By Dianna M. Náñez, The Republic | azcentral.com
Look up. Towering construction cranes are everywhere in downtown Tempe.
It is no accident that there are about 20 developments underway. Tempe sees itself not as another suburb of Phoenix but as a thriving small-scale metropolis.
The bustling development is eclipsing that of other Valley cities and comes as Tempe voters in May approved the city’s updated General Plan. City leaders see the document as a blueprint to advance sustainable urban living, high-density development and modernize auto-centric streets by focusing on bicyclists, pedestrians and public transit.