Urban Life

Urban Team's Downtown Phoenix Real Estate Site Has A New Look

The web site gnomes have been very busy lately changing the theme and updating our downtown and north central real estate, home information and search site, UrbanConnectionRealty.com. 

We've been using the StudioPress Agent theme for a whiile and just updated to the latest version. It has amazing navigation tools and everyone tells us it is much easier to get to articles on the real estate subjects they care about. The best comment so far is that the new design is better than a bag of fritos.

We've added a completely new section to the site about short sales in downtown and north central Phoenix. We've collected the most asked short sale questions and written artlces to provide in-depth answers.  Here is a direct link to the short sale page with links to the answers:

Short Sale Help, Information in Downtown and North Central Phoenix AZ

In addition to the short sale section, we are continuing our journey through the 35 historic districts in downtown and midtown Phoenix. This project has turned to to be incredibly fun. We've been researching historic archieves, walking Fred the Dog though neighborhoods and taking some real quality time. Our goal is to provide new insight in these special pieces of Phoenix history rather do a cut and paste rehash of someone elses work. Here is a link to the landing page for the historic district and info section of the site:

Historic Phoenix Homes Arizona

Wow, this post got longer than intended. We hope you like the new look and ease of navigation on the UrbanConnectionRealty.com site. If you have comments or want us to add something, leave us a comment on the site. We love your input.

Best to all,

The Urban Team at Realty Executives
7600 N. 16th Street, Suite 100
Phoenix, AZ 85020
602-234-5777
602-486-4839 (text)
Gene@UrbanTeamAZ.com

What to do in Downtown Phoenix

People often ask us what to do in downtown Phoenix? What are the best restaurants? Do we have a favorite nightclub or bar? Are there tours of downtown Phoenix. What cultural venues and events happen in downtown Phoenix? I think you get the idea.

Since we specialize in downtown real estate, it is natural to think we know where to go and what to do. In response, we've been putting together a list of over 100 things to do and places to go in in downtown Phoenix. I'll tell you, it is quite a project.

The initial phase is done and we have created our list that includes some of our favorite restaurants, bars, places to listen to music, places to shop, museums, theaters and lots more. Over time we will be adding individual posts on the different places with our thoughts.

In the meantime, you can check our the list on our sister site that specialized in all things downtown... www.UrbanConnectionRealty.com. For a direct link to the article simply go to,

What To Do and Places to Go in Downtown Phoenix Arizona

May 3 2011 Phoenix Mayor Candidate Debate Information

I attended the debate between the 5 Phoenix Mayoral candidates last night at the Phoenix Theater at 1st and McDowell. The place was packed as Greg Stanton, Wes Gullett, Claude Mattox, Peggy Neely and Eisenhauer answered questions posed by moderator Frank Commacho. Special thanks to Citizens for Phoenix who hosted the debate.

I took notes as the candidates for Mayor of Phoenix answered each question and posted an article on our sister site, www.UrbanConnectionRealty.com. If you would like to read what I heard the candidates say, just click on the link below.

Phoenix Mayoral Candidate Debate Results for May 3 2011

Hope you enjoy...

Gene Urban
The Urban Team
602-234-5777
gene@UrbanTeamAZ.com 

 

Councilwoman Neely Unfit for Mayor of Phoenix?

The Arizona Republic ran an article today questioning the fitness and ethics of Councilwoman Peggy Neely to run for mayor of Phoenix. As those who have been following the early race know, Neely has been reluctant to quit her job as a Phoenix council member and announce her candidacy.

Some argue Neely is playing fast and loose regarding the resign to run law that requires a declared candidate to resign his or her position if that position is an elected one.

Instead of declaring her candidacy, Neely has been “exploring” the possibility of running for mayor. The question is whether or not she has actually been campaigning while holding office or not. If you look at her web site it sure feels like someone is running for office. She has testimonials, she’s asking for donations, and she has a place to sign up to support her un-campaign.

Neely says everyone is crazy and there is no merit to the questions being raised about her exploratory committee. Here is a little quote from Neely in response to a few of many allegations of misconduct.

Residents in north Phoenix have accused Neely of a having a conflict of interest tied to the road expansion because some of her campaign co-chairs are zoning attorneys who represent developers that could benefit from Sonoran Boulevard.

Neely, however, has denied a conflict. She has said the plans for Sonoran Boulevard have been on the books long before she launched her exploratory committee for mayor.

There were dozens of comments at the end of the Republic article and none were too positive. Most were common sense statements about a public servant who bends to-near-breaking the laws of our state and who obviously feels she has said right. Some would call her a good ol boy if she wasn’t a she.

Here is one of my favorite comments:

If you want any kind of verification that Ms. Neely is just "more of the same", look at how she manipulates the "resign to run" law. Sure she may be "technically" within the wording of the law but do we rally want to elect someone who knowingly operates in this manner?....I do NOT. In short "Watch what they DO - not what they SAY" !

I don’t know about you but I am so tired of politicians who are self-serving verses serving the public good. Let’s vote in a great mayor this year verses a cliché politician.

Gene Urban

This is a political commentary piece and reflects my personal opinions as protected under the constitution of the United States.

 

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2011/03/27/20110327phoenix-neely-potential-foes-press-quit.html#ixzz1K29GJ2tN

radiate phx gets arrogant in february

RadiatePHX will hold its February 22nd meeting at one of the latest additions to the downtown Phoenix restaurant offerings, The Arrogant Butcher. This new Sam Fox concept restaurant just opened its doors on February 21st and Radiators will be among the first to taste and experience it first hand.

Radiate Phx, or RadiatePHX or Radiate Phoenix, depending you how you spell it, is a group of people whose passion is the urban core of Phoenix. We meet monthly to learn about things downtown. We like to call it non-traditional networking since the emphasis is on learning about businesses and happenings in downtown Phoenix verses shoving your business card in someone’s face. We may shove a beer in your direction or ask your opinion about light rail, the mayor’s race or ask you your thought of the book Midcentury Marvels, but business relationships are casual and strengthened over time with this group.

WHAT: RADIATEPHX
WHEN: FEBRUARY 22ND FROM 5:30 – 7:30
WHERE: THE ARROGANT BUTCHER AT CITYSCAPE

To register go to our blog.  RadiatePHX

Hope to see you there,

Gene Urban
The Urban Team at Realty Executives
www.UrbanConnectionRealty.com
602-234-5777

Downtown Phoenix Sports District to Light Up Things

An article in the Arizona Republic and on AZCentral.com today has stirred up a lot of controversy on Facebook, Twitter and other social sites.

As is usual, many of the comments are spot on and some are riff with unsupported allegations and false information... welcome to social news.

I read through the articles, made a few calls and feel I have a decent understanding of the plan. I say decent because everyone puts their spin on things and the full picture is often hard to paint, especially for a paint by numbers guy like me.

My base take on things is there are a number of people out there who are trying to figure out what to do to re-energize the fallen downtown Phoenix “sports district”. Rather than the epic entertainment and sports neighborhood many envisioned, we have a condo tower in questionable recovery,vacant storefronts and more questions than answers.

The plan discussed on AZCentral uses “flashy Vegas-type signs” to enliven the area and create ad space. The digital ads would create revenue for both the organization behind them and the City of Phoenix.

The organization mentioned above has  a vested interest in the future of downtown sports since they also have ownership interests in the DBacks and Suns. To some folks that makes them evil,while others say, yeah for the home team.

Personally, I see both pros and cons. Lights, cameras, action is not just a director’s statement, it is used to spark action.  Digital ads are energetic and energy is what the region needs. Ads create revenue and getting national retailers to drop money downtown can be advantageous... not always but not never either. The ad revenue is a taxable event so a City suffering from revenue shortfalls would have a new food source.

On the con side of things, lots of large signs may not add positively to the flavor of the district. That will depend on where they are placed, how they are structured and the creativity of the ads being shown. They could be very cool or they could just throw off a lot of light pollution without adding a cultural advantage.

I’d love to hear your take on things. Hopefully with well thought ideas verses simple rants... we get enough of those on AZCentral and other blogs... UrbanLIfe readers are above that in most cases.

Best to you

Gene Urban
The Urban Team
602-234-5777

Downtown Phoenix Dog Park up for Debate

Sean Sweat has been on a fast race collecting signatures asking the City of Phoenix to create a dog park on the gone-forever Ramada/Sahara Inn site.

His cause made AZCentral.com where much was mentioned about why a dog park was not feasible. Basically, the City and ASU says its the money. However, the hairs on my arms keep tingling and something just doesn’t seem right about the entire Ramada Inn land story.

The City was in a tremendous hurry to tear down a landmark. During the demolition an article came out about the lack of student housing and the need to build more. Couldn’t they have done that by simply remodeling the hotel? It already had 175 rooms, space for a cafeteria, kitchens, group areas, parking, meeting rooms and more. It seems like the 5 million they spent on purchasing the hotel, the cost of demolition and the funds needed to build a parking lot would have paid for much of the remodel.

Plus, they would have had a steady stream of rental income from ASU downtown students for years to come and lets not forget the short and long term jobs it would have created. Aren’t jobs what we need to springboard our economy? Seems like I’ve heard more than one politician talk about that. I guess they forgot that in the case of the Ramada Inn.

So, my question here on Urban Life, is “what is really going on in the background here?”  Why has every option raised about this property been met with deaf ears? Do are civic leaders have some strange parking lot fetish?

Although I like Sean’s idea of a dog park for downtowners, I see little chance of success. None of the City’s power brokers seem to care about adding residential amenities to the neighborhood unless there is a taxable advantage.

So, we will probably keep hearing about a law school planned for the acreage, even when there is no plan or budget. However, the Sheraton will have overflow parking for their guests who generally do not have or rent cars when attending a downtown conference or trade show.

What scares me most is that ASU is purported to be an institute of higher learning, the City of Phoenix is one of the best run cities in America and the Sheraton is a hugely successful corporation, yet none had a bit of sense over the Ramada Inn site.

Gene Urban
The Urban Team at Realty Executives
602-234-5777

connecting people to the perfect place

CityScape Hosts Octoberfest Celebration

CityScape wants to add to the fun that is downtown Phoenix by hosting a big Octoberfest party on Friday October 22nd and Saturday October 23rd.

The Octoberfest celebration is both a fun event and a charitable one benefiting the Phoenix Sister Cites. Phoenix Sister Cities is a local organization that promotes relationships and understanding between people of many cultures. Today they work with 9 cities in countries such as China, Canada, Israel and more.

Below are the details we received about the festival.

A BIT ABOUT THE BEERS:

Spaten Oktoberfest Beer
Spaten Oktoberfest Beer, created in 1872, world's first Oktoberfest beer
Bitburger Premium Pils
200 year old brewery, #3 best selling beer in Germany, Bitburger Brewery founded in 1817.
Erdinger Oktoberfest Beer
Like all ERDINGER beers, Erdinger Oktoberfest-Weizen is refermented in the bottle and keg - rarely used for beer, similar to champagne method. 

GERMAN STYLE FESTIVAL DESIGN

Festival goers will find long rows of tables, cups of cold German beer, fabulous food from one of the top chefs in Arizona, sausage eating contest, along with a major stage and dance floor featuring music and, yes, polka!

FOOD
Arizona's own Aaron May of Vitamin T at CityScape (among other dining establishments) will offer Munich style sausages, brats and, of course, giant pretzels.

 

ENTERTAINMENT LINEUP
Friday
4-6pm, Christ Putrino Trio
6:30-8pm, Hans Olson
8:30-10pm, John Smoltz Polka Band

Saturday
12:30-2pm, Polka Dance Lessons
2:30-4pm, Bad Cactus Brass Band
4:30-6pm, Schreiner's German Sausage Eating Contest
6:30-8pm, The Elevens
8:30-10pm, The AfterDark Band

TICKETS
FREE while supplies last at CityScape businesses:  Lucky Strike Lanes & Lounge; 5 Guys Burgers & Fries; Gold's Gym; CVS Pharmacy; Designer District; Par Exsalonce Salon; and West of SoHo.
*DAY OF: Tickets $10 at the gate

Enjoy your Octoberfest celebrations.

Gene Urban
The Urban Team
602-234-5777

Downtown Phoenix Goes Red on November 4th

A free event is always a good thing and one that includes food, music and the Mayor's State of Downtown address is even better.

Here are the details:

Event: State of Downtown Mayor's Address
When: Thursday, November 4th
Time: 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Where: CityScape in downtown Phoenix (1 West Washington)
Cost: Free to the public

Fun Stuff: Music by The Phoenix Symphony and The Sugar Thieves. Food samples from various downtown restaurants.

See you there for the fun.

44 Monroe Condos in Downtown Phoenix Update News

There is a lot of interest now that the new owner of 44 Monroe has announced condos will be available soon at this downtown Phoenix condo tower. We are posting updates on 44 Monore on our downtown real estate site, urbanconnectionrealty.com.

If you want the latest news and updates you can check our website or we can add you to our 44 Monore email update list. Just toss us an email at 44Monroe@UrbanConnectionRealty.com.

Below are links to articles we've written about the re-emergence of 44 Monroe.

Downtown Phoenix 44 Monroe Condo News and Information

44 Monroe Condos For Sale Fall 2010

Gene Urban
The Urban Team
Realty Executives
602-234-5777