Az Republic Editorial Board and Downtown Mesa feasibility study

Mesa has learned a valuable economic lesson.

The city used federal grant money to commission two studies on downtown: one on the viability of health-care-related industry, the other on higher education. City Council members had hoped the studies would recommend specific developments for Site 17, the notoriously empty swath of land near Mesa and University drives.


But that's not what happened.

Consultants had a difficult time studying the viability of either industry on the site because most of Mesa's assets in those fields exist outside downtown.

Both studies concluded there were significant health-care and higher-education opportunities to be had in Mesa. That's good news, considering those industries are the "H" and "E" of the city's "HEAT" economic strategy.

Mesa Mayor Scott Smith unveiled the strategy just after taking office in hopes of attracting more high-wage jobs by strengthening the city's existing health-care, education, aerospace and tourism industries. It's good to know the city is on the right track.

But neither study broke much new ground. The conclusions mirrored what Smith and others within the city have been saying for more than a year.

Neither included detailed recommendations for Site 17, a point that visibly disgusted several council members last week when the studies were presented during a study session.

But that's where the lesson comes in.

Smith recognized after the meeting that Mesa had fallen into a common trap, hoping the studies would offer grand ideas to fill a vacant piece of land. It was focusing on a real-estate opportunity, rather than on the most effective strategies to woo high-wage jobs Mesa's way.

Site 17 needs to be filled. But engineering the market to build something there is not the way to do it.

Smith says Mesa should focus its energy on selling the city to health-care companies and colleges and letting them choose the best site for their needs.

He's right.

Though much work remains to finalize that strategy, Mesa now has a much sounder foundation on which to build it - one filled with third-party data about Mesa's assets, not just city intuition and a desire to fill empty real estate.

An important lesson, indeed.



Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/2010/09/09/20100909mr-edit0910.html#ixzz0z5tVakYu

Mesa partied like a rock star this past weekend... really!

I've been checking out blogs about our great Downtown and the party we had on Friday and Saturday night in celebration of this great country we live in. Here is one of the comments....
From iheartmesa.blogspot.com
"Did you make it downtown? If you didn't, you missed out. I took my older girls on Friday night for a mommy daughter date. It was the best. Playing in water, holding exotic birds, dancing in the street to live music. Then on Saturday night we enjoyed the downtown fireworks from a nearby empty lot. In my opinion, it really couldn't be much better. I thought Mesa did a wonderful job on this event. We will be looking forward to it again next year. Great job Mesa, you made me proud."

Have you ever participated in a "Charrette"?

I have on three occasions. One of them was a brainstorming session about the area of land we now know as "Riverview". I sat at this table with people I had never met before and we had this blank map that had the boundaries of some property off of the 202 freeway. There was a gravel pit and a golf course/park area and basically some lines that we had to stay within. We were told the history of the area from way back to present. Our group started coming up with all kinds of ideas and placing them on the paper- there was so much space we could not even fill it all. One of the ideas was a place called "Bass Pro Shop" and it was suggested because we thought the gravel pit would make a nice lake someday where people could fish or test drive boats. Ok- I don't know much about either (and those of you who know me can attest to this). I certainly didn't have any idea what the store was and was assured it was a great place that someone had seen in like Oklahoma or someplace. BUT there was so much room to fill in that we all went along with the idea. Who would have thought.....

So now YOU have the opportunity to get in on the action to craft a vision for the mile-wide urban corridor that straddles Main Street between Country Club Drive and Gilbert Road. Believe me you don't have to be an architect or a land planner by profession. In fact all you have to have is the desire to own and be a part of the community you live in. You see our opinion matters in these settings before all those professional's who have to figure it out after we decide!

The two-day "charrette" is June 23-24 at the former Mervyn's, 1240 E. Main St. You know the place called POOL. If you haven't been there this is the perfect opportunity to check it out (under the guise of being an interested resident of Mesa). Hope you all come join the fun and think it is as cool as I did. And then I hope the powers that be do this more often...

Charrette-The word charrette may refer to any collaborative session in which a group drafts a solution to a design problem. Each sub-group then presents its work to the full group as material for future dialogue. Charrettes serve as a way of quickly generating a design solution while integrating the aptitudes and interests of a diverse group of people. Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/2010/06/10/20100610mesa-council-main-street.html#ixzz0qUncvdU5

Took this from Tuesday's with Dorie

This carob tree resides in Downtown Mesa. This big guy is very very old. The "history" on this tree is odd but true. Apparently waaay back in the early 1900's 3 men were hung from my tree by some vigilantes who caught them shortly after they shot the local sheriff. It was the last hangings in Mesa.

SUMMER SIZZLES this FRIDAY

Main street sidewalks will be full of artists, six bands, a summer fashion show with clothing by local designers followed by a reception to meet the models and designers, City of Mesa Parks and Rec, the Mesa library, street performers, and the radio station 103.9 attending this month-they will be broadcasting live.

Spread the word bring some friends and enjoy a free Friday night event in OUR Downtown.

Her Majesty calls

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL QUEENS PIZZERIA!
125 W. Main St.

This is from their website.....
HERE YE! HERE YE! THE QUEEN HAS MANDATED THAT A REVAMPING OF THE PLACE OCCUR IN ORDER TO MAKE QUEEN'S WORTHY OF ITS ROYAL CUSTOMERS.

DUE TO THE QUEEN'S DECISION TO DO SOME MORE EXCITING CHANGES THAN ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED, QUEEN'S WILL REOPEN ONTUESDAY, 6/1/2010. YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT SHE'S DOING NOW!!! (AFTERALL, THE QUEEN RULES!)

UPON REOPENING, YOU WILL BE AWED AT THE CHANGES. THE GREAT MENU WILL REMAIN THE SAME, BUT, OH SO MANY OTHER CHANGES!!!
THE REAL QUESTION IS.........IS DOWNTOWN MESA READY FOR THIS?!!!

PLEASE JOIN US ON TUESDAY 6/1/2010. WE WILL OPEN AT THE REGULAR TIME-11:00 AM

Upcoming June Events in Downtown Mesa

FIRST FRIDAY June 4th 6-10 PM Motorcycles on Main

You don't want to miss this event whose popularity is growing. Main Street is closed for this pedestrian friendly party! Four live bands, beer gardens, Main Street lined with motorcycles. People come to check out the bikes or listen to music or they bring their bikes for all to see it is a casual atmosphere and a great way to spend the evening. I realize that “Family friendly” and “Motorcycles” are not usually what you think about when we say a "Sturgis style" event but it's Mesa and believe me it is family friendly! There is a new Center Stage in the middle of the intersection of MacDonald and Main Street that showcases a different bike each month. The selected bike receives a cash prize and is displayed all evening for everyone to enjoy.

Rumor is that the new "Grill on Main" will be open for this event. This restaurant is located at 124 W. Main Street. Hey check it out and get back to us here with your comments- reviews.

SECOND FRIDAY June 11th 6-10 PM Summer Sizzles! Heatin' Up Main Street

The 101 "Gallery" (conspicuously located at 101 West Main Street) is hosting a "Smoking Hot Fashion Show" Local designers will strut their stuff on the runway! You can enter your fashion(s) the evening of the show. Prizes for the best original designs. Free to enter! As always there is live music to enjoy as you have dinner or mill around checking out the Art booths. Know an artist professional, aspiring, or one who enjoys engaging with fellow artist during a street fair send them to 2ndfridaynightout,com to register for the FREE event. Last month we had over 70 registered. Mesa Parks and Recs and the Library departments will be participating- showing off their summer programs for kids.

So while your reading this open up your calendar and schedule the events on first and second Friday of every month- 6-10pm in Downtown Mesa.

Road closure latest example of Mesa's willingness to help

I am beside myself !

May. 22, 2010 08:36 AM
Southeast Valley editorial board

Mesa has long been known as the city of - say it with us now - "wide streets and narrow minds."

It's an unfortunate moniker, because it implies everything that would drive smart people and their investments away from the city.

Sadly, there was some truth to the name. Mesa was known for waging war with businesses over signs in windows and having a city staff that would find more reasons to say "no" than "yes."

In 2005, community activists began calling this city home of the CAVE people, or Citizens Against Virtually Everything. When Google executives visited later that year to scout a location for a satellite office, Mesa, the Valley's second-largest city, wasn't even on the radar.

It's hard to break a reputation like that, but the city is at least starting to bend it. And that's a good thing.

Voters shocked the Valley in recent years when they approved two projects - the Waveyard water-sports resort and the Gaylord hotel and conference center - that required them to think big and long-term. Then, in a first for the city, voters approved a secondary property tax to finance public safety and street projects.

Mesa threw out land-use maps - a crutch it had long used to say "no" - for Mesa Gateway, opting instead for forward-thinking regulations that put less emphasis on what buildings are used for and more on how they work together. It is now doing the same with its citywide zoning-code update and redevelopment plans downtown.

Yet another indication of Mesa's departure from "wide streets and narrow minds" came last Friday - aptly enough, in the form of a road closure. The city agreed to shut down Main Street for the Independent Music Project Festival, a celebration of independent music from multiple genres.

This is significant, because Mesa has long rebuffed requests to close the busy street for a festival. Have to keep traffic flowing on those wide streets, after all.

But city leaders saw the festival's potential. There were bands playing on multiple stages, classic cars and art on display. And people. Lots of money-spending people.

Merchants stayed open late. Vendors sold wares to the eclectic crowd. Who cares if a few people were inconvenienced on their planned breeze through downtown Mesa?

A bunch more happened on a pretty happening place, and that could convince people to come back again for a special event - or eventually, just because it's Friday night.

It's a new mind-set. Instead of standing in the way of people with good ideas - or at least requiring them to fit a preconceived notion of what's a good idea - city leaders are telling thinkers and dreamers to make their best pitch. If a request makes sense, Mesa is ready and willing to do what it can help.

As a result, the city is saying "why not" a lot more than "why" these days, and that is an incredibly positive step.

2nd Friday Night Out May 14 Too much fun

2^nd Friday Night Out

www.2ndFridayNightOut.com

Don’t miss 2nd Friday Night Out in historic downtown Mesa from 6:00-10:00 PM May 14th. Each month features a different theme and this month we present "IMP FEST" Independent Music Project Festival...rock 'n rollin on Main! We're closing Main and Macdonald for this one! There will be two stages with 10 live bands featuring punk, rock, alternative, blues, and more. We're giving away an electric guitar plus there will be two beer gardens, a classic car show featuring VW's, train rides, and the streets will be lined with over 60 art booths along the pedestrian friendly porticos! Shops and restaurants open late. The best part is that it's all free! Call Suzanne Woodford at 602-318-5689 for more information.

Richard III

Southwest Shakespeare Company of Mesa AZ, is going to start their production of Shakespeare's Richard III this week at the Mesa Arts Center. And we celebrate the Bard's birthday this Friday,the 23rd!

Friday Night's Fun

http://jeansnewbeginning.blogspot.com/2010/04/friday-nights-fun.html

de la Cruz Bistro in Downtown Mesa.

The place was full, and much to our delight; dancers and music. We had not a clue what entertain and fun we would have watching and listening. This dancer, Liliana is fantastic. If I could do half of the movements she does, I would be thin for life. The food, oh my, the food...it was wonderful, a blend of Cuban, Mexican and South American delights. If you are in Mesa some evening and with not a clue where to eat….try this delightful restaurant.

This is B I G

Ok I am totally snagging this post from another blog BUT you will see once you read it why I just had to. This sculpture is coming to Mesa March 1st through July 15th. Downtown get ready for some visitors and visitors get ready for the experience of a lifetime.
Check it out and see you in Downtown Mesa real soon!
http://chicago-outdoor-sculptures.blogspot.com/2008/12/god-bless-america.html