Quality of LIFE Expected To Be Key 2030...

Growth, quality of life expected to be key 2030 issues, from the Phoenix Business Journal, looks to the future to see what metro Phoenix will look like in 2030. Fifteen story buildings doting the suburban landscape from Apache Junction to Buckeye, condo and hotel towers line Copper Square, the Loop 303 corridor is booming with residential and commercial developments as the center of the Valley straddles the western boundaries of Loop 101. That's the vision of what greater Phoenix could look like in 25 years, according to Valley economic development and business leaders. "Within the next 25 years, we will see an enormous shift from horizontal to vertical development," said Pete Bolton, senior managing director for CB Richard Ellis. Glendale Economic Development Director Iain Vasey predicts a westward population shift. The most recent population projections call for 1.5 million new residents to inhabit the West Valley over the next 10 years, and the population center of the Valley will move from the Central Corridor significantly west. The strongest markets in 2030 will be in finance, insurance, real estate, professional and technical services, advanced business services, accounting and architecture, and the bio and medical fields will emerge as a big part of our economy. Gary Broome, president and chief executive of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, says "Arizona will be a national leader in the development of science-based enterprises, with an emphasis in personalized medicine. Our semiconductor base will be rooted in nanotechnology, and Intel will remain a global industry leader."

http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2006/01/02/story3.html?t=printable