Definitely "Augmented Reality": Here we go again!
OK. So when exactly all-of-a-sudden did the distressed and neglected downtown magically make-over itself to become an Innovation District? Maybe most of us never realized that overnight transformation happened just about one year ago during a panel discussion held at the Ikeda Theater in the Mesa Arts Center. By April of last year most of the Downtown Central Business District qualified as "Opportunity Zones" - distressed areas due to 40 years of neglect.
Apparently ASU President Michael Crow [at right] really likes "the real estate deals" he's got going here in downtown Mesa. For the time being, the Arizona State Attorney General isn't looking into any conflicts-of-interest that were created in Tempe. It's a different ball-game here after Mesa Taxpayers got hoodwinked last year to finance construction of one new building by going into debt for over $140,000,000.
Yesterday at Mayor John Giles 5th State-Of-The-City Speech, it looks like the hand-jive on-stage from Michael Crow worked with this quote today from ASU Now 05 Feb 2019
"Mesa is very excited about what is now the reality of ASU coming to our downtown Innovation District. I consisted hear the words augmented reality, artificial intelligence and 3D design."
This is what the future site of ASU at the newly-reinvented "Mesa City Center" has looked like since the Mesa Arts Center opened in 2005 right across Main Street and Valley Metro Light Rail service extended through downtown in 2015 - parking lots for city employees that are used Monday-Thursday. Back in 2014 city officials spent $750,000 for three plans at the same site, but failed to get the financing. In 2016 Mesa taxpayers REJECTED a $200-million plan to transform downtown into "a satellite campus" for ASU.
Now we get the full-blown super-hype from Mary Beth Faller reporter for ASU Now
ASU at Mesa City Center aims to be world-class hub for digital innovation
"New building will house media arts, gaming, film production programs; Innovation Studio will connect to the startup community
Arizona State University’s new location in downtown Mesa will train students in the transdisciplinary digital expertise that technology companies are now demanding, according to ASU President Michael Crow. . .
". . . What we're looking to do is have a creative center. High school kids, college students attending ASU, businesses in the community - everyone will be part of this."
. . . ASU will also be offering
. . . ASU will also be offering
READ MORE >> click here
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However, readers of this blog will note more than a few issues were raised in a City Council Report made public on January 28, 2018
The proposed ASU @ Mesa City Center, Plaza @ Mesa City Center, and City Center Utility Improvements projects will require extensive on-site investigation, phasing, construction sequencing, constructability analysis, and cost evaluation
Time to take a closer look at one or two selected items for today's regular Mesa City Council meeting where the scheduled study session ahead of time has a review of the items. One of the items from the study session on Thursday of last week deserves some more informed discussion attention: The plans for ASU in downtown have been controversial from the get-go that became public two years ago. Here's the current item for more scrutiny: Implementing the City Council’s prior approvals for the Arizona State University facilities and other improvements in downtown Mesa. How to do that?
The proposed ASU @ Mesa City Center, Plaza @ Mesa City Center, and City Center Utility Improvements projects will require extensive on-site investigation, phasing, construction sequencing, constructability analysis, and cost evaluation
The city now needs to hire a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) for "Pre-Construction Services" with a pre-construction services contract is in the amount of $753,731.00.
The Council approved an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with ASU for the new building project in February 2018. The City and ASU subsequently entered into a lease agreement for the building in November 2018.
An earlier post on this blog from 27 January 2019
Heads Up! ASU @ Mesa City Center >
Another alternative is to not perform the work.
Time to take a closer look at one or two selected items for today's regular Mesa City Council meeting where the scheduled study session ahead of time has a review of the items. One of the items from the study session on Thursday of last week deserves some more informed discussion attention: The plans for ASU in downtown have been controversial from the get-go that became public two years ago. Here's the current item for more scrutiny: Implementing the City Council’s prior approvals for the Arizona State University facilities and other improvements in downtown Mesa. How to do that?
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(Blogger Note: Those actions again were controversial in spite of what City Manager Chris Brady said time-and-time again both in a series of City Council study sessions and regular public meetings. Most of the public were kept-in-the-dark.
Only two Councilmembers raised any questions at all.)
Here's a presentation back in May 2018:
Why revisit this now when Jeff McVay, the city's Director of Downtown Transformation, made the case for that (or tried to) back in May of last year. He used a questionable study produced by ASU to support the purported economic benefits of "a presence" of ASU downtown. Totally bogus, but Mesa taxpayers got hood-winked by a slick public relations campaign.
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The proposed building will support Arizona State University (ASU) programs related to digital and sensory technology, film and media arts, user experience design, and entrepreneurial support.
This project will create unique, sustainable, and architecturally significant spaces for ASU and the City.
The proposed building will support Arizona State University (ASU) programs related to digital and sensory technology, film and media arts, user experience design, and entrepreneurial support.
This project will create unique, sustainable, and architecturally significant spaces for ASU and the City.
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City Council Report
Date: January 28, 2019
Date: January 28, 2019
To: City Council
Through: Kari Kent, Assistant City Manager
From: Beth Huning, City Engineer Marc Ahlstrom, Assistant City Engineer
Subjects:
ASU @ Mesa City Center
The Plaza @ Mesa City Center
City Center Utility Improvements
City Project Nos. CP0871ASU, CP0919, CP0920 District 4
