Astra Phoenix slated to be the city's "new tallest" (Page: 2014, neighborhoods)

[JGMotorsport64]

Too contrived.

I’m all about vertical growth and less sprawl but the QOL with a huge population would tank here due to the environment

[Hschlick84]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

Too contrived.

I’m all about vertical growth and less sprawl but the QOL with a huge population would tank here due to the environment

Are you talking about water? If that's the biggest case, pipeline it from the Pacific ocean. Water is the new oil for AZ.

[ajonesaz]

Originally Posted by Hschlick84

Personally, I would have preferred Skyharbor get moved somewhere south of the metro area, west of I-10 and east of SH-347 but I think its designated for Gila tribal land. So its out of the question.

I think the location is an asset. I hate Denvers airport, it is so far from everything.

One of the reason State Farm moved their headquarters to Tempe was because you can get to the Airport to the office via train in a short period of time.

Most of the RFP's from large companies building huge headquarters is access to quick and efficient public transit from the airport.

If you want high rises, build them in uptown.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by Hschlick84

Nay-sayers are coming out of the woodwork as usual. If Phoenix wants to be unique from other large city skylines in the United States, they should use Egyptian styled architecture or even bring ideas from Dubai and build them here. Who wouldn't want Phoenix to resemble this?

The usual ones who complain about anything vertical, even if it's 50 to 100 feet taller than what they're used to. They're perfectly content if nothing disturbs their free access to hiking trails, and their views of the "smoggy, dusty mountains". These are often the same types who gripe about jet noise, traffic noise, helicopter noise, or practically any kind of new development that doesn't involve WalMart, Costco, or Starbucks.

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

Too contrived.

I’m all about vertical growth and less sprawl but the QOL with a huge population would tank here due to the environment

Dubai's population is roughly the same as metro Phoenix's. It's not super huge like Shanghai, Tokyo, or even NYC. Phoenix doesn't have to copy Dubai, but we could certainly take some hints from their development & architectural strategy, which is the main reason they're world class and we're not. Also, Dubai has a very high quality of life from what I've read about it. They have a low crime rate, and the city was ranked as one of the world's safest.

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by Hschlick84

Are you talking about water? If that's the biggest case, pipeline it from the Pacific ocean. Water is the new oil for AZ.

No. Too many people, lack of rain, rising temperatures, brush/forest fires, and pollution. Not to mention traffic and overcrowding at the parts of the state that make Phoenix great (Rim, White Mountains, Flagstaff etc)

[marinezac]

Originally Posted by ajonesaz

I think the location is an asset. I hate Denvers airport, it is so far from everything.

One of the reason State Farm moved their headquarters to Tempe was because you can get to the Airport to the office via train in a short period of time.

Most of the RFP's from large companies building huge headquarters is access to quick and efficient public transit from the airport.

If you want high rises, build them in uptown.

State Farm has a regional office here, not headquarters lol. Phoenix could never attract that.

[goolsbyjazz]

Originally Posted by marinezac

State Farm has a regional office here, not headquarters lol. Phoenix could never attract that.

This sentence exposes the biggest challenge for Phoenix, in particular, and Arizona, in general. The inability of the 5th largest city in the nation to attract headquarters of large corporations is an enigma.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by goolsbyjazz

This sentence exposes the biggest challenge for Phoenix, in particular, and Arizona, in general. The inability of the 5th largest city in the nation to attract headquarters of large corporations is an enigma.

It's really not puzzling when you look at what our economic focus has been for a long time: snowbirds, retirees, sun lovers, and those looking for a cheaper cost of living. This is the complete opposite of what large reputable corporations are searching for. They want people with skills, intelligence, ambition, and goals ... not those who just want to lay out in the sun, go hiking, and balk at progress. Phoenix may be the nation's 5th largest city, but it still doesn't act like it in a lot of ways, despite some improvement in recent years.

[marinezac]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

It's really not puzzling when you look at what our economic focus has been for a long time: snowbirds, retirees, sun lovers, and those looking for a cheaper cost of living. This is the complete opposite of what large reputable corporations are searching for. They want people with skills, intelligence, ambition, and goals ... not those who just want to lay out in the sun, go hiking, and balk at progress. Phoenix may be the nation's 5th largest city, but it still doesn't act like it in a lot of ways, despite some improvement in recent years.

There is cities and metro areas much smaller than us who attract far more business than Phoenix.

[marinezac]

Originally Posted by goolsbyjazz

This sentence exposes the biggest challenge for Phoenix, in particular, and Arizona, in general. The inability of the 5th largest city in the nation to attract headquarters of large corporations is an enigma.

It is a nice building they have but I also know it is mostly just a call center, had a friend who did that part time there.