Winn Memorial/Woburn Public Library in Woburn, Massachusetts:

-HH Richardson

-1879

-NRHP 1976

-NHL 1987

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phoenix, Arizona

 

-Capital of Arizona

-Population didn’t reach 100,000 until around 1950, but is now one of the country’s most populated areas.

-Maricopa county seat

 

 

 

 

 

Chase Tower, (the city’s tallest- 483 ft.):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Luhrs Building (1924):

 

Luhrs Tower (1929) (both by Henry C. Trost):

 

 

 

Part of the Maricopa County Courthouse…

 

 

 

‘Orpheum Lofts’ (1931):

 

 

 

 

‘Hotel Monroe’ (1931 and 1958 for the top floor):

 

 

 

Security Building/Center/Whatever (1928… the thing on the left is credited as from 1961, I don’t know whether it was a new construction, or just an alteration to part of the structure)

 

 

Maricopa County Courthouse(previous and also still partially used a little)/old City Hall… (1929):

…

 

 

 

 

the tower portion of the County Courthouse:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Westward Ho (1928. Roof height is less than halfway to the antenna top):

 

 

 

 

…………………<-----…Walk 1/2 Mile West………………

 

 

Arizona Territorial Capitol / Capitol Musuem - (1900, James R. Gordon, the TX Courthouse dude):

 

this and the next four are also from the AZ Capitol area-

 

 

 

 

 

……………………..1/2 mile East—>……………..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Okay, to be nice, they do have a rail line connecting downtown to PHX airport (and Tempe, and probably somewhere else too)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phoenix has a (car-minded) road leading north out of downtown a few miles. Along that  are some of the taller buildings in the city. :(

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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“Roosevelt Row Arts District”. This is the heart of your art district? The one that you boast as the “walkable, creative district in the urban core of downtown Phoenix that is nationally known”? Considering this is the fifth(?) largest city in the country… Seriously??, F*** You Phoenix. (Oh, I’m being too nice.):

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah, glad whenever I visit the in-laws, we stay near Old Town Scottsdale (not that it's an urbanist paradise, but still).

My family lives in Laveen (SW Phoenix) and my sister in Mesa (far East). The light extends from 19th Ave & Bethany Home Rd in the NW to about Main & Dobson in Mesa to the SE via downtown. It is currently being extended on both ends to 19th Ave & Dunlap further North(West) and to either Mesa or Home Rd further East in to Mesa, with plans to extend it further on both ends with additional other spurs west along Cambelback out to Glendale, and south along Central to Baseline. Additionally, Tempe is building a streetcar soon.

 

The lightrail does not connect directly to the airport, and until last year, really couldn't be used to get there. Phoenix Sky Harbor Int'l Airport opened the "Sky Train" that year which connects from the bus/light rail station at Washington to Terminals 2-4 at PHX. Currently, T3 is being expanded with additional gates that will replace T2.

 

There are additional transit studies and plans underway, since residents of Phoenix passed a major transit funding package a few years back. Additionally, the conservative mayor of Mesa is a vocal supporter of light rail and streetcars, so I wouldn't be surprised if Mesa embarks on their own streetcar plan in the coming years. Valley Metro (the RTA for the Central Valley) is a huge organization, and they are pushing big time on expanded bus and rail transit.

I wish Phoenix embraced Googie like Las Vegas and Los Angeles.  Otherwise, it has some gems but yeah, it can get sparse.

Stark, brutal. Apparently, there is no there there.

The mountains and desert can be quite beautiful, but the city of Phoenix is pretty blah.  That said, I have really enjoyed my two visits to Scottsdale.  There are some great resorts, a nice little Old Town area, some nice shopping and restaurants, Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West, and of course lots and lots of sun.  I wish there was more "soul" to the place, and some more interesting architecture would certainly help make for a more interesting built environment, but it's not a bad place to spend a few days.

... but it's not a bad place to spend a few days.

 

That'd make a rousing Convention & Visitors Bureau campaign.

I have to give them credit, they have more pre-WWII building stock downtown than I would expect them to, and those buildings are some real gems.

I have to give them credit, they have more pre-WWII building stock downtown than I would expect them to, and those buildings are some real gems.

 

That is true, but it is on the same level as...say...Youngstown.

Not being familiar with Phoenix I was really surprised by the pics.  Was expecting a lot more (especially since it is the state capital).

That old court house/city hall complex rocks.  Makes me mourn the old Cleveland criminal courts building again.

poor phoenix. the modern stuff is so hard on the eyes. at least its all spread out.