The WeKnowUrban High Rise and Loft Tour is Back!

Join the experts of WeKnowUrban.com, Saturday, October 13th for a two hour bus tour of “urban living” in and around Tempe Lake and the Mill Avenue District. We’ll give you insider information of what’s hot and what’s not in Tempe high rises and lofts. Featured properties will include Sotello Condominiums, Hayden Ferry High Rise, Onyx High Rise, Northshore, Lumina High Rise, Brownstones of Tempe, Centerpoint and others. For additional information or to reserve your spot on the tour call (602) 476-1881 or visit www.WeKnowUrban.com and click the “Urban Tour” tab at the top of the page.

Thing Are Moving Up Downtown

I think most people are trying to avoid driving around the downtown Phoenix area lately. The construction for the light rail is really making it difficult to navigate Central Ave and some of the surrounding neighborhoods. I had an appointment last week to show property to some out of state clients who were looking in Tapestry on Central and the Artisan on Central Lofts. Once we were done I bravely ventured down Central Ave to see how things were coming at 44 Monroe and Summit at Copper Square, two of the larger high rise condo projects in Phoenix. I was amazed at the amount of construction going on everywhere, and not just for the light rail line. Buildings and structures are going up everywhere you look. The residential standouts were 44 Monroe and Summit at Copper Square, plus the new Sheraton Hotel. ASU is moving at light speed with new education and housing facilities going up all around their downtown campus. It’s amazing to see how much activity is going on considering the
slow housing market.

I have always believed that downtown Phoenix was not quite the destination that it really wanted to be, either for visitors or for residents. It’s a great place to catch a game or a play, weekdays are active and bustling, but it has always had a tendency to empty out after 5:00 pm. Weekends had that kind of strange, empty, ghost town feel to them. I thought light rail system would help, but it was still lacking the residential population base to make it a hip destination. Now I’m convinced that the ASU presence, along with a functioning light rail system, will turn downtown Phoenix into a place that people want to visit, and want to live in. One thing is for sure, these are not the days of the starving students anymore,…students spend money. Throw a large student population into the Copper Square mix and watch the shops, trendy clubs, boutiques and restaurants come in right behind them.

Last week newly reelected Phoenix mayor Phil Gordon gave his victory speech in the Summit at Copper Square building, the first formal event to be held there. As I stood outside the 22 story tower and looked across to the plaza in front of Chase Field, I realized that downtown Phoenix was finally turning the corner it has been trying to turn since Jerry Colangelo chose to build a new stadium for the Suns off Jackson St.

The future for downtown Phoenix and Copper Square is bright, I can’t wait to watch it unfold.
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Car Condos

Car condos, otherwise knows as “auto-miniums” are coming to Phoenix.In Phoenix, Goodwood Motoring Club is breaking ground next year on a “condo community” of 15 car condos built around a resort-style courtyard. These car condos will be priced at $680,000 to $1.4 million.

Each condo will include brick-plate tile floors, wine refrigerators, and full luxury bathrooms with choice of travertine or granite floors and surrounds. Probably most importantly these car condos will have a security system allowing owners the ability to log onto the web from anywhere in the world and view their car via camera and control the lighting and temperature of the car’s environment remotely.

This should be a great option for folks buying high rise condos and lofts who need more parking. Many buildings like Portland Place and 44 Monroe are a bit chinzy with the available parking. One exception is Hayden Ferry which offers one parking space per bedroom or office. Not bad. Anyway although pricey, the car condos are a possible solution.

Tempe Center For The Arts

The Tempe Center for the Arts opened this weekend in Tempe, Arizona, adding yet another fantastic building to the Tempe skyline along with Hayden Ferry and Centerpoint Condominiums. I don’t know how anyone could not be “wowed” with the architectural diversity, the denser living and sense of community all the high rise condos offer, and the general urban cool that the City of Tempe is cultivating. I can not wait to see what this city will look like in the next couple years let alone a decade from now. My wife and I are sincerely considering moving from the Central Phoenix area to Tempe Mill Avenue. We both think it would be a great place to not only raise kids but a wonderful place to retire. Tempe has it all.