The Scottsdale Republic
Scottsdale, a city shaped in large part by titanic home runs of creativity, has been slumping at the plate recently.
Not since the initial efforts to establish the McDowell Sonoran Preserve has the city really knocked one out of the park, with execution of an idea giving out-of-towners a reason to visit and residents an opportunity to feel some newfound pride in their city.
Such ideas once sprang forth with such frequency as to recall baseball’s “juiced ball” era: WestWorld, the Indian Bend Wash and the Tournament Players Championship golf course were all inspired additions which enhanced our city. We’ll call SkySong — at least for now — a fly ball that made it to the warning track but no farther.
So when a respected local architect and publicist dig in and announce their plans to swing for the fences by restoring one of Scottsdale’s most blighted, bickered-over areas, it’s time to sit up and take notice.
Yes, Doug Sydnor and Jason Rose’s elevated-trail plan for the McDowell Road corridor is expensive. At nearly $25million for its first portion alone, the price tag — potentially part of a city-bond program in a special election next November — might be too much for taxpayers to swallow.
