In Mesa - City Endless? - More Cars + More $$$ For Parking Spaces ... What's Wrong With That?

. . . some thoughts from an architect buddy in Toronto  [images added  by MesaZona blogger]

Towards car-free living May 31, 2016 08:51 am Right now, there’s an apartment building in San Francisco that is trying to encourage car-free living by offering residents a $100 per month credit that can be used for Uber and/or for public transit. Prospective residents can even get a $20 credit to go check out the community. (The program is a partnership with Uber.) The reason this leasing strategy caught my attention is because we’re at a point where city builders are now trying to recalibrate themselves to this new emerging world. When I was at the Land & Development conference earlier this month, one developer brought up this exact point. He more or less asked: If you’re starting development on a new building today and you’re expecting approvals in 2 or so years and completion in another 3 or 4 years, what do you think the state of cars/driving will be at that point? Should you really be building all that underground parking? These are great question. And they highlight one of the challenges of development. It takes a long time to bring new supply to the market and a lot can change during that time period. My sense is that we are pretty clearly seeing downward pressure on driving and car ownership. That said, this isn’t the case in every city or in all parts of a particular city. I just got back from a trip to a Detroit where it’s pretty hard to imagine the city being oriented around anything but the car. But in cities like San Francisco and Toronto, car-free living is already a reality for many people and so we need to respond to that. How do you see yourself driving, or not driving, in the next 5 to 10 years? read more

Heads Up! City Council Study Session Tomorrow > Big Buck$ + A Tax increase

Public Safety and Higher Education Funding Recommendation
City Council Study Session May 19, 2016
City of Mesa
Meeting Agenda - Final





Mayor John Giles
Vice Mayor Dennis Kavanaugh - District 3
Councilmember Dave Richins - District 1
Councilmember Alex Finter - District 2
Councilmember Chris Glover - District 4
Councilmember David Luna - District 5
Councilmember Kevin Thompson - District 6
7:30 AMCouncil Chambers - Lower Level
Roll Call (Members of the Mesa City Council will attend either in person or by telephone conference call)

1 Presentations/Action Items:
16-0575 Hear a presentation, discuss and provide direction on funding options including sales taxes for the following:
1.  Public safety staffing and equipment needs, and the associated costs
2.  Higher education projects and the associated costs
1-a
16-0593 Information pertaining to the current Job Order Contracting projects.2
3 Hear reports on meetings and/or conferences attended.
4 Scheduling of meetings and general information.

5 Convene an Executive Session.
 
ES-003-16 Discussion or consultation for legal advice with the City Attorney. (A.R.S. §38-431.03A (3)) 
Discussion or consultation with designated representatives of the City in order to consider the City’s position and instruct the City’s representatives regarding negotiations for the purchase, sale, or lease of real property. (A.R.S. §38-431.03A (7)) 
Discussion or consultation with the City Attorney in order to consider the City’s position and instruct the City Attorney regarding the City’s position regarding contracts that are the subject of negotiations, in pending or contemplated litigation or in settlement discussions conducted in order to avoid or resolve litigation. (A.R.S. §38-431.03A(4))
  
1. Intergovernmental Agreement with Arizona State University for a Mesa campus on City-owned property.

Higher Education Projects
Phase 1
 •ASU Buildings $68.2 to 78.9 million
•Civic Plaza $20 to $25 million
•Parking $10 to $12 million
•Benedictine Buildout $6 to $7.5 million
•Off Site Improvements $4 million
Total $108.2 to $127.4 million
Phase 2
Building C Total Area:     60,000 square feet No. of Floors: 4 –New Construction
Building D Total Area:     18,800 square feet No. of Floors: 2 –Existing IT Bldg.
Total Estimated Cost $32 million

Next Steps
•May 26, 2016 -Council Action on Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA)
•June 8-10, 2016 –Arizona Board of Regents Action on IGA
•June 20, 2016 –Council Call for E

Helen's Hope Chest Ribbon Cutting: Escobedo @ Verde Vista Facility for Foster Children

 New update with images on Thu April 30
The Mesa Chamber of Commerce has announced a Grand Opening for Helen's Hope Chest that there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony and tours of a new building built by Gorman Construction Company as part of Phase II for an affordable housing initiative on the north side of University Drive directly across the street from the headquarters for Mesa United Way's Save the Children.
NEW UPDATE ON THU APRIL 30 images taken today

 First with Breaking News: AZ Governor and Mrs. Ducey arriving just before the 11:00 start time in image to the right for today's dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony at 126 E University Drive

Governor Ducey & Mayor John Giles

The Verde Vista location in the Washington Park-Escobedo neighborhood replaces what once were segregated public housing units and buildings to house military pilots training here in the 1940's during World War II. 

On-site Gorman Construction staff

Mesa has come a long with Fair Housing - it was once acceptable to discriminate on the basis of color or race.
Your MesaZona blogger posted an earlier article about Gorman Construction's donation of this new building on March 2, 2015 that you can either scroll down for older posts or find a link here http://mesazona.blogspot.com/2015/03/clear-snapshots-out-of-murky-downtown.html
 

New building & Invitation

The New Urban Downtown Mesa is regenerating affordable housing opportunities, rooting out old segregated public housing in a blighted area, with expanding growth in new construction that incorporates amenities and services for family needs and foster children.

Speaking of foster children, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, who won office with significant help from some of the state's most socially conservative leaders, took many by surprise this week with an order that the State of Arizona immediately resume allowing married same-sex couples to foster and adopt children

We start this report with hope and end with hope: fair housing, equal rights and equal protection under the law with no bias and no discrimination . . .