doesn’t Workandrewkfromaz says:

    I think it’s a well-designed park, and that they did well with the space they had to work with. A big part of what’s currently “wrong” with the park is external issues: the nearest residential buildings are mostly vacant, ASU’s campus is not yet built out, and so on. I think none of the flaws you mentioned (though I do think they are fairly accurate) are true deal-breakers. Once the surrounding areas come into their own and flourish, the park will bustle with activity.

    I am hugely disappointed w/ Fair Trade. If they’re not going to make any better use of the space than that, they need to close down and let someone in who will be more of a draw.

  7. 10 Reasons Why Civic Space Park Doesn’t WorkSteve Weiss says:

    Issues with parking and the meeting hall nature of A.E. England are good points. I like the idea of Fair trade or some other biz being above-ground. Maybe A.E. England could have been that Phoenix Museum of the Arts or even shared studio artspaces the City once sought during the last bond selection process. This would have cost much less than the heavy adaption inside.

    The park was a gift to ASU to go along with their coming soon Student Union in the Post Office. It was built for this purpose, and to assuage the city residents for eliminating the center-of-the-city already built but woefully underfunded/poorly build and managed/never activated Patriot’s Park to make a mall with upscale bowling.

    The park is tiny. I’m not so much disappointed with the shade(give it time)or the landscaping, and it was incredibly smart to have Echelman’s sculpture not take up ground-space. I like the sustainible ideas of the park. It’s the only park in Phoenix that will always have green grass. I dig coming over to it at night and playing next to the color pillars or laying under the sculpture. After 8 pm you can park at any of the 3 metered parking spaces,for free. :-)

    A first read made me wince with your use of “it’s” when you should be using “its”…”it’s” is a contraction of “it is”…easy thing to learn, hard to ignore.

  8. 10 Reasons Why Civic Space Park Doesn’t WorkKhamis says:

    Yuri I think you missed one major point. It doesn’t have to do with the design of the park, but it’s equal in importance. The lack of diverse uses around the park. Who lives within 1/2 mile. And the people that do live within 1/2 mile likely have closer (Roosevelt, the strange linear Portland Parkway) parks with some of the things you’re saying Civic Space lacks. The only people that use civic space are students more or less. There isn’t much use besides that going on around it, and until there is… (say redevelopment north of the Y along the west side of central) then I don’t see it becoming a huge success.

    But of course things like the visibility of FT need to improve. I wonder why the city hasn’t put a HUGE sign with an arrow, or maybe a super graphic on A.E. that points peds to the shops down there. They’re new, people aren’t going to suddenly know to go down, but they will… people go down random alleys in Seattle because there are signs that announce there are shops down them, also they’ve been around, but there are still signs. The A-frames aren’t cutting it.

    I also disagree with free parking being provided for what is suppose to be an urban park, in a pocketpark footprint. There are plenty of meters around the area.

  9. @J Seth Anderson: Sky Bloom Park sounds awesome!

  10. 10 Reasons Why Civic Space Park Doesn’t WorkYuri Artibise says:

    Thanks for all the great feedback and insights. I’ll remark on them later tonight when I have some time.

    (And Steve, thanks for the comments regarding ‘its/it’s’ It makes me wince too, They should be fixed now… A downside of writing at 2am is my editing is worse than normal.)

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Feb 14

I *Heart* Phoenix

By Yuri Artibise 28 Day Challenge, Places, Who am I?, urbanism View Comments

Another Valentine’s Day is upon us. While I’m not a huge fan of the Hallmark Holiday, I do appreciate the opportunity to think about my loved ones for a day. And it’s always nice to have an extra excuse to shower a little extra attention on my wife Linda.

For, me however, Valentine’s day is linked to another important event: It was three years ago today that I made the move to Phoenix, and as long as I live here, it will be a reminder of this momentous life shift. I have joked that while Linda is my wife, Phoenix is my mistress. On reflection, this isn’t really too much of a joke. When we first moved here, we wanted to give living in the US a try (I have always been am America-phile) combined with a desire to escape winter. (Believe me there is no better time to move to Phoenix than February!), and a love for the city’s mid-century architecture. While I knew that Phoenix was an auto-dominated city best known for sprawl and golf course, two things I abhor, I saw enough of a glimmer downtown Phoenix to make the gamble and move down here.

The past three years has been a whirlwind relationship. If you give Phoenix a chance, it can grab you in completely unexpected ways.  When I first moved here I was a naïve Canadian with a 9-5 job at ASU and few friends. Three years later, I am a passionate Phoenicians, without a job, but with a robust circle of friends and an engagement calendar so fat, I need a secretary to manage! While I remain frustrated by many aspects of living in what I have referred to as an ‘urban desert’ the city and people has given me the opportunity to realize my true calling. While I have always been an urbanist at heart, I had always lived in vibrant urban neighborhoods so I had never had to think of it something that requires effort. Being an urbanist in Phoenix definitely requires effort. However, like the most demanding mistress, there is something about the city that compels me to put in the effort to make the relationship work.

As many of you know, I write occasionally for the Downtown Phoenix Journal. In honor to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, the staff was asked to share 14 things we love about downtown Phoenix. So in honor of Valentine’s Day, and my third anniversary as a Phoenician, here’s a list of 14 things I ‘heart’ about downtown Phoenix:

  1. Business meetings at Lola Downtown
  2. Chatting up tourists on the Metro Light Rail
  3. Co-working at Lux Coffeebar
  4. I *Heart* PhoenixBuying unique housewarming gifts at Frances
  5. Lusting after jewelry by Heidi Abrahamson
  6. Discussing ‘infill development’ at After Hours Gallery
  7. Having breakfast for lunch at Matt’s Big Breakfast
  8. Stretching out on the grass at Roosevelt Park (3rd Ave, south of Roosevelt)
  9. Searching for ghosts at the Hotel San Carlos
  10. Winding down with a cookie and coffee at Royal at the Market
  11. Losing myself in James Turrell’s light sculpture “Mohl ip” at the Phoenix Art Museum
  12. Participating in the Critical Mass bike ride
  13. Noshing on chilquiles verdes at Gallo Blanco Café at the Clarendon Hotel
  14. Sampling the rotating tap at The Roosevelt Tavern

This is day 6 in my 28 Day Blogging Challenge. 22 more to go.

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Feb 10

DPJ Article: The ‘Coolest’ House in Phoenix

By Yuri Artibise Downtown Phoenix Journal View Comments

Originally posted in the Downtown Phoenix Journal on February 9, 2010.

Much has been made about the potential of using the sun’s energy to provide clean energy in the Valley of the Sun. While the bulk of this attention has focused on solar power, one local company is taking advantage of the sun’s energy in a different manner: geothermal power.

sid rosen house1 DPJ Article: The ‘Coolest’ House in Phoenix

The Carter W. Gibbs historical home

GeOasis has developed a unique solution to meeting the Valley’s home cooling and heating needs using the solar energy stored just below our feet. The temperature just below the earth’s surface remains a consistent 70º year round. By dispersing heat into or retracting heat from this steady source, geothermal equipment is not forced to battle with Mother Nature. In the winter, this heat is transferred through underground pipes, concentrated and delivered throughout the home. During summer, the excess heat in a home is removed and delivered back to the cooler earth, completing the cycle. By contrast, a conventional air-to-air system has to move heat from a home into an already high outdoor temperature. This is much less efficient than a geothermal system that is able to dispel heat into the 70º soil.

One of GeoOasis’ first installations was an unexpected choice: a historic Tudor home in Central Phoenix’s Alvarado neighborhood, nestled behind the Heard Museum. The Carter Gibbs house was built in the late 1920s by owner Carter W. Gibbs and builder Neil H. Gates. Its design is strongly influenced by a combination of the English Tudor and French Chalet styles of the era. The house is listed on the city of Phoenix historic preservation site and the National Register of Historic Places.

DPJ Article: The ‘Coolest’ House in Phoenix

The application shown in the home's basement. This can alternatively use a garage or be a package unit on the roof.

The 12-room, 6,000-square-foot, three-story house could not be lived in during the blistering Arizona summers. Temperatures did not drop below 86º in the first-floor living areas, and soared well above 100º in the second- and third-floor bedrooms. The owner, Sid Rosen, considers himself a caretaker for the preservation of the historical house. Rosen has invested over two decades of time and effort to maintaining, restoring and preserving this piece of Arizona history, working with some of world’s leading preservation and renovation professionals. While he was able to retain the historical character of the house, including a unique slate tile roof, finding a sustainable way to cool it was another matter. Despite searching for years, and investing in top-of-the-line energy-efficient systems, Rosen was never able to achieve his goal of maintaining a comfortable indoor environment in the extreme heat of a Phoenix summer. In the spring of 2009, he found a solution when he met Bryce Johnson, CEO and founder of GeOasis.

Since the installation of the geothermal hybrid system developed and installed by GeOasis, the Carter Gibbs house is now livable year round. Better yet, it has realized cost savings of over 65% compared to traditional cooling systems and with a significantly lower carbon footprint. Moreover, the installation of the system was done in a way that enhanced the historical characteristics of the house.

“One of our foremost goals, apart from achieving the desired temperature reduction for the home and lowering the cost factor, was to not to disturb the home’s original historic character and to remove all eyesores of prior energy systems,” says Johnson.

Rosen is now able to host his numerous and important charitable, civic, historical and social events year round, including his 70th birthday celebration, held just days after the system was installed in June 2009. In addition, he is happy to be a step closer to his ultimate goal of achieving national energy independence, through conservation and sustainable efforts.

“GeOasis allowed me to reclaim my home during the hot Phoenix summer,” Rosen says. “I feel good that I have reduced my personal energy dependence and am proud to be contributing to the USA’s future energy independence.”

Bryce Johnson at GeoOasis can be reached by email or at 602.507.4746. Tours of the Carter Gibbs house are offered on a limited basis. To arrange a viewing, contact Cornelia Stumpf by email or at 602.628.4934.

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