The word “progress” denotes moving forward by its very nature. While it takes on different meanings for different things, at its core it generally means leaving something behind in the past for something in the future that is ostensibly better. But sometimes the word is used too loosely; not everything old needs to be updated, and not everything new adds … Read More
An Ambitious Development Project Planned for Scottsdale: Will It Make It Through the City Council Gauntlet?
The Scottsdale city council took a strong turn away from growth and development-focused dais under Mayor Lane to a rather development-hesitant one under Mayor Ortega starting in 2020. Many projects have failed to secure the needed votes to come to fruition, frustrating numerous developers and other professionals involved. So a new proposed project raised both eyebrows for its ambition and … Read More
The Unfortunate Consequence of Drought: Governor Hobbs Puts the Breaks on Growth, How Will It Impact Us?
On this blog we pride ourselves on regularly covering the most pressing issues of Arizona, and two of the most pressing issues of the last few years have been the ongoing water supply issues plaguing the entire region, as well as the crisis of the cost of housing. Both of those items happen to intersect in a recent development that … Read More
The Winds of Change: Regulation is Now in Fashion in Scottsdale
My ohhh my, what a change only a handful of years can make. It wasn’t too long ago that a Jim Lane-led Scottsdale embraced development and growth. It would seem that the pendulum has swung and swung hard in the other direction. In a 6-1 vote, the Scottsdale city council recently voted to adopt a series of international green building … Read More
Unfortunate Requests for More Unnecessary Density in Scottsdale
By Ronald Sampson There has been a concerted shift away from the development hey-days of the past in Scottsdale, when it felt as though any interesting and well-financed idea conceived by developers would make its way through the city council with relative ease. More recently traffic, crowds (i.e. population density) and construction have made activists out of everyday people, and … Read More
Demand Pull: Jobs are Bringing More Housing to Phoenix, What Can Scottsdale Learn?
We’re not shy about the need for more housing options in the valley; in the words of that oddball New York political candidate a number of years back, “the rent is too damn high”, but one could also lump home prices in that bucket as well. And as we like to remind you, the best way to reduce those is … Read More
Scottsdale with Green Building Mandates? Is This the Scottsdale We Want?
Photo Credit: Rose Law GroupAhhhh, Scottsdale: the city of beautiful people, great nightlife, fantastic golf and leisure, and…strict environmental building codes. Wait, what? Yes, it is true: Scottsdale will become the first city in the state to mandate new “green building codes” to ensure more environmentally friendly materials are used, energy efficiency is emphasized, and water usage is reduced. These … Read More
Caputi Takes On Ortega in a Friendly Crowd: Is It a Sign of What’s to Come in 2024?
Is it too early to look forward to the 2024 Scottsdale Mayoral race? Well we are confident that Mayor David Ortega is looking forward to his re-election campaign, and based on a recent post from Councilwoman Tammy Caputi it looks like we may have someone else who is similarly looking at that race with opportunity in their eyes. We found … Read More
Pressure Mounts for the Need to Build More Apartments Now
The nearly absurd rise in housing prices which has led nearly directly to a rental crisis in Arizona is a major pressing issue that we have been on top of here at the Arizona Progress Gazette. Recent interest rate increases from the Federal Reserve have served the purpose of pumping the brakes on the economy, raising interest rates, and halting … Read More
Guest Editorial: The Political Earthquake In Scottsdale No One Is Talking About . . .And Ramifications For The City’s Future
By Jason Rose I ran my first successful campaign in Scottsdale in 1994. Two years later I consulted on the campaign that elected the city’s first female mayor, Sam Campana. Ever since I have been heavily involved in the Scottsdale political scene leading elections for other mayors, hockey arenas and bonds to fund new infrastructure. I offer these credentials not … Read More