Jackson Street Entertainment District Hits a Political Nerve

• <p>Let's be clear, the five new Bernie Kantak restaurants are NOT part of the planned Jackson Street Entertainment District, and that's a good thing. The restaurant complex will be in a building at 1st and Jackson Streets that until recently has been owned by Michael Levine. That propoerty is not part of the David Wallach/Larry Lazarus Planned Urban Development known as the Jackson Street Entertainment District, which is located to the south and east of the Kantak complex. The problem with JESD isn't the vision, it's that it's a typical Arizona land speculation deal based on high-rise zoning that will probably never get built. Kudos to Kantak and his backers who are focused on actually building something and getting it open rather than shooting for a pie-in-the-sky project that will never happen. </p>

• <p>Roosevelt Row and Grand Ave are the polar opposite of mega-developments like Cityscape, Colliers Center, Arizona Center, because they TRULY came from un-manufactured urban renewal. JSED is a planned development. No one honestly could show "artist concepts" of what Roosevelt became, try as they might.</p> <p>JSED has potential and most of the partners have vision, but I think the developers need to spell out what their "focused vision" will cost, in square feet, to small biz owners. Then we'll see if it ends up eclectic and affordable versus empty and attainable.</p>

• <p>JSED should not be derailed. It's already been pared down significantly as it is thanks to the city, the economy and other special interests.</p> <p>Unlike singular mega-developments like Cityscape, Colliers Center, Arizona Center, etc., JSED is the opposite in many ways. The project works largely with the urban fabric and infrastructure that exists already. There will no demolitions of significant structures. JSED is essentially "filling in the blanks."</p> <p>A truly great, un-manufactured urban environment like San Diego's Gaslamp, Denver's LoDo, Portland's Pearl, etc., have all evolved from existing urban fabrics. JSED is arguably Phoenix's first focused, credible hope for such a cohesive mix of historic architecture and urban vitality, in such a singular point of interest.</p> <p>I can see why many would protest another Arizona Center, etc., but protesting JSED is counterproductive - it is largely on the opposite end of that spectrum. We finally have a consortium of smart, self-aware developers and investors who are united in their ambitions to make such a unique, largely authentic-to-Phoenix vision become reality. </p> <p>Instead of waiting for years (or decades) for random, un-focused, piecemeal development here and there, some good some bad, JSED is a project, a focused vision, that if realized could allow us our desires sooner ... as opposed, actually, to possibly never.</p> <p>/Okay, I'm done.</p>

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