From Mr. John Deal:

PS: After almost a year I kinda finished my page on Van Buren:
http://www.sierraestrella.com/vanburen.html

“Van Buren is a mess. It is run down, decrepit, ugly and trashy – but enough of the nice talk, lets look at the bad things about this street. Perhaps more than any other street in Phoenix, Van Buren is known for prostitutes, pimps, porn, police and poverty. In the newspapers, the name of the street often appears with words such as murder, rape, shots, crime, drugs, and johns.” [...]

Monti’s restaurant to stay, be part of Tempe’s future

A mainstay Mexican eatery in central Phoenix closes

Linda Helser
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 29, 2007 02:01 PM

Jordan’s Mexican Food on North Central Avenue, a Phoenix institution and purveyor of what some say is the best hot sauce in the country, will close Saturday.  Bobby Jordan [...] blames the light rail project for killing his family business.

Reasonable people can disagree. I can understand why many would be surprised and unhappy about my decision. Of course, many of you do not know what I know about my business and the environment (physical, regulatory, market) it operates in. Nor do you know the details of how I bought it and the challenges it has faced. So I understand that loyal customers, as well as those who grew up here and feel nostalgia for the place–even if you haven’t been there in years–might have issues. I have always been available to talk about Downtown Tempe issues and my restaurant for those who contact me and leave a name and number, or send an email. (*)There is room for civil discourse.

On the other hand, some people are angry. Born angry.  Such people spew envy and spite so copiously that it completely undermines any scintilla of reason that could be gleaned from their argument. And, predictably, they hurl their venom from the safety of anonymity…and with plenty of juvenile profanity just for leavening. These people do not merit a response.

If you wish to be amused by the stylings of a puerile mind, look here. In the end, who could take this seriously?

You know who I am, but who are you? No–don’t bother: your writing reveals everything we need to know about your true character.

(*) My email address is my first initial plus my last name at the domain montis.com

Perhaps the best encapsulation I have yet seen on our situation:

State Press, Tue, 27 Mar 2007 2:22 AM PDT
New developer pledges to preserve historic building http://www.statepress.com/issues/2007/03/27/news/700430
Owners are selling one of Tempe\’s oldest buildings in a deal that officials say will fill a critical cap in Tempe\’s downtown experience.

March 26, 2007

TO: All Downtown Businesses

FROM: Chris Wilson

RE: University & Mill Street Closure

The construction along University Drive and at the intersection of University and Mill is nearing completion. The next phase will consist of closing Forest Avenue, north of University Drive for a distance of approximately 100 feet. This will require a soft (local traffic only) closure at the intersection of 7th Street and Forest Avenue. This closure will last approximately 2 weeks commencing on March 26, 2007.

The final phase of the project is to replace the brick pavers at the intersection of University and Mill. This work will commence on May 14, 2007, following the end of the ASU spring semester.

University Drive and the intersection of University and Mill will remain open until that time with limited lane restrictions while the project is finalized.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Chris Wilson
Vice President/Operations
Downtown Tempe Community
(480)921-2300

JoJo
Great to hear from you.
Boy, did that post bring back some memories! Thanks for posting.

I am out of AZ writing from my palmtop, so just stay tuned for a more elaborate rhetorical blast in a few days.
MLM

Update: 

OK This was a bad idea. I was trying to use the tiny screen to copy and paste while I was out of town. Now the conversation has gone stale anyway, so just forget it….

I have been monitoring comments posted to articles about our development deals by readers. Since we seem to have stimulated positive public interest in efforts to preserve Tempe’s heritage, I thought that it might be an opportune time to post Tempe’s historic sites from the National Register, as listed in the Tribune (see my Blogroll in the sidebar for a link):

TEMPE
J. D. Cooper Saloon; 202 W. Fifth St., Tempe. 1888.
Dines/Hight House; 120 W. Seventh, Tempe. 1889.
Eisendrath House; 1400 N. College, Tempe. 1930.
Elias-Rodriguez House, also known as Irene Rodriguez Residence; 927 E. 8th St., Tempe. 1885.
Ellingson Warehouse, also known as Hicks’ Machine Shop; 24 W. 7th St., Tempe. 1909.
Elliott House; 1010 Maple Ave., Tempe. 1929.
Farmer/Goodwin House, also known as Hiram Bradford Farmer Residence; 820 Farmer Ave., Tempe. 1883
Frankenberg House; 129 E. University Drive, Tempe. 1910
D.J. Frankenberg House; 2222 S. Price Road, Tempe. 1915.
George N. Gage House; 115 W. University Drive, Tempe. 1888.
Gonzales/Martinez House, also known as S & S Painting; 320 W. 1st St., Tempe. 1880.
Goodwin Building, also known as Chief Dodge, Reverie Antiques, Happy Trails; 512-518 S. Mill Ave., Tempe. 1907
Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium, also known as No. 140 – NE Corner of Mill Avenue and Apache Boulevard, Tempe. 1964.
Mary and Moses Green House, also known as Kasson Ranch House; demolished, formerly at 301 E. Carver Road, Tempe. 1889.
Roy Hackett House, also known as Hilge House and Bakery; 401 and 405 Maple St., Tempe. 1888.
Harrington/Birchett House; 202 E. 7th St., Tempe. 1895.
Hayden Flour Mill; 119 Mill Ave., Tempe. 1918.
C. T. Hayden House, also known as La Casa Vieja; 3 W. 1st St., Tempe. 1871.
Hiatt/Barnes House; 1104 Ash Ave., Tempe. 1928.
Hotel Casa Loma; 398 Mill Ave., Tempe. 1899.
Industrial Arts/Anthropology Building; ASU Campus (Bldg. 4), Tempe. 1914.
Joseph E. Johnson House; demolished, formerly in back of 720 Mill Ave., Tempe. 1883.
Rev. Daniel Kloss House, also known as P. P. Daggs, Nielson, Neeb House; 202 E. 6th St., Tempe. 1895.
Hugh Laird House; 821 S. Farmer, Tempe. 1908.
Samuel C. Long House; 27 E. 6th St., Tempe. 1910.
Tempe Normal School, Main Building,also known as Old Main; ASU Campus, Tempe. 1890.
Matthews Hall, ASU Campus (Bldg. 172), Tempe. 1918.
Miller Block, also known as Farmers and Merchants Bank; 418-422 Mill Ave., Tempe. 1900.
Jesus Miranda Homestead; 1992 E. University, Tempe. 1877.
Benjamin B. Moeur House; 34 E. Seventh St., Tempe. 1892.
Sidney B. Moeur House;903 Ash Ave., Tempe. 1921.
W. A. Moeur House; 850 Ash Ave., Tempe. 1910.
Morrow/Hudson House; 1203 E. Alameda Drive, Tempe. 1904
C. P. Mullen House, also known as D. R. Van Petten House; 918 Mill Ave., Tempe. 1924.
E. A. Murphy House; demolished/formerly at 802 Farmer Ave., Tempe. 1888.
Ollerton House; demolished/formerly at 1004 S. Mill Ave., Tempe. 1924.
Samuel Openshaw House, also known as Reed House; demolished, formerly at 104 W. 6th St., Tempe. 1883.
Petersen/Chipman Building; 409-413 S. Mill Ave., Tempe. 1898.
Niels Petersen House; Southern Avenue and Priest Street, Tempe. 1892.
Poil/Hampton House; 4070 S. Priest Drive, Tempe. 1904.
President’s House, also known as University Archives; ASU campus, Tempe. 1907.
Byron Redden House; 948 Ash Ave., Tempe. 1918.
Lowell Redden House; 333 Carver St., Tempe. 1920.
Rohrig School;demolished/formerly at 2328 E. University Drive, Tempe. 1989.
Sachs/Goodwin House; 116 E. Sixth St., Tempe. 1896.
Salt River Southern Pacific RR Bridge; Salt River near Mill Avenue, Tempe. 1912.
Sampson/Tupper House; 109 W. 6th St., Tempe. 1888.
B. H. Scudder Rental House; demolished, formerly at 911 S. Maple Ave., Tempe. 1928.
St. Mary’s Church, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church; College and University Avenue, Tempe. 1903.
Steward House; 612 Maple Ave., Tempe. 1893.
Tempe Beach Stadium; Ash at 1st St., Tempe. 1934.
Tempe Bridge, also known as Ash Avenue Bridge, Salt River Bridge; abandoned road over Salt River, Tempe. 1913.
Tempe Concrete Arch Highway Bridge; Mill Avenue and Salt River, Tempe. 1931.
Tempe Cotton Exchange Cotton Gin Seed Storage Building; 215 W. 7th St., Tempe. 1900-1924.
Tempe Depot; Third St. & Railroad Avenue, Tempe. 1924.
Tempe Hardware Building, also known as I.O.O.F. Hall, Cosmopolitan Hall, Curry Hall; 520 S. Mill Ave. Tempe. 1898.
Tempe Woman’s Club; 1290 S. Mill Ave., Tempe. 1925-1949.
Vienna Bakery, also known as Golden Temple Building: 415 S. Mill Ave., Tempe. 1893.
Walker/Montgomery House; 118 E. 7th St., Tempe. 1903.
E. M. White Dairy Barn, also known as Ox Bow; 1810 E. Apache, Tempe. 1919.

There are many, many factors that entered into my decision to develop the property. I stayed awake many nights thinking through the ramifications of the opportunities that were presented to me.

There are huge changes taking place in Downtown Tempe, and they have had deep far-reaching impact on Monti’s La Casa Vieja. I have to adapt to this situation if we are to be here in the long run. If we try to freeze the restaurant in time and make it changeless, it will slowly fade away.

This is not a case of the City trying to use eminent domain to take away my property. Nor is this a David and Goliath fight with a “big, evil developer” as when Dan Harkins had a standoff with Hines over the Cine Capri. Rather, we have voluntarily entered into a cooperative agreement with a developer with whom we see eye-to-eye. I believe that the outcome will benefit Tempe, 3w, and me and my family.

This deal is necessary to secure the long-term future of Monti’s and the historic structure that has been in my family’s care since the 1950’s. We will respect the historic context and eclectic, authentic character of the Hayden House, La Casa Vieja. I love the place more than anyone, and spent 1 million to renovate it in 1994.

I was born in Tempe, and I live in Tempe with my family. I care about what happens here.

Monti’s is open. We are not going anywhere for the foreseeable future, while we plan the next steps. Come on in.

Best Regards,

Michael L. Monti
www.montis.com

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/86426

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0324montis0324.html