Why Tempe Is Demolishing Its Sole Historic Neighborhood

Can Tempe afford -- or afford not to -- keep its oldest houses?

1 minute read

February 13, 2004, 8:00 AM PST

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech

Tempe, Arizona is "half sprawling suburb, half East Coast-style urban renewal development." In the midst of this uber-suburb is one remaining historic neighborhood, but the city is letting it slip away. "Identity is a key issue in this ongoing seesaw between development and preservation. If a city is going to redevelop-to reinvent itself as a center of legitimate commerce instead of as a dying downtown lost to drugs and malls-then it must, to a certain extent, leave behind its old identity, including what many see as decaying old buildings."

Thanks to Seth Brown

Read the full story: Finding room for history in the desert: Can Tempe afford-or afford not to-keep its oldest houses?

Wednesday, February 11, 2004 in The Next American City

History / Preservation Arizona

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