by bryan | Apr 16, 2011 | Event Calendar, News & Information
by Luci Scott – Apr. 14, 2011 The Arizona Republic The “SanTan Wheelie Jam,” a bicycle and beer festival, is scheduled for April 23 at Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix. WHEN, WHERE Noon to 4 p.m. at the park, Central Avenue and Indian School Road. Light-rail stops are Central and Indian School or Central and Campbell Avenue. WHO For fans of road bikes, mountain bikes, BMX and tricycles. Festival is sponsored by the Tempe Bicycle Action Group and SanTan Brewing Company of Chandler. ACTIVITIES Wheelie competition, bike polo, roller racing, BMX demonstration, custom bike show, foot down/slow ride, bike mechanic build-off, mini/tall bike races, trials/fixie tricks demo, kids bike rodeo and safety demo, kids helmet decorating and displays of bikes. Beer sales will benefit Valley bike groups. MUSIC Necronauts, Hello the Mind Control, Liam & the Ladies, Tremulants and Amen Cowboy. Emcees include Leslie Barton and Tim Tagtmeyer. INFORMATION biketempe.org. Read...
by bryan | Apr 14, 2011 | Light Rail Business, Restaurant
By: John Kelly, ASU Intern Upon first glance, one would not expect Cityscape’s newest resident The Arrogant Butcher to tantalize the taste buds with some of the most delicious fare known to man*. But, true to its name, this place certainly has a right to call its food delicious. The Arrogant Butcher is the newest brainchild of Sam Fox of Fox Restaurant Concepts. The very same company responsible for such gastrointestinal phenomena as Olive & Ivy, Modern Steak, Culinary Dropout, North, and Sauce to name a few. This younger brother certainly has a bit of a Napoleon Complex, what with the oversized lampshades and unabashed name, but it is well-deserved. Upon entering the restaurant, the thought crosses one’s mind that the Butcher received most of its older sibling’s hand-me-downs with rather bare walls, a casual atmosphere and some mismatched furniture but those thoughts are soon swayed by the smell of raw animal flesh searing on the grill and enormous crap legs sitting on ice right in front of the kitchen. The food itself was out-of-this-world delicious. For appetizers, they offer a range of fresh meats and cheeses as well as a warm pretzel with provolone fondue that warmed the cockles like no pretzel ever has. The drink list was extensive, especially the wines and were served at an ostensible price for the quality of food. Being such a strict red meat critic, the most expensive bone-in ribeye was ordered ($35). Weighing in at 18 ounces, this was certainly worth every penny and the medium-rare taste did not disappoint. Cityscape is located on the corner of 1st St. and Jefferson...
by bryan | Apr 11, 2011 | Business, light rail corridor, News & Information
Healthy Choices, Fresh Produce in one easy location By Lynlee Smith This is a must visit whether you’re a local or just passing through the area, The Phoenix Public Market is a great place to pick up fresh locally-sourced produce, meats, dairy and packaged food items. Visit the Wine Bar, selling some of Arizonas finest gems, an extensive range of Arizona’s finest beer and wine. If your feeling the desire for a meal the Market Café offers great daily breakfast specials as well as delicious sandwiches, soups and salads to eat in or on the run. This market was introduced to the Phoenix area to increase the access to fresh and healthy food in an underserved area. It brings together the specialties of many local producers into one central location. The market has created a lot of job opportunities along with helping micro-businesses get started and build their capacity. This market is a great addition to the Phoenix area, creating a vibrant gathering place in the heart of the community. Open Hours– Year Round Rain or Shine Urban Grocery and Wine Bar Tuesday through Saturday, 7:00 am to 8:00 pm First Fridays, 7:00 am to 11:00 pm Open-Air Market Wednesdays, 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm Saturdays, 8:00 am to Noon (May through September) Saturdays, 8:00 am to 1:00 pm (October through April) The Market Accepts Mastercard, Visa and Food Stamps (SNAP) in both the Urban Grocery and Open Air Market. The Open-Air Market also accepts AZ FMNP, WIC cash value vouchers This is located on 721 N. Central, Phoenix, AZ. Get down and support your local...
by bryan | Apr 5, 2011 | light rail expansion, News & Information
by Gary Nelson – Apr. 4, 2011 The Arizona Republic Long before tracks are laid for Mesa’s next leg of light rail, the city is doing early spade work on an additional two miles of the line. The first light-rail extension, 3.1 miles from Sycamore Street to about Mesa Drive, is scheduled to open in 2016, provided federal and county money is available as promised. It is seen as a likely catalyst for redevelopment along Main Street, the western stretches of which are marked by numerous empty storefronts. But Mesa has said for years that ending the line near Mesa Drive doesn’t make sense, transportationwise. Pushing it to Gilbert Road, planners say, would greatly increase ridership by giving far more people easy access to the trains. So far, that idea has been nothing but talk. On Monday night, however, the City Council is likely to approve spending $500,000 to do early planning for the extra two miles. Mesa will contract the study with Valley Metro Rail Inc., which in turn will hire HDR Inc. to conduct the study. HDR did much of the planning for the Mesa Drive extension, which is now being designed. Mike James, Mesa’s transportation director, said the study will assess how much the extra tracks will cost, funding sources and issues for future environmental assessments. In a report to the council, James also said the study “involves identifying station locations, street configuration, significant utility relocations” and necessary support facilities. Public input would be part of the process. Money for the study became available, James said, through one-time savings in this year’s transportation budget. The Maricopa Association of...
by bryan | Apr 4, 2011 | light rail corridor, Market Report, News & Information
Light Rail Corridor Real Estate Trend: .5 miles from the tracks Residential Sales by Property Type: 3-year Trend Average and Median Sales Prices: 3-year Trend by Bryan Watkins, Light Rail Advisors We all know what happened during the past 3-4 years in the real estate economy here in the Phoenix Metro area, right? So what happened in the light rail corridor during that same time? Let’s focus on the light rail corridor, that spot in which taxpayers invested $1.4 Billion, or $13,258 per linear foot. Home prices stood in Q4 2007 at an average price of $266,000, and a median price of $215,000. The next 5 quarters were all downhill. The slide stopped in Q1 2009 at an average price of $104,000, and has been relatively flat up until the current time. We can see that actual numbers and trends in the chart below: Interesting to note is the type of property that was reported sold on MLS. Q1 2007 reported total sales at 86 units of all residential property types, with the breakdown as follows: 31 Single Family Detached 16 Apartment Style 5 Loft Style 30 Townhouse 4 Patio Home 86 Total From Q12007 forward, sales of residential property types started increasing until the current point at Q1 2011, where MLS reported the following: 110 Single Family Detached 139 Apartment Style 20 Loft Style 53 Townhouse 2 Patio Home 324 Total The light rail corridor real estate market has been moving along at an average 300+ unit quarterly sales rate for the past 4 quarters. Prices...
