Listen to the press conference held this morning:

Nick Bastian, the owner of the ever-popular RailLife.com, has some interesting pictures from today’s press conference that feature the now-drained Tempe Town Lake.

It’ll be interesting to see how the recovery takes place. We shall see!

-E

This is good and well as it highlights the great culinary scene in Downtown Phoenix. But it misses out on the full picture.

Read for yourself:

Yet, strangely, despite noting in the guide that it covers the area from 7th Street to 3rd Avenue and Fillmore to Jackson streets, the pull-out map spans from 7th to 7th, all the way up to McKinley, leaving the fringes of the map looking noticeably empty. Is the map doing a disservice to many restaurants within the map’s confines?

Likewise, a feature story on the Urban Grocery & Wine Bar, a block outside of this radius on Pierce Street, is one of the main sections of the guide. But the cluster of restaurants on 1st and Pierce streets do not even receive a spot on the map, let alone a mention in the guide. [source]

One certainly can’t begrudge the DPP for promoting shops, restaurants, venues, and events in its defined area; however, the DPP must realize that it is a mutually beneficial relationship between shops/venues in its formal area and the greater downtown community. A downtown area whose marketing model is to bring people to big events–sports games, concerts, and other big festivals–must realize that the little shops in the area’s periphery keep people in the area. Whilst Roosevelt Row, Grand Avenue, and these areas’ shops/restaurants aren’t within the Downtown Phoenix Partnership’s boundaries per se, they are a part of Downtown Phoenix and are a significant part of the Downtown Phoenix tapestry.

I’m not going to go as far as to say “shame on the DPP” for excluding these peripheral shops. Most tourists to Downtown Phoenix, and most likely most students at the ASU Downtown Phoenix campus, will receive the Downtown Phoenix Dining Guide and think that nothing exists outside of those ninety blocks. This unfortunately paints an inadequate picture of Downtown Phoenix as a place where one goes to participate in big events instead of a place to be.

If Downtown Phoenix is to thrive, it must become a place to be.

-E

Phoenix Chorale Third Friday Open Rehearsal
When: Friday, April 16 at 6:30 PM
Where: Trinity Episcopal Cathedral (100 W. Roosevelt)

The Phoenix Chorale continues hosting its free Open Rehearsals during downtown Phoenix’s monthly Artwalk. These events are FREE and open to the public and take place inside Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, located on Roosevelt Row. Take Metro Light Rail to the Roosevelt Arts District stop.

The Chorale will hold a raffle at the rehearsal for great prizes from local organizations, including tickets to the Phoenix Symphony.  Arrive early—the first 50 visitors to the rehearsal will receive a goodie-bag that includes a free raffle ticket and music download!

Ola Gjeilo in Concert with Ted Belledin
When: Monday, April 26, 2010 at 7:30 PM
Where: Trinity Episcopal Cathedral (100 W. Roosevelt)

Phoenix Chorale Composer-in-Residence and pianist Ola Gjeilo performs a special concert in April with special guest, saxophonist Ted Belledin. The concert features the two musicians in a duet creating new music, completely improvised on the spot, and in the stylistic vein of improvisers like Keith Jarrett and Jan Garbarek. The hauntingly beautiful music will be just as informed by classical and world music as by jazz and unlike a lot of free-improv jazz, it will be melodic and unabashedly lyrical.

Tickets are just $10 and can be purchased by calling the Phoenix Chorale office at 602-253-2224. Please note: “25 & Under Free” is not eligible for this concert.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsFaUl4rPWs

[source: Danielle Chavez, intern, Phoenix Chorale]

-Edward Jensen

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnXiBC-qiBQ

-Edward Jensen

There are hundreds and thousands of places in Downtown Phoenix that are intriguing.  The last time I was approached with this writing theme, I discussed the Phoenix Symphony and the amazing things that they do.  But this time around, I’m taking it from a different lens.  Downtown Phoenix is special because of the people of Downtown Phoenix.  It’s special because of the memories I have made in the area.  It’s special because as I have grown and learned more about myself, Downtown Phoenix has grown and learned more about itself.

Consider Fair Trade Café at the Civic Space.  It’s special not just because of the fact that they serve amazing coffee and have amazing food.  It’s special because of the people that are there behind the counter.  I know them, they know me, and they know what my favorite coffee drink is and that I always want a bit of room left in the cup for some cream.

Or consider the greater entity that is the Civic Space Park.  There are people from the community that sit and chat, there are students studying for classes, there are kids playing football (or football), and there are just people being there enjoying the park and its surrounding urban environment.

Or consider the people at the ASU Downtown Phoenix campus.  When I had to first talk to a staff person on the campus, I was immediately surprised at how friendly they are.  Coming from the sea of humanity that is the Tempe campus, where one is not a name but a number, this was a huge culture shock.  Stepping inside to a classroom, one would be surprised that it’s not a lecturer preaching from the altar in a lecture.  There’s discussion, discourse, and even disagreement happening in those classrooms.

What’s special about Downtown Phoenix?  It’s the people.  It’s the memories.  It’s what you make it to be.  Downtown Phoenix is that blank canvas on which one paints one’s memories.

-Edward Jensen

Concerts:

• Friday 26 February, 12.15pm: William Barnett  (past interim organist, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Phoenix)
• Friday 5 March 12.15pm: James Gerber (director of music and worship at St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Phoenix)
• Friday 12 March 12.15pm: Ilona Kubizczyk-Adler (music director, Episcopal Church of the Nativity, Scottsdale)
• Friday 19 March 12.15pm: Skye Hart (director of music and liturgy, St Maria Goretti Church, Scottsdale)
• Friday 26 March 12.15pm: Erik Goldstrom (Canon Musician, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Phoenix)
• Sunday 14 March 4.00pm: Choral Evensong for Mothering Sunday

Trinity Cathedral is at 100 W. Roosevelt St., in Downtown Phoenix.  It is readily accessible from the Roosevelt/Central Ave light rail station and the Downtown Phoenix DASH.  All these concerts are free of charge.  For more information, visit azcathedral.org or call 602.254.7126.

This February, Valley Metro is asking residents to “Try 1 in 5” , share the ride via carpool, vanpool, bus or light rail at least one day a week. It reduces pollution, eases traffic congestion and saves money. They also want to help residents find a commuting partner using their new Share The Ride ride-matching system.

As a thank you to residents who are sharing the ride, Valley Metro will be giving out pairs of ASU Baseball and Basketball tickets to their fans and followers this month. They will announce via Twitter (@ValleyMetroRPTA) and Facebook (Valley Metro RPTA) ways that fans can win the tickets, and where they will be to give them out. Valley Metro staff will look for people with transit passes on hand or who are tweeting pictures of themselves on the bus.

I’ll be seeing you on either the light rail or the bus!

-Edward Jensen

Thus begin the Amendments to the United States Constitution. As anyone who’s taken a civics course knows, the US Constitution is the “supreme law of the land” (cf. Article VI par. 2; also see the 14th Amendment).

Consider also the late developments happening with Crossroads United Methodist Church. As preface, they had a homeless ministry at their church, Central Avenue and Northern in the quasi-upscale North Central neighborhood. Then the neighborhood didn’t like seeing homeless people in their posh neighborhood, complained, got the city involved, and the city made a decision that Crossroads had to stop this ministry. After an appeal made by Crossroads, the city still stood by its decision.

Depending on your angle, it’s NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) at its finest or its worst.

Granted, when one thinks of the neighborhood around Central and Northern, one doesn’t really think about homeless ministries. Most of the homeless reside in and near Downtown Phoenix. I would think that if Crossroads wanted to do this in a more effective (whatever this means) fashion, then doing outreach and meal service would be more effective there. There’s a fantastic human services campus at 12th Ave and Jefferson–maybe a partnership there should be in the works.

But that’s irrelevant to my argument. I am, however, reminded of something from Scripture:

“I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” [excerpted from "The Judgment of the Nations," Matthew 25:31-46 NRSV]

As The Rev. John Petty (All Saints’ Lutheran Church, Aurora, Colorado) noted in his blog Progressive Involvement,

In liberation theology circles, this is called the “preferential option for the poor,” which is supposed to be controversial, but, for the life of me, I can’t figure out why. All four gospels state very clearly, one way or another, that Christ is a friend of the poor, identifies with them, is found with them. It’s not for nothing that Jesus was born to a poverty-stricken Jewish family from a hick little town. [source]

Jesus was a friend of the poor. Christians – followers of Christ – should be friends of the poor as well.

This brings me back to the original crux of this entry, taken from the First Amendment: Congress shall make no law prohibiting the free exercise of religion.

Let’s make a few assumptions here. First, that the Gospel of St Matthew is accepted canon in Christianity. Second, Christianity is accepted as a religion. In essence, the city is redefining Christianity. Christianity by city policy.

If a church wants to reach out to “the least of these” in a homeless ministries program, then it has its Constitutional rights to do so. NIMBY-ists can complain until they’re blue in the face, but it should be a Constitutional right. Wait: it is.

Lord, have mercy!

-Edward Jensen

epilogue. In writing this post, I consulted with a couple people whom I know are involved in this program but aren’t the official “spokespeople” for the mission. In my conversations back-and-forth, what I’m about to post was shared. This person has graciously and generously allowed me to post their comments here but has requested that they remain anonymous, again, because they aren’t the official spokesperson. Respecting that and keeping this in mind, here goes:

Just a couple of details to help bring some clarification…

The homeless that attend don’t come out of the south downtown area (like Jefferson and 12th Ave, several miles away), but rather out of the north (just a couple of miles away, on the other side of the canal) in Sunnyslope (living in the same zip code, or the annexed zip code).

While there are homeless in attendance, there are also A LOT of families and people who live in poor housing who attend and are just a paycheck or two from being homeless. We bus people in so they don’t have to walk across the neighbors yards (although, some still take public transportation and come in).

Several of the people who attend the service, consider it their “community of faith.” It is a worship service (the worship service is NOT just an afterthought – but worship music is played while they sit and wait for breakfast and I preach for about 20 minutes to a half hour, Communion and prayer line forms).

There is an offering box where those who attend have given loose change and dollars and have supported an orphanage in Belarus (yes, caring for those who are even in more dire straights than they are!).

The church and outreach to the poor have reached out to the neighbors – supplying a 24 hour call line and regular public meetings for complaints and positive responses too. But a handful of neighbors have expressed, “Even if you don’t serve food, we want you shut down because of who is coming.” The neighbors have lied about many of the details to the media to shut us down, while the outreach has not “slimed” the neighbors but have talked nicely and worked to love all.

There are neighbors who attend the service as well. Not just the needy.

The entire grounds are cleared and the “homeless” are gone by 10 am. The “homeless” help to clean and put everything away – then they leave.

A message of hope and having a “God-given dream and purpose” has helped to turn lives around. Many have come off the streets, off of drugs, into poor housing, into jobs, into better housing, and even going to college because of the hope found in these meetings. There’s a core community who encourages each other and prays for each other.

While there are homeless people who attend, it is this core group of the poor in recovery who attend and makes this a community of faith so special (they are walking on own journey to a better life for themselves and encouraging those beside them on the way).

Thanks for your reporting on this.

With apologies to Stanley Kramer, it’s a mad, mad, mad, mad, county…

-Edward Jensen

A quick note about the Christmas Oratorio: Unlike other grand oratorios from the period, Bach’s work is comprised of six separate cantatas that are for Christmas Day through Epiphany (January 6). Bach’s original design was for the six separate cantatas to be performed separately.  Modern concert performances perform all six. JS Bach’s cantatas combine grand choruses, settings of chorales, arias, and recitatives.  Some feature small overtures/sinfonias at the beginning of each cantata.

There is a strong element of musical foreshadowing in the Christmas Oratorio. Bach employs the Passion chorale Befiehl du deine Wege (usually sung in English as O sacred head now wounded) throughout the work. Most notably, the chorale concludes Part VI as well as the complete Oratorio. In addition, an aria and chorale from Part V (Wo ist der neugeborne König der Juden?) are borrowed from his St John Passion (S. 245).

Joining the 27-voice Phoenix Chorale was a 19-member chamber orchestra as well as a continuo organist. It should be noted that a key element to Bach’s works (and most Baroque works in general) is a strong basso continuo.  In the performance, cello and organ combined to play the continuo. Jan Simiz (cello) and Sue Westendorf (organ) were perfectly together in this respect.

For the most part, the Phoenix Chorale’s pronunciation of the German text was easily discernible. When the choir was singing the same words at the same time, even non-German speakers could transcribe the text. But like most of Bach’s work, unison writing is rare and often times the different vocal parts are singing different words. That, combined with the live nature of the space’s acoustics, muddied up the text. I was sitting about 30 feet from the choir so I cannot imagine what it was like for people sitting in the back of the house.

On his game at the concert was Erik Gustafson, a tenor in the Phoenix Chorale, who performed the role of evangelist. (In the Christmas Oratorio as well as the Passions, the Evangelist connects the different arias and chorales together with text from the Bible sung in recitative form.) He sung with a pure, refined sound that, in my mind, made for a perfect evangelist. Mr. Gustafson kept to the simplicity of the text and added vocal effects (e.g. vibrato) very sparingly that actually contributed to the success of that role.

It was good to see the Phoenix Chorale return to its roots (they were, until recently, called the Phoenix Bach Choir). The Chorale, along with the orchestra and conductor Scott Alan Youngs, performed this work brilliantly. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio is not a work that should be taken lightly. The combined ensemble presented the work in a manner that even those who do not appreciate JS Bach’s music would suddenly appreciate it; for those who admire the great composer’s music, their admiration would become even greater.

This concert was one part of the Arizona Bach Festival, and so far, each of the performance spaces have been packed houses. It truly is heartwarming that, even in times of economic peril and also in a state whose legislators do not recognize the value of arts in the community, people enjoy and support the arts. With a concert like last night’s, it can be truthfully said that there are artistic gems in this desert.

-Edward Jensen

(For pictures from last night’s concert as well as the previous concerts in the series, check the Festival’s Facebook page at facebook.com/arizonabachfestival.)

Coming in just a couple days (actually, beginning on the 3rd!) is the premiere Arizona Bach Festival.  It’s the logical next step in Phoenix’s American Bach series that just wrapped up a seven-year cycle of the complete JS Bach cantatas as well as his St Matthew and St John Passions at All Saints’ Episcopal Church.

So this month, from the 3rd-7th, the Festival will happen at locations up and down Central Avenue. The orchestra features members of the Phoenix Symphony, the chorus is the Phoenix Chorale (of Grammy fame), the guest concertmaster is Dr. Stephen Redfield, the concert organists are Dr. Kimberly Marshall and Scott Dettra, and the conductor is Scott Youngs.

There are five events: two organ recitals (both at All Saints’), a solo violin recital (in the lobby of the Viad Tower in Midtown Phoenix), a performance of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio (at Central United Methodist Church), and an educational component sponsored by ASU and Arizona School for the Arts.  The events list is online here and tickets are available here.

It's Bach. In Arizona. Can it get any better?

I’ll be seeing you at the Arizona Bach Festival!

-Edward Jensen

GOLDEN PASS PROMOTION

Ala Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, METRO will specially mark “golden” transit passes in station fare vending machines along the line.  With more than 100 machines, METRO wants to help increase your odds.  Visit any or all of the following stations and their on-platform fare vending machines for your pass purchase and chance to win.

• Montebello/19^th Avenue
• Central Avenue/Camelback
• Roosevelt/Central Avenue
• Van Buren/Central Avenue and Van Buren/1^st Avenue
• Mill Avenue/3^rd Street
• Veterans Way/College Avenue
• Price-101 Freeway/Apache Boulevard
• Sycamore/Main Street

The 50 “golden” transit pass recipients will be entered into a raffle to receive one of 30 pairs of US Airways Center event tickets – either to a regular season Phoenix Suns home game or a family-friendly event, Disney on Ice or Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus – or one of two “Grand Golden VIP Experiences” that include:

• Four lower-level tickets to a Phoenix Suns home game
• Seats on the Suns bench during pre-game warm-ups
• Suns locker room tour
• Suns autographed memorabilia

For additional information, including rules, regulations and eligibility details, visit www.metrolightrail.org.   Platinum Pass and U-Pass cardholders have also been integrated into this program.

RIDER APPRECIATION DISCOUNTS

To sweeten the anniversary celebration, more than 45 gracious retailers along the line will offer special discounts or deals to anyone who presents a valid transit pass on December 19.  Riders will enjoy substantial savings such as two-for-one deals or as much as 30% off at these one-of-a-kind businesses.

The Suns are also offering a great deal extended through the holiday season. Present a valid transit pass at the US Airways Center ticket office between December 19 – 31 and receive $20 off lower level tickets or $10 off upper level tickets for any January 2010 game.  Great seats are still available.  Give a gift that will make your favorite Suns fan cheer!  The offer may be redeemed at the US Airways Center ticket office during normal business hours while supplies last.

For a complete list of businesses and their discounts, visit www.metrolightrail.org.

About METRO

METRO is celebrating it first year of operation having served more than 10.3 million riders through November 2009.  With the community’s support, METRO’s weekday ridership is 34 percent greater than projected, with Saturdays and Sundays fairing even better.  METRO will continue to look for ways to refine its 20-mile operation and level of customer service, while also planning for 37 miles of future extensions. Go to the www.metrolightrail.org site and click on Metro Turns One.  At Events to Enjoy there are lists of activities in the areas around Metro stations.

Surprise: this is another post on that same topic.  But, as preface, remember that I’m in the Urban and Metropolitan Studies program at Arizona State University, and as such, this is what we study.  What makes cities work?  What makes them not work?

[Author’s note: Yes, I know that Radiate Phoenix is tomorrow night and that this topic is the main item on the agenda.  It’s just that this is horrendous timing with Thanksgiving being a couple days away.  The holiday is pretty important to me and it's big in my family and, as strange as it might seem, I’m going to need all the preparation I can get.  I write this as my two cents’ worth to the discussion.  But I wish you all a spirited and productive conversation.]

Why is Downtown Phoenix not what we want it to be?  How can it get there?  I’m prepared to argue that Phoenix (its downtown, the city as a whole, and the region) focuses too much time and energy on the things that bring people here but not keep them here.  In August, I wrote a series of posts that explored this issue. As proof for this thesis, know that for every five people that are enfranchised by the area and come here, three people are disenfranchised and leave (source: Making Sense of Place – Phoenix: The Urban Desert).

It’s important to take a step back and look at the region’s recent history.  After World War II ended, those that were stationed in the various military outposts in this region came and settled here with their family.  With the land readily accessible, developers built new houses on virgin land outside the central core.  This began, inevitably, a culture and a mindset that if something isn’t just quite right, then just forget about it and build again—anew.  Downtown Phoenix began to become desolate, and so rather than quickly fixing the problem when it would have been an easy fix, we (true to form) ignored the problem and built new urban villages away from the core.  Those who could afford to leave did; those who couldn’t became disenfranchised as policy and governance focused on the new things, because they were politically more “sexy.”

This pattern repeated and repeated and that’s how we’re in this present state.  Rather than maintaining and sustaining present infrastructure, we’re always looking for that next “crown jewel” in the desert.

Downtown Phoenix has many different crown jewels that are already here.  Just because something is new and shiny does not mean that it’s automatically one of those jewels.  Let’s focus on that infrastructure which is already here.  From a physical infrastructure point of view, what’s here already is fantastic.  Now we have to fill in the gaping holes with a sustainable people infrastructure.

What is this people infrastructure?  I’m thinking places where people go: bars, restaurants, coffee shops, schools, parks, etc.  This is what academics like to call third places—places outside of one’s home and office.

What can we do to support this people infrastructure?  Make it a habit to shop and buy local.  Go beyond our elected leaders’ response to shopping local (what seems like mere lip service).  Tell friends, family, fellow students, colleagues, coworkers, anyone, and everyone about your favorite local places.  And go with them to these places!  I cannot tell you how much it pains me to see so many Starbucks cups carried by students, faculty, and staff on the ASU Downtown Phoenix campus, given the fact that the wonderful Fair Trade Café is set in the Civic Space Park.

How do we “fix” Phoenix?  Recognize our past.  Learn from our mistakes.  Diversify how and what we build.  Recognize that a healthy city needs a vibrant downtown core.  Focus on institutions that keep people here instead of those that just attract new blood.

-Edward Jensen

epilogue. Join me in making a pledge to purchase all your holiday gifts at locally-owned shops across the Valley.  If you’re throwing a party or preparing a big meal for your family to mark the season, shop at places like the Phoenix Urban Market or, if you must go to a supermarket, then there’s Bashas’.

Staging aside, the Mayor’s speech left me with more questions than answers.  The first year I went (2007), the Mayor outlined several bold proposals for downtown, including moving ASU’s College of Law to the then two-year-old campus.  The 2008 address was delivered at the then recently-opened Sheraton but with the economy having just collapsed, the highlight of that speech was for all those in attendance to ride the then yet-to-be-opened METRO light rail.

And then there was last night.

The roughly forty-minute speech seemed to lack a specific focus.  Over half of the speech was dedicated to the ASU Downtown Phoenix campus.  So was this the State of Downtown or the State of the ASU Downtown Phoenix campus?

My other impression from the Mayor’s speech is that this should have been delivered 3-4 years ago when the different things he was lauding – CityScape (strangely, there wasn’t one mention of One Central Park East), the UofA medical school, the Civic Space, ASU’s presence in downtown, etc. – were being pitched to the voters for their support.  Except these things had already opened or are very close to opening.

Another theme I took away from the Mayor’s speech was that there is no separation between ASU Downtown Phoenix and the greater Downtown Phoenix community.  The fate of one would affect the fate of the other.  Granted, the two are mutually related and intertwined in some fashion, but if there’s one thing that Arizona’s economy has taught us, it’s that we shouldn’t put all of our economic growth eggs in one basket.

Granted, with the Mayor’s tenure in office coming to a close soon (he’ll wrap up his second and final term in January 2011), maybe he’s trying to cement his legacy.  I’m not giving him any grief about this, but this city has a lot of issues facing it at the moment.

(It never helps with the state legislature is working against the city, or rather against the state.)

If you want to read the Mayor’s full speech, check out the Downtown Phoenix Journal article, “Recap of the Mayor’s State of Downtown Speech.”

-Edward Jensen

“It’s appropriate that this program brings together two retiring Valley icons,” said the city’s acting Public Information Office Director Deborah Sedillo Dugan.

The program features testimonials by professional sports magnate and civic leader Jerry Colangelo; C.A. Howlett, US Airways senior vice president of public affairs; Bill Post, Pinnacle West Capital chief executive officer; Ioanna Morfessis, president of IO.INC, a national economic-development consulting firm; Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox; former City Councilman Calvin C. Goode; former Deputy City Manager Jack Tevlin; and Lionel Lyons, director of the city’s Equal Opportunity Department.

The Fairbanks family shared many personal photos for the program, which depicts Phoenix’s growth and development under Fairbanks’ leadership.

The 63-year-old Phoenix native, whose last day is Thursday, Nov. 5, was appointed city manager in 1990. He has held the position longer than any previous manager. Under his leadership, Phoenix earned major accomplishments and grew to the fifth-largest city in the country.

Visit phoenix.gov/11 to view the replay schedule.

PHX 11 is the city’s award-winning news and information station broadcast on Cox Cable and accessible on the city’s Internet site, phoenix.gov. Viewers also can follow PHX 11 on Twitter: twitter.com/watchphx11.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE4YAyf88UQ

-Edward Jensen

Enjoy a special evening of fabulous Southern European refreshments, live organ music by visiting organist Gary Quamme, a short talk on the history of Romanian Glass icons by Dr Diana Hulick, and live surprise entertainment.

A suggested donation of $20 will be collected at the door. All proceeds will support the November exhibit of Glass Icons by Tudor Scripor & workshops on mural painting and painting on glass. Tudor is an internationally exhibited artist whose work represents Romania in the Vatican collections.

For more info, please call Aiste Parmasto at 602.821.8507 or e-mail aiste@trinityCCA.org.

Preface given. Back a couple of weeks in the Dean’s Office of the College of Public Programs, friend and colleague Lonni Summers were discussing this same thing. Where’s the METRO light rail gift shop? Where can I buy a bumper sticker that says, “My other car is METRO light rail”? Or what about a keychain with a model of the trains?

The Phoenix METRO’s success isn’t really hinged on how many people ride it during the week. A recent New York Times article posited that it was the weekend users that make our light rail a success. My point here is that Phoenicians do it differently.

Why just limit this to the light rail? Who wouldn’t want a little replica of Her Secret is Patience (the art installation hanging over the Civic Space park) sitting on their desk? (I do!) Yes, the Grand Canyon might be the most clichéd and tourist-exploited place here in Arizona, but what about for urbanistas?

The economy is bad. Cities need to be creative in generating new revenue. So why not start here? And I really want my light rail tchotchkes.

-Edward Jensen

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA4-kuZN26A

So, it’s sad to see this building go, but it had become quickly vandalized and blighted. I guess this was for the best.

-Edward Jensen