Archive for April, 2012

April 30, 2012

How to Make Phoenix’s Warehouse District into a Premier Entertainment District

by: Will Novak

Tweet Today’s post is by contributing writer Will Novak: I recently had the pleasure of driving across a large section of our country as I moved back home to Phoenix from Boston. Driving across the country in Spring was great and as a sports fan I had baseball on the mind. Along the way I was able to check out some stadiums as well as the urban neighborhoods around them. With at least 81 home games a year, baseball is an ideal sport to be played in a dense, active area. Unlike football, baseball is played frequently, causing a constant…

April 25, 2012

Pedal Craft and the Business Case for Bicycle Infrastructure in Phoenix

by: Feliciano Vera

Tweet Today’s post is by contributing writer Feliciano Vera: “Look, I may not have ridden my bike here, but at least I’m ready to,” I tell Joe Perez, as I point to my calf, unashamed. “I’m thinking it’s time to break out the clippers,” Joe replies. An army of bike enthusiasts surrounded us at Kitchen Sink Studios. Did somebody forget to tell the hundreds assembled at the inaugural Pedal Craft that today was only the third Friday of April – too early for the monthly Critical Mass ride? Were they here for the beer? Art? They were out because of…

April 23, 2012

METRO, where’s my pay-as-you-go already?

by: Ryan Glass

Tweet Today’s post is by contributing writer Ryan Glass: A case for pay-as-you-go Light Rail: If I’m honest, the idea for this post started with me having a bit of a rant a few days ago, and realizing that while my recent inconveniences were not earth-shattering by any means, they certainly highlighted one of the areas where Metro Light Rail is lacking. The simple truth that I have to either purchase a physical pass for public transit every time I take it, or make a financial gamble and pre-pay for fixed-term passes that I’m not likely to utilize 100% seems…

April 18, 2012

Surviving Sprawl with Pop-up Placemaking in Phoenix

by: Christina Noble

Tweet Today’s post is by guest writer Christina Noble. Christina is an architect and owner of Contour Architecture, a local architecture and design firm. She is a fifth-generation Arizona native who feels passionately about making a difference in her local community – through the projects she completes as well as through active engagement with various community groups. She has worked on numerous high-profile projects in her career including collegiate, mixed-use, government, and private development projects. Christina frequently writes about design and architecture and serves as the Senior Director of Forward, a national design journal for the American Institute of Architects, and…

April 16, 2012

Jane Jacobs Walk Returns to Phoenix with Four Events, May 5th & 6th

by: David Crummey

Tweet Today’s post is by David Crummey. David Crummey is a Mesa resident with a strong passion for walkable urbanism, public transportation, local businesses and economic development. He studied Urban & Environmental Planning at Arizona State University as a graduate student. Currently, David works at a small charter school near Mesa’s downtown, making sure teachers get paid, kids get fed, grants get filed, computers turn on, data gets sorted and interpreted, and pencils get ordered. He hosted the 2011 Jane Jacobs Walk in downtown Mesa, as well as helped found Lo-Fi Forums, a monthly, quieter, more interactive TED-style salon at…

April 11, 2012

Migration Celebration

by: Crista Alvey

Tweet Today’s post is by Crista Alvey. Crista is a marketing intern for the City of Phoenix through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Urban Conservation Treaty for Migratory Birds. She is working to increase awareness of the need to protect migratory birds in urban settings through traditional and social media. Did you know that Rufous hummingbirds migrate enormous distances every year, following the cycles of the flowers and insects they depend upon for food? These little hummers fly from as far south as Central America to as far north as Canada and Alaska. On their way, they may pause…

April 09, 2012

The Crescent Ballroom: A Minor Musical Fairytale set in the PHX

by: Feliciano Vera

Tweet Today’s post is by contributing writer Feliciano Vera: The timbero ferociously punched out a backbeat with an intensity I had not seen since watching Tito Puente at the Regattabar. While Tito was famously expressive, mugging and goofing around just for grins, tonight was pure business, and what little attention was paid to the beat was by the dancers. Competing pairs of hipster girls swayed in front of either end of the stage, while a crowd of academics straight out of a Nineties-era Benetton ad anchored the center with their ballroom moves. Standing a full head above me, just beyond…

April 05, 2012

Pedal Craft PHX – Where Art Meets Bicycles

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet April is Bike Month here in the Valley of the Sun and there are some wonderful events happening to celebrate bicycles and the people who ride them. One of the most visually appealing and fun parts of Bike Month will be Pedal Craft PHX, an event that was founded by Sustainability Manager Jonce Walker and Graphic Designer Jon Ashcroft. Pedal Craft PHX will take place on Friday, April 20, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Kitchen Sink Studios Gallery, 828 North Third Street. Admission is free. One unique part of the exhibit will be the showcasing of inventive bike…