What Works in Mesa is NOT Good 'Ole Boys Crony Politics

All in good faith: There was just a short-lived blip in local media a couple of weeks ago about a new candidate running for election to the Mesa City Council who was immediately endorsed by both the present and previous mayors - did anyone else think these politicos are trying to do a "quick fix" by  a certain political machine to maintain its decades-long monopoly of the City Council.?

A political machine is a organization in which an authoritative boss or small group commands the support of a corps of supporters in wards and districts and businesses where the stakes are high and who receive rewards for their efforts.
Are these two mayors trying to "jumpstart" the political machine in an upcoming election to the Mesa City Council? Fair question - it's probably safe to say that for over 125 years those elected have been very male, very white, and very Mormon

from FoxLatinonews

8-Building Development Planned for Mesa

Slight delay in retrieving some news feeds - this  one about Planning and Development in Mesa from Arizona Builder's Exchange available 06 October by Roland Murphy for Arizona Builder’s Exchange. The unique design of the development’s structures will feature extensive use of re-purposed ISO containers in six of the buildings with the intent to create a unique visual presence that integrates into the Main Street cityscape.

On the right is a rendering from the City of Mesa of the construction

A breakdown of the planned buildings includes an interesting mix of uses - architect office, auto repair, golf cart sales, a restaurant and a pet crematory ... call that compatible

• 1,600 SF, two-story architects office and gallery combined with a 7,100SF shop and storage building to be built later
• 6,495 SF commercial building suitable for auto repair
• 6,346 SF suitable for golf cart sales and repair
• 10,512 SF suitable for tire sales
• 4KSF restaurant space
• 2,200 SF suitable for automotive-related business
• A second 2,200 SF suitable for automotive-related business
• 3,757SF expected for use as a pet crematory

Read more >>

http://azbex.com/8-building-development-planned-for-mesa/?inf_contact_key=http://azbex.com/8-building-development-planned-for-mesa/?inf_contact_key=c1d1f624ca7600ae428e62e82fc4c65bbe4ea119a34233cc8a6c416798688612

 

Where Is The Public in Mesa Politics?? . . . Missing In Action

American Foreign Policy pushes establishing "democracy" all over the world, but what about democracy here at home - in Mesa?
We all pay taxes, but how many people exercise their right to vote?
We have what's called a representative democracy where the mayor and city council members are elected by voters in Mesa; other city office holders, like the city manager for one example, are appointed.

Question: Do those elected to represent the interests of the people reflect the diverse population here in Mesa?
For example:
How many women have been elected to and served on the City Council?
Is there a fair share of different and diverse backgrounds inside City Hall?
Does one minority-majority monopolize power in city government?
Here's Food for Thought -  a term the mayor likes to use featuring himself - with a TEDCity 17:15 2.0 talk filmed in Sept 2013 that's been watched by over 1,518,589 people.
Time to bring it to Mesa
http://www.ted.com/talks/eric_liu_why_ordinary_people_need_to_understand_power#

FTA Announces New Transit-Oriented Development Initiative

FTA Announces New National Transit Oriented Development  (TOD) Ladders of Opportunity Technical Assistance Initiative.    

Federal Transit Administration sent this bulletin at 10/09/2015 11:19 AM EDT

As a complement to the Administration’s ongoing Opportunities Agenda Program, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced this week that Smart Growth America, a national nonprofit organization, has been selected to lead a team of experts to support transit-oriented development (TOD) activities that will benefit economically distressed communities across the country.

In the near future, the new National TOD Ladders Technical Assistance Initiative will bring together resources and training on

• public transportation,
• transit-oriented development,
• land use,
• urban planning,
• affordable housing, and
• community-based economic development
to help local governments get the most out of transit investments.

Through this initiative, FTA will provide TOD technical assistance, which will include on-site visits to selected local governments, a new comprehensive website, and toll free call lines for individual assistance. FTA will make a formal announcement once the website and toll free lines are launched.
Readers may be interested in
Core Values: Why American Companies are Moving Downtown
Hundreds of companies across the United States are moving to and investing in walkable downtown locations. As job migration shifts towards cities and as commercial real estate values climb in these places, a vanguard of American companies are building and expanding in walkable downtown neighborhoods.
Why are companies choosing these places?
What are the competitive advantages they see in these locations?
And what features do they look for when choosing a new location?
Read more >> http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/core-values

Here's a 6:11 YouTube upload from Smart Growth America  featuring Mesa councilmember Richins



Much More Than Meets The Eye > Sparking A Conversation

There was a September 20 post on this blog about the renamed Indie Lens Pop community cinema series . . . more details were offered yesterday in press release 549 from the City of Mesa Newsroom:

National screening series seeks to spark conversations in Mesa

Post Date:10/08/2015 10:33 AM

The first event of the 2015-2016 season is the screening of “Stray Dog” Thursday, Oct. 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Dobson Ranch Library, 2425 S. Dobson Road. “Stray Dog” is from Debra Granik, director of the Oscar-nominated movie “Winter’s Bone” and is the portrait of a motorcycle-riding Vietnam veteran. But there is much more to Ronnie “Stray Dog” Hall than meets the eye. Behind the tattoos and leather vest is a man dedicated to helping his fellow vets and immigrant family as he also comes to terms with his combat experience . . .
Following the 80 minute screening there will be a panel discussion led by Brett Petersen, a social worker and counselor at Marc Community Resources in Mesa, and Mike Pappa, U.S. Navy/U.S. Air Force Retired Veteran.
Blog Note: City of Mesa offers free locks for bikes [donations asked for] while this first event is all about a discussion of many issues including vets, immigration, relationships.
In support of Veterans who may suffer from PTSD, we will be holding a bike lock donation drive at the screening. Ride 2 Recovery is a non-profit organization who donates refurbished bicycles to those Veterans that may benefit from their use. If you would like to help, bring a lock to donate. All locks collected will go to the local Ride 2 Recovery programs.

Mellow Mushroom > Pizza: How//Where Do You Like It?

This blogger with the last name Mello [anglicized from Azores-migrant grandfather Francisco de Melo whose marriage produced 14 born-in-America citizens] just could not pass up an opportunity for a post when asked frequently "Mello"? .... the reply is "I usually try to be mellow . . ."  and give a fair slice of reporting about pizza, one of the most popular foods in America.

How ya gonna get it? . . .
[Readers get an idea of this site's preference in the image to the left.]
. . . Locally in Queen's Pizzeria, a small Mom-and-Pop family-owned local business building downtown community on Main Street, or in a big off-the-freeway franchise?
Hand-made or not?
Or is the question more about convenience, how you travel, and what's the mix of close-by retail and entertainment options?

The New Urban Downtown Mesa Welcomes Partners in Community Development

Drivers - or shall we say accelerators - of new urban growth are the private/public partnerships, finance, community investment and creative place making that expand affordable housing opportunities.
Rancho del Arte is a prime example of these initiatives, featured in one of the very first posts on March 2, 2015 on this blog to start off what this blogsite is all about ... Creative Place Making
Readers can see in the announcement in the image on the left all the eleven partners who worked together to make this affordable housing habitat happen [and, yes, it is a project in the best sense of the word: moving opportunities forward].
Building/construction progress at this location on Main Street was updated on this site as time moved forward with other posts here. 

On the right is one rendering of the building shown in the first post when it was simply called "El Rancho Apartments".
El Rancho del Arte is one of the first Form Based Zoning projects in the City of Mesa.
Ground was broken in August of last year, after the removal of a one-story blighted motel. Perlman Architects of Arizona came up with the unique design for families with children. PHASE 2 has been funded and approved in an adjoining parcel of land.

Photo by Neil Koppes

Rancho del Arte rises four stories on Main Street not far from a new Valley Metro Light Rail station, where investment in the expansion of transit-oriented development promoted by LISC PHX is now established and attractive in the new urban landscape here in Mesa.
The 66-unit apartment community is the latest in a series of new housing opportunities in Mesa - Escobedo @ Verde Vista [now finishing Phase 2 and new construction for Encore on First West at 47 W First Avenue. All three have been prominently featured on this blog from the start.
The City of Mesa has invested heavily in the pursuit of creating a local culture conducive to supporting the arts which this project fully supports. 
Mesa-born artist Zarco Guerrero, to the left and  photographed in his studio below,  met with the developer Eric Paine to come up with a series of mandala designs that were produced in iron works incorporated into both the stunning monumental ironwork façade on the front of the building and on the west side vehicle entrance.

In addition to public art spaces, there is an inside parking garage, a large communal gallery, a flexible large studio space for children's service programming complete with a kitchen, , a media room, computer lab, a large outdoor eating/activities area in an interior atrium , a community garden (in cooperation with Mesa Urban Garden) and a pool. 
Readers will note that  Rancho del Arte will be hosting a celebration of Dia de Los Muertos - the real celebration of life and the celebration of lives after death in new beginnings - not the spooky Anglo-Saxon Halloween traditions with trick-or-treat.
If residents of Mesa don't know too much about that celebration and tradition in Latino culture, it's both an eye-opener and exposure for cultural interchange in what we hope is our diverse community.

"We’re looking at a $13.6M total project,” says developer Eric Paine shown in the image to the left who is the CEO for Community Development Partners - that includes land and soft costs. The construction cost is about $9M.” The project will be leased at affordable rents, although Eric says that the difference between market and affordable in that area of Mesa is pretty close. 

 

Building For The Future > Community Development Partners is a forward-thinking organization based in California and focused on meeting the housing needs of local citizens through the thoughtful planning and development of life-enhancing affordable communities.

 

Related news that's on the company website www.communitydevpartners.com includes two items:

A Perfect Day in Mesa [Sunset Magazine]

Rancho del Arte: Place Making with Dr. John Williams

 

 

 . . . it's important likewise to show you what's been built with professional photos by Neil Koppel courtesy of Eric Paine

View of atrium open to sunlight and interior natural light

Stairs - read what's on the risers

Stunning monumental ironwork on 719 E Main Street