Recently I had a client from California looking to relocate to the Phoenix area.
This gentleman happened to be an ASU grad and still holds season tickets to ASU football. He was interested in seeing what both the downtown Phoenix and Tempe areas had to offer in terms of condos or lofts considering style, price, and most importantly lifestyle…We started downtown and visited a variety of different properties from the 15th floor of Regency House, to the Artisan on Central and Parkview developments.
While he liked some of the homes we saw, he was stumbling somewhat on the lifestyle. The trouble was he kept drawing comparisons to living in downtown LA, which he felt was great for working and special events but emptied out most evenings and weekend.
This client was looking for more interesting activities after hours and on weekends than downtown Phoenix currently has to offer.
Being an ASU grad he was familiar with Tempe and the whole Mill Ave. vibe, but he had reservations about going back to the “campus” lifestyle. As we drove across the Mill Ave. bridge he asked me a question that has since stuck in my mind: “Am I too old for Tempe?”I thought about this a moment before answering.
The client had been out of college for several years (not decades, but safe to say it had been quite some time since he opened a textbook). He remembered Tempe from his college days and had visited on gameday over the years. What he didn’t realize was that Tempe is starting to grow up and become more refined.
I credit the City of Tempe for this maturation process for having the vision and financial gumption to develop the Tempe Town Lake and Tempe Beach Park areas. The result of that vision is starting to take shape with the Hayden Ferry, Centerpoint, and Northshore developments. Those large projects mixed in with an interesting blend of infill developments are bringing new types of residents to the Tempe/Mill Ave area.
Higher end properties are refining the Tempe demographic. The student population, while still prevalent, is blending with recent graduates, empty nesters, retirees, and seasonal visitors all looking to live in an interesting and vibrant atmosphere.
Add to everything else the Tempe Performing Arts Center, Tempe Marketplace, and the light rail line and we find that the college town is refining itself.
To best answer the question posed: “Am I too old for Tempe?” I took my client to Starbucks corner of 6th and Mill. We sat out front and watched the people stopping in for a beverage, and those walking the brick sidewalks of Mill Ave. Nearly every type of person was represented; young, professional, grandparents, families, working class, and naturally the occasional hippie.
Clearly Tempe is going through a transition and I’m not sure anyone is “too old for Tempe”. This will continue as residents start moving into the new developments and start living, shopping, dining and playing in Tempe.
