by bryan | Oct 24, 2011 | light rail corridor, News & Information
Phoenix, AZ. October 24, 2011 Information Line. Today the LRA Real Estate Group announced the expansion of their property management division into the important light rail corridor in the Phoenix metro area. The company will initially focus on single family homes for local and out of state investors, but is developing the platform for commercial property management. “This is a natural progression in our service offerings to our clients”, stated Bryan Watkins, the Designated Broker for the firm. He added: “we have calls every month asking about property management options, and felt it was the right time to respond to client requests.” LRA Real Estate manages portfolios of properties in Phoenix, Mesa and Gilbert, and is poised to expand into other metro cities in the next few months. If an investor has questions about the property management service, please call Bryan Watkins @ 480.734.7878 to discuss your unique requirements. LRA Real Estate Group, LLC is a locally owned and operated real estate firm that was formed in 2010 to provide residential and commercial real estate brokerage, consulting, and property management services....
by bryan | Oct 24, 2011 | light rail corridor, light rail expansion, News & Information
Progress on the Mesa light rail extension is underway. Part of the plans call for a 516-space park-and-ride to be constructed as part of the Central Mesa extension. This new park-and-ride lot will be located at the northeast corner of Mesa Drive and Main Street. Look for the changes to take place over the next year or so. Metro is developing plans for the 3.1 mile extension in a design-build concept. The contractor and architect will be selected sometime in the Spring of 2012. Stay tuned. Light Rail Advisors has developed a web and print presence to support the concept of Live, Work, Play in the light rail corridor. We are actively pulling business, cultural and governmental interests together to promote business and growth in the corridor. Our goal is to make it easy to live, work and play near the tracks. For more information, contact Bryan Watkins at 480.734.7878, or Don Mortensen at 602.451.3684....
by bryan | Oct 24, 2011 | Light Rail Business, light rail corridor, News & Information
by Kellie Hwang – Oct. 20, 2011 Courtesy of The Arizona Republic [Editors Note: LightRailConnect endorses downtown Phoenix venues and expects the activity to increase each month as the economy improves] Although about 6 million people come to downtown Phoenix each year to watch sporting events, concerts and theater productions, the streets usually feel empty after 9 p.m. For years, the masses have not been sticking around after the buzzer sounds, the encore ends or the curtain falls. Out-of-towners are often asking Kathy Cline, co-owner of Steve’s Greenhouse Grill, if “this” is downtown Phoenix, she said. “People go to events, buy their food and drinks there, then get in the car and go home. There’s just not that downtown vibe yet.” But with the recent efforts of downtown business owners, entrepreneurs and developers, that is slowly changing. Through better promotion of late-night venues and a new smartphone application that tells users what’s open and what’s hip, downtown leaders are encouraging visitors to linger longer. “Five years ago . . . I would literally watch the wave of people leaving the ballpark, head straight to the parking garages, get into their cars and leave,” said Derrick Hall, president and CEO of the Diamondbacks. “Now, the walking patterns are changing. People are going to Stand Up Live or bowling after, and that’s the way downtown should be.” Within a comfortable walking distance of downtown’s biggest venues, about 15 late-night restaurants and bars cater to postevent crowds, staying open past 10, according to the Downtown Phoenix Partnership. The change has come in increments. Some downtown advocates say they still see too many restaurants closing early, and...
by bryan | Oct 24, 2011 | LightRailConnect.com Magazine, News & Information
The latest issue of the premier light rail centered magazine LightRailConnect Magazine just hit the stands this weekend. Featured in this edition is the Celebrity Theater, touted as the ‘Valley’s most intimate venue’ to everyone seeking a night away from the routine and mundane. Also in this copy you will find sections on Arts & Entertainment, Dining, Sports, Jobs, Real Estate & Apartment Rentals as well as Travel. Browse the restaurant reviews, check out the calendar of events and find a like to JOBS in the light rail corridor. The LightRailConnect Magazine is a bi-monthly publication that features the best of the light rail corridor in the Phoenix-Temp-Mesa corridor. You will find your latest copy at over 70 boxes along the prominent locations and light rail stations, as well as restaurants, hotels, motels and visitor centers....
by bryan | Oct 20, 2011 | News & Information, Valley Metro
METRO Ridership Peaks in September Courtesy of Metro Light Rail PHOENIX, AZ — METRO light rail saw record ridership in September 2011 with 1,241,701 total boardings – the highest in the system’s nearly three years of service. Ridership in 2011 is out-pacing records achieved in 2010 by an average of more than four percent. “Our growth in ridership is indicative of quality service,” said METRO CEO Steve Banta. “When you give residents effective mobility choices and connections to life, they will ride. Our focus has and will continue to be on the customer.” METRO also saw its highest ridership day on record with 60,437 riders on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011. The ridership spike was achieved by weekday commuters and special events that included home games for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Arizona State University football. METRO averaged 47,818 daily weekday riders in September; 34,520 daily riders on Saturdays; and 19,887 on Sundays. METRO’s 2020 weekday ridership projection of 48,004, developed during project planning, was also nearly reached. About METRO METRO is responsible for the development and operation of the region’s high-capacity transit system. The first 20-mile light rail line opened December 2008 and served 12.6 million riders in 2010, exceeding the prior year by 11 percent. METRO serves an average of 40,000 riders each weekday while also planning for six extensions that will create a 57-mile system by...
by bryan | Oct 15, 2011 | light rail corridor, light rail expansion, News & Information
Phoenix light-rail extension may be getting back on track Courtesy of Sean Holstege – Aug. 16, 2011 The Arizona Republic [Editors Note: The Phoenix 3.2 mile extension compliments Mesa’s 3.1 mile extension. LightRailConnect is a big proponent of the expansion helping business grow in the light rail corridor.] When the recession started biting hard into the region’s transportation plans, the light-rail extension due to open first went toward the back of the list. Workers were weeks away from digging into northwest Phoenix streets in July 2009 when a sharp drop in Phoenix transit-tax revenue forced officials to push the starting date back indefinitely and suspend contracts. Two years later, and three since Metro light rail debuted, transit and city leaders are confident they can find a way to restart the extension around the end of the year. The project would add 3.2 miles of track and three stations north of Montebello Station on 19th Avenue. “The mayor is challenging us to get this done by December,” said Metro CEO Steve Banta, referring to Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon. “It’s the most shovel-ready project we have.” Building the line won’t require new taxes, Phoenix officials say. Because of improving revenues from a city transit sales tax, Phoenix can issue bonds to cover most of the cost, they say. Resurrecting the project will require votes from Metro’s board and a regional transportation group, as well as a fresh agreement with contractors. If all goes well, Metro says, passengers could ride the line in 2015 – three years late. The extension will require Metro to run more trains on the line to maintain its existing...
by bryan | Oct 15, 2011 | light rail apartments and rentals, Light Rail Condo and Townhouse, News & Information
Downtown Phoenix move has saved couple lots of money, time [Editors Note: 44 Monroe is one of may upscale living spaces to live along light rail. You can find more about Live, Work and Play at LightRailConnect.com] Courtesy of Emily Gersema – Sept. 29, 2011 The Arizona Republic A year ago, the Helgesons were celebrating a makeover of their Queen Creek home by TV star designer Nate Berkus. This year, Jessica and Cody Helgeson have turned that southeast Valley home into a rental and are celebrating their recent move to a high-rise in downtown Phoenix, 44 Monroe. Moving downtown has saved them hundreds of dollars a month in gas, reduced their headaches, eliminated their long commutes and improved their social lives, they said. The switch from suburban to urban life has its price. They lost nearly 800 square feet of space and a lush green yard. Do they miss it? “We haven’t really,” said Cody Helgeson, 26. “We had a yard that was all landscaped, but at the same time, we were paying a gardener to come out every week.” “Here we have Civic Space Park,” he said. “It’s not even a block away.” 44 Monroe in Phoenix The Helgesons are among an influx of new tenants at the 202-unit, 34-story building at First Avenue and Monroe Street. The tower once intended for condos is around 75 percent full, rebounding from a slump that began with the housing-market crash a few years ago and foreclosures tied to the bankruptcy of lender Mortgages Ltd. A year ago, a new company in Chicago, ST Residential, bought the tower out of foreclosure and opened...
by bryan | Oct 15, 2011 | light rail corridor, News & Information, Sports
P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona courses get facelift going into ninth year Courtesy of Jeff Metcalfe – Sept. 28, 2011 The Arizona Republic [Editors Note: The January 15th P.F Chang’s Rock n’ Roll Arizona bumps onto the light rail corridor numerous places. LightRaiConnect.com is a strong supporter of the race!] The P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon and 1/2 Marathon is getting a course face-lift going into its ninth running Jan. 15. The start line for the 13.1-mile half marathon is being moved to downtown Tempe with the course to include a downhill section in Papago Park. The 26.2-mile marathon start will remain in downtown Phoenix but shift from the State Capitol area to CityScape, with other changes in the second half of the course. The races will overlap on opposite sides of Mill Avenue Bridge in Tempe and Rio Salado Parkway to finishes near Sun Devil Stadium. “The half-marathon route and (transportation) buses have been our biggest complaints,” said Alan Culpepper, a two-time Olympian and 2004 Olympic Marathon Trials champion who designed the course changes for the Competitor Group. “We’ve changed both of those. “It’s been one of our marquee events, and it’s time for the course to live up to how great the Valley is. We made the half (marathon) more convenient for the runners with a nicer, more-scenic route.” Runners will be able to take the light rail to and from the start/finish lines, depending where they park or are housed if visiting the Valley, likely eliminating the need for the bus transportation that was required in the past. Race organizers still are working out details...
by bryan | Oct 15, 2011 | light rail corridor, News & Information, Valley Metro
Phoenix light rail: Private rail security urged Courtesy of Emily Gersema – Sept. 6, 2011 The Arizona Republic [Editors Note: Any large city has security concerns. LightRailConnect.com supports the move to private security.] Mesa and Tempe have a private-security company to monitor Metro light-rail passengers in their areas, but Phoenix has continued to rely on its police force to check on passengers and be on watch for crime at platforms and in the trains. That appears about to change. The Phoenix Citizens Transit Commission last week unanimously approved a proposal for the Police Department to switch to a private-security company to monitor the passengers for the Phoenix stretch of the 19-mile light-rail system. The measure now goes to the Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability Subcommittee and the City Council, which are expected to approve it later this month. Cmdr. Jeff Alexander of the Phoenix Public Transit Police Bureau told the commission that Metro light rail has a goal that police or security officers inspect around 20 percent of all fares to be sure light-rail passengers are paying and validating their passes. “We have struggled with that,” Alexander said. “We have never been able to attain that goal without having outside resources or using more officers or putting more officers on the train.” Mesa and Tempe rely on G4S, the company formerly known as Wackenhut, to monitor passengers and check fares. G4S security officers are easily recognized by their white shirts with purple sleeve badges and dark pants, and they carry handheld devices that, with a quick swipe, can check a rider’s ticket and determine whether it’s valid. This helps Metro light rail...
by bryan | Oct 15, 2011 | News & Information, Valley Metro
courtesy of Emily Gersema – Sept. 13, 2011 The Arizona Republic [Editors Note: LightRailConnect.com urges every rider to be cautious and don’t run for trains. The next one is only about 10 minutes away.] New brochures and signs on light-rail platforms and inside trains are urging riders not to run for the train in an educational effort by Metro light rail that began last month. Metro light-rail spokeswoman Hillary Foose said the agency launches a safety campaign every year. “While we still continue to talk about driver safety, we felt it was necessary to also think about pedestrian and passenger safety,” Foose said. “The idea behind it was to curb the really dangerous jaywalking.” Posters and brochures say: “Dying to get there? Don’t run for the train. Your life depends on it.” The light rail spans 19 miles across Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa, and it is has been in operation since 2008. In the fiscal year that ended June 30, there were two pedestrian-involved incidents, according to Metro. By coincidence, Metro light rail’s safety campaign started last month after a national group, Transportation for America, ranked the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale metropolitan area as the eighth-deadliest area for pedestrians out of 52 metropolitan areas in a nine-year period. The group’s report tried to account for all pedestrian deaths involving transportation from 2000 to 2009, but it did not break down incidents according to the type of transportation they involved. Phoenix officials have disagreed with the count, but the report said the Phoenix metro area had a rate of 2.3 deaths per 100,000 people, with 867 pedestrian fatalities in nine years Orlando-Kissimmee in Florida had the highest rate of...
