Demolition along the Phoenix light rail part 2
Posted on 11. Aug, 2009 by Tony Arranaga in Featured, News
A Phoenix police spokesperson confirmed there were no reports of fight clubs taking place in the old abandoned storage building currently being demolished along Central Avenue at Indian School Road.
Over the weekend, crews were starting the demolition process which you can read about here. There’s no confirmation yet on what will happen with this prime piece of real estate along the light rail tracks in Midtown Phoenix.
However there is word floating around that trespassers were organizing illegal fight clubs on the top floor of the five story building.
“Unless they get hurt we wouldn’t know about it,” said Sgt. Tommy Thompson, who continued to say his department hasn’t heard of any illegal fight clubs taking place anywhere in the city. But that doesn’t mean the activity was non-existent in Phoenix.
“I think we would be foolish if we said they didn’t exist,” said Thompson.
Thompson tells me underground fight clubs are illegal on many levels – depending on whether the participants were trespassing, or if someone was injured (or even worse killed), or if there was gaming involved which would be considered organized crime.
I’m fascinated by all this!
What does the demolition and fight club rumors have to do with the light rail and experimenting with living carfree? Part of the reason why I write this blog is to illustrate what I’ve been missing spending so much time behind the wheel of a car. I feel like I never really knew my own city, and even my own neighborhood, up until the last eight months.
This post is just one reason why I’m enjoying my experiment. You should try it sometime. :)
2 Responses to “Demolition along the Phoenix light rail part 2”
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Ben Bethel
12. Aug, 2009
Here’s the scoop: The owners of the lot have held the lot in the family for a long time and don’t have any plans for it – they wanted the lot cleared (maybe to reduce property tax bills?) and one day may consider building a high-rise there. They are in no hurry.
While we’re on the subject, that lot should be greened up… here’s an email I sent to the mayor and vice-mayor. If anyone agrees, please send an email to them as well at philgordonphoenixgov and tom simplotphoenixgov:
Mayor & Vice-Mayor,
I’d like to propose that the city help turn the giant empty lots on the NWC and NEC of Central and Indian School Roads into urban co-op farms. Could also be done with the lots across from Brophy Prep and Central High School, as well as the lot on the NWC of Central and McDowell. Could be a unique opportunity for the “greening of Phoenix”… bring worldwide attention to a city making an effort to not only beautify empty lots that will probably be empty for another 10-15 years, but in a useful manner by having co-op farms like in NYC/SF/etc… plus there’s nothing worse than driving down the main boulevard of the 5th largest city in the US and seeing dust-devils blasting sand all over the place!
BTW – great start with the LED streetlights…. Hance Park would really benefit from these…
Tony Arranaga
12. Aug, 2009
Awesome, Ben!! That’s a great idea!! If you don’t mind I’m going to create a separate post with your letter…in addition to an update on from another blogger.