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Advise on Infill Development
Posted on 6/11/13 by DPJ Staff » No Comments
The City of Phoenix Planning and Development Department invites the community to provide input on the future of infill development.
Do you have experience in Infill Development?
Has Infill Development affected your neighborhood?
Ever thought about improvements for the city process?
We want your input!
Phoenix has formed an advisory group to review our rules and regulations for Infill Development and provide some recommendations for streamlining. We received so much interest in participating in the infill discussion that we had to find a way for many folks to participate.
To that end we have scheduled a number of public meetings for folks to share their experience and suggestions regarding the Infill Development Process. Staff will take feedback from these sessions to provide guidance and direction for the Infill Advisory Group.
To facilitate the discussions, we created targeted sessions for design professionals, contractors, developers/property owners, and neighborhood/community representatives. Of course, anyone can come to any meeting they like, but the Infill Advisory Group thought it would be more productive to group folks by profession, background and interests.
To get involved and share your suggestions regarding the Infill Development Process, please attend one of the public meetings listed below and/or submit your comments via email to darcy.kober@phoenix.gov.
If you go
Where: All sessions are free to attend and will be held in the Historic A.E. England Building (between 1st and Central avenues, just north of Van Buren Street)
Questions? Call 602-495-5411
| Multiple sessions available; pick one or more that apply to you. | ||
| Date | Time | Target Group |
| Thursday June 6th | 8am-10am | Design Professionals |
| Tuesday June 11th | 3pm-5pm | Developers/Property & Bus Owners |
| Wednesday June 12th | 8am-10am | Contractors |
| Friday June 14th | 8am-10am | Neighborhood/Community Reps |
| Friday June 14th | 3pm-5pm | Open |
Portraits from the Palomar
Posted on 5/21/13 by DPJ Staff » No Comments
The Hotel Palomar Phoenix opened to much fanfare last year. As the centerpiece of CityScape in downtown Phoenix, the newest of Kimpton’s hotels promised to deliver a special experience to their guests, while never taking their eye off of the locals. Their “Art in Motion” theme seemed apropos for both visitors and residents who take pride in their local culture.
A year later, it’s difficult to imagine downtown without it. From the energy of Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails to the lounge-y “living room” lobby and cosmopolitan rooftop LUSTRE Bar, Hotel Palomar has established a comfortable corner of our core.
But, ask anyone and they’ll tell you it’s the people who make it shine. Meet a few who work behind the scenes, through the lens of photographer Chris Loomis and art director Duc Liao.
The Hotel Palomar has served 3,720 guests, including…172 dogs and a handful of cats.
7,500 glasses of wine have been served during Wine Hour, held daily from 5 to 6 p.m.
23,242 dinners have been served from the Blue Hound’s kitchen.
4,445 Summer Smashes have been served (a mix of vodka, lemon, basil and simple syrup) between LUSTRE and Blue Hound.
Over 15,000 cars have been valet parked.
Want to join in on the celebration with a summer staycation? Check out the fun stay and play promotions that coincide with the Hotel Palomar’s first anniversary.
Wire | ModernPhoenix Presents ‘Cantilever Meets Coyote’
Posted on 5/21/13 by DPJ Staff » No Comments
DPJ’s Wire series delivers news and information straight from the source without translation.
A free community presentation that highlights Phoenix’s development as a city will be held from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 25, at Burton Barr Central Library, Pulliam Auditorium, 1221 N. Central Ave.
The lecture will feature Alison King, founding editor of ModernPhoenix.net and associate professor of graphic design at the Art Institute of Phoenix. The lecture, titled “Modern Phoenix: Where Cantilever Meets Coyote,” will illustrate how explosive Phoenix growth in the post-war era made the Arizona desert a fertile palette for experimentation by some of the nation’s greatest modern architects including Frank Lloyd Wright.
First Federal Building by Ralph Haver. Photo provided Modern Phoenix.
The illustrated talk will spotlight custom and vernacular modern design created by five architects who relocated to Arizona, calling it home in the post-war era. Vintage imagery, legends and design philosophies of Al Beadle, Blaine Drake, Ralph Haver, Paolo Soleri and Fred Guirey will be discussed. An overview of current challenges and triumphs in mid-century preservation will paint a vivid picture of the state of modern design in Arizona. An update on Frank Lloyd Wright’s David Wright home also will be shared.
King is founder of the Modern Phoenix Neighborhood Network at the award-winning website modernphoenix.net. She has researched, written and documented Arizona’s modern culture on the web since 2003. She was honored twice by the Central Arizona American Institute of Architects for her contributions to interpreting design history and in 2011 published the authorized biography, “Ralph Burgess Haver: Everyman’s Modernist.”
Alison King
The free series of public talks coincides with the exhibition, “Phoenix Icons: The Art of Our Historic Landmarks,” on display at the Gallery @ City Hall, 200 W. Washington St., first floor.
The show includes 33 photographs by artists Patrick Madigan and Michael Lundgren of historic Phoenix landmarks and buildings. The lecture series is supported with funds from the Arizona Commission on the Arts.
“Phoenix Icons: The Art of Our Historic Landmarks” is the second in a series of rotating exhibitions featuring the city’s historic Municipal Art Collection of 1,000 artworks.
The Gallery @ City Hall is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. The exhibit, on display through the end of May, is free to the public. The works were commissioned by the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture Public Art Program. The Phoenix Arts and Culture Commission and the Historic Preservation Commission have partnered in the exhibition. The gallery is supported by private contributions from businesses and residents throughout the city and region and operated by volunteers.
For more information, visit phoenix.gov/arts or call 602-262-4637. Follow us on Twitter @phxartsculture.
Provide Input on the Adams Street Activation Study
Posted on 4/19/13 by DPJ Staff » 2 Comments
The City of Phoenix Community & Economic Development Department invites you to participate in one of two charrettes for the Adams Street Activation Study.
The study area consists of a two block span along Adams Street from Central Avenue to Second Street. The city procured the services of a professional design firm, Gensler, to conduct the study of the area to explore concepts to improve the pedestrian experience, enhance economic opportunities and connectivity on Adams Street between Central Avenue and Second Street.
Site map of the study area. Image provided by City of Phoenix.
Since the expansion of the Phoenix Convention Center and the additional development that has occurred in downtown over the past several years, this corridor has become one of the most heavily traveled pedestrian thoroughfares in the city, as it links the Convention Center, three downtown hotels, art and cultural destinations and is the heart of the central business district.
What’s a Charrette/Charette? DictionaryofConstruction.com
The Charrette Sessions
The first of two community charrettes seeking your input are scheduled on April 23rd and 24th from 3 to 6pm, at the Phoenix Convention Center. Please feel free to attend one or both of the sessions. In an effort to provide flexibility, the first charrette will be held on two days to allow for those with tight schedules to attend.
During the charrette session the consultant will seek input regarding design concepts and ideas on ways to improve the study area. The ideas/concepts and feedback obtained will be utilized to produce conceptual renderings/drawings that will be presented to the community (at a second community charrette session – date is to be determined) to gather additional input and feedback.
Once both community charrettes are completed, the consultant will draft a report with findings from the study, which will be presented to City Council.
The Charrette: Where & When
Date: Tuesday, April 23rd and Wednesday, April 24th
Time: 3:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Location: Phoenix Convention Center, West Building at 2nd St. & Adams, First Floor Arcade Area – Room 106 B
Parking: Available in the West Garage: Entrance is located just south of Monroe on 2nd St.
Gallery | UL2 Apartments ‘Top Out’ in Downtown Phoenix
Posted on 4/17/13 by DPJ Staff » 1 Comment
Native American Connections (NAC) could not have picked a better day for their ceremonial “Top Out Celebration.”
Urban Living on 2nd Avenue (“UL2″) welcomed its first visitors this morning, which happens to be Bike to Work and School Day. The residential project is located at 650 North 2nd Ave. (southwest corner of 2nd Ave. and McKinley), just a block away from METRO Light Rail.
With this in mind, perhaps the most significant statistic cited during the proceedings was that future UL2 residents will not need a car because of its proximity to light rail, thereby saving residents over ten thousand dollars each year in transportation costs.
So, let’s see… A transit-friendly location in a good neighborhood? Check. A “trail blazing” nonprofit as developer? Check. Affordable, quality, rental housing in the heart of downtown Phoenix? Check and…check.
Let’s call this a win for downtown Phoenix.
Construction began in September 2012 and is scheduled to complete in December 2013.
NAC CEO Diana Yazzie-Devine, Devine welcomed guests to UL2, which will provide “vibrant homes for families.” The painting that provided the backdrop to the ceremony is by local artist Randy Kemp, who is working on another installation for the first floor of the property.
NAC Board Chair Steve Gundersen gave a bi-lingual welcome, in both Navajo and English.
“Exactly what the City of Phoenix needs.” Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton referencing UL2′s proximity to light rail – and jobs.
Representing Congressman Ed Pastor, Elisa de la Vera highlighted the affordable housing options UL2 will offer, making it “a place that any person can call home.”
Michael Trailor, Arizona Department of Housing Director, lauded NAC as trail blazers and UL2 as “affordable, sustainable and, most important, location efficient.”
Phoenix Community Alliance President Don Keuth said, “We have a responsibility to create this kind of housing, which in turn supports nearby restaurants and other businesses.” He also noted that NAC is the first to open not just one, but two Transit Oriented Developments.
Joe Keeper, NAC’s Director of Real Estate Development, invited the entire construction and architectural team to be acknowledged for their efforts.
Barry Chasse, Chasse Building Team President, said they focused on making this “the best possible project.”
Debbie Welch, Welch Companies President & CEO, likened UL2 to a “majestic, mature tree,” referencing its LEED Gold Certification, with “branches” that provide shade and shelter.
The south view from the open deck of the downtown skyline.
Looking north into the Roosevelt Neighborhood, with the walking bridge and deck above.
Street level view of the deck, looking south from McKinley St.
