Pretty good article, this. Central to the piece is the concept of TOD (transit-oriented development)...
Spectrum Mall, known to long-time Valley residents as Chris-Town Mall, is one of the area's oldest shopping centers -- and the first in the country to be air conditioned. The shopping venue at 1703 W. Bethany Home Road, between 15th and 19th avenues, would be perfect for transit-oriented development, said Bo Martinez, program manager with the city of Phoenix Downtown Development office.http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7378166/
"Light rail will be here. The city is putting in an 820-space park-and-ride lot just south. It could be a great thing economically for Spectrum Mall," he said. "Throughout the country, it has been shown that light rail can spur new investment, particularly around the (rail) stations, and increase property values, rents and sales."
Transit-oriented development, or TOD, is a pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use mall concept that includes retail, entertainment, residential, office, civic and open space with a transit focal point.
In this case, the transit focus is the planned 20-mile light rail system scheduled to start construction near the mall, Martinez said.
The route will run from Spectrum Mall down 19th Avenue, where it will turn east along Camelback Road and then south on Central Avenue to downtown Phoenix.
The light rail is expected to be operational by 2008.
