Lunch Links: Ghosts of Tempe’s Past and Future
The Arizona Republic recently offered two distinct views of Tempe—one looking toward the future and one looking 100 years into the past.
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The Arizona Republic recently offered two strikingly dissimilar views of the city of Tempe. One looked toward the future. The other looked 100 years into the past.
The first article offered a glimpse at what some apparently refer to as “the new American city.” (No word on whether Michael Crow plans to sue whoever coined the term.) According to the story, such utopias exist where retail, residential and entertainment developments are intermingled and built on top of one another in an urban core fed by mass transit.
The story points out that within the landlocked eight-square-mile area around ASU, more than 35 construction projects valued at over $4 billion are in various stages of completion.
At least one city planning expert believes Tempe’s going about “New Urbanism” the right way. Quoth David Feehan, director of the Washington D.C.-based International Downtown Association: “Is there New Urbanism in Tempe? Yes […] at least as much as anywhere in Arizona. Tempe has done a lot of things right, and that is evidenced by the amount of development going on now.”
Meanwhile, city historian Jay Mark penned a Republic piece based on a Tempe Board of Trade booklet published in 1908. Apparently, Tempe looked a lot less Utopia and a lot more Deadwood back when the Tempe Normal School’s Bulldogs were dropping football matches to the likes of Mesa High and the Phoenix Indian College.
The pamphlet boasts that Tempe “is lighted by electricity”, offers “splendid” insurance-lowering fire protection, and provides “natural sanitary conditions [that] are all that could be desired” thanks to the nearby Salt River which at one point actually flowed.
As for summer heat in the pre-A/C Salt River Valley, the pamphlet reported, “While the summer temperature ranges high as compared with Eastern temperatures, the heat here is peculiar. There are no sunstrokes, and the percentage of sickness is much lowered in the summer than it is during the winter months.”
With that said, the resumption of football season cannot get here soon enough. So, here are the links:
What’s Your Take, Sun Devils?
We know not everyone’s been happy to see the transformations of Tempe and Mill Avenue over the last decade. If you’ve got a gripe, drop it in the comments below.
Enjoy this article? Buy us a beer for just $4. (Credit Card / Paypal)New to Echo from the Buttes? Don’t miss:
Our thoughts on Rudy Carpenter getting his due against Cal.
Our debate on Michael Crow’s campaign to supersize ASU.
Our celebration of Mill Avenue’s top 10 ranking.
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