Scarp: Step away from the time machine, Arizona
Mark Scarp
Mark J. Scarp is a contributing columnist for the Tribune. Reach him at mscarp1@cox.net.
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11 comments:
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Leon Ceniceros posted at 2:27 pm on Wed, Feb 6, 2013.
Most of the "jobs" today do not pay a sufficient salary that would support a family. much less a house payment.
Apartments are what is needed.in Today's Job Market. Nice one and two bedroom apartments like the ones that were built 15 years ago in the Power Road & Baseline area and to the South and East.
The ex-Home Builders and "nodding heads" in City Hall should start thinking "out of the box" and approve apartment building in East Mesa. No one in their right mind wants to live in the Fiesta Mall "ghetto" area with the gang-bangers and slum-dwellers.
sockratties posted at 11:09 am on Tue, Feb 5, 2013.
AZWillie... where is the water for a million more homes going to come from? The water table in this valley has dropped over 40 feet in the last 3 decades. Soon the water bill will exceed the mortgage.
sockratties posted at 11:06 am on Tue, Feb 5, 2013.
Individuals choose to live where the environment best fits their life style. While a person who works and plays in the city may prefer to live in Downtown Phoenix, families with children may opt for a suburban home with yard and nearby schools. Some who are retired prefer to live where transportation, health, recreation and shopping are tailored to their needs. As our population ages, which is statistically imminent, the number of people who are living longer will become an even greater percentage of the overall population. It makes sense that communities that cater to these preferences should develop. Retirement communities pay their own way and then some. Everyone lives somewhere. It makes sense that people with common interests and needs would form communities that meet their requirements. Those who would disparage such communities deny their own future.
Rich posted at 7:42 pm on Mon, Feb 4, 2013.
Keith, that "C" followed the deaths of our founders, “Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy.” - Kafka. If America is to survive, it has to trivialize government and handle it themselves. We did it well for a while, not so much lately.
Bingo6 posted at 1:10 pm on Mon, Feb 4, 2013.
What's cool about these unincorporated islands of the living dead ( retirement communities ) in a word nothing. It's high time that we eliminate all age based discrimination in these zombie lands and open them up to the living wage earners who have the desire to invest in a real viable future in this state.
Retirement communities are a vast wasteland with no future returns.
KeithE4 posted at 12:33 pm on Mon, Feb 4, 2013.
Rich said: "Arizona is the land of boom and bust. Cotton, Cattle, Copper and Consumption, all that's left of that is Sun City. And that is what's really cool about it. After your Construction, what's the next "C" Mark? Hope I'm not too old to find that out."
The next "C" is already here. It's "Corruption."
Arizona Willie posted at 9:03 am on Mon, Feb 4, 2013.
socratties: the Light Rail has brought redevelopment to the blighted areas it runs through.
The biggest mistake they are making with Light Rail is they are only piddling around and building a mile or two at a time.
In the long run this drives up the costs as inflation increases prices.
There should be one massive project to extend the Light Rail all the way to Apache Junction, if not past the Superstitions where there are plans for homes for another 1,000,000 people.
Yes, it would be expensive, but it would cost far less to do it in one project than it will to do it in 30 projects over the next 60 years.
Nickle and diming things NEVER pays off.
Rich posted at 9:28 pm on Sun, Feb 3, 2013.
Arizona is the land of boom and bust. Cotton, Cattle, Copper and Consumption, all that's left of that is Sun City. And that is what's really cool about it. After your Construction, what's the next "C" Mark? Hope I'm not too old to find that out.
sockratties posted at 1:45 pm on Sun, Feb 3, 2013.
Mesa city planners have conflicting views of growth. On one hand they keep trying to make the "Fiesta" district viable (with taxpayers money and little contribution from developers) and push development of downtown main street (that can't compete with a covered free parking mall). On the other hand there is a mind-set of Mesa being a bedroom community serving Phoenix. Gilbert, Scottsdale and Chandler have managed to become their own cities with active city centers, fairgrounds, and downtown attractions. Glendale seems to have gone overboard and is in trouble.
I have seen Mesa development leap ahead after the installation of all those taxpayer bought street signs that tell everyone that the deserted malls behind the chainlink fences are in the new fantasy land of the Fiesta District with yet to be paid for street improvements (like taking away lanes of Southern Avenue) trees, walkways (to enjoy the 115 degree weather, and bus stops (because the light rail will run along Main Street in deserted downtown Mesa.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 10:32 am on Sun, Feb 3, 2013.
Mark,
Sadly, even though you speak the Truth. Our City Governments are dictated to if not lead by (Mesa for one)....the Construction Industry.
Apartments are a.....NO-NO.
Single family houses that no one can afford to even put a down-payment (20%) on are given the "Green Light".
Do these ex-Home Building Politicians even consider the huge population of Senior Citizens that don't want the responsibility or upkeep of a home. There are millions out there that don't want to move to a "sauna-humid" Florida but like the dry heat of Arizona.
Sadly, Mike, the answer is ....N.O.
The Mesa City Council barely was able to scrap up a majority to approve a Senior Citizen Apartment Complex in Downtown Mesa. It was relegated to a back street at that. Seniors don't want to live in a "crackerbox" trailor home either. They just want a small one-bedroom apartment that offers safety, affordability and companionship.
Cerulean posted at 10:25 am on Sun, Feb 3, 2013.
I agree [thumbup]