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...
by bryan | Apr 2, 2011 | light rail expansion, News & Information
by Sean Holstege – Apr. 15, 2010 The Arizona Republic Planned extensions and routes Regional planners are mapping new light-rail lines in places that were inconceivable a few years ago, as they grapple with how urban Arizona takes shape in the coming half-century. Preliminary studies show that sufficient demand will exist for light rail to succeed on 44th Street, Camelback Road, south Central Avenue, Bell Road and other routes not previously planned, building a web far more expansive than what is currently envisioned. Officials at the Maricopa Association of Governments, Arizona Department of Transportation and Metro say the conceptual routes are not intended to replace the voter-approved plan for 57 miles of track. But early findings support leading transportation figures who say the Phoenix region has a historic opportunity to rethink light rail’s role – and maybe change some original routes. Driving the new ideas are changes in national policies, demographic trends and a deepening awareness of the causes and effects of the Great Recession. The federal government plans to ease funding for urban mass-transit projects, and Valley cities are adjusting their plans to cash in. Whatever happens may be decades away, with no money identified to build any of it. But transit and other leaders say the country is at a pivotal moment that could shape the future of cities like Phoenix. “It’s not economically sustainable to continue the infrastructure investments of the past. The times are long gone that highways and master-planned developments can be financed, publicly or privately,” said Shannon Scutari, ADOT’s director of rail and sustainability. Central Phoenix Councilman and Metro Chairman Tom Simplot said the changing...
by bryan | Apr 2, 2011 | light rail corridor, light rail expansion, News & Information
by David Madrid – Apr. 1, 2011 The Arizona Republic The Southwest Valley is in line for light rail that would move riders to and from downtown Phoenix along Interstate 10 to the 79th Avenue Park-and-Ride. The line is scheduled to open in 2021, but a reduction in Proposition 400 tax money due to a bad economy could push that date back a year, said Hillary Foose, a spokeswoman for Metro Light Rail. Foose said half the money for the light-rail route comes from Prop. 400 and half is federal funding. “The time frames are directly related to available funds, so every year we rebalance that (light-rail) map with updated funding forecasts,” she said. “We’re in the process of doing that right now, and we’ll be sharing that with our board in coming months. . . . Over the last couple of years we’ve seen some of those dates get pushed out by a year or two.” Prop. 400, passed by Maricopa County voters in 2004, extended a voter-approved half-cent-per-dollar sales tax by two decades. That money funds the Regional Transportation Plan, which includes buses, light rail and roads. Avondale just wants transit options. “As many modes of transportation we can get to move people and get them out of their cars is always welcomed and needed,” Avondale Mayor Marie Lopez Rogers said. The city has a long-term transportation vision. It is preparing a circulator route to move residents to key points around the city. The circulator will consist of four vans that hold 11 passengers. “One of those ways is to increase the circulator so that people aren’t waiting an hour to...
by bryan | Mar 29, 2011 | Restaurant
by Lynlee Smith, ASU Student Intern If your looking for a great bite to eat around lunch time head to House of Tricks located on third street a brisk walk from the Mill Avenue Lightrail stop. Named after the owners, Robert and Robin Trick, this restaurant is a favorite of mine with multiple delights on the menu and a wide range of wines and beverages available. A favorite beverage and a must try, is the raspberry iced tea. This is a great thirst quencher, a refreshing iced tea filled with raspberries to give a unique taste. This is a non-alcoholic beverage however House of Tricks offers a great selection of American as well as international wines from around the globe. House of Tricks serves exquisite salads and sandwiches on their lunch menu. An all time favorite from the menu is the Corned Beef Reuben on Marble Rye with Russian dressing, Gruyere and Sauerkraut. I highly recommend this. House of Tricks is also known for its homemade quiches. This is also another tasty dish served with seasonal fruit, a mixed side salad or homemade soup. If you’re a sweet tooth, House of Tricks also offers a desert menu that changes regularly. I highly recommend these treat’s as they are a unique tasty bite to top off a great...
by bryan | Mar 21, 2011 | ASU, News & Information, Sports
Tough Competition by Lynlee Smith, ASU Intern It has been a tough year for the Arizona State Women’s waterpolo team. However this has not stopped the spirit of the team and their focus on fulfilling their dreams in making the NCAA championships held in Michigan in May. Currently ranked 7th in the nation they are confident they can still fulfill their ultimate goal. “We have improved every week, although some of our results have been unlucky we are still playing great waterpolo”, Captain Sarah Harris said. The Sun devils are half way through their season having played Cal Berkeley, UCLA and USC. To date there has been some unlucky results for the Sun devils, loosing to Cal Berkeley 11-7, UCLA 8-1 and USC 12-3. “Currently we haven’t won a conference game, however have had some very big competition to come up against first up. Cal Berkeley are very strong this year as well as USC”, Senior Candice Phillippe stated. “We were unlucky in our game against UCLA, we created a lot of great opportunities however couldn’t seem to put the ball away in the cage, our shooting has improved since then and I am confident that we will put up hard competition for our up and coming opponents”. The team is still working hard and very focused on their opportunity to still make the NCAA championships at their all conference tournament MPSF at the end of April. MPSF conference is the hardest conference in the United States for waterpolo however this hasn’t busted the spirits of the Sun Devils. “We have a great group of girls who are constantly...
by bryan | Mar 21, 2011 | ASU
Fun in the Sun Tempe Style by Lynlee Smith, ASU Intern Looking for fun affordable activities to do in Tempe? With the change of seasons and summer coming up, a great place to check out is the Tempe Beach Park. Located just off the Lightrail on Mill Avenue this is a great place to have some fun in the sun with family and friends. Whether you are looking for a quiet place to have a picnic with the family, play some beach volleyball or fun water activities Tempe Beach Park offers all these options for all ages. This is a great area to have a picnic or barbeque with the family, with playgrounds available for young children and large grass areas to play sports. From May through till September this is a great place to bring the kids. The Splash Park allows kids to play and cool off in a safe environment. This playground sprinkles kids with mists as they play. Tempe Beach Park is located right on the lake, with paved footpaths and fantastic views at sunset, it is a great place to go for a scenic walk at any time of the day. This area has a rich history, although the lake has only been officially full since 1999, the history goes back centuries. If you are interested in water sports visit the Tempe boat rentals. This facility hires out Kayaks, 2 person and 4 person pedal boats, Hydro bikes, Pontoon bikes, Stand up paddle boards and Electric Skiffs all at affordable prices. Kayaks and Pedal Boats start at $15 an hour or if you feel like...
